Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

I replaced the pot and it’s been working fine since but weird when testing with a meter that I didn’t spot any hiccups in it.

[redwire]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

If this is the same mains AC dimmer circuit as in post #65, and the pot checks out, then the triac is suspect. It might have low sensitivity, needs high gate current to get it's lazy ass on.

I had a similar problem, first the pot went intermittent due to low quality chinese build. The carbon had cracked and it was sparking. I replaced it, added a series resistor... and after a month the triac gate shorted. It is possible a dud triac burns out the potentiometer, if it does not have a series resistor to limit current.
The potentiometer is typically a big 1W or 2W part for some reason.

[Agent24]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

It's not common but yes, some bad components will test OK but fail under load. Try a new potentiometer. You might have just got unlucky.

Can you get a brand name one from Digi-Key instead of some generic thing from Amazon?

Also check, it's not perhaps some issue with the way it's mounted? Some pots may not isolate the wiper from the shaft, and if the body is mounted to a metal chassis that's also connected somewhere, like ground, you can get weird problems.

The original pot didn't have a plastic body, did it?

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

no, but you dont normally have much current flowing through pots - that's when you use a wirewound/reostat type.
how much current is yours being subjected to?

Not sure to be honest

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

no, but you dont normally have much current flowing through pots - that's when you use a wirewound/reostat type.
how much current is yours being subjected to?

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

Just an update. The replacement pot failed yesterday. Didn’t last nearly as long as the original.

Symptoms were no air flow until fully on (same as original failure)
However out of circuit it measured smoothly in ohms range.

Is it normal for a pot to measure good but in circuit fail with current running though it?

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

flow is probably higher - it's a blower right behind the element - not like trying to push the air down a cramped hose first.

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

pressure - unknown.
you would need some type of restrictor and flow meter to know that.

Flow then lol

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

pressure - unknown.
you would need some type of restrictor and flow meter to know that.

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

Pressure mostly. I like to use higher air lower temp. Found out it’s safer for most things. Or maybe that’s just how I learned

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

weaker? as in pressure, or flow?

either way, i dont see why it would matter - i use mine at about 20-25%.
dont be a Rossmann, dont blow your smd across the desk!!

new video out today - i call it - the flying sub-module!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBaaa-aajiM

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

for a blower??
lol

what may be interesting, but financially questionable:
convert it with a new handpiece with a fan in it.
only problem, the fan is 12 or 24v and the original pump isnt.

Don't the models with the fan in the wand have weaker airflow?

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

Over time of use the volume of vacuum or air supply slowly decrease
I have not found a way to repair them

Good to know. I'll just live with it for now I guess.

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

for a blower??
lol

what may be interesting, but financially questionable:
convert it with a new handpiece with a fan in it.
only problem, the fan is 12 or 24v and the original pump isnt.

[capwizard]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

You will need a vacuum pump.

https://okelectronic.wordpress.com/2013/04/

My suggestion is this one. (picture 1)

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

Over time of use the volume of vacuum or air supply slowly decrease
I have not found a way to repair them

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

I even tilted the reservoir? white tank to relief the kink of the hose coming off it but there was no noticeable difference

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

Do you mean there could be blockage inside the little box that the air and wires join together or that the hose would kink at that point?

Here's a pic with the hose removed. I just see wires inside that I'm guessing is normal.

How would I remove the hose at the front to check for blockage? Does it just twist off? I tried but it wouldn't budge

[stj]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

yes, where the pipe meets the base

[caphair]

Re: Hot Air Station - Air Pump Failing

maybe there is a blockage - like where the wire joins the air and leaves the unit - that area used to kink a lot on mine.

You mean at the connector held in by 2 screws going out to the hot air wand?