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testing front heater resistor unit

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:32 pm
by ronhud
My heater blower has failed. After reading everything I could find on here I connected the fan directly to the battery and it spun ok. I removed the resistor unit - it looks ok from the outside but who knows? So my question is how do I check for continuity on the resistor. There are 5 pins and I cant get my head round what order I should use with my multimeter. I also believe there is a relay on the left bulkhead - if this is the faulty item would that be indicated by current not arriving at the connector that clips on the resistor? If so which wires on the connector should I check?

Thanks
Ron

Re: testing front heater reistor unit

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:19 pm
by daveblueozzie
you need to take the top off the resistor and check the contacts underneath, if any have sprung off its very obvious and can be resoldered back on.
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Re: testing front heater reistor unit

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:40 pm
by mikeonb4c
ronhud wrote:My heater blower has failed. After reading everything I could find on here I connected the fan directly to the battery and it spun ok. I removed the resistor unit - it looks ok from the outside but who knows? So my question is how do I check for continuity on the resistor. There are 5 pins and I cant get my head round what order I should use with my multimeter. I also believe there is a relay on the left bulkhead - if this is the faulty item would that be indicated by current not arriving at the connector that clips on the resistor? If so which wires on the connector should I check?

Thanks
Ron
Good to hear from you Ron - I thought you'd sold up?

I had to solder my resistor a short while back - a doddle as Dave says, once you've bent the tabs that hold the cover on ion order to remove it. I seem to recall I opened up the ventilation through it a tad at the same time using a file to open up the ventilation slot, in order to improve cooling airflow over the soldered contact etc. I also try not to run the heater on setting 1 where possible as that is the worst combination of heat generation as the resistor takes the max waste current, whilst airflow over is at its minimum. 8)

Re: testing front heater reistor unit

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:29 am
by ronhud
DBO - I had read about dismantling the resistor but I was a bit apprehensive to do so. Thanks to your pics I felt happy to have a go and the resistor has now been resoldered and is back working.

Mike - Freda is still up for sale, but not much response. I have had it on the Fury site for a couple of months and a big sign FOR SALE in the window. Maybe the credit crunch or the time of year. I had a week in the New forest with my son and his family (just me in the van!) and sailing on the Solent. By the end of that week I was wondering why I was selling it.

In the last few months I have had to replace the alternator, middle section of exhaust and 2 exhaust manifold bolts, Wellhouse workshop have been very good.

Ron

PS i am putting up a seperate posting re 'belt noise' - any comments.

Re: testing front heater reistor unit

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:36 pm
by mikeonb4c
ronhud wrote:DBO - I had read about dismantling the resistor but I was a bit apprehensive to do so. Thanks to your pics I felt happy to have a go and the resistor has now been resoldered and is back working.

Mike - Freda is still up for sale, but not much response. I have had it on the Fury site for a couple of months and a big sign FOR SALE in the window. Maybe the credit crunch or the time of year. I had a week in the New forest with my son and his family (just me in the van!) and sailing on the Solent. By the end of that week I was wondering why I was selling it.

In the last few months I have had to replace the alternator, middle section of exhaust and 2 exhaust manifold bolts, Wellhouse workshop have been very good.

Ron

PS i am putting up a seperate posting re 'belt noise' - any comments.
I'm so glad you've not sold it. It's a dilemma with these things. Difficult to live with, impossible to live without. Not really but you get my point. When I look at how cheap to maintain and reliable mine has been, and the low capital outlay and (hopefully) depreciation, and the cheap ebay purchases it has enabled, it certainly offsets fuel costs, especially if I don't drive it! Nothing will ever replace the Bongo if/when I am forced to sell. Maybe God's trying to tell you something. 8)