Need Help Identifying a Control Board Component

[mgreenage1]

I would appreciate if any of you out there could ID this component marked in the pic. It appears that it could be an adjustment of some sort possibly. I should mention that this board is from an older Breckwell(analog type) from my p22 Charm. Many thanks in advance!

Mark

 

[pkitfox]

It looks like a rheostat. A rheostat is just a resistor that's resistance can be varied by adjusting a wiper usually with a screwdriver. You can see the screwdriver slot in the center of the rheostat (2 terminal adjustable resister).

http://www.piher-nacesa.com/

I say it is a rheostat because I think it has 2 terminals. A potentiometer uses 3 terminals, although a potentiometer can be wired to function as a rheostat. In fact wiring a potentiometer using only 2 of it's 3 terminals is quite common. When wired that way, it is in fact a rheostat.

 

[mgreenage1]

It looks like a rheostat. A rheostat is just a resistor that's resistance can be varied by adjusting a wiper usually with a screwdriver. You can see the screwdriver slot in the center of the rheostat (2 terminal adjustable resister).

http://www.piher-nacesa.com/

I say it is a rheostat because I think it has 2 terminals. A potentiometer uses 3 terminals, although a potentiometer can be wired to function as a rheostat. In fact wiring a potentiometer using only 2 of it's 3 terminals is quite common. When wired that way, it is in fact a rheostat.

pkitfox,

Thanks for the reply. Would this by any chance have a bearing on the feed rates if you know? As you can probably tell, I'm very electronically challenged!
Thanks again

Mark

 

[pkitfox]

Mark,

Just curious, why do you want to know what it is? Do you for some reason suspect it to be bad? If you need help it testing it with a meter, PM me. I will help if I can. Any mobile radio shop can change it, I am just afraid what they might charge. If the part is in fact bad, and you can secure the part and bring it to a shop, should only be whatever their minimum labor charge is to replace it. 5 minutes work once the iron is hot.

 

[pkitfox]

I don't know much about pellet stoves, but I would bet it could have something to do with feed rate, or other things not having to do with feed rate. Many times if you take the adjustment, and turn it back and forth, it will kinda clean the wiper and possibly cure a problem. just make sure you get the adjustment back where it started. Even if it has to do with feed rate! I am sure there are a lot of other things that could go wrong that have nothing to do with that potentiometer, or rheostat. Maybe if you could describe the symptoms, someone who is knowledgeable on this forum could help.

 

[mgreenage1]

Mark,

Just curious, why do you want to know what it is? Do you for some reason suspect it to be bad? If you need help it testing it with a meter, PM me. I will help if I can. Any mobile radio shop can change it, I am just afraid what they might charge. If the part is in fact bad, and you can secure the part and bring it to a shop, should only be whatever their minimum labor charge is to replace it. 5 minutes work once the iron is hot.

No it's not bad, I was more curious if this was an "adjustment" of some sort. To be more precise, I was kinda hoping maybe it would vary my feed rate timings per say. I burn a lot on low(stove is basic 3 settings) and it is most times just not quite enough while the med. setting is usually too much. Unfortunately, there's a huge swing between the two settings. That's all, I was thinking maybe I had found an adjustment to possibly rectify this situation, kinda like the "trim" control on the newer digital boards.
Thanks Again

Mark

 

[pkitfox]

Mark,

I think Breckwell, unlike some other brands may talk to you. Call their Tech Support and get an old guy on the phone...lol. There will more than likely be someone who still works there that can tell you if there is a trim adjustment on the control board. I looked at the manual, and it indicated that if the stove is going out on low, you may have too much draft. If you had this stove since new, you could probably write the operating manual, but something to check. I know the new Breckwells have a trim adjustment for low. It makes sense there would be an auger trim adjustment on your stove. I could not find it in the manual, so if it exists, it was considered a factory adjustment.

Maybe optimizing your damper setting for low, and the specific pellets will help. You may have already done that.

 

[603BOB]

I think you will find that your part is a potentiometer. The third terminal is hidden in the photo - it is under the top of the device where the arrow in the control is pointing, and should appear on the back of the board.

The NE556 chip is a dual timer chip - it appears the control is connected to that chip. These chips are commonly used to generate an ON-OFF signal, with a varying ratio of ON to OFF time. This varying duty cycle is commonly used to control speed and or torque of both AC and DC motors.

A pure guess would be that the control is an operating adjustment, but if it is not accessable from the outside of the stove, I would leave it alone.

 

[mgreenage1]

Thanks to all that replied. I will contact Breckwell about it.

 

[jtakeman]

I think you will find that your part is a potentiometer. The third terminal is hidden in the photo - it is under the top of the device where the arrow in the control is pointing, and should appear on the back of the board.

The NE556 chip is a dual timer chip - it appears the control is connected to that chip. These chips are commonly used to generate an ON-OFF signal, with a varying ratio of ON to OFF time. This varying duty cycle is commonly used to control speed and or torque of both AC and DC motors.

A pure guess would be that the control is an operating adjustment, but if it is not accessable from the outside of the stove, I would leave it alone.

If thats a guess you've done very well.

That is a timer and the pot is part of the timer circuit. If you increase the resistance the timmer will run longer. Turn pot to the left is less ON time-Turn pot to the right would be more ON time.

Please make small adjustments and use a stop watch to be accurate. I would check your feed time before you start and mark it down so you can return to original time.

If you can tell me if its a 5K or 10K pot and the size of the capacitor. I can tell you the max on time of the timer curcuit!

jay

 

[mgreenage1]

I think you will find that your part is a potentiometer. The third terminal is hidden in the photo - it is under the top of the device where the arrow in the control is pointing, and should appear on the back of the board.

The NE556 chip is a dual timer chip - it appears the control is connected to that chip. These chips are commonly used to generate an ON-OFF signal, with a varying ratio of ON to OFF time. This varying duty cycle is commonly used to control speed and or torque of both AC and DC motors.

A pure guess would be that the control is an operating adjustment, but if it is not accessable from the outside of the stove, I would leave it alone.

If thats a guess you've done very well.

That is a timer and the pot is part of the timer circuit. If you increase the resistance the timmer will run longer. Turn pot to the left is less ON time-Turn pot to the right would be more ON time.

Please make small adjustments and use a stop watch to be accurate. I would check your feed time before you start and mark it down so you can return to original time.

If you can tell me if its a 5K or 10K pot and the size of the capacitor. I can tell you the max on time of the timer curcuit!

jay

Thanks Jay, Don't know if I can id (5 or 10k) it but the next time I shut down I'll try. Thanks again to all who have helped and replied.

Mark