lkneisler Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 I really don't want to pay $170 for a new control head when I can possibly just replace the Bourns PCW1J-C32-BAB103 part. Has anyone done this before? Did it work? I have a 1997 Prodigy with erratic clicking and heat on and off. I took the the control panel off the control head and if I push on the panel control (the thing that turns the heat up and down) the heater will stay on, but if I touch it after that it gets all crazy again clicking and going off and on... mostly off. I probably can't get a hold of the part anyway... Can anyone translate these characters http://www.super-step.com/product-bourns29.htm Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Here's a picture of the part http://mouser.com/images/bourns/images/slimline.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Here's a picture of the part http://mouser.com/images/bourns/images/slimline.jpg I have not replaced one specifically...but I can tell you it will be a piece of cake. Do you have a solder station? If not, get one for $10 at radio shack, get the lowest wattage you can find. (since you probably wont be using this every day, don't worry about the quality....by the time you need it again you wont be able to find it anyways.) Also, get some desoldering braid. It is just braided copper mesh in a roll....you put it over the back side of the board where the old contacts are soldered, and then heat the solder through the braid....the braid will soak up the solder. You may have to do it 4-5 times per connection. Then clean up the board, making sure the holes are clear. Put the new unit in and solder the connections....I would do one and wait for 5 minutes....and in fact....do the same for desoldering. maybe have a small fan nearby so when you are done desoldering/soldering you can put it in front of the fan to cool it. I have clip on heatsinks that keep things cool, but if you take your time you don't need to buy them. Good luck...this is super simple and seriously a 5 minute job. Let me know if you have any questions or need some help. Just remember rule #1...KEEP THE PARTS COOL! Oh..and by the way....you are right on track with mouser...they are great, just get it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Do you have a solder station? If not, get one for $10 at radio shack, get the lowest wattage you can find. (since you probably wont be using this every day, don't worry about the quality....by the time you need it again you wont be able to find it anyways.) HA! That is so funny! And so true. I needed my soldering iron to change the end of power charger for an electric scooter and it had been so long since I used it I couldn't find it for days! You are awesome and thank you for the help, suggestions and encouragement! Since the parts are exactly the same, I think I'm going to remove the part for the light control and switch it out for the heat control and see if it works. May as well give it a shot. And right! Keep the parts cool. I've messed up that before Thanks! I'll holler if I need to. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 IT WORKS!!!! I can't believe it!!! It totally worked! I'm doing my happy dance So... the short version: I desoldered both parts; the potentiometers (dials, controls, turny things), for the light and the heater and swapped them. I didn't care if the light worked or not, just the heater. I soldered the parts back on the board, plugged the cable into the spa, tested it, and the heater worked exactly like it should!! ...and then I said, "Holy Crap! It worked!" AND.... the light works too.... mostly. It flickers a bit when I turn the dial on the lower settings, but I guess whatever is wrong with the control where the heater goes erratic isn't bad enough for the light to not work. I can leave it off forever if it means I don't have to buy a new control head, no big deal there. Woo-Hoo! I have no idea how long it will last, but every day is another day I don't have to spend more money. Thanks again Bart6453! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 *** CAUTION *** I had a feeling this might happen... My spa finally kicked off the heat at about 112 degrees. Doh! But that's Ducky temp. The hi-limit never kicked on. Now I'm not so sure I want to leave it like this. It used to get pretty hot, but not that hot. The part numbers on those potentiometers are exactly the same... what gives!? Stuck in proprietary Hot Springs Hell once again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 *** CAUTION *** I had a feeling this might happen... My spa finally kicked off the heat at about 112 degrees. Doh! But that's Ducky temp. The hi-limit never kicked on. Now I'm not so sure I want to leave it like this. It used to get pretty hot, but not that hot. The part numbers on those potentiometers are exactly the same... what gives!? Stuck in proprietary Hot Springs Hell once again That there is beyond my knowledge...I know nothing about how a spa control board works. The best advice I would have would be to make sure you don't have any contacts that are soldered together on the board from the desoldering and resoldering. Good luck, sorry I couldnt be of more help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 The best advice I would have would be to make sure you don't have any contacts that are soldered together on the board from the desoldering and resoldering. Good luck, sorry I couldnt be of more help. Hmmm... that does help actually. Now that you said that, there was another component that was really close to what I was re-soldering. I wasn't as careful as I could have been cos I wasn't all that sure it would be successful. I can pull it all apart again and double check my handy work You're a huge help. Thanks! Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 The best advice I would have would be to make sure you don't have any contacts that are soldered together on the board from the desoldering and resoldering. Good luck, sorry I couldnt be of more help. Hmmm... that does help actually. Now that you said that, there was another component that was really close to what I was re-soldering. I wasn't as careful as I could have been cos I wasn't all that sure it would be successful. I can pull it all apart again and double check my handy work You're a huge help. Thanks! Lori Hope all is well...post some pictures of your finished product if it works....I am always amazed and impressed at the high quality soldering a person can achieve compared to what is produced at a factory....even if you are a novice with electronics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peteyboy Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 The tub high limit won't trip until 120 degrees. Pretty toasty. Heater high limit 150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 The tub high limit won't trip until 120 degrees. Pretty toasty. Heater high limit 150. Yeah, I'll say! My hand hurt for a few hours just from holding it in the water to get the temp at 112 degrees. Yikes! I let the spa cool down to 100 and on the number 2 setting (on the dial) it stayed at 101-102 degrees quite happily. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 The tub high limit won't trip until 120 degrees. Pretty toasty. Heater high limit 150. Yeah, I'll say! My hand hurt for a few hours just from holding it in the water to get the temp at 112 degrees. Yikes! I let the spa cool down to 100 and on the number 2 setting (on the dial) it stayed at 101-102 degrees quite happily. Lori So you are all good to go? if so...that's great! Just saved yourself some serious cash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkneisler Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 So you are all good to go? if so...that's great! Just saved yourself some serious cash! We'll see. I'm nervous. I keep checking on the spa like it's going to blow up. I think the money for the new control head is worth my peace of mind!! I still need to take it apart and double check the soldering. If it's not too embarrassing I'll post a picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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