Shopsmith Forums

This Saturday I'll be going to the Home Depot and looking at dimmer switches. I'll also stop by Radio Shack and try to find a rectifier that will work. If I find the parts I'll put it together and see if it will work. At this point I don't have much to lose.

Would this rectifier be an acceptable substitute?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062583&tab=techSpecs

tdubnik wrote:This Saturday I'll be going to the Home Depot and looking at dimmer switches. I'll also stop by Radio Shack and try to find a rectifier that will work. If I find the parts I'll put it together and see if it will work. At this point I don't have much to lose.

Would this rectifier be an acceptable substitute?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062583&tab=techSpecs

It seems that it might be but physical dimensions might become critical - unless of course you are building a replacement controller which is what I am about to begin doing.

dusty wrote:It seems that it might be but physical dimensions might become critical - unless of course you are building a replacement controller which is what I am about to begin doing.

Dusty, i'm not sure what you mean. The dimensions on my rectifier are exactly the same as the Radio Shack one. The only difference I see is that the leads on my rectifier are loops and the RS leads are straight. I can easily bend the RS leads into a loop and solder the wires in the same fashion as my current rectifier.

No problem then. I thought that the catalog picture looked to be larger.

dusty wrote:tdubnik,

Can you read a part number on the voltage regulator (the part tucked down inside the metal heat sink).

I think that is the rogue part. If it was shorted it would momentarily draw maximum current in the path that is damaged (the path that ed identified with the red line).

Notice the solder pad where the black output wire connects. It is also discolored like it has been overheated.

It's the regulator. Dusty's final diagnosis.

I'll have to get one of my grand kids to see if they can read the part number on my regulator. Even with my new eyes and reading glasses I am unable to decipher the number.

The part in question is probably a "quadrac" made by Littlefuse. They use them in light dimmers all the time. The Q4010LT looks like it would work. You can find them at Mouser Electronics:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.asp ... s=P_SField

The coil and capacitor on the board are just there to keep the electrical line noise from the quadrac switching on and off from getting back into the AC line and messing up AM radio reception.

The rectifier from Radio Shack will probably work, but I would go for a 400V, 10A device if I could. Mouser should have those too.

Pocket the extra $300 you would have spent on a new controller and buy something nifty.

johnm wrote:The part in question is probably a "quadrac" made by Littlefuse. They use them in light dimmers all the time. The Q4010LT looks like it would work. You can find them at Mouser Electronics:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.asp ... s=P_SField

The coil and capacitor on the board are just there to keep the electrical line noise from the quadrac switching on and off from getting back into the AC line and messing up AM radio reception.

The rectifier from Radio Shack will probably work, but I would go for a 400V, 10A device if I could. Mouser should have those too.

Pocket the extra $300 you would have spent on a new controller and buy something nifty.

Johnm
Good point! One I completely forgot about having not been active in electronics since late 70's when I shifted to software. Again I agree with your analysis of the problem and solution.
Like you said this can easily be repaired, replaced, rebuilt for a lot less than the $300 charged for a new one. Shame on SS for that pricing.

Ed in Tampa wrote: Shame on SS for that pricing.

Ed

It may have $25.00 in parts, but what does it COST them to have it built and sent?

beeg wrote:Ed

It may have $25.00 in parts, but what does it COST them to have it built and sent?

I have spent thousands with Shopsmith over the years buying special purpose tools, upgrades, extra arbors, chucks,sanding discs etc. I have bought replacement parts as well.

I understand that SS needs to make a profit but their pricing has gotten so out of line in recent years that they are driving customers away instead of making us want to stay.

I was in the manufacturing business for 25 years working for a supplier to the automotive business. We wern't given the option of raising prices because they told us the price we had to meet. The only way we could make a profit was to agressively control cost. Shopsmith could learn a lesson.

beeg wrote:Ed

It may have $25.00 in parts, but what does it COST them to have it built and sent?

If it is more than $25 then they are being ripped off.
Add that to the cost of material $25+$25 = $50. Then we take that price uplift it for profit giving them $50 and the price should be around $100 no where near the $300.

Incidently if you take a VW bug that cost around $2000 in the early 60's and uplift it with cost of living increased and manditory government additions the cost would be around $7200 however the last bug sold in the US was around $12000 with the new replacement selling for much much more.

If the same thing that happened in electronic and most other industries happened in the auto, tool, housing industry we would be paying about
$8000 for a car, tools would be coming down in pricing everyday, and a 2000sq house on a 1/2 acre lot would sell for between $50,000 and $80,000.
Instead we allowed the auto, tool and housing industry to escalate prices.

In housing the justification was "it is an investment" and that lead us to the economy we have today. In the car industry it was sex appeal and that lead us to the huge credit debt we have today. And in the tool industry is has lead us to $300 for a part that probably could and should sell for under $100

Hey what do I know, I just find it all amazing.
Ed

Ed in Tampa wrote:If it is more than $25 then they are being ripped off.
Add that to the cost of material $25+$25 = $50. Then we take that price uplift it for profit giving them $50 and the price should be around $100 no where near the $300.

Incidently if you take a VW bug that cost around $2000 in the early 60's and uplift it with cost of living increased and manditory government additions the cost would be around $7200 however the last bug sold in the US was around $12000 with the new replacement selling for much much more.

If the same thing that happened in electronic and most other industries happened in the auto, tool, housing industry we would be paying about
$8000 for a car, tools would be coming down in pricing everyday, and a 2000sq house on a 1/2 acre lot would sell for between $50,000 and $80,000.
Instead we allowed the auto, tool and housing industry to escalate prices.

In housing the justification was "it is an investment" and that lead us to the economy we have today. In the car industry it was sex appeal and that lead us to the huge credit debt we have today. And in the tool industry is has lead us to $300 for a part that probably could and should sell for under $100

Hey what do I know, I just find it all amazing.
Ed

You guys have completely overlooked the extruded high impact plastic box that all goes in. Those things are really expensive. Furthermore, it was done to match a custom color.