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Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 3:04 pm
by bagarre
rusbac wrote:Good idea - Added to my list of things to do this weekend. Every time I look under there I learn something new!
Oh, how I know that feeling.

Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:37 pm
by rusbac
As the Mythbusters would say: "Well there's your problem..."
New rheostat on the way.
IMG_20160909_194520482_HDR.jpg
In the mean time, we took a trip down the Hudson River corridor!
NYC night hudson.jpg
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:02 pm
by Bruce Fenstermacher
Kind of lucky the rheostat even turned on and off.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:04 pm
by Bruce Fenstermacher
BTW a correct rheostat for this application is not likely to be closed back as that one was. Your burnt up rheostat was probably to small which is why you found it in the condition you did. Your replacement will likely have an open element.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:23 pm
by bagarre
How expensive is a new one?
I wonder if you could get that one re-wound.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:27 pm
by rusbac
It had no markings on it so I don't know the specs, but it does look almost identical to this one:
http://cessna170.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=5399
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:39 pm
by rusbac
After we opened it and poked it, the insides sort of just crumbed to dust. A new one was only $35. I went with a 25W, 100 Ohm, open backed version that was recommended elsewhere on the forum. We'll see how that goes
bagarre wrote:How expensive is a new one?
I wonder if you could get that one re-wound.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:48 pm
by Bruce Fenstermacher
This is what they look like:
Ohmite rheostat.jpg
But looks are not important. What is important is that the rheostat is sized correctly for the load in the circuit it is installed in. The number of and type of bulbs in the circuit determine the load. This is why you don't want to change bulbs, add or subtract bulbs willy nilly to this circuit.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:51 pm
by n3833v
That trip down the Hudson looks great and you could see where Sully put the plane.
Re: Hello from Boston
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:53 pm
by Ryan Smith
rusbac wrote:After we opened it and poked it, the insides sort of just crumbed to dust. A new one was only $35. I went with a 25W, 100 Ohm, open backed version that was recommended elsewhere on the forum. We'll see how that goes
bagarre wrote:How expensive is a new one?
I wonder if you could get that one re-wound.
Doubtful it will work well, Christine. I got one with those specs at first and it only acted as a switch, sort of.
I ended up getting this one from Aircraft Spruce.
http://m.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elp ... eostat.php
I'm pretty sure it's the 0-15ohm version. I can check later today.