Radio South Pro Driver Mk III

[Ron Van Putte]

On May 10, 2004, at 9:03 AM, Karl G. Mueller wrote:

> I just inspected the wiring on the clip on mine and I found that the
> solder-tab for the neg.wire with its sharp corner had dug into
> heat-shrink of the pos. wire connection. This could definitely
> cause a short. I did not look at that before until Larry mentioned it
> and had problems with it. An extra little piece of heat-shrink could
> avoid that problem. I also feel that a rubber grommet around the wire
> to the clip were it exits the case would be a good way to stop the 
> sharp
> edges of the plastic case to wear through the wire in time. Ideal 
> situation
> would be to isolate the battery by a switch or in line fuse from the 
> rest
> of the system in case of problems like this.

The weakest link in any glow driver is probably going to be the glow 
plug connector.  I live very close to the Radio South glow driver 
assembler.  He does all the assembly and warrantee work and the glow 
plug connector gives him fits.  If you have been an observer of the 
different manifestations of the Radio South Pro Driver series, you are 
aware that they have used many different glow connectors over the 
years.  Cost, reliability and durability of the glow plug connector has 
always been an issue.  When the Pro Driver III was produced this year, 
they decided to spend a little more money and get the Sonic Tronics 
unit with the replaceable head, thinking it would be best in the long 
run for them and the consumer.   I, too, like a switch in the system 
and installed one on my Pro Driver II.  When I get a Pro Driver III, I 
will install a switch, even though there's not much room.  It's a tiny 
little "bugger".

Ron Van Putte

  ----- Original Message -----
> From: <pbrine at uoguelph.ca>
> To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 8:25 AM
> Subject: Re: Radio South Pro Driver Mk III
>
>
>> I haven't disected it as it was purchased at Toledo this year and is 
>> under
>> warrantee.
>>
>> I was afraid I was going to have a fire and was considering opening 
>> the
> case to
>> to disconnect the battery.  By that point the case was too hot to 
>> hold and
> it
>> had shut itself off/burned out.  It got hot enough to melt/burn 
>> through
> the
>> case at one end.
>>
>> I suspect an internal short in the glow clip as the glow clip and 
>> cable
> got
>> very hot.  This unit has the 2 piece sonictronics glow clip.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>> Quoting Hotrod34a at aol.com:
>>
>>> Paul,
>>>   I had this very thing happen to a new Pro Dirver II about 2 months
> ago.  I
>>> had to open the case and cut the wires to the battery as I was 
>>> afraid it
> was
>>> going to blow up.  Sent it back and they repaired at no charge.  The
> problem
>>> was not inside the unit, but outside.  The wires to the glow plug 
>>> clip
> had
>>> shorted at the clip, all led's came on, and as you mentioned, it got 
>>> hot
> and
>>> smoked.  They had to replace the entire PC board inside along with 
>>> the
> clip.
>>> I have not had any problems so far with the new Pro Driver III.
> Larry...
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>>
>>
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