Thousand Oaks Dew heater information needed.

[stephenb]

Has anyone disassembled a Thousand Oaks 4-channel Dew Heater Controller? Anyone who is technically minded who owns one, or has tried to disassemble one, I have some questions...

1. For starters, is it a sealed unit? Can you get into the board?

2. Are the 4 pots on the front soldered to (I assume) a main pcb?

3. What value are the pots? Also linear or log?

4. What type and size of shaft are these pots? i.e. toothed spline, keyed, 9mm, 6.3mm...

5. Are the knobs "push-on" or fastened with a grub screw.

I know, some odd questions I agree, but there is method in my madness... My idea is to remount one of these in a new housing and new front panel.

p.s. please don't try to rip into one if you're going to bugger your warranty but I'm hoping someone out there has already pulled one apart.

[peter_4059]

Someone opened one up at Astrofest a couple of years ago (might have been Houghy?) - turned it into a seven hundred and fifty oaks from memory...

[allan gould]

:lol: :rofl:

[stephenb]

Well, it seems like noone has the answers I require. I'll have to canvas a larger audience for this one.

[kustard]

I have one at home, if I get the chance I'll see if it's easily serviceable (I'm an electronics guy so I know my way around *smile*).

[stephenb]

Thanks Simon, any help is appreciated :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[kustard]

Hey Stephen, I finally got around to taking a look at the unit and have some answers for you.

1) The unit is easily disassembled, simply remove the knobs (they pull off reasonably easily) and undo the four screws on the back.

2) The pots are indeed soldered onto the PCB. They also have a grounding shield which is also soldered into the board.

3) The pots have no markings and when I went to measure them with my DMM I had no battery but I'd hazards a guess that they are a standard linear pot as they are simply varying a voltage (via the LED) into the MCU.

4) The pot shafts are a plastic flat edge keyed type of nominal diameter of about 5.5 - 6mm.

5) The knobs are simple push on types.

Hope that helps.

[stephenb]

Simon, you're a legend :thumbsup::thumbsup: Exactly what I need. I am planning to purchase a unit, remove the pcb/pots from its original plastic box, and mount it on a brushed aluminium panel, along with some other switches and pots for other gear. The information on the pots (especially the shaft type) will enable me to make all the other knobs match in their appearance.

Once again, thanks, bro :thumbsup: