DC Remote -- Long Ranger III -- not working

[Jim McFarland]

DC remote stopped working last night -- would not turn the DC off and now doesn't work at all. I've used it since 2002 so can't really complain but thought I'd ask if something I can try to put it back in operation before I buy a replacement. I did change the remote battery and I haven't dropped the remote (search of earlier threads suggest that can easily damage).

Thanks in advance.

[Myk Rian]

Open it and look for a Triac. A large semiconductor mounted on a heat sink. Might be able to find one at Radio Shack.

[Neil Brooks]

As a backup plan .....

It's about $47, with free shipping, at Amazon, right now.

http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworkin...9098581&sr=8-1

[I don't *think* that's a terms of service violation. If so, I apologize!]

[Jim McFarland]

Thanks, Myk -- not much to lose, so I'll open it and examine.

Neil, thanks for the source and suspect that will be my only solution!

[Jim McFarland]

I pulled the receiver off the wall to examine as Myk suggested and, just for grins, reset the remote code to the receiver and now it's working again.



Oh well, maybe this will help the next person this happens to. No idea how the code was "lost" during the middle of a DC session but not going to argue with success.

[Neil Brooks]

Glad for the happy ending!

Mine was an X-10 compatible remote.

When it failed, I bought the $48 Long Ranger, anyway ... as a plan B.

My X-10 compatible got fixed -- the receptacle had fried, and was replaced.

But ... for the money ... I kept the Long Ranger, and now use IT to control my JDS air filtration unit.

Like your fix better, though

[Terry Hatfield]

Mine quit too just a couple weeks ago. I bought just the transmitter from Grizzly for $25.

http://grizzly.com/products/Extra-Transmitter/G4701

t

[Dino Drosas]

Sounds like it needs to be reprogramed to the receiver. I think the directions are on the receiver near the programing button

[Ben Abate]

Jim,

Mine stopped working a few weeks ago and I got a hold of a fellow at Penn State industries. Mark Swartz was his name and he led me in the correct direction. It was the small button inside the control unit. It needed reprogramed also. Mine is a 3ph unit but I'm sure they are all similar. He told me that they have switched manufacturers in the past few years but they basiclly have the same parts inside. I couldn't find the reset button because it was burried in the back of the unit. A few seconds once if found it and it now works fine.

Nice to see you don't have to buy another.

Ben

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

It sounds like the problem was solved, but this might help someone else. I built a remote DC switch with a Radio Shack remote. It lived in my apron pocket. It would get filled with saw dust and quit working. I would just disassemble it and blow it out and all was fine.

[Vlad Mandelbloom]

Encountered this issue with my Long Ranger 3. image0.jpeg

I had purchased 2 long ranger 3 receivers with about 6 remotes used of CL and always wondered why anyone would need so many remotes.

Shortly after using the unit i realized why. The remotes would not reliably turn the DC off( I would have to press off button a number of times) and stopped working altogether after a while.

I would reprogram the receiver, replace batteries, replace one old remote for another, and it would be the same story over and over.

What I found the issue to be is the off button needs to be pressed at an angle to work. The remote case restricted the motion of the button to straight up and down. As these remotes get older, the button needs to register the sensor to one of the sides.

My solution was to drill the opening of the hole in case out to about .5"(see pic).

Now remote works perfectly every time.

I would test if this is the same issue you're having by removing the case and turning your DC on and off first before drilling any holes in your remote case.

[Brian Runau]

Encountered this issue with my Long Ranger 3. image0.jpeg

I had purchased 2 long ranger 3 receivers with about 6 remotes used of CL and always wondered why anyone would need so many remotes.

Shortly after using the unit i realized why. The remotes would not reliably turn the DC off( I would have to press off button a number of times) and stopped working altogether after a while.

I would reprogram the receiver, replace batteries, replace one old remote for another, and it would be the same story over and over.

What I found the issue to be is the off button needs to be pressed at an angle to work. The remote case restricted the motion of the button to straight up and down. As these remotes get older, the button needs to register the sensor to one of the sides.

My solution was to drill the opening of the hole in case out to about .5"(see pic).

Now remote works perfectly every time.

I would test if this is the same issue you're having by removing the case and turning your DC on and off first before drilling any holes in your remote case.

Thanks I can hear the receiver switch move when I use either on or off, so I don't think it is the remote. Brian