Leister TRIAC S Maintenance Tips

Posted | 16 Comments | by Industrial Heat Sources | , , , , ,

When properly maintained, Leister’s TRIAC S has proven be a durable and reliable hot-air welding tool. In most cases, taking a few extra minutes for simple preventative maintenance after every use can prolong the life of your TRIAC S and help to avoid unnecessary downtime.

In this video, Professor Bob Header, a certified Leister technical support representative, explains a few quick, simple things you can do to better maintain your Leister TRIAC S.

Specifically, Professor Bob will walk you through how to:  

  • Check, remove and clean the air filter so that airflow is not restricted, which can cause significant damage to the tool and reduce welding speed.
  • Remove melted plastic from the nozzle using a steel brush to keep welding consistent.  
  • Cool down the TRIAC S before shutting it off to prolong the life of the heating element.
  • Properly store the tool and keep it from being damaged by weather and other conditions.

Each of these preventative maintenance activities take mere minutes to complete, but can help to add years to the life of your TRIAC S.

However, sometimes issues are unavoidable with frequent use. If you are experiencing partial welding, or no welding at all, the majority of the time it may be associated with the heating element. Watch Professor Bob walk you through the process of checking and replacing a heating element.

If problems persist, it is recommended you contact a certified Leister service center to have your hot-air tool serviced and reconditioned.

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Information is intended as a guide only and should be used by individuals familiar with the Leister machine's features, functionality and parts. IHS is not responsible for injury or equipment damage that may result from operator negligence.

Prior to setting up, operating or performing maintenance your Leister product, be sure to read through all safety warnings and cautions contained within the product operating manual. If you have any questions, need assistance or would like a product demo, contact the IHS service center at 800-635-0384.

Comments

Greg Harris

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can you do a video on how to replace a cord?? Our roofing has 8 Triac S and this is a common issue that causes downtime to ship out for repairs (and expensive).

Industrial Heat Sources

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Hi Greg. Thanks for the suggestion. We actually have that video on the schedule to be shot in the next couple weeks.

Industrial Heat Sources

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For those interested in learning how to replace a TRIAC S power cord, you can find step-by-step instructions here - http://www.ihshotair.com/hot-air-tools-blog/how-to-replace-a-triac-s-power-cord

Del

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I use my triac for vinyl floor welding. it has started to slightly burn the edges of the seam every so often, even when i turn it down below my normal setting of 4 1/2 any idea as to what causes this? could it be the element or thermostat is on the way out? is replacing the thermostat an easy job?

Eric Pardo

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Hi Del,

Thank you for your questions. A periodic spike in temperature could indicate one or more of the following problems.

1. Incoming Low Voltage – Check to ensure you have the proper voltage required. Depending on the model required voltage may be one of the following: 230V, 200V, 120V, 100V or 42V.

2. Dirty or Clogged Air Filter — Check to ensure the air filter is clean. This is located above the heat control knob. The video above shows how to take off the filter and clean it.

3. Motor Brushes – Check to ensure brushes have 50% of original length. To do this open the brass brush holder door, remove both brushes and measure the length of the carbon brush portion only — do not include the spring. Replace the brush if the length is 4mm or less. Be sure to always check both brushes and replace both, even if one looks ok and the other does not. If the carbon brushes do not need replacing, re-insert them the same way they were removed.

4. Dirty or Clogged Element – Check to ensure the Element is clean. This is located within the Element holder. Check out this video for instructions on how to check and replace an element — http://www.ihshotair.com/how-to-check-and-replace-a-triac-s-heating-element-video.

If all of the above checks out OK, or has been corrected, and you are still having a problem, it will be necessary to send in your TRIAC for repair.

If you have any questions, or would like to talk through troubleshooting, please give me a call at 800-635-0384.

Marty Tabor

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Bob, in testing a heat element what should it test out at?

M Yabor

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What do you check if the unit is hot but not getting hot enough to weld?

Industrial Heat Sources

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Marty, thanks for the two comments. Regarding your first question:

To test a Leister Triac S element, you'll need to perform a continuity test using a continuity tester. To perform this test, remove the element from the tool (see this blog post for instructions—http://www.ihshotair.com/hot-air-tools-blog/how-to-check-and-replace-a-triac-s-heating-element-video), and check for continuity between the two element prongs.

If there is no continuity, the element is bad and it will need to be replaced. If performing an Ohms test, your reading should be approximately 8 ohms.

Regarding your second question:

If your TRIAC S is not reaching the correct temperature, we recommend that you:

—Check that the air filter is clean of debris or blockages—if air is restricted, the air blowing out will be limited.
—Check that the entire front of the element is glowing cherry red—if it’s not, the heating element is damaged and needs to be replaced. When doing this, hold the heat gun off to the side and as far away from your face as possible to avoid getting burned.
—Check that the power source is not faulty—weak power supply can limit heat production. This can be check using a voltage meter. Make sure the power output is correct for the requirements of your tool.

If everything above checks out, you'll need to send it into our service center, there may be a more technical issue.

Hope this helps. Please call if you have any additional questions — 216-661-5000.

Bob

aziz

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thanks for the effort in this issue
but i ask is possible to buy spare parts and repair triac-s my self?
in addition I've the ability to repair triac-s

Industrial Heat Sources

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Hi Aziz,

Thanks for the comment. Yes, it is possible to purchase spare TRIAC S parts. You'll need to contact one of our sales representatives to order your part. You can contact them at 800-635-0384 or email info@ihshotair.com.

Mike

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Bob,

The fan in my Triac S has been sluggish to get going, but once it does get going it works fine. Yesterday, it didn't want to turn hardly at all. Any idea what the problem could be? Thanks for your time. This site is a great help!

Industrial Heat Sources

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Hi Mike,

Thanks for the question. Your Triac S unit may be in need of a tune-up. Several things may be affecting the fan, including the motor brushes may need to be replaced, the motor commutator on the armature may need to be cleaned, the ball bearings are starting to fail, and/or excessive dirt may have built up in the tool.

Best bet is to contact your authorized Leister service center to arrange to have your Triac S serviced.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to call us at 800-635-0384.

Thanks!

Josh

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My triac is working properly except that the heat element will not heat. I have replaced it and checked the wiring and cannot find anything that looks to be broken. Any suggestions as to what may be the cause of this?

Industrial Heat Sources

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Hi Josh. Sorry for the late reply. We were having trouble with our comments.

If you've replaced the heating element, and it still won't heat, we recommend giving us a call. There are a couple things we can try to troubleshoot, but it's likely that you'll need to send it in for servicing.

You can reach our service center at 800-635-0384.

Thanks for the comment.

geoff pickles

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could you give me a price for the heater eliment and shield tube with shipping cost to the uk

Industrial Heat Sources

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Hi Geoff,

Unfortunately, IHS' distribution area is contained to the U.S. You'll need to contact a distributor in the UK. You can go to www.Leister.com to find contact information for your area.

Thanks,
Keith

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