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Old 06-10-2008, 09:33 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 450
Exclamation Unwired Tools Recall

Hope this is the right section to post this informational thread...

I received yesterday by certified US mail, a recall notice from UnwiredTools LLC. They're recalling all UTBR140 and UTBR210 blower regulators.

Here's the text of the letter:

UnwiredTools, LLS announces a potential hazard arising from the possibility of certain conditions occuring when the following products for the Mercedes 140 and 210 Chassis vehicles are used:

Recalled Product: UTBR140 Blower Regulator & UTBR210 Blower Regulator

Hazard: It is possible for the AC blower used in Mercedes 140 and 210 chassis vehicles to greatly increase in current during its service life. If this condition does occur it may be due to brush wear or bushing failure in the motor itself. In fthis condition occurs the running current of the blower may increase 50% to 100%. Some vehicles equipped with these blowers have a improper fuse with a 70a rating. The proper rating for this fuse is 50a. In addition, this fuse is often a slow-blow type which tolerates a substantial over-current without protecting the load circuit above the rating of the fuse. If these conditions occur it is possible for the UTBR140 and UTBR210 products to overheat and fail. The product may stop working altogether, or it may catch fire and cause damage to the vehicle. No injuries have been reported.

Until a suitable replacement blower regulator can be found customers are strongly urged to replace the blower motor fuse with one a 30a rating and to have the blower motor current checked.

UnwiredTools, LLC is recalling all UTBR140 and UTBR210 products to prevent potential damage to the vehicle. For more information about this recall, please contact UnwiredTools, LLC. Contact information is available at the top of this Product Recall Notice.

Contact Information:
UnwiredTools, LLC
2200 East Cedar #1
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
www.unwiredtools.com
info@unwiredtools.com

Ignoring the poorly phrased and technically challenged recall notice, my experience with this product was less than satisfactory. It "cooked" itself within a relatively short time of installation.
That being said, the regulator seemed to be a very satisfactory attempt at a redesign of an expensive MB-specific part. I assumed that UnwiredTools would not have marketed a product that was incapable of regulating a properly-functioning 140 chassis HVAC blower motor.
Getting the specs on current draw for the motor was challenging, but obtaining that info and using an "amp clamp" on the primary lead revealed max current draw about 10-15% above specs.
Replaced the motor, but the cooked regulator was not long for this world. Replaced the UnwiredTools product with the MB part and haven't looked back.

My take on this is that UnwiredTools is making a reasonable attempt to prevent problems with their products when installed in situations that can involve conditions beyond the tolerance capacity of their product. My experience with the regulator indicated that it was experiencing thermal issues (due to excessive current draw) beyond its design capacity. I could smell the "potting" - hope that's the right term - resin getting hot from the airflow in the cabin. Opening up the blower housing revealed a regulator that had definitely been "hot".

In my case, I don't think that the unit would have caught fire, but the amount of amps flowing directly from the battery through this system (I'm not sure if it is even fused - I think the system on the 140 chassis is designed so that the regulator acts as the fuseable link) is not trivial, and a catastrophic failure could result in a fire. In my situation as time wore on, the regulator would simply cut out at high fan speeds.

In any case, any member that has purchased one of these products should use the contact information listed previously to see what UnwiredTools intends to do.

I will make my contact today and will report back my experience.
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