[pianotech] Dampp Chaser Problem

[Roger Wheelock]

Hello Floyd, Joe and Ron,

 

Let me provide some information that will hopefully be helpful.  But please
give me a call at the factory 800-438-1524 or email me at
roger at dampp-chaser.com for either more information or help with a specific
problem.  Also Kelly and Heidi are available for tech support at
Dampp-Chaser.

 

I think we have two separate issues here.  The humidifier heater bar is
subject to deterioration over time due to the presence of a low voltage
electrical current from the Smart Bracket being near the aluminum while wet
pads are draped over the entire assembly.  Variable water quality is the
main culprit.  We see piano owners using everything from "rock hard" well
water to purified water that has been distilled, deionized, or treated by
reverse osmosis systems. (Joe, you are right about using pad treatment.
This minimizes mold and mildew growth while supplying enough electrolyte to
the water to make the lights work when purified water is used.)  Sometimes
heavy doses of chemicals are added from water softeners, making for a very
complex mixture in the water.  We introduced clean sleeves a few years ago,
and this decreased the chances of deterioration by placing a barrier between
the tubing and the water bath.  (Thank you, Bruce Genck, RPT for helping us
with this good idea.)  The clean sleeve is not perfect so we switched the
type of paint on the tubing about a year ago.  This was done after extensive
testing operating heater bars with 240 volts to accelerate the signs of
aging.  We feel that this does improve performance, but only time and real
life experience will tell.  In the meantime we stand behind our warranty and
will happily replace any defective units found in the field.

 

The second issue is the occasional red, yellow or green light problem.
These are more difficult to diagnose and often benefit from talking to our
technical support staff.  We did have a run of low water sensors that had a
somewhat higher defect rate than normal.  This occurred within the last 18
months, but was quickly addressed by production changes at the factory.  The
challenge was they tested good at the factory then developed an intermittent
short in the field or sometimes during shipment.  We test the electrical
connection three times during production, so it was a bit frustrating to
have this pop up after all that.  I personally am sorry for any
inconvenience this has caused anyone.  We strive to make a great product,
and we know a frustration in the field can ruin any busy technician's day.

 

While this doesn't mean much in North America, our ISO 9001 Certification in
Quality Management is the standard for best practices internationally.  We
were just recertified for the fourth year this month after a rigorous audit
involving one day of quality record reviews (paperwork and tracking) and two
full days of factory surveillance.  While this sounds tough, the main reason
we are certified is the ISO commitment to continual improvement.  You only
get better by staying focused year after year.

 

So feel free to contact us with you questions and concerns.  Are goal is to
provide quality professional service along with the PLS System.

 

All the best,

 

Roger

 

 

Roger Wheelock, VP

Dampp-Chaser Corp.

ISO 9001 Certified in Quality Management

 

 

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Floyd Gadd
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 9:36 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Dampp Chaser Problem

 

I serviced a piano with a light problem some months ago.  I forget whether
the light stayed on, or whether it wouldn't come on.  I think it was the
former.  In any case, the problem was actually with the heater bar.  I was
advised by DC that the heater bar should be replaced, as this symptom
indicated that the heater bar did not have much life left in it.  Switching
out the bar solved the problem.  (Apparently this problem only affected a
certain range of serial numbers.)  It would have been interesting to first
install a heater bar sleeve to see if that also served to solve the problem.

 

Floyd Gadd

Manitoba Chapter

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