Electrical: Defroster Switch Resistor?

[jg61hawk]

My Hawk hi /low on the defroster stopped working. It runs on high only. I looked under the dash and saw there is a little spring looking thing on the switch that apparently broke. This spring looking thing apparently runs the low speed by somehow restricting electric (because I reattached the broken ends and it runs now on low but the spring gets real hot).

Here is my question: While doing this "repair" I noticed the air switch has a similar spring and that spring has a coating over it like a white cocoon. The defroster spring had that too before I touched it, and then it all fell off. Does anyone know what that (the cocoon looking stuff)is for and is it important to keep from starting a fire. So maybe I should undo my repair?

Thanks Jim

[rkapteyn]

Pre1962 heater switches used a resistor to reduce the voltage so the motor would run slower.
In 1962 Studebaker started using a two speed motor for the heater blower.
The two speed motors are available and are of the same dimensions , so are the matching switches for 1957 up cars that use a 12 volt system.You also have to run an extra wire from the motor to the switch
On older cars you would need to modify your original switch.

Robert Kapteyn

[56Golden]

Here is my question: While doing this "repair" I noticed the air switch has a similar spring and that spring has a coating over it like a white cocoon. The defroster spring had that too before I touched it, and then it all fell off. Does anyone know what that (the cocoon looking stuff)is for and is it important to keep from starting a fire. So maybe I should undo my repair?

Thanks Jim

Jim, best I can tell right now is your "DEFROSTER" Switch should have a "WHITE" colored insulator over the 3 AMP capacity resistor and your "AIR" Switch should have a "BROWN" colored insulator over 8 AMP capacity resistor. Hope this helps some…

[rkapteyn]

The white and brown resistor covers are ceramic.
They act as a high temperature insulator both electrical and heat.
The little spring like coil is made out of NICHROME
resistance wire.

[jg61hawk]

So the fact that the insulator (resistor cover) is now gone is that a bad thing? The AIR switch still has its cover but as I said I kind of reattached the broken ends of the DEFROSTER resistor and in so doing the insulation fell apart. Should I not use the low side due to this? By the way thanks for the help.

[StudeRich]

The whole thought or discussion is a bit pointless, because the actual use of the Climatizer System in the Car will show that since the "Low" Fan speeds are SOooooo slow, just like the "Low" brightness on the Instrument Dimmers, that in 56 Years of driving these Cars I have never used Low on either for any length of time in Dozens of Studebakers, absolutely USELESS to even think about doing that.

Yes I would replace the Switch if you actually DO plan to use the useless Low position, because it is obvious that those ceramic insulators serve multiple purposes, they also insulate each coil from those next to them which would defeat the resistance level of the Coil.

[56Golden]

So the fact that the insulator (resistor cover) is now gone is that a bad thing? The AIR switch still has its cover but as I said I kind of reattached the broken ends of the DEFROSTER resistor and in so doing the insulation fell apart. Should I not use the low side due to this? By the way thanks for the help.

Jim, if it were my Hawk I'd replace the switch and be done with it. You should be able to locate a good used defroster switch in the $15 - $20 range. Such a thing you can't easily find used; Studebaker West shows NOS available for $42. here: http://www.studebakerswest.net/categ...categoryId=124