@Sal V posted:Yes Mike...Any ideas of how I can tell via serial numbers if it is an older model?
any particular year made? if yes can I tell the manufacture date on the box or on the serial number?
Any info would be greatly appreciated...Thanks!
While I'm not saying you don't want a newer or newest models, I think this saying old ones are bad is also too much negative hype.
The serial numbers indicate date of manufacture so 0398 would be March of 1998 the first batch.
Since I repair these, and the local club has 4 and I have 3 myself I have a little bit of experience on what to expect. The voltage leak is the primary problem where when the handle is all the way down with no load on the track, then you might see a volt or two on the track. There is either the 4 capacitor modification or externally just apply a load- as simple as a light bulb and that can eliminate the stray voltage. Like I said, the club has 4 of these, of them 3 needed load or modification.
The second known thing is the early versions did not have handle tension (how stiff the handle is to move) adjustment screws on the bottom. This was added later. Truth is, I've never adjusted them, at most I replaced the worn out plunger on the most used oldest one.
Showing a newer model with the adjuster screw, old models just have a flat spot where this screw would be.
Again, at this point, I know others have more experience but I've repaired 6 of these for customers (typically a blown channel with a shorted MOSFET), I've done over 10 voltage leak mods for those who wanted them vs just using something external. Between the club and my own I use 5 of them every single week (mixed of old and new).
