Tech Tips: How to Test a Slab-SS Sensor
Master the Art of Testing Slab SS Sensor for Effective Snow Melting
Having a snow melting system in place but struggling with the sensor testing? This video is your ultimate guide. Learn how to efficiently test the Slab SS Sensor for SCE 120 snow melt controller, ensuring your driveway is always free from ice and snow.
- Understand the important role of the heating element and moisture sensor in the Slab SS Sensor.
- Learn how to test the heating element using a digital ohmmeter.
- Discover the expected resistance values for dry and wet conditions.
- Get insights on how to simulate wet conditions to test the moisture sensor.
- Master the use of digital ohmmeter for accurate measurements.
This comprehensive guide is valuable for both DIY enthusiasts and professionals, offering easy-to-follow instructions for safe, efficient, and reliable snow melting.
Hello, I'm Scott from WarmlyYours, and today we're going to discuss testing the slab sensor that's used with the SCE 120 snow melt controller. This sensor is designed to be installed in the slab or asphalt driveway, providing crucial information about the conditions, including whether they are wet and how cold they are. Let's take a closer look at how to test both the heating element and the moisture sensor integrated into this unit.
The first aspect we will cover is the heating element. This unit features a heating element that plays a vital role when snow falls and contacts the sensor. The heating element is responsible for melting the snow, which is necessary to complete the circuit between the middle ring and the center ring. If the heating element is not functioning, the snow will not melt, preventing the gap from being bridged and the sensor from activating to indicate wet conditions. Typically, we expect to see a resistance of about 224 ohms on this sensor. When using a digital ohmmeter, it is important to select the appropriate range. Since the reading is 224 ohms, we need to set the meter to the 2000 range to accurately display the measurement.
Next, we will test the moisture sensor. The yellow wire at the end of the wiring harness connects to the center section of the sensor, while the white wire connects to the middle ring. Under dry conditions, the reading on your ohmmeter should show as infinite, which may be displayed as 1, OL, or similar on a digital meter. In contrast, if the conditions are wet, you should expect to see a reading around 100,000 ohms. To measure this accurately, you will need to set your digital ohmmeter to the 200k range. To simulate wet conditions, we can place some ice on the sensor ring, which will bridge the two sections together. After doing this, we should observe a reading indicating that the moisture sensor is functioning correctly.
That wraps up today's tech tip on how to test the Slab SS sensor for your SCE 120 controller. This process is quite straightforward and requires only a digital ohmmeter and the sensor's wiring. If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to visit us at www.warmlyyours.com.
