Need an Echo part

[lowellb]

Hi Guys and Gals, first post on this forum.

I obtained an Echo PB-755S recently to do snow removal. For dry snow less than 3" deep it is a lot faster to blow it off than to shovel. I've got a lot of concrete at my house I like to keep clear.

I have a major problem with static discharges. The 755 does not come with a static discharge device. The assembly instructions that came with the 755 shows instructions for the installation of the static discharge device for the 770 and 580 models.

I called Echo and they gave me a part number, 900500. After checking several on line retailers I discovered no one carried it and they could not order it from any warehouse. I checked back with Echo and got the same reply - not available.

Unless I can figure out how to get the part or otherwise get the static to dissapate, the 755 is pretty much unuseable. I'm not talking little tingles, the discharges are sizeable jolts. Even over the engine noise I can hear the snap and one time I saw an arc across my glove. If someone with a pacemaker was running this blower in the same conditions, it sure would be debatable if they would survive jolts of the magnitude I have felt.

I spoke with an Echo dealer in the nearest sizeable town and his computer shows not available also.

So any ideas?

Thanks,
Lowell

 

[Pincher]

Do a search for the kit instructions. Looks like the raw materials like terminals and wire should be readily available.

 

[Agent Smith]

This work?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292462224652

 

[Agent Smith]

Or this maybe?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313419302628

 

[lowellb]

Dang, you guys are good!!

I had called the Echo dealer back and he said he would call me back after he called the tech rep. I got the call back and the tech rep told him that a part from the 580 should work just fine. As Agent Smith posted, that part number is V485002181. Now how similar or dissimilar the V485001200 for the 770 is, I don't know. I told the dealer to go ahead and order the V485002181 for me.

Pincher - I had started down the parts route also. The 900500 static discharge kit was priced in the neighborhood of 32-45 and I located several places that showed me a parts diagram of the kit. While I was on the phone with a shop a couple days ago, I asked him to check availability of some of those part numbers. He said his system was showing those parts as not available - so I gave up on that path. The kit diagram not only showed wires, terminal ends and jumpers, there was also some sort of box looking thing without a useful description. I had no idea what that part of the kit was supposed to do.

So how well will a $5 wire work versus the original $30 kit?? I guess if the wire works that will be good enough. We got another 2" of snow overnite, so I went out to blow it off. I was once again getting static discharges when I had my hand on the grip, but not as bad as previously, temp was in the low 20's. As an experiment, I locked the trigger and just pushed the tube around with out putting my hand on the grip. I didn't get zapped! Hmm, the discharge path from the machine to me must either be through the throttle cable or the shut off switch (ground wire).

Once again, Pincher and Agent Smith, thanks for helping me getting down the right path!
Lowell

 

[FergusonTO35]

I have seven Echo machines and have never heard of this phenomenon. What causes it?

 

[lowellb]

I'm no expert, but here is my limited understanding. When I was researching my issue I came across a couple of threads in other forums where folks were talking about static discharges.

High velocity air moving through the discharge tube can cause an electrical charge to build up. I think the static potential builds up on the discharge tube itself.

If you are operating in a climate that has low humidity ( dry air ), the static potential will increase to a level where it will eventually neutralize itself by jumping across a large gap, high voltage but low current. Kinda similar to walking on carpet in the winter with low humidity and getting shocked when you touch a light switch. In the summer where the air is more humid that potential bleeds off before it can build to a point where you would feel anything when you touch a light switch.

The last time I was blowing snow, the outside temp was in the low 20's and I tried to stay out of the cloud of snow. While my hand was on the throttle grip I was getting small jolts. I took my hand off of the grip and guided the outlet tube with out use of the grip. I no longer was getting jolted. Aha, the throttle cable and ignition kill wire are right there in the grip and so the static discharge was taking the shortest route back to the motor. The day I was blowing snow and it was in the low single digits and I was walking through a cloud of snow, the jolts were substantial. I could hear the snaps from the static discharge and one time I saw an arc across my glove. Those jolts were so uncomfortable that I had to stop using the blower and revert to the shovel.

I don't know how many models of Echo blowers come with a static discharge feature. The assembly instruction that came with the 755 had instructions for running the static discharge wire in the 770 and 580 models, but nothing for the 755.

Hope this helps.
Lowell

 

[FergusonTO35]

Wow, never thought about that before!