Category: BITUMAT

How to Change a Lock Pin on the VARIMAT, UNIROOF, or BITUMAT

4/24/2018

Many of Leister’s tools utilize a lock pin to hold the nozzle in position during welding and cooldown. The lock pin is designed to snap if excessive force is put on the heater in order to prevent more expensive damage to the tool.

The most common reason for a lock pin to bend or break is the tool being lifted or carried incorrectly. The correct methods of carrying the tool are with both hands under the frame, or with one hand under the frame and the other holding the black carrying handle.

In this guide, parts will be referred to using the numbers indicated in the VARIMAT V drawing below. As an example, see lock pin (79).

Leister VARIMAT V2 Lock Pin Illustration

This is a simplified drawing.

How to Change Carbon Brushes in Leister Tools

4/24/2018

Tools needed:

Contact cleaner or rubbing alcohol
Cotton swabs
Small flat screw driver
Torx screw drivers, T10 and/or T20, as needed to disassemble the tool housing

Steps:

Note: Always change both brushes at once. If one brush needs to be changed, change them both.

How to Build an Extension Cord for your Leister Automatic Tool

5/25/2017

If you're building an extension cord for your Leister automatic tool such as the BITUMAT, VARIMAT, or VARIANT T1, here are some things to keep in mind:

Use 12 Gauge cable if less than 100 ft., and 10 Gauge or thicker cable for a 100 ft. or longer extension cord
The plug and socket must be the same current rating as the socket and plug they will plug into. Do not bend or file the pins to try to fit them into a different socket, or the plug may not lock properly and may separate from the socket while welding, causing a bad weld and damage to your equipment.
Strip the wires clean and be careful to tighten the screws on to the bare wire contacts and not the wire insulation.

To connect a 3-prong plug:
- Connect the green/yellow wire first, to the pin with the bent tab
- Connect the white wire to one of the pins directly left or right of the bent tab
- Connect the black wire to the other pin directly right or left of the bent tab
To connect a 4-prong plug for work with a generator, check that your plug states “125/250V”, not “3Φ”. Follow the instructions for a 3-prong plug and leave the pin opposite the one with the bent tab disconnected.

BITUMAT Tech Tips

4/24/2017

It is recommended the BITUMAT be run with the temperature dial lower than 9, and not at 9 or 10.

Before turning the tool on, check the following:

The nozzle is not plugged or bent.
The back end of the ELECTRON heater (the air inlet) is not clogged. If it is, tilt the Electron up so that the air inlet is down, and clear the air inlet opening with a soft brush.
The nozzle is not wet.
If the nozzle is wet, heat the BITUMAT at minimum heat to dry the element first before applying maximum heat.

Before shutting the power off:

Brush bitumen away from the nozzle end so that the nozzle is not plugged.
Turn the heat down to minimum and leave the blower on for 5 minutes to cool down the element.