APOLLO S1800-3i Travel Speed Potentiometer Now Stocked for Asphalt Paver Speed Control

Travel speed sets mat thickness and joint quality, so a failing potentiometer rarely presents as an obvious electrical fault. It presents as a surface problem. The crew adjusts the knob, the paver changes speed a second later, and the thickness reading drifts. By the time the fault is suspected, several hundred tonnes of mix may have been laid off specification.

Three symptoms usually identify the part before a meter is used: speed creep with the knob untouched, a dead band at the low end followed by a sudden jump, and a momentary drive drop-out as the machine crosses rough ground. The last one is the clearest indicator, because it points directly at a worn carbon track losing contact under vibration.

How the S1800-3i is built

• Multi-turn rotary adjustment: fine resolution across the full speed range, which allows small corrections during a joint without overshooting the set value.
• Wear-resistant carbon track: the resistive element is specified for continuous operation in a panel exposed to vibration and temperature swing.
• Steel and metal internals: mechanical parts hold their adjustment under paving vibration instead of drifting as the machine works.
• Direct replacement fit: shaft, mounting and wiring arrangement match the original unit, so the panel returns to service without modification.
• Standard panel cut-out: accepts the original connector, keeping installation inside a normal maintenance window.

Technical specifications

Fitting and calibration notes

Mark the knob position and photograph the wiring before removing the old unit. After fitting the new potentiometer, run the machine at the lowest working speed and check that travel speed rises and falls smoothly through the whole range without dead spots. Confirm the value on the machine display matches the knob position, then re-check after the first hour of paving, because a new carbon track settles slightly during its first operating cycle.

Ordering and contact

Send the machine model, the part number on the old potentiometer and the quantity required. The engineering team confirms the wiring variant before dispatch, and orders can be consolidated with slope sensors, side control boxes or screed parts in one shipment to reduce freight cost per unit.

For pricing, fitment confirmation or a consolidated shipping plan, write to Umi at apollo5@jpapollo.com with your machine model and required quantity.