S180 Coil Balance Weight for Single Tilt Up Window (broke when raised)

Question

Entry Way Window (Single Tilt Out): Installed 9/2003

Lower Tilt out Widow: Approximate Size: 30 1/4 inches Long X 26 5/8 inches High

Weight of Single Tilt Out Window: Approximately 19.5 pounds

My window broke when I tried to raise it up. There is a coil just below the mounting bracket on the left side of the window. The Window Company that replaced the windows is no longer in business. There is a Patent # 5,353,548 which apparently equates to your Series 180 parts: 15-087 (Coil Housing Pivot Shoe); 15-086 (Tandem Coil Housing) as well as new Mounting Bracket (16-024) and Screw (33-072).

I also understand that I need 2 coils (per side), one for the Pivot Shoe and one for the Tanden Housing. [Also, I intend to purchase all new parts for both sides of the window.] However, when I removed the broken side pieces, the coils do not appear to have weights labeled on them. Although one coil (silver) indicates "5x," I am not sure if that means to purchase a 5-pound S180 coil balance. The other coil (appears to be bronze, copper or nickel?) indicates "713W." I have not been able to determine via my research what this stamp number means.

Photos attached for your reference. When I "estimate" the weight of the coils (19.5 pounds divided by 4 coils (2 each side), it equates to 4.875 pounds (each coil). So, my assumption is 2 coils per side @ 5 pounds each? But I am baffled by the number stamped on the "non silver" coil. I am hoping you can resolve my dilemma so I may order all the parts (both sides) from Swisco and get my window fixed. Thank you.

Tom · Accepted Answer

Hey there, thanks for reaching out to us. I agree that the Series 180 and its related components are a great place to start, but I would warn you not to trust patent numbers too much. In my experience they are unreliable at best.

Would it be possible to see a photo of the mounting bracket and pivot carrier? That would allow me to verify whether our 16-024 and 15-087, respectively, are the right parts for this job. There are a few others that are similar in design but incompatible.

As for the stamps, I think you're looking at a 5 pound spring and a 7 pound spring. That's an odd combination, though. Rather than guess, it's best to get the precise weight of the sash and just divide that by 4 (which is how many springs support it). That will tell you exactly what weight rating each spring needs to be without ambiguity. Sometimes the installers put the wrong springs in the window because they're in a rush and just want to get the job done, sometimes they just don't know any better. People can mess up, but the hard math doesn't lie. Get the sash weight and you can rest at ease.

You can weigh your sash on any common bathroom scale.