Repairable MCB?

[LewisM]

Went to fire up the GPD2 with Synscan GOTO upgrade today to do a few trials before imaging tonight (NOT NOW! :()

Unit would not start, so started the fault checking. First I tried the power cable - works fine in the other mount. Next I tried the Synscan hand controller - initiallised perfectly in the other mount. So, this meant it was the motor control board on the GPD2 kit.

Took it off, unscrewed it, and immediately saw the scorching around the HC input circuitry - see pictures below.

Is this even repairable with a small solder join? Or just ask Tasco for a replacement? This has been operated with nothing BUT the hand controller.

I am hesitant to TRY to repair it until Tasco replies, hopefully tomorrow. The blown area says L8, and seems to be one of those mini-ferrite things (my eectronics knowledge is useless)

Appreciate thoughts. I have already contacted Rob McIntyre at Tasco, so fingers crossed they have a replacement available.

The circuit is broken on the left side - totally burnt away. Hoping I could maybe bridge the gap with solder. :(

[Poita]

L8 is an inductor, hopefully they will replace the board for you.

If not, it might be repairable after working out what caused the inductor to get nuked in the first place, but no, don't just bridge the gap.

[SteveInNZ]

If that's the socket for the hand controller and the hand controller works OK on another unit, I'd be very suspicious of the cable. It takes quite a bit of current to cook one of those ferrites so there's a short somewhere and it's acted as an unintentional fuse.
If you replace the ferrite without finding the cause, you'll have the same thing happen again.
A frayed connection in the cable is the most likely cause.

Steve.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi
I am not familiar with that board. But from what I can see I agree with Steve. I suspect that the plug may have been inserted roughly and and the contact wires may have been accidentally S/C. The suspect area is most certainly the socket or the cable. Have a good look at the contacts in the socket.

Incidentally those miniature chokes are wound with very fine wire and are not capable of carrying much current. I have had three or four failures were the choke has simply gone O/C but if the choke has just fused because of overload it could even have just arced and caused the burnout with no other problem.

Be careful of repairing it yourself unless your have a good knowledge of electronics. It is a job for a technician.

Barry

[LewisM]

Thanks guys.

I am awaiting Tasco's response.

What is the best way to check the cable? This worked fine in one of the other mounts I have with the same RJ interface, so no idea.

Hopefully Tasco will replace or bill me for a replacement MCB or complete MCB unit. May as well grab a replacement cable whilst at it I guess :(

[ZeroID]

I'm not familiar with the PCB or setup either but have you checked the pins on the mount to the board ? Possible misaligned pin shorting across. I get it with PC DVI video cables when users shift their own PCs around and are not careful about how the plug things in again.

Just an idea.