Jaws
LIFE MEMBER
- Sep 26, 2008
- 23,836
- 72,479
- Funster No
- 4,189
- MH
- C class, Chieftain
- Exp
- since 2006 ( I think ! )
Darrell has just got back from a weekend of debauc.. sorry, of partying in a field, with a sorry tale of woe, clutching a nasty blackened mess.
The charger !
It is a real bottom end of the market jobby ( original Bessacarr fit ) with 10amp rating
Zoe heard a strange noise coming from the cupboard, opened it to see a 3 or 4" high flame coming out of the charger
I just opened it up and what I found is shocking.
1) No overheat protection
2) No thermal cut off
3) The bit on fire was just the large capacitor sitting downstream of the fuse ( I believe it was being used as a sort of filter as it is coupled to a toroidal coil ) but the fuse was in tact.
4) The fuse was the original one correctly rated
5) Upon inspection it looks like the thyristors used are only rated at 3 amps and a massive heat sink has been used to try and stop them going in to thermal runaway.. It was at least one of those that failed ( to dead short .. if it had failed to open circuit there would have been no drama just a lac=k of charge ) causing a voltage feedback that blew the capacitor ..
I have seen these crappy chargers before.. Never have liked them and would have changed it out for him if I had known what was fitted
A description.. Vented tin box tin box about 8" x 5" x 2.5"
Three pin ( line across ) mains plug in, output two spade connectors
Usually in plain galvy but sometimes painted black
New 3 stage 18amp charger now on the way.. Less than £90 delivered.
The charger !
It is a real bottom end of the market jobby ( original Bessacarr fit ) with 10amp rating
Zoe heard a strange noise coming from the cupboard, opened it to see a 3 or 4" high flame coming out of the charger
I just opened it up and what I found is shocking.
1) No overheat protection
2) No thermal cut off
3) The bit on fire was just the large capacitor sitting downstream of the fuse ( I believe it was being used as a sort of filter as it is coupled to a toroidal coil ) but the fuse was in tact.
4) The fuse was the original one correctly rated
5) Upon inspection it looks like the thyristors used are only rated at 3 amps and a massive heat sink has been used to try and stop them going in to thermal runaway.. It was at least one of those that failed ( to dead short .. if it had failed to open circuit there would have been no drama just a lac=k of charge ) causing a voltage feedback that blew the capacitor ..
I have seen these crappy chargers before.. Never have liked them and would have changed it out for him if I had known what was fitted
A description.. Vented tin box tin box about 8" x 5" x 2.5"
Three pin ( line across ) mains plug in, output two spade connectors
Usually in plain galvy but sometimes painted black
New 3 stage 18amp charger now on the way.. Less than £90 delivered.