Dodgy manufacturing thread - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 09:35:20 am
content: Surprisingly couldn't find any such thread aggregating all your "interesting" surprises in consumer electronics...Let's start with today's find:Someone may need a soldering course and probably a little less caffeine (see melted piezo). It's an RC charger sold under a pretty high end brand, very clean-looking unit from the outside etc. That's the 12V supply, with obvious reuse of a 2-wire mains cable.Cutting component leads is also apparently overrated, those 3 are from a TO220 MOSFET on the other side.Unit was in from a friend for repair as broken / doesn't power up, but apart from the dodgy manufacturing I couldn't find a fault, cleaned that up and it seems to work fine. The botched wirescouldhave caused a short depending on how things flapped around but it doesn't really look like there was enough leeway...

author: andtfoot
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2016, 09:49:17 am
content: I came across this one recently; a fridge thermostat controller.Yep, the 240VAC and the sensor inputs use the same type of connector. Want to guess how this one blew up...?

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 07:01:15 pm
content: Top notch filtering on this one.It did feel pretty light at 330gr for a 130W PSU, guess throwing most magnetics out helps.Wonder what incidence that actually has... Might need to do some measurements one day.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 07:25:39 pm
content: Quote from: Kilrah on August 15, 2016, 09:35:20 amOrpretty counterfeitIMAX charger.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 07:27:23 pm
content: Nope, nothing in common with an imax, much more modern design. Color touchscreen, internal PSU, STM32-based instead of the old Atmel...

author: slurry
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 07:30:41 pm
content: I think i have to pop the lid off my Orion touch duo and have a look...

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 07:32:54 pm
content: There are internal PSU IMAX model or models. PCB layout on the corner with DC connector is somewhat similar to B6/B6AC. What is it, maybe Turnigy?

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 08:05:56 pm
content: http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/advantage-touch-ac-dc-charger-ORI30187Quote from: slurry on April 03, 2017, 07:30:41 pmMight be wise indeed

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 09:10:05 pm
content: Quote from: Kilrah on April 03, 2017, 07:01:15 pmI like the tape on the relevant ends of the Primary and secondary heatsinks - I wonder if that's what they think double insulation means.Having said that, looking at the PCB (assuming that the clearances are ok on the bottom), it looks as if it has themakingsof a decent PSU. With some care in populating and reinforcing the insulation that is. Hot 'snot' isn't the ideal heatsink compound either.P.S.That jumper to the left of the adjustment pot isdangerouslyclose to the primary heatsink. I wouldn't use it at all until fixed!

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 10:48:56 pm
content: Took me a while to spot that one, wow. But hey, the heat sink has tape on it, no worries! It looks like every single component and wire, except for the jumpers, have hot snot on them.

author: Don Hills
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2017, 08:46:59 am
content: Quote from: rrinker on April 03, 2017, 10:48:56 pmLooks like it flowed too well for hot snot. I wonder if it might be "Corrosive Brown Goo". It looks just like in the above photo when fresh, but turns brittle and darkens with age and heat. It also becomes corrosive, and can eat right through component leads and PCB tracks. But the worst thing is that it also becomes conductive...

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 04, 2017, 09:19:01 am
content: Quote from: rrinker on April 03, 2017, 10:48:56 pm"Nice", hadn't noticed it...No hot snot, it's silicone.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 08, 2017, 11:04:31 am
content: Next up... It started off pretty well until someone decided mounting the 110/220 autoswitch module on the output side was a wise thing to do.Or not, since the solder splatter and clearances are meh anyway...At least the case is properly earthed and both in/out are fused

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 08, 2017, 05:16:45 pm
content: Quote from: Kilrah on April 03, 2017, 08:05:56 pmHorizon makes great transmitters and aircraft but their batteries and chargers are overpriced rebadged junk. IMO there is no such thing as a high end AC/DC charger, that's just a cheap charger in a fancy box, it's all glitz. High end chargers are all DC input and much higher power, nobody bothers with fancy looking touchscreen fluff on those.

author: Kilrah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 08, 2017, 11:46:03 pm
content: Aircraft yes, radios... well each to his own taste I guess. I put them in the same overpriced junk binThey have nothing to do with it hin this case, they just sell a Team Orion charger under its original brand, no rebadging or anything... the only link to them is that it's the first page a Google search found for that charger type to show what it was.