The block melted on one of the 120V L1 line and killed the charger. I managed to solder the metal block contacts back to the board and hooked everything back up. I think the the computer bread board got burned as there is a scorch mark over some ceramic square resistors. Might still be salvageable with some replacement components ans soldering. Has anyone had similar successes or sent it off to a repair co?
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Repair melted wall connector.
- Thread starter joltheadq
- Start date
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
I’m all for the reasonable repair and reuse of electronics like this but is saving $500 really worth burning down your house?
This. Buy a new one, don't try to repair a melted electronic device.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
I mean, at least not one that passes 40+ amps and has already melted down once.
I think I didn’t torque down the L1 wire and it slipped out with the total load going through L2. The wire coming from the posterior mount looked cooked. I assumed that it might be salvageable, or at least some of the parts.
I already have a replacement. I was going to give it to a family member if I could get it running again. And I understand that it’s a 12K watt device. A hot water heater pulls 6K watts in comparison.
EV charging is basically intentionally running electrical circuits in their "worst-case-scenario" mode for hours at a time.
I can't think of another household application where you take a 40a or 50a circuit let alone 80a and run it at 80% of max load for hours at a time. Maybe people who grow pot in their basement, otherwise *nothing* draws that kind of load continuously.
I'm sure code will catch up to this. Procedures for connecting big circuits together mechanically suggest using torque wrenches and big junctions. The amount of energy involved with a 50a circuit are scary and there's not a lot of room for error.
Throw the burned charger out and double-check any exposed parts of the circuit that was part of the event.
I can't think of another household application where you take a 40a or 50a circuit let alone 80a and run it at 80% of max load for hours at a time. Maybe people who grow pot in their basement, otherwise *nothing* draws that kind of load continuously.
I'm sure code will catch up to this. Procedures for connecting big circuits together mechanically suggest using torque wrenches and big junctions. The amount of energy involved with a 50a circuit are scary and there's not a lot of room for error.
Throw the burned charger out and double-check any exposed parts of the circuit that was part of the event.
I imagine an industrial anything is likely built with serviceability in mind.
Consumer goods are typically, at least past 1975, not built to be serviced. They can be repaired or enhanced; I've seen people put hdmi ports on an atari 2600, but it requires skill and knowledge and access to reasonable tools.
When it comes to "can I repair a $500 thing with many safety protocols (that have failed) that sits behind a 50a circuit breaker and give the "fixed" device to a loved one." common sense dictates a single answer. (the answer, btw, is "maybe, but you shouldn't because it isn't worth the risk."
I also tell people to use extreme caution around compressed suspension springs and to use 2 jack stands on cars. Lots of people don't and get away with it. Sometimes the don't.
Consumer goods are typically, at least past 1975, not built to be serviced. They can be repaired or enhanced; I've seen people put hdmi ports on an atari 2600, but it requires skill and knowledge and access to reasonable tools.
When it comes to "can I repair a $500 thing with many safety protocols (that have failed) that sits behind a 50a circuit breaker and give the "fixed" device to a loved one." common sense dictates a single answer. (the answer, btw, is "maybe, but you shouldn't because it isn't worth the risk."
I also tell people to use extreme caution around compressed suspension springs and to use 2 jack stands on cars. Lots of people don't and get away with it. Sometimes the don't.
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Then your expertise is vastly greater than mine, and probably 99.5% of other posters Here. So I have to ask a question: why would someone with such expertise even consider repairing a melted electrical device?
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you’ve got everything under control. I’m sure it will be fine.
Because devices that see much higher currents are refurbished successfuly and work safely for decades. If you work on industrial electrical equipment you know this.
He's asking for practical advice on repairing the board or having it repaired, or, failing that, salvaging some of the exotic parts (the HPWC has a number of components in it that are extremely difficult to buy or even sample in small quantities).
Nothing wrong with that. Lay off telling him he's going to burn his house down, it's the idiots who just reach for the soldering iron when they've never worked on anything that handles more current than a wall wart who are going to do that.
JPoldo
Member
If OP has enough experience to repair it, go for it. But make sure you know what caused the overheating. Obtaining replacement component(s) is a big challenge.
Send us before/after pictures. After repair, use an IR heat thermometer to check terminal after 1, 2, 4 hours of use. Re-check a few days / weeks later too.
Send us before/after pictures. After repair, use an IR heat thermometer to check terminal after 1, 2, 4 hours of use. Re-check a few days / weeks later too.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Industrial electric equipment is many multiples more expensive and designed from the beginning to be refurbished and serviced for decades.
A $500 16kw consumer device is not. It’s just this side of disposable and was designed to hit a price point, not for serviceability or service life.
You’d think someone that spent their career working on industrial electric equipment would know this.
Sometimes the cost is not the reason. I have a natural tendency want to fix or figure out what went wrong. This doesn't mean that I dont have the money to purchase new. I say go for it, you know what's going to be a safe repair when you take it apart. If its not going to be safely repaired obviously buy new and hold the old for spare parts.
JPoldo
Member
I am in the same camp as random155 and believe many others agree with us. We achieve great satisfaction in problem solving and implementing a solution. When safety is a concern, periodic testing can minimize risk. If you have the skills and desire, go for it, otherwise buy new as so many have recommended.
Are you a licensed master electrician or electrical engineer? Your description above of "the total load going through L2" implies you don't have the practical hands-on experience that someone with either or both qualifications would have. on a US market single phase HPWC all the current is flowing between L1 and L2. Perhaps that was merely a typo, but the responses to it given that information are not overly critical.
assuming it was not a typo and L1 completely slipped out, the charger would have shut down.
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