Orville Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Orv, I would seriously consider adding some sheetmetal against the wood behind and above your card, then mount your card spaced out from the metal. the metal works as a heat shield just in case. I also have a smoke alarm near the controllers to let me know if something's up. The smoke alarm did go off once a Mosfet fried. The card is still under warranty, just haven't gotten around to pulling it out.I'd have to do that to ALL 5 of my controllers! Since each controller is mounted on a wood panel, which is screwed to the wooden porch railing, well 3 will be, 1 is on stakes mounted to it's wood back, but the one controller is directly mounted to the back of the staircase.I'm thinking {and hoping} this is just a fluke that happened with TJ's hardware as I've never had any issues with mounting my controllers to the wooden siding for 2 years at the old home, but the new one, got to make some changes on where the controllers get mounted this year.So I'm not even sure a metal plate between the back of the controller and the wooden panel, mounted to a wooden staircase structure would actually prevent anything if any controller decided to do a Human Torch impression and Flame On! Edited September 4, 2012 by Orville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazydave Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Did the case do well at containing the fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Actually it did! I guess after the initial flare up and blaze, it used up any oxygen that was in the case and went out.. I was really stunned how hot the plastic was, and yet, not warped, melted or twisted (unlike myself).. The dongles on those channels were burned thru, insulation melted around the spade lugs.. I think I'll be able to scrub the char off the inside of the case, sand down the blackened marks and reuse it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Hmm, I had a similar issue except not so extreme. I had 5 of my dumb strips hooked up to the DC board, all the connections were tight, all cords were tested with volt meter, the power supply turned to 115 and lowest setting and the mosfets at Q12 started that electrical bad smell and turning grey/black. The only reason we noticed was the strip started acting weird when we were testing it so we went up to the controller and smelled fried board....What's up Doc ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 13, 2012 Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) Hmm, I had a similar issue except not so extreme. I had 5 of my dumb strips hooked up to the DC board, ... the power supply turned to 115 and lowest setting and the mosfets at Q12 started that electrical bad smell and turning grey/black. ... What's up Doc ?You've seen the Farmers Insurance commercials?Teacher: What are the points here, Class?Student 1. He.. uh.. was using a DC Board? Student 2. With 115v power? Teacher: Good, anything else?Student 3: The MOSFETs turning black are... bad? Teacher: Good points all.. moving on.. Edited October 13, 2012 by TJ Hvasta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOR Staff Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Don't feel bad.... I know of a certain person who, being pretty good with hardware and no dummy, put line voltage onto a USB port.Silly rabbit, USB is 5V DC,not 120 AC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 @ TJ, there's a selector switch on the side, 115 or 230. I set it to 115 because dc load and led.@ Mike Lol, makes me feel a little better. The only thing I can think of, is the wires touched the mosfets and that overheated the board. They're in such a convenient place...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubado Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 @ TJ, there's a selector switch on the side, 115 or 230. I set it to 115 because dc load and led.@ Mike Lol, makes me feel a little better. The only thing I can think of, is the wires touched the mosfets and that overheated the board. They're in such a convenient place...lolJust to clarify, are you hooking up a 12V DC power supply to your board? Or did you hook up 115V AC to your board? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Same setup and power supply as Kevin: http://store.creativelightingdisplays.com/CMB16D-RGB-DC-Controller-Kit-Assembly-Required-CMB16D-RGB-KIT.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) Still, you dint really say you ran the 12v dc lines to the -16QC board.. yes, the ps has a 115/230 selectable input voltage switch, but from which pads did you run wires from (on the ps) to the board?Does Kevins supply document (list) which specific pads to use? There are both PLUS 12v DC and MINUS 12v DC rails on that arent there? Edited October 14, 2012 by TJ Hvasta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I'll try to snap a pic and let you see. It'll make more sense methinks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Sorry it took a while to send you. Here's your pic Lolz, yeah....forgot to 'attach this file' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Weiland Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Sorry it took a while to send you. Here's your picLolz, yeah....forgot to 'attach this file'DLTSLC; that pink bubble wrap you are using appears to me to be anti- static wrap and is conductive, it is not an insulator. Granted it is not a low resistance but enough to cause problems. I would not let it come in contact with the board traces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 That's the one I haven't had problems with lolz. The other one is outside and is the one I have constant problems with Should've snapped a picture of that one. I think it's because when I close the lid, the wires are compressed and contact the mosfets. But it's hard to see if that's the problem obviously because the lid is closed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Weiland Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 That's the one I haven't had problems with lolz. The other one is outside and is the one I have constant problems with Should've snapped a picture of that one. I think it's because when I close the lid, the wires are compressed and contact the mosfets. But it's hard to see if that's the problem obviously because the lid is closed Well if you are using the same bubble wrap in your "outside, problem controller" you might solve your problems by removing the bubble wrap it and secure the board with some bolts. You are asking for trouble if you let the bubble wrap contact the traces of the circuit board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I have the outside controller secured to a plate inside the enclosure with CA-friendly 'bumpers.' I think my problem is there is very little room and when I shut the lid, the wires contact the mosfets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 You've inspired me to finally get off my butt and order a spare USB-RS485 adapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 good idea John.. you can have led's, ccrs, strips, strobes, stars, etc, but without a working -485, they're all just thing you spent $$ on that you cant use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningrod4life Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 The Mosfets you all keep talking about aren't those actually voltage regulators? unless I am thinking of something different? I'm thinking of the hardware that has the small heat sinks on it.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 The Mosfets you all keep talking about aren't those actually voltage regulators? unless I am thinking of something different? I'm thinking of the hardware that has the small heat sinks on it.?The MOSFET's are the two rows of 8 devices down either side of the board. For a DC card, they switch the ground side of the channel, like a triac switches the hot lead on the AC boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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