Question-Can you just buy either Kit or Assembled CTB16PC PCB only?

[Orville]

Just out of my own curiosity, can or would LOR sell just the kit form or assembled {minus power cords and dangles}?

The reason I ask, say you have an older CTB16PC card that went bad for whatever reason, but instead of replacing an entire controller or repairing the old PCB, replace it with a new Gen3 PCB. Or if you just wanted to upgrade old controllers with the new Gen3 PCB's.

And if LOR does or would sell just the card itself, how much would they sell just the PCB in both kit and assembled form go for, again, would just put the new board in the old controller box and reassemble using your current power cords and dangles.

I tried looking to see if just the PCB itself was available, but didn't really find anything, but I've not located items before and others seemed to know right where to find the information.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Orville

[George Simmons]

Your sleuthing skills must be slipping Orv... that's not like you. Are you on new meds or was that last Margarita especially potent? :D

http://store.lightorama.com/diyproducts.html

[Guest wbottomley]

LOL George.

[Surfing4Dough]

Is this what you mean:

http://store.lightorama.com/caasaop.html

[Orville]

Your sleuthing skills must be slipping Orv... that's not like you. Are you on new meds or was that last Margarita especially potent? :D

http://store.lightor...iyproducts.html

Yea, must've been that darn Raspberry Mead I was drinking when I was doing the search.

Don't know how I missed seeing that, guess I just kept looking in the wrong area George. Either that or I'm starting to get Alzheimers in my old age.

[Orville]

Is this what you mean:

http://store.lightor...om/caasaop.html

Yep, that's EXACTLY what I was looking for. In the infamous words of Homer Simspon: DOH!

Thanks for the link surfing, bookmarked and saved, so when my wife's check gets here {supposedly next week}, I'm probably going to buy one and replace the old V1 controller board that needs a lot of resolder touch up to get working properly. Or maybe I'll just give that old board away to someone, but they'll have to fix 'er up and add case, dangles and power cords if I do.

Thanks again, much appreciated!

[TJ Hvasta]

Orv, if the board (even a V1 board), went bad.. like, maybe, I don' know.. it burned up if you send in a Trouble Ticket, you should be able to get the 40% off replacement.. You'd have to send in the bad board (Bad Board! bad board! go stand in the corner!!) they would prob replace it with whatever was closest.. with a V2/Gen2 board in that case.. send in a ticket, see what they say..

Plus, if I'm not mistaken (I prob am) the G3/V3/latest board is completely pre-built as its SMT.. so it'd be a board swap..

Edited September 3, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Orville]

Orv, if the board (even a V1 board), went bad.. like, maybe, I don' know.. it burned up if you send in a Trouble Ticket, you should be able to get the 40% off replacement.. You'd have to send in the bad board (Bad Board! bad board! go stand in the corner!!) they would prob replace it with whatever was closest.. with a V2/Gen2 board in that case.. send in a ticket, see what they say..

Plus, if I'm not mistaken (I prob am) the G3/V3/latest board is completely pre-built as its SMT.. so it'd be a board swap..

Thanks TJ. No the controller board isn't bad, it was one I bought used some time ago and the solder joints are failing miserably on it. And I no longer have the eyesight to do the touch up and just reflow with new solder.

So the board isn't really bad, just needs some touch up and would be good as new.

So I'm not sure if that would qualify for the discount on acquiring a new board or not.

I wouldn't think so, but then again, LOR has been very outstanding on going above and beyond what any other company would do in a similar situation.

I may try it and see, all they can do is say it wouldn't qualify for the price cut and swap rignt?

[TJ Hvasta]

Here is what I was thinking: I highlighted the "current end user" part, so even if its a used board.. if it isnt working right..

Unconditional Lifetime Replacement Policy:

Regardless of current end user, any Light-O-Rama hardware device that fails for any reason (e.g. eaten by dog, no longer like color) can be replaced with the same or current equivalent unit for 60% of the current list price of the new unit. The end-user is responsible for shipping the old unit back to Light-O-Rama and for the shipping costs of the new unit. In the event that there is no current equivalent for an Light-O-Rama device, Light-O-Rama will make every attempt to work something equitable out. Light-O-Rama will also honor this policy for any other manufacturer’s device for which we currently have a comparable device.

Another thing is.. even with all the ribbing, kidding, etc we all do.. there's prob someone local that can help, hit all the solder pads with a pencil, get it cleaned up and working again.. jus' a thot..

Edited September 3, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[GaryM]

Thanks TJ. No the controller board isn't bad, it was one I bought used some time ago and the solder joints are failing miserably on it. And I no longer have the eyesight to do the touch up and just reflow with new solder.

?

Did someone else build it, or was it a LOR-built board?

If LOR -built, and their solder work is "failing" (sounds a little strange, but...), seems like they would rework it for you at minimal if any cost.

[Orville]

Did someone else build it, or was it a LOR-built board?

If LOR -built, and their solder work is "failing" (sounds a little strange, but...), seems like they would rework it for you at minimal if any cost.

No, it was a kit that someone else built a long time ago, and I bought it used, it worked great for 2 years, but this year, channels 1-8 have been a bit flaky due to the power cord connections, already had one spade terminal come out of the board, wasn't really soldered in at all, surprised the board even worked without failing long before now. Since that was where the power cord was initially connected. Now the only other available power spade {both Neutrals} on that side of the controller is loose and also needs resoldering as there is no where else to tap into another Neutral {except on the 9-16 channel side} of the board. And a lot of the solder on the board needs to be reflowed and new solder added, lot of voids {holes in the solder} and a lot of solder joints that don't really have enough solder on them. Jewelers loop magnifiers are what I examined the top side of the board with, haven't taken it out of the case. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but seems mainly linked to the power cord area, as that is where I had issues with this controller earlier in the year this year {2012}. This ic Controller #4.

I've still got another controller, controller #3, that is LOR built that a Triac failed on Channel 5 {always on}, I need to get it replaced as well. I have the triacs for this controller.

It's just that I really don't have the vision to make any of these repairs myself. Otherwise I'd have just used my electronics skills and fix all this myself.

But I'd still like to get a Gen3 controller, just to see how they actually compare to the V1/V2 controllers I have, since they are supposed to work much smoother with the LED's and not really require snubbers, C7 bulbs or air fresheners to prevent LED flicker in fades.