FAULTY Network Switch Ubiquiti UniFi - Pulsing Power - Can it be Fixed?

[@cmas5854]

Our mate opened a cap & put it back together to test. The balls on this guy!

[@cloudmover]

NICE! From what I gather, early versions of this Ubiquity Switch model is known for failing power supplies. I have one that has been chugging along for five years and counting. I always have the new Unifi model in my shopping cart waiting for "THE DAY."

[@criostasis]

Im glad you warn everyone to not follow your videos as a guide bc you recognize that youll do things wrong. One thing I want to point out that I have seen you do many times is reach over an exposed device to plug into mains. This is dangerous and should be avoided. You should move your power strip to the side of the device where you can have it plugged it and just use the switch on the power strip to cut the power on and off. This way you are not reaching over exposed live circuitry that you could accidently touch or your clothing could make contact with etc etc. Ask me how I know 😂. Great video as always! Cheers!

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Massive thumbs up. Thank you for sticking with it. We ALL learn a lot. I really liked the 'repaired' capacitor for testing. Put your power strip off to our right, so you don't have to lean across a unit while testing, for safety. I think after the mainboard was working off the bench PS, I would have tested function as a switch before continuing with the PS investigation. Who would have thought the mainboard took 54v?

[@vforvendetta7763]

I know it takes time to film and edit all the footage but trust me Vince I really enjoy watching them the full length. Appreciate the fact that you want to fault find it yourself first.

[@brendonelton]

I was screaming, Vince! its that large CAP!! however I watched the vid until the end and you figured it out.

[@RobTaylor-HiTech]

Vince, loved this one. I think partially because your comment at the beginning about exploring oscilloscope made my day. Yeah those big capacitors, the chip and the output stage seem to be the biggest faults on these switch mode supplies. Proper fix, and don't let the hindsight kick ya in the butt. Stuff like that happens frequently. A few comments about your oscilloscope quest. First and foremost if you need a quick personal tutorial hit me up. Wouldn't mind arranging a 1hr call to go over the basics. Second, one thing to keep in mind with a bench model is that most bench oscilloscopes are not isolated. That means you have to use caution to test the ground to ground potential or invest in an isolation transformer (which may be a good investment give what you work on). Also, build yourself a light bulb protector to save your house circuits. It's littlerally just a box with a bulb, socket, switch and plug. The bulb goes in series so that even if there is a dead short it won't kill your breaker, the bulb just burns bright. And you can buy several 10w, 25w, 50w, 100w bulbs to limit the current (incandescent only bulbs). Back to the oscilloscope, your portable model actually has an advantage of being isolated so you could use it to test a mains side of a power supply. Try that with a non-isolated one and you end up with a molten pile of goo. Anyway, looking forward to watching you enter a whole new adventure with it!

[@wisher21uk]

Great fix Vince very rare for the main filter capacitor to fail, you’re very entertaining regardless mate, keep em coming 😊

[@johnburns5783]

Well Vince, I’m surprised you even attempted trying to fix an electrolytic capacitor. I take my hat off to you sir. 😂😂😂

[@BuyitFixit]

Great job as usual Vince 👍Unusual for the mains smoother to fail, I was more expecting one of the smaller bootstrap capacitors as they are a more common failure on SMPS usually due to the higher frequencies involved.

[@wisher21uk]

Totally agree Mick, very rare for the main capacitor to fail I think in 20 years I’ve changed 2 😊

[@Mymatevince]

Thanks Mick, I don't think I have come across a failed one before. I didn't suspect it at all, luckily Google came to the rescue. At least I know to check them in future if the voltage rapidly decreases like this one. Would you be tempted to do a beginners 'how to' video(s) on scope work? I think you could explain it in a way people would understand. Problem is it might not get much views to reward your time.

[@ddjazz]

The PFC chip is actually required for higher wattage SMPS to correct the power factor introduced by the power supply. PF is a factor between real power and power drawn from your electric company. Important for energy efficiency.

[@Blue-Crits]

More uploads, what a great way to enjoy a long day after school

[@colin125gwr]

Nice one Vince I love the Frankenstein Capacitor good fix

[@DJ_Sycottic]

I was shouting at the screen after you measured the smaller caps to remove the large cap. Well done though Vince you figured it out in the end. Nothing wrong with checking Google, even some of the best techs will do that now and again. Google's there for a reason....

[@borisdg]

Thumbs up from me! My favourite repair channel! Always excited when I see new video.

[@alisterbh]

Not that it was needed in this case, but a little dab of solder mask would help to hold down that loose trace when replacing that chip and would help line up the pad.

[@archloy]

Yes, caps. Filtering caps and diodes at first, then pain/fault-finding. I say that but when my 18v psu failed (a little one for a audio mix console), it was a faulty little zener diode at the opto. Too me ages to find it ;). For the story, on that one you're lucky : you have space to work. On little "wall psu", you just cannot safely plug and test, it's scary ! For scope use, you may do a "learning video" with another youtuber ? I have BuyItFixIt in mind saying that. I think, if you do not know how to use one properly, a video of learning process could be nice and help some people.

[@zaydakbla]

Nice video vince but we need more console repairs

[@Boogie_the_cat]

Uh oh, sounds like someone has a borked console. 👻 Maybe there is poltergeist inside

[@ovalwingnut]

Say what? I think we need to console you about your console needs (you've got to love English!). Lesson #1: Any fix is a good fix. But we hear you Z. We hear you :)

[@willproctor7301]

*Hands Vince the official Mad Scientist Cap* You have evolved mate :) That was so entertaining. Well done!

[@Will-v7y]

Another video love days like this

[@ovalwingnut]

CORRECTION! "WE LOVE" days like this. World Peace can wait... I'm getting the popcorn! Cheers Will!

[@mikecassap]

Hi Vince, highly recommend the Hantek DCO2010 Oscilloscope:HanteCost-Effective Economy 2+1CH ,100MHz Bandwidth, 1GSa/s Sampling Rate, 8M Memory Depth 100 megahertz a great entry level scope has all the features u need but it only comes with one probe though need to order extra one as well 👍🇦🇺

[@Mymatevince]

Thank you Mike👍

[@Fifury161]

42:00 - I gotta agree with your decision to try fixing it first before resorting to Google as I think you learn more that way. It is a rare day to see a large can cap fail. Frustratingly I see a lot of cap fails especially in Xbox One PSUs - it usually works out cheap to buy a new PSU rather than the 3 or 4 replacement caps!

[@SMAAAASHTV]

Nice fix, Vince!

[@dodgydruid]

I'm a powerline chap, have in the kitchen and front room a power adapter and both have wifi transceivers with the front room the Xbox One hooked up direct as well as the wifi blaster aside it and it seems to work OK, its funny when I walk home from town and my fone connects 3 streets away so whatever those things do is quite potent. My workbench PC has a very strong wifi transceiver and can get decent speeds even with stuff going on with other machines say like daughter watching Netflix and me doing stuff on my other PC as I do "hotbox" between the rooms on occasion.

[@staciesims9339]

I absolutely love your moaning😂😂😂 very entertaining, awesome fix Vince.

[@jonathaningram4672]

I looked at the underside of the heat shield and saw the grey dust coating where that big cap was. It's been venting, I fixed a samsung tv with a similar fault trying to come on and there was this grey coating on the underside of the heat shield.

[@gower1973]

Your such a mad lad Vince rebuilding the cap, you should send your bodged one back to the ebayer and get refund 😂

[@maxz8807]

was initially dissapointed thinking the video was only 11 minutes long, then I saw the ":" I mised :D

[@superowl91]

i would consider that a 100% win. you say you failed cause you used google but not only did you fix it but you also put yourself top of the google search on how to fix an item that you googled how to fix.

[@bones1225]

V you have to make a series light bulb tester. For 5 bucks, it can save your life. Plenty of utube vids on how to make. Also very important and needed if you are going to start playing with oscilloscopes.

[@jasonrichardson1999]

We need a MMV podcast with other tech repair youTubers

[@6581punk]

Capacitors, it's always capacitors. It's madness how they always stick them by things that get hot like that heatsink.

[@Fifury161]

This is another perfect example of why you need to build yourself a dim-bulb tester!

[@chimera5588]

27:21 Could you use the tiniest of nail polish to hold the pad down until the chip was soldered on top ensure you wouldn't stress the trace anymore? I'm just curious, and cannot wait to see the rest of the video!

[@MrRelevance02]

Love this so much

[@rmac4411]

I once was the lead operator of a wave solder machine. If you're not careful you can burn yourself, ask me how I know. 🤣

[@simonupton-millard]

If you find the videos on how to use a scope let us know I own a 20mhz on that's a little broken but was £10 just need on day to fix it 😂 and have a cheep aliexpress one but like you no idea what you need rearly to do, as for our switch I don't know yet if you fixed it but I bet you did 👍 I have faith Ubiquiti make good kit, have 12 of there AC wifi points to cover my house (not a massive house just every wall is stone so 5ghz can only work in rooms with WiFi points) had them 2nd hand 8 years ago non have gone wrong, that

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

Thats cool a Ubiquiti UniFi ethernet switch which looks like its managed

[@jrsc01.]

same issue happened on my PS4 Pro, clicking noise from the PSU then cut out altogether - was playing GTA San Andreas - Definitive Edition at the time (after giving it time to air it and gave it a vacuum etc around it, worked OK and not had it since...

[@BeeSwarmYTz]

Amazing

[@jasejj]

Did you change one of the small caps on the primary side there Vince without mentioning it? I noticed a cheap Chinese ChengX cap in the position where the bootstrap capacitor would be. I would suggest not leaving that in place too long - that is a sensitive capacitor and cheap, poor quality caps may only last a month or two there. I see that Ubiquiti used good quality Rubycon caps everywhere apart from the bulk cap, using Chinesium in that position ("they never go wrong"), and lo and behold that's the one that fails 😂 Spoilt for 'haporth of tar!

[@Quicksilveraus]

Hi Vince love ya chan mate , might want to check out Pico scope (RP2040) 200hz tho with a phone or tablet with scoppy on google play , i use a 7 inch tablet nice and cheap scope but do have a rigoll for higher frequency's , keep the vids coming mate :)

[@bill53uk]

live and learn well done

[@bryondillon1302]

That case is big enough, I'd just get a new meanwell 48v or whatever you need power supply and install it in there

[@handsomemann1]

What is the name of the song, at the end of the video? And who sang it? Willie Nelson?

[@ovalwingnut]

"Repetition Breeds Confidence"

[@TheAlphaWoomy]

Google and smartphones given the ease of using it have completely destroyed people’s ability to figure things out on their own and troubleshoot. It’s easier for most to just run to their phones for a quick solution. It’s sad too, it’s no wonder the majority of people are becoming meat with eyes at this point.

[@sargentmaxis]

change the very big cap

[@madmangameshd2490]

Oh no, my mate vince u have bots in the comments

[@mikebe2090]

You can report them. Click on the 3 dots to the right of the comment 👍

[@madmangameshd2490]

@mikebe2090 yea, but the problem is that they more.

[@309electronics5]

Well... Often problems can be fixed by replacing those pesky electrolytic caps, although i wont blame it cause its litteraly trapped in a shielded box that gets hot by the other switching components and thus litteraly gets cooked alive and thus can die faster. I have seen some smps'es that had a cut out for the capacitor to atleast breath a bit and to allow for some cool air to get in and hot air to get out so it wont get cooked as fast. Its not just that they can dry out but i also had caps that where trapped in a hot enviornment and it seemed like the electrolythe started eating away at the terminal just like your cap. In my opinion this is just awful design. Come on you just know that electrolytic capacitors dont like heat and what do you do? You trap them under a shield that also acts like a heatsink... Good job Ubiquity or whoever designed the psu!! Actually opening that cap up and fixing it was something i would have never expected anyone to do but here you are vince! 😅 Great job still!

[@lynzoido]

It's either staged or V is being slow, really...slow.. It's a PoE switch! 54v!!!

[@ninaevans4501]

Not liking this channel, moving elsewhere. A place where you do not have to pay-up for someone elses hobby. Last comment We gone.

[@OldMan_PJ]

My theory: it was made of Chinesium.

[@Cameron-mz2fj]

Hi I've Been Struggling on this

[@Souslapizzadelarotte]

toyota

[@ovalwingnut]

Subaru™

[@ValuedTeamMember]

Honda

[@maf2383]

Mazda

[@Mymatevince]

Rolls-Royce 😬

[@2009numan]

you said they should be 0.09 but the second cap was 0.00 so I think the caps were faulty

[@lifooz2955]

2:47 Now i will copy what i see in the video! /L

[@raffe65]

🫡👍❤️🇸🇪

[@techfixuk]

I think the fact that the ESR reading was jumping around just like the voltage is probably a symptom 21:39 @BiffaPlaysCitiesSkylines woz ere