Switch Mode LED Light Controller Repair

[@cuanhogan4330]

A great method for opening these enclosures is to run petrol along the seam, I use a syringe. A few minutes later it pulls apart, damage free. Thanks for the videos Richard, greetings from sunny South Africa..

[@budgetmerch]

A fix is a fix and I'm all for using what you have, so perfect repair.

[@Rasspor]

I enjoy repairs like these. Because it just shows how to do a repair. Even if you don't have the exact replacement parts. This could be the situation when you need to fix something just to get it up and running. Kudos for teaching people. You don't always need exact replacement parts. You can still fix things. Saving the tech from the landfills.

[@gregwmanning]

Repairs for home are a different standard than repairs for paying customers. It good to see both!

[@CXensation]

Even though these light chains are dirt cheap it is challenging to repair them when you have a background in electronics. That's the fun part of being an electronics hobbyist. I like it ! 😋

[@paulf1071]

In case anybody was wondering, at 30:24, the glue he used was Araldite Epoxy. (Strong & long lasting). As he mentioned, might be an idea to add some tape around it for extra durability. I've heard of some people securing it with cable-ties also. What do most people use for sealing the cover shut again?

[@darelmorin4008]

This isn't a botched job, I'd rather call it working with what you have on hand. Nothing wrong with that if you ask me.

[@PurityVendetta]

I find videos like this incredibly helpful in developing my practical understanding of how to diagnose, assess and repair all sorts of circuits. It's a successful fix and really informative. Thanks Rich.

[@smichels5117]

Very cool fix, Rich! Very creative and resourceful. I learn from you every time I watch. Thank you!

[@marcellipovsky8222]

To quote AvE - If it werks, it werks! And you are also not Sorin, so it can't be dodgy, that is his mojo 😀The main point is - you have saved something from the recycler. (at least for the near future)

[@techobaz55]

Great repair, simple & straight forward ! Top Job !!

[@Manticore1960]

Nothing wrong with your fix. I have substituted leaded components for SMD many times myself. OK, it doesn't look neat, but as long as it's functional, then that's all that really matters.

[@darelmorin4008]

So right! From another ELP fan 👍

[@dang48]

Purty! Nice work there and that was a smart way of replacing the transistor with another part that while it was not identical, at least it's compatible. I have a couple of light strings that are similar and one of them isn't working properly (got it from a yard sale), so I have a project to do. Wish me luck.😁

[@1kimdotcom]

Nice repair

[@Broxie]

It's an Upgrade!

[@jimphillips3992]

Great vid, exactly what I have, time to investigate why mine have no power. It always seems obvious when you identify the function of each bit, very helpful. 👍

[@shokdj1]

I’ve done similar stuff. If it’s for yourself it’s not really a problem

[@andymouse]

I'm thinking thats great ! nice enough fix, you thought about it checked the important stuff and fixed it Jobs a good un...cheers. Merry Christmas !

[@knightwar3]

I did the same thing as you some years ago lol i replaced a shorted smd transistor of a diseqc switch with a through hole transistor it worked but it was just for experiment and learning purposes

[@jamesrostech]

good job

[@davet3804]

I have been embarrassed to do repairs like this but amazingly they seem to last for ages in operation.. I never feel fully satisfied and comfortable though..

[@Amplified208]

There is nothing wrong with the repair. Besides, there are your lights, and the power supply is back in one piece. Merry Xmas

[@johnfrank6302]

Maybe call it an upgrade, since the replacement transistor will handle more than the one that shorted out :)

[@garypoplin4599]

11:39 - It looks like the program for the lights is on that chip in the upper right corner.

[@1kimdotcom]

Happy xmas to you, keep up the good work

[@Dutch_off_grid_homesteading]

Heya, yes love these differant soort of video's it opens a hole new look at electronics how and were what is used. you repaired it that's the goal and is there a law telling everybody smd has to be replaced by smd I don't think so, it's more like thinking out of the box?, yeah I think so too. so for me a good repair

[@klumpy103]

A fix is a fix and that's OK for a running repair. Having said that, these controllers are cheap as chips nowadays if you dont mind the wait.

[@gendragongfly]

Sometimes fixing means you make a device better than it was before. You replaced the faulty component with a better (higher rated) version. Even if the rating for both versions of the transistor was exactly the same, I'd probably still go for the larger version if it fits. It will probably have twice the life span of the smaller version. So if you have that option, why not use it?

[@Dutch-linux]

MacGyver did it again LOL good job

[@g4z-kb7ct]

That's a legitimate fix. But it could be better.... you will have a compatible transistor in stock. Just go through all your junk boards and find a compatible smd transistor and mount it onto the board. smd transistors are common on every electronic board from the last 10-15 years at least. The way I do it is pull off a bunch of parts and put them onto the smd pads on my component tester and just hit test. It'll tell me quickly what type of transistor it is and the pinout. After a few minutes I usually find the right one and use it. Don't throw away junk boards (including those junk PC modem cards). Dead laptop boards are great for small smd parts :-)

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

I'm sure I have plenty but finding ones that will handle 500mA is not so easy

[@g4z-kb7ct]

@@LearnElectronicsRepair Measure the current of a working LED string to find out what it actually needs.... then you can decide if you have one or not.

[@lonndawg7554]

Well, that was a great repair.... But, I think more importantly it gives the opportunity to show us how these devices work, this kind of device is not made for repairs, but with a little creativity it can be done. And that creates a great opportunity for learning. I purchased a set of lights that has a controller similar to the one you have, only one button and it allows for various flashing lights and modes for flashing lights... But Not Sequential which I thought was interesting, but more importantly there is Only 2 Wires coming from the controller, all the way to the end where you can attach another set of lights... And again the connector plug has 2 pins , Not 3 like you have, I'm scratching my head on how such a set of lights that could work. ?

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

Ahh I can explain that. So there are two wires from the controller to the LED chains. One chain of LEDs is wired --|>---|>--- and the other chain is wired ---|

[@alanbickerstaff868]

Great little fix. After watching many many hour of your videos you inspired me to have ago at repairing more electronics and building circuits. I have been buying kit and bought the flux I thought you used but it barely works .Mine called AMTECH but marked lead free soldering materials FLUX NC559 ASM. have I got the wrong one. Can do in a future video dropper capacitors after working with transformers all my life it's quite a revelation to see you can replace them with a 400volt cap in what I am working on at the moment dropping from 240 v to 20v

[@g4z-kb7ct]

Any flux will do the job but most of the Amtech flux being sold is fake so it dries up quickly when heated instead of hanging around for a while. For your average kind of work buy some gel flux in a small round container. It's more than good enough and very cheap.

[@alanbickerstaff868]

@@g4z-kb7ct Thanks for that been using TELUX in a little round tin and it must be over ten years old does work but I thought AMTECH was more suitable and of course the the lead resin core solder work great as well

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

@@g4z-kb7ct I'm using Amtech NC559-ASM which I buy cheap on AliExpress, 10 tubes for about €12. It's most certainly not original but it works just fine and does not dry up.

[@g4z-kb7ct]

@@LearnElectronicsRepairI just watched a vid of someone using the same fake stuff, it dries up compared to the real stuff. Anyway for you it doesn't matter as you don't do complicated smd work. Try mounting by hand a QFP240 and see what happens....

[@leviathanmac3053]

I always call those a get you out of jail fix, 😂

[@evelhorn]

style points don;t count if you can't see it

[@maxwarfield6699]

Why do you test the capacitors after the repair?

[@Taliesen.]

I'm guessing it is just good practice to know that he's not going to shock himself while reassembling it.

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

I wasn't testing the capacitors for faults. I was testing them to make sure they were not holding a high voltage after I powered it off. There is probably no need to explain this further, because after you have been badly zapped a few times by capacitors on mains voltage circuits in devices that have been unplugged for some time you probably won't have to ask the question again either 😂

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

@@Taliesen. Exactly that, but some people have to learn it the hard way 😉

[@skjerk]

What happened to the eeprom dump?🤓

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

@skjerk @skjerk Ahh -I was chatting with Det about that today, we are gonna do it on the live stream this Sunday. Not on this LED set as they are now working great wrapped around a tree in my garden, but I have two more identical sets that have some of LEDs need changing. The live stream is on the sister channel www.youtube.com/@theelectronicschannel Sunday 17th December 17:00 GMT time be sure not to miss it 😁

[@tonysheerness2427]

No, it is not a botch job as you used an adequate replacement part. What is worrying is that I bet you have a proper surface mount part but can not lay your hands on it at this moment of time. To many parts, to many drawers you need a parts coordinator who will catalogue and index all your parts and hand you the correct one when you need it.

[@tenlittleindians]

Nothing wrong with a Frankenstein style repair. Only thing missing is a video edit when you first switch it on. You could have inserted a two second edit from a black and white Frankenstein movie where he says "it's alive!" and then cut back to your video.😅

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

Damn I missed the opportunity there!

[@tranthanhtruc3966]

Hello

[@greengrayradio1394]

Good repair, for such a "throw away" item!.. These are a p.i.t.a. for us radio hams, by the way, causing interference all over the shortwave bands. They mostly have _no_ interference suppression built in. Cheap Chinese products

[@Janktzoni]

6CG, it's a G...

[@amarigannoyunu587]

I love your videos but all of them are too long. I mean obviously some need to be long but to be honest just replacing a transistor shouldn't be 30 mins long. I suggest you to do jump-cut editing.

[@gorjy9610]

There is no point of making video of transistor replacement. You don't know how to replace one? Getting to reason why transistor need to be replaced, identifying part, finding replacement and improvising is all more important and stuff like that take time. If you only need a video of quick soldering job maybe you're on wrong platform and tiktok is more for you?

[@amarigannoyunu587]

@@gorjy9610 ay chill bro I think the one who affected by the social media is you obviously not me. What is that intolerance of hearing an opinion? You need a therapist 😊 And what I meant by the cut is for the parts that have no benefit to the video. Which is his sighs, soldering parts bla bla. I didn't tell cut the all the stuff. Which seems you know nothing about jump-cut. His every videos 30-40-50 minutes long and some of them didn't need to. I love his videos and I watched ton of them already.

[@spicky2966]

When i now started off i use to think so, now i look for reasons and question everything and as we go along the answer is there..good job

[@tono_01]

@@amarigannoyunu587 I have to disagree with you: Richard tries to explain the whole process of the problem, opening the case, diagnosing andsfixing the device. I DO agree that the pace is sometimes a bit slow, but then you can watch the video at 1.25 or even 1.5 times the speed. Everybody is entitled to have his opinion, your input is valuable as everyone's; let Richard decide to go with it or not. For Richard: as said elsewhere, you should have tried to put an SMD-transistor in there... or at least flatten the smd-pads before putting the transistor on top op them. But hey, it's easy for us to know best... we're only looking at the video...

[@amarigannoyunu587]

@@tono_01 thank you for understanding the point. I respect your opinion.