Anyone up for.....?

[slim_boy_fat]

Any of our electronics experts up for pulling this apart to see why it's stopped charging my strimmer battery [36V Lithium]?

[Google image]


This is the second one, the first having packed up within the Warranty period and been replaced/repaired(?) by Black & Decker.
Called them and without the receipt (which I can't now find ) they can't help other than than refer me to "an Authorised Service Agents" who are, naturally MILES away darn sarf.

I've ordered a new one online but, given their apparent durability issue, I'd like to have a 'back up' to hand - belt 'n braces and all that.

Happy to cover costs and provide beer tokens if anyone is prepared to have a go. Could be something simple to them as knows about such things, but that's not me .

 

[Alan Reynolds]

There’s not usually much in them as the control board is usually in the battery case. If you can open it, take a picture and maybe we can point you in the right direction.

 

[8ob]

它搞砸了 as they say in China

Bob

 

[colnerov]

它搞砸了 as they say in China

Bob

How did you get that past the swear filter?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

There’s not usually much in them as the control board is usually in the battery case. If you can open it, take a picture and maybe we can point you in the right direction.

Battery is accepting charge, a neighbour with the same strimmer kindly 'filled it up' for me. His battery in my base wasn't doing anything... There are no lights showing on my base when plugged in with the battery inserted, whereas there used to be. It's not the fuse in the plug, I've changed that but that's about the extent of my elektrickery knowledge.

As for splitting for pics, I'll have a look but think it's got deeply recessed anti-tamper fixings .

 

[roofman]

How did you get that past the swear filter?

he came disguised as a sweet n sour pork with rice

 

[Kram]

What sort of screw head, torx with the centre nipple?
Be best to get it open for some photos first but I can have a look if you post it here. Simple stuff like blown capacitors, diodes etc I can replace.
Chargers usually run a bit hot so likely thermal stress has popped something.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

What sort of screw head, torx with the centre nipple?
Be best to get it open for some photos first but I can have a look if you post it here. Simple stuff like blown capacitors, diodes etc I can replace.
Chargers usually run a bit hot so likely thermal stress has popped something.

Will look out my magnifying glass and have a look. Will report back soon....

Very much appreciate your offer to investigate

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Kram Had a look and they're the torx bits with a central 'pip'/nipple - I've not got drivers to fit. Even if I could get into it, I'd still be none the wiser. .

If you're happy to have a go [absolutely no rush], please PM me your mailing details and I'll get it sent off, probably be mid week now as our P.O. is part time.

Thanks again.

 

[500e]

Tot seen one Is there a plug in power connector they get pushed about and can break the print or solder.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Tot seen one Is there a plug in power connector they get pushed about and can break the print or solder.

No, fixed mains plug.

 

[Kram]

Arrived today, I have been poking at it with the probes. Some photos while I let it discharge..

While technically a good thing, the blue conformal coating is a pain when trying to probe and having to scrape it off!
There is some black crustyness on traces under the coating, could be corrosion? Particually the fine traces by battery connector, so currently I think that is the problem. I'll measure the traces and perhaps green wire the bad ones.

The AC side is good, 336v after the bridge. Transformer has continuity. My meters are playing tricks on me with one reading intermittent HV pulses on the secondary, and the other firmly stuck at 0.2v.

Suspicions currently around the lower heatsinked component/area on the top view, which I assume is the SMPS switch.
Small dc caps on the AC side are showing 20 and 5.4v.

The bigger cap on the DC side is reading 38-40v, while not a stable voltage, tells me the SMPS side is likely ok.

The 6 battery pins are 0-5v and suspect it needs one to detect to switch on.

Led is 0v, not lit. The plastic case indicates it does green and red, flashing and solid, yet is only two pin?!
Red leds are usually lower voltage, so Im guessing it is two in parallel with some trickery built in to turn off the red when the voltage is high enough for green?! Anyway beside the point, the LED appears to be unlit, rather than blown.

Would the LED normally be lit when theres power but no battery inserted?

Most of my tool chargers start green, go red when charging and back to green when battery done.

 

[ukracer]

Arrgggg. It's got two chips and looks super complicated.

My next door neighbour has looked at a few things with proprietary chips and invariably can't buy them once the basics have been tested out ok.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Kram Apologies for not answering this yesterday

Would the LED normally be lit when theres power but no battery inserted?

I'll have to check with the new charger and get back to you later , tbh it's not something I've taken particular note of . Iirc the light flashes green when charging the battery and goes steady when indicating 'fully charged '.

Most of what you've reported might as well be written in Swahili for all the sense it makes to me - you'll understand why I don't open up such things.....

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Kram OK, I've checked on the new base and when you supply power initially the green light appears for a few seconds then goes out [could this be energising a capacitor?? ].

When you insert the battery, the green light comes on and starts flashing while the battery is being charged, then goes to steady green when it's fully charged.

Hope this helps.

 

[Morrisman]

它搞砸了 as they say in China

Bob

Ahem, Taiwan.