Re: more on ACT CR230 repeater failure

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 10 Oct 2005 22:56:52 GMT, ddl@danlan.*com (Dan Lanciani) wrote in message
<1331627@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>On closer examination it turns out that both pads of the zener had
>separated from the board (a good trick considering that one of them is part
>of a little ground plane).  The trace that supplies power to the drivers is
>routed through the zener's pad, so it's difficult to determine what
>happened.  Depending on the order of pad failure the drivers could have
>seen no voltage, high voltage, or anything in between.  There is a 50V
>electrolytic across the output which might break down and limit the voltage
>a bit.  Based on my initial measurements (but after I had probably
>disturbed the board) I'm leaning towards no voltage.
>

Is this a 1 watt 1n47xx ?  I have an ACT CR225 also and considering
preemptively replacing with a higher wattage zener.

Ironically, the Leviton 6201 that the ACT CR230 replaces in my system (via a
detour with the factory-supplied Leviton HCA02-10E when the 6201 failed )
also had darkening around the zener.

www.econtrol.org/x10/CR230_CM11as.htm

Leviton didn't bother to specify positioning the zener away from the board
so as to increase dissipation and reduce heating of the board although
numerous _other_ discrete components were sloppily inserted and not snug
against the board.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org