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Thread: Inverter Died After a Storm Came Through - How to Clean it?

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    Default Inverter Died After a Storm Came Through - How to Clean it?

    Hi all,
    You wouldn't believe it, but as I was faffing around with that battery question, the power to half the house cut out! We had a small strong storm come through as I was typing away and then about half an hour after I realized power was out on some household things and then I heard a dreaded beeeeeeep coming from the shed...

    The inverter had a continual beep. The red Alarm and red Overheat led's were on.
    To cut a long story short I went through a few tests with the supplier, resets etc, but no good. I opened it up and found water inside, under the fan on the base of the metal!

    A small puddle 5sq mm enough to create a blob on my finger. So how much got 'transported' across a 15mm gap from the inner fan blade to the cap pcb I don't know. Obviously enough to create a short.

    Photo shows fan and a slight glimpse of the pcb beyond on which a big fat caps legs are.



    Photo shows fan and closeness of fan to pcb.



    As the inverter needs cool air I do have it close to a window (which has a soffit). Obviously, the wind has blown the rain horizontal and the fan has drawn It inside the inverter.

    I informed the supplier that I am at fault and they said to let it dry out and try later. So I got the hairdryer out, it spun the fan up and I let it go for about 2mins. I could feel warm air from the exit of the last caps.

    I turned back on and it's working!!!!

    So the question is what can I spray through the fan to 1) Expel any moisture and 2) Stop any corrosion and 3) Protect it (in any way), from moisture again. - of course I'm going to move the inverter further away and I'll raise it as well.

    So before I did anything, I thought I'd better check with you guys.


    I have:
    CRC Lectra Clean.

    CRC 2-26 - Seems to be correct for this issue.

    rf Electrical Contact Cleaner Lubricant.

    rf Electronic Circuit board cleaner.

    WD 40.

    IPA Electronic Cleaning Solvent.

    Wurth Contact OL (Oxidation remover).

    Thanks,
    GT250.



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    best advise i can give is dont spray with any thing ???? if its dry it wont corrode ,if you spray plastics they melt after time and things go pop . i notice you have a relay in there , have just replaced one on a mig that had been sprayed the relay melted its self over six months ( crc) cheers

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    Prevent ingress moisture and maybe try a silica gell absorbent as well.

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    Electricity and water don't mix!

    Dry it out and take steps to keep it dry.

    Don't spray it with anything.

    A dry electrical apparatus is a happy apparatus.

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    Ok.
    No spray.
    Jeeze, I'm lucky I guess it dried out.

    I'll get the inverter higher and a touch further away from the window.
    Have to have it close to the window as the shed can get warm through the day and I was trying to get as much cool outside air to the intake fan as possible.
    In thinking I might try and put together a piece of down pipe and place that I can place against the window and inverter chassis, maybe 6" long

    Anyway, guys, thank you for your replies. I was going to spray 'something' to protect it and I'm glad I didn't now.

    Cheers,
    GT250

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    That lead on the positive terminal looks like it's been overheated too. Was it loose when you opened it up?

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    Bob,
    The dark stuff at the base of the shaft is grease and the NEG lead 'hanging on', was something I put there temp as the orig POS cable from the batts was to short. So just an extension (colour mix), to allow the invertor to power up for testing.

    I've now go the inverter higher and I've put a piece of downpipe 90mm or 100mm right angle over the fan with the open end obviously facing downwards

    No way is water EVER going to get back in!

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    I've used the CRC Lectra Clean many times and is great for circuit boards or anything electrical, I recommend using it .
    I work in a steel mill and believe me we use this product all the time.
    Last edited by Ranger1; 25-11-18 at 11:40 PM.

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    suggest you try it on a plastic shopping bag and see the results , been there done that

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