New Inverter Control Board Missing a Relay

[GT250]

Hi all,
Why me??? LOL!!!

As you might recall I had a lightning strike a few months back here on the GoldCoast.
This 'hit' took out a few things in the house and took out the Control Board of the Inverter/Charger - that is part of my Solar Battery setup.

When the unit was turning on - it would not go into Inverter mode.
I contacted the supplier who said the unit was discontinued and they only had two boards left. So I ordered both.

On putting one of the new ones in all was fine - until I unplugged it (the whole Inverter), accidently and like a twit I plugged it back in to quick - this caused the new board to fail. - The inverter just going BEEEEEPPPPPP!!

Thankfully I had the second board - which is in the Inverter all working fine - as I type!

On inspecting the BEEEEEP board I noticed two 'burnt' legs of one of the relays! Huh! huh! I thought, that must be the fault I caused...

So I ordered two more relays and replaced the one located at the 'burnt' area. No good! Still went BEEEEEEPPPP.
Please note that in the picture, the 'burnt' area looks about the same as when I first saw it. The other areas are my soldering.

Here I was with two faulty boards and the 'last one' in Australia working fine...

As I was/am upgrading the batteries (new Liths on a ship!), I thought I'd try and get some more boards as a backup from somewhere.
I managed to find the makers of the boards on Alibaba and I ordered two.

I've tried to test - with my limited skills - to see what other components are different (comparing the faulty with new), but the lacquer on the underside is a nightmare to get the probes into...

The new boards have arrived - BUT - missing a Relay!!
I have contacted the supplier, but yet to get a response.

Do I dare use this board? How stupid is it if these boards are wrong!???


Anyway, Here's the photo's.
1) ORIG is original Lightning hit board.
2) Red Circle is the board I replaced a relay.
3) New Board, missing 'that' relay.








Many thanks, Guys

Cheers,
GT250.

[Reschs]

The board with the missing relay is a later version.
The relay would be an optional feature, just put one in if your system needs it.

The black marks in Picture 2 should clean off with PCB Cleaner.
There are quite a few bad solder joints in that relay and surrounding pins.

As for the fault, I would look for a pcb micro fuse.
Cannot see well enough from the photo.

[GT250]

Hi Reschs,

I was wondering if it was intended as being such a major mistake.
That's one reason I wanted to post here so that the 'experts' could throw some light on it.

in your sentence - 'Put one in it if your system needs it' - I can only know that the other boards had that second Relay!

If it's a 'later' version, do the tracks (in your opinion from the photo quality), indicate that the missing Relay is joined to the Relay in place? If that makes any sense.
Are you suggesting that the New Board will/should work ok?

My inverter is a 6KW Pure Sine with built in 50A charger - it wasn't cheap and I'd hate to screw up anything.

Or - or, do you think, I could simply put in the spare Relays I purchased for the Old Faulty Board, and just pop them in to make them Dual Relay?

OMG! LOL!!!

Cheers,
GT250.

[Reschs]

It would appear both relays are in parallel.
Original board has a 20A plus an unmarked.
New board has a single 30A.

[GT250]

Hi Reschs,
Appreciate your time

I have changed the angle and managed to get a far better photo of that middle Relay. Please note that both 'original' boards from the Aus supplier had the same relays 20A top, 30A middle.

The middle relay seems to be a 30A - and the upper Relay 20A as shown in my previous photo's.



Here is the original top relay...



Cheers,
GT250.

[Reschs]

One 30A relay for 30A use.
One 30A plus one 20A for 50A use.

[wotnot]

..cheap chinese inverter controller board, they fit them to solar units, mobile battery inverters...electric toothbrushes, all the usual targets =)

...if you look at the PCB spade terminal markings and printed tracks, you're actually looking at this circuit more or less...(it's just the controller board, the inverter is somewhere else)..



...when the board is used in 'just a battery powered inverter' guise, you don't actually need Relay 02 ; if you're doing something else that involves mains connected switching (ie; UPS for one), you do the above, to provide the local earth<->neutral link.

Why me???

My observation would be that you have a penchant for buying cheap chinese crap, that invariably leaves folks in the position(s) you find yourself in...(and I'm not talking karma sutras =)

[GT250]

Hi all,

Reschs: Humm, so the original boards had the two relays. So I assume that the 50A is to allow it go into Charge Mode when the Batts go below the pre-determined Voltage level (which I believe is 21.3v).
I actually have two brand new 20A relays. So If I put those - giving me 40A (or I purchase some 30A's).
Would it be simply a matter of soldering them into the new boards?


Wotnot: Well, I don't know about cheap. This 6kW PSW Inverter/charger was pretty expensive when I got it. It's always worked well over the 3yrs I've had it. Seems that it just didn't like the lightning strike - which also took out the LCD display as well, so I replaced that as well
And the second boards, I did a stupid mistake.

Why me?? LOL!, sucker for punishment.... I guess
But you know, it's far better to 'have a go', do one's best to not just chuck away - because it's too hard - and learn along the way.

Oh, before I go, Aldi have a great little DMM - Ferrex $17.99. 3.5 digits, auto off, tests 240v through walls, something called NCV 'Surface tension', Function Generator 1KHz Sqr wave, Beeper, built in stand and - believe it or not!! Batteries included....!!


Anyway guys, all good fun.

Cheers,
GT250.

[Reschs]

I bow to Wotnot's experience with inverters.
Mine was a guess based on your description.
So I would just copy the relays on the original board.

[wotnot]

So I would just copy the relays on the original board.

I wouldn't ~ the part numbers are completely different ; you can't be sure the MCU firmware is the same ; the boards are significantly different (connector count).

[GT250]

Hi all,
OMG! This is hard... You know, it's so easy to just throw away the old, and "Just buy a new one..."
After Wotnot's reply 'part numbers different, etc, I just took a closer look at the boards. And lo and behold, there are connections, either, added or missing...!!

I include the Original Lightning hit board and the New board (missing Relay), with my looking at the board more closely.

'NEW' Missing Relay Board.


'ORIG' the Lightning hit board.



I'm going to have to open the Inverter up tomorrow and see what connections are in use. It's running perfectly, so I thought it wise, as the new Batts on YM Eternity (who looks like she is bypassing BNE on her way to SYD, LOL!!), are due soon, I make sure I have a supply of Inverter Boards in case of any further 'issues'..

The BMS's are delayed as well...! Was in stock - after 3 weeks waiting - "Oh sorry was no stock after all". ! was given a refund.
Now new stock in, I repay/reorder as of yesterday...

All this crap!

And Tiny is sat there gloating over his newly delivered fully kitted out pre-assembled LifeP04 battery... LOL!!!

Anyway, I'm thinking a divorce is on the way... Well, at least still she completes the Canton Tower...

Cheers all.
GT250.

NB: We have the Airshow on the GoldCoast this weekend. Organisers say (besides the bad weather), it will go ahead. Going on Sat 17th. Take the bike in for parking ease, couple of beach chairs, some buns, BLT stuff and sit about 10mtrs from the people who paid $$$ LOL!

New addition, besides the F22's - which arrived at Tindal a few days ago, there is 'so far' the F35 going to be on show. Lot's of $$$ in this 5th Gen. Yet the US is already working on the 6th Gen..!
Fun fact: The F35 is a pretty clear rip off of the Russian Yak 141, which, indecently, was flown at the UK Farnborough air show in 1992. I spent a few years going to many airshows when I was living in the UK
So looking forward to seeing a real life F35 in front of my eyes. What is it, USD$100mil a pop? - Build a hospital for 5 of them...!

[GT250]

Hi all,
I took some photo's of the working board (only one in Australia, LOL!), and sent it off to the suppliers (who actually make them on order!).

I have gone over the connections - as best I can - and whilst there are some spare connections, the one's I need seem to be there and as Wotnot said, these are just 'basic' Inverter boards - I guess that they cover a range of other Inverter brands depending on their functions.

Anyway, I have sent the photo's off and they have acknowledged them and said they will pass them on to the 'Technicians'.

I asked if they sell whole complete 6kW 24v Inverters/Chargers and they said they did. I asked as I was obviously pondering on just getting a new one. I think I paid about $3000 for what I have.
However, after a quick look, it looks like a brand new 6kW or could have been a 10kW Inverter/Charger was about USD$360 - no shipping.
These are HEAVY, probably into the 30kg-40kg range, so I guess that the shipping would be up there...

Here are the pics of the current installed working board






And please guys, If I have missed something - gosh no!! - let me know ok?

Cheers,
GT250.