Controller board fails to stay switched on

[onlyme2]

This is a controller board of a low volume solar powered water pump (Jupiter 300LPH Solar Water Pump Kit by Bermuda), it was manufactured around 2010, currently out of production.

The controller functions are:
- On/Off
-Power pump through solar panel
-Power pump through backup battery

The controller charges the backup battery when turned on.

The controller has three momentary buttons:
-On
-Off
-Select function

when the On button is depressed the controller is switched on and functions can be selected.

The On switch has failed (or so I thought), when the On button is depressed it turns on as long as you are pressing it, once you remove pressure from the button, it turns itself off.

I assumed that the On momentary switch was faulty, so I replaced it, this has not resolved the issue, still the On button has to be continually depressed to function, which points to the fact that the fault lies elsewhere.

Searching the Internet for possible solutions, I came across a reviewer on amazon who said that he has suffered the same On switch failure, so I am hoping that this is a common problem (with an easy to fix solution).

I have no electronics knowledge beyond soldering/unsoldering, any help in fixing this controller is greatly appreciated, the cost of replacing it is out of my reach at the moment.

On the attached image, the On switch is top right, Off switch is top middle, function switch bottom right.

The following is a link to a help to setup page, which shows the complete pump and panel.
http://www.ukwaterfeatures.com/Guides/installing-your-new-solar-powered-water-feature.html

 

[Bluejets]

Did you follow all the instructions in the link you provided?
Did you check the battery as it sounds like it might be faulty or not charging or both.
With the crystal and two caps I assume the chip is a microcontroller so if one or the other above faults exist, perhaps it's program is disallowing the motor to run.

 

[onlyme2]

Thank you Bluejets for your reply.

The pump and controller were working for the past three years, they stopped working suddenly a few days ago, I simply provided the setup instructions link as a reference so people know what kind of unit I was talking about.

The battery does not even has to be present for the pump to work on solar power, the battery presence does not affect the button function in any way as far as I can tell.

Prior to the fault occurring, when the On button was pressed and released, a light at the back of the housing of the unit would light up, showing the last function selected before turning the unit off, and the unit would carry on performing the last function selected.

Now when the On button is pressed, the light of the last function turns on, and the last function selected would start running, but once the On button is released, the unit switches itself off.

At first I thought that what was happening is that the On button (momentary switch) has failed, so I replaced it with a new one, but the problem is still there, replacing the On momentary switch has not cured the fault.

 

[Bluejets]

Thank you Bluejets for your reply.
The battery does not even has to be present for the pump to work on solar power, the battery presence does not affect the button function in any way as far as I can tell.

I pointed to the link you supplied as it states there in section 2 that the battery has to be charged for a full 8 hours before use.
Now I could be wrong but that sort of infers that the system runs off the battery and the solar provides a re-charge to some extent. I took it that the solar did not provide enough direct power to drive the pump.
So did you check the battery condition and whether or not it is holding charge?

 

[onlyme2]

One needs a charged battery if one wishes to run on battery power, if you are running on solar power battery is bypassed, that is how the system ran for the past 3 years or so.

The unit has two states, the first state runs directly on solar power if enough sunlight is present, and charges the battery, the second state runs directly on battery power and charges the battery if enough sunlight is present.

The On switch does not maintain its state to even start charging the battery, the problem does not seem to be in not having enough power to run the pump, the problem is that the On switch does not maintain its state.

 

[73's de Edd]

Sir onlyme2 . . . . .

Can we get a bit more info on the mark ups and some answers?

I’m initially suspecting on setting battery problems, if being contained within that black “HOT BOX” case and getting on in multi years of use or even more.

I’m wanting to think that the 4 YELLOW DOT tranistors are being configured as on/off electronic latching pairs, but currently, with too low of a voltage supply to them, to work reliably.

They are being engaged by the ON and OFF tactile switches located near them. Please pass on the transistors marked part numbers and I can only make out the Q6 position identifier.

Top center is being an unused U4 parts location, I suspect the YELLOW-RED DOTS unit to be a U identified item . . . I need its identifier and marked on identification. I fully suspect it to be your 5 voltage regulator for the Microprocessor over to the right. Which must be all right . . . . . since you say it still has its “brains” IF its receiving its operational power.

Identify the ??? IC part number at the bottom, and its board identifier assignment .

See if the YELLOW CIRCLE inductor has 2 or 4 or more leads / connections on its bottom.

I suspect all of that immediate circuitry to be related to either a boost power supply circuit with the C4 and C? and the two diodes making a voltage doubler circuit,
OR
For all of them being related to creating speed control of the pump motor.
The RED dot transistors, being support transistors of that circuitry,

Check the RED_RED dot as being a longer / taller power transistor.

Pass all parts numbers from the RED transistors and the ??? IC.

Also the capacitances and volt specs on the C4 + companion C? electrolytic cap.


VISUAL REFERENCING AND MARK-UP ASSOCIATIONS:

See if I am correct on the connecting plugs . . . circuitus termini.

• Bottom left from the solar cell bank

• Bottom right to the pump and optional lighting LED

• Top left goes to two battery sets.

Can you meter the DC voltage read from the bottom left connector with solar collector plugged in and in full sunlight.

Can you also get a DC voltage readon the two RED and BLACK sets of the top left connector .

Can you give us a like photo of the foil pattern side of the board, equal to /or better focus, same FULL frame pic, squared off within the viewfinder and without any RED STAR light reflection.


What say you . . . . . .



73’s de Edd

.

 

[onlyme2]

Hello 73’s de Edd,

Here are some answers to your questions.
I am awaiting some sunshine to get the meter readings, but first, which points exactly you want me to get the readings from? if you could mark them on the image it would be great, a N00b is too advanced to describe my electronics skills.

Goes without saying that I greatly appreciate your input.

Small Yellow circle =
Clock wise starting from 11 o'clock
1- H 550 KKSD
2- H 8050 AESD
3- H 8050 AESD
4- H 8050 AESD

Small Red circle=H 8050 AFSD

Two Small Red circles= H 8050 AESD

Small Yellow+Red circle= 7533-1K500027

Large Yellow circle= Two

???=Unable to read, any tricks to get the writing to become clearer?

Red Star=I don't know what you meant by this

Solar Input?=Connects to a regulator turn knob which controls water flow at pump when run on battery power

Battery?=Where the solar panel connects to the unit

Pump &Illum LED's Out?=Pump and LED out

on the image of the back of the controller board, the On button is top right corner, the funny soldering is due to myself replacing the momentary switch.