Help please Charger problem

[Fishtankjohn]

Yes I did measure the resistance between the cables that came from the transformer to the board
And the resistance across the plug that goes it the the 240v outlet
Thanks

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Across the terminals on the board at rx10
John

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

OK. Can you measure the resistance between the metal bits on the circuit board that the wires from the transformer plug onto.

The photo in post #7, was that with the meter connected across the wires from the transformer?

Can you plug the transformer back onto the board, plug in the power plug, and measure DC voltage across the big electrolytic capacitor marked C1 with your meter set on the 50V DC range.

 

[Gryd3]

OK. Can you measure the resistance between the metal bits on the circuit board that the wires from the transformer plug onto.

The photo in post #7, was that with the meter connected across the wires from the transformer?

Can you plug the transformer back onto the board, plug in the power plug, and measure DC voltage across the big electrolytic capacitor marked C1 with your meter set on the 50V DC range.

Post 22 appears to be an open circuit (Or the range on the meter needs to be adjusted) so BR1 is not shorted.
Next step is getting some voltage readings with the transformer connected and plugged in.
On the underside of the board, you can probe around.
Doublecheck the Voltage reading on AC-50 when you measure the underside of the board to where the transformer connects, it should read the same or close to as before.
The set the meter to DC-50 and measure the underside of the board on the capacitor. I had a picture a couple posts back where I marked a + and - sign. That is for the capacitor.
Let us know.
After midnight here, Ill pitch in again when I wake up.

 

[Colin Mitchell]

Get the globe out of a 6v torch and connect it to the output of the charger.
This is the only way to test this type device.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Testing on ac1 and ac2 at 50. The reading is about. 85
On the ac scale on the meter
Getting a bit confused about where to read on meter
On the capacitor the reading was just 125
On the black scale dci. Ma
Thanks

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Just going back to post 15

Black probe on +
Ac1. Hardly moved
Ac2. Hardly moved

Red probe on +
Ac1 3.5
Ac2. 3.5

Black probe on -
Ac1. 3.5
Ac2. 3.5

Red probe on -
Ac1 hardly moved
Ac2 hardly moved

 

[Gryd3]

Just going back to post 15

Black probe on +
Ac1. Hardly moved
Ac2. Hardly moved

Red probe on +
Ac1 3.5
Ac2. 3.5

Black probe on -
Ac1. 3.5
Ac2. 3.5

Red probe on -
Ac1 hardly moved
Ac2 hardly moved

Well. It does not appear to be the transformer or BR1.
3.5 does appear a little low, but that could be the meter.

The first post, you mentioned you measured the transformer and got less than 1V, and that it won't charge.
Are there any other symptoms? What do the status lights do when you try to charge a battery?

 

[Fishtankjohn]

All we get is yellow light on constant
And the red goes on off
Then just the yellow light
When you connect the lamp head to the charger is does not change anything
Just checked on ac 50 on meter it read about 85

 

[Fishtankjohn]

When I said 1 first time
I was looking at ac 300 but I was readily the ohms scale by mistake I think
John

 

[Gryd3]

John, it may be something else on the board. Could be tricky to find, but lets start anyway.

One last thing I'll get you to check before we dig in further.
Plug in your battery and attempt to charge it. Try to get a Voltage DC measurement from the red/black wires that lead to the battery cradle.
If we get a good reading from here, it may not be the charger. Otherwise we will need to start probing other parts on the board to make sure they are all good.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Just checked the red and black wires to cradle
On 250v dc. And there is nothing at all
Thanks for being so patient

 

[Gryd3]

Just checked the red and black wires to cradle
On 250v dc. And there is nothing at all
Thanks for being so patient

No prob. Remember from a previous post, if nothing shows up or the value is really really small?
Try a lower setting on the meter like 50V or 10V.. Let me know if you get anything.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Firstly the meter reads before the 0 see pick1 without anything connected
Then on 10vdc it reads pic2
I don't know if that makes a difference
John

 

[Gryd3]

Let's make a really quick detour and go over some details with your meter.
These tips will help us in the troubleshooting we will need to do, and may allow us to realize that perhaps we have an incorrect reading from before.

Take a look at your numbers on the gauge for your device. You have your green numbers at the top for resistance, and you have 3 rows of black numbers for AC/DC voltage and DC Current in mA.

This is the part that takes some getting used to.
The value you set on your meter, for example DC V 250. This is the maximum reading you can take that will make the needle move to the furthest right-most position. The numbers read for this is simply the set of numbers that ends with 250.
The tricky part is when you use a setting that has no matching set of numbers... for example DC V 2.5, you use the set of numbers that ends with 250.... I know it may sound odd, but pretend there is a decimal point there and the range becomes 0 - 2.50
There is one more tricky part... setting the meter to 300, because there is no range that will directly match 300... You have to use a little math, and use the set of numbers that ends with something you can easily multiply to get your answer...

Other than that, you have your resistance settings, Rx10 requires you to multiply the reading in the green set of numbers by 10 to get your value, and Rx1k requires you to multiply the reading by 1000. The small dial on the left is to calibrate your resistance readings which will require to to measure a known value resistor and adjust till the needle lines up with the right value.

I'm going to go over some of the past posts and see if we missed anything.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Ok
I will have to get another meter this one is fairly old

John

 

[Gryd3]

Ok
I will have to get another meter this one is fairly old

John

Nothing wrong with old. Many analogue meters like the one you have last much longer than the digital ones.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

I had a digital one but it died
So I'm having to revert back to the analogue
John

 

[Gryd3]

Is it possible to lift the sticker from IC2 to see what part number it is?
We will need to start probing the other parts. Sorry for the delay.

 

[Fishtankjohn]

Just removed sticker but can't see no number
John