Temperature of the Controller

[the_lizardking]

Hi all,

I have a short question, my controller gets up to 100 degrees now in summer during the day - and by the way here is another bug as the display only shows up to 99,99 and then starts up with 10,00 - and for me this looks quite hot. So is this normal or do I have a problem here?

Thanks

[drknoppi]

Hello M.
i think that isn`t normally, i think you mean the temperature of the handbox - controller ? Is the  the handbox  directly in the sunlight and the enviroment temperature is 30 degree ?
May be that the analog - digital - circuits for measuring the temperature inside the box dont like sunlight and the displayed temperature in the handbox menu show i wrong temperature !, but not the real temperature inside .

Best regards Rainer

[the_lizardking]

I dont think its the Display temp it is the temp of the motordriver more or less,... and I think the temp with 100 degree can be true. I already mounted some cooling aluminium outside and so I could lower the temp for about 5 degrees,... but 100 is still a lot of heat from my point. The controller itself is in the shadow but not good surrounded by air, maybe it would help to place it somewhere else too,... I am working on that and let you know.
However I think about taking out the board and placing some coolers inside the the controller.

[Roman]

Hi Lizardking,

do you use the 40V Version? If not at which Voltage do you operate your CU? Do you still use the powercable with Pin 3 und Pin 4 bridged?

[the_lizardking]

I use 25V or smth In think,... bridge was removed from cable to enable a higher voltage,... do you think thats the issue for this high temp?

[Armando]

Hi the_lizardking,

I remember that removing the bridge inside the cable plug enables a voltage regulator inside the LFEP (used to have maybe 12V: voltage higher than 12V is used only to power the motor phases). The involved regulator surely dissipates power...
There is obviously another regulator too; and it's always in use to have 5V...

CS
Armando

[the_lizardking]

OK but today I got some problems with the heat again,... it happens that the display turns off, light works but no text anymore and the LFEP operates normal. This happens when it reaches 100 or higher - I cant say as there is the bug with showing only 10,... so any input here?? What could I do some ideas?
Once the LFEP cooled down again it operates normal...
Should I put some heatsink on the motordrivers or the power regulator too??

thanks

[the_lizardking]

ohoh this time LFEP does not wake up again,... I already tried to make a firmware update,... no chance.
I am not wondering anymore I am only frustrated,... I will now heat up my camera and call it day like so many days before when this controller was not working. shit,...

[the_lizardking]

It worked in the morning from its own, I made a Display Update but did not lose any data so I think there was no update done in night,... the software was doing a ghost upodate. However today I mounted a fan on top of the case and I made some holes on the lower plate. So the air is now giong through the case,... the funny thing is,...
The controller temp shows now 13 degree which cannot be as the outside temp is 30,3 right now from tiny.

However the good news is,... it does not get so worm anymore, its felt about 40 degrees maybe. However as the sensor is showing bullshit I can only tell you what I feel with my hands.

The question now is,... what is with the sensor for the controller temp, this is showing crazy things now??
And is that fan good enough to cool it for a long periode,...

I will keep you all updated on that.

PS: by the way this is not a funny thing, the voltage regulator got so hot that even the painting of the case was melting,... so when we work on the LFEP again we need to keep it in mind as this could cause fire!!

[the_lizardking]

No not working LFEP hangs up after a view minutes,... I had also trouble to configure the Motor Setup.
However I thought maybe our holly tool the firmware update will help but when I start the CU update I get the following:

Any idea??
I will now try Armandos rest,... maybe this helps.

[the_lizardking]

With the reset from Armando I could make the FW Update again,... so this helped a lot!
After the Update the LFEP was working correct for the whole night, the first time since I have it,... only one exception! The display text again got lost after a while,... the funny thing was I was going to menue out of my mind and left the display there for around 1,5 hours. After about 1,5 hour the text was suddenly visible again.

I am confused,...

I think it will be difficult to find the problem,... there must be one part that cant stand thermal stress anymore. I could see that the right voltage regulator on the back of the board was produsing the enorm heat as there the painting was melted,... so the question is does someone know what this regulator does?? Mayxbe that brings me to the fault.

[the_lizardking]

I think the power regulators are for sure defect now,... does anyboday know which regulators that are??
It seems to be a thermal problem, once I reach 60 degrees (today we have 34 outside) the controller gets stucked.

[Roman]

Hi Lizardking,

I'm not sure by heart. Just try this link for further information. You need the part list and the assembly sketches. I hope you find the right parts.
I also attached the files to this post. Good luck.

[the_lizardking]

Thanks a lot Roman!
Seems that it is a 78S05CV and a 78S12CV.

[the_lizardking]

OK guys,... changing the power controler did not help. So I tried a new Power Supply, Meanwell 25V 8,4A constant power supply. I regalulated it exact at 25V, however, Display starts and after view seconds dark, no control.

When I switch to 12V the controler runs as long as tempo is not more than 30 degrees outside.

Any idea here??

Maybe tthis helps,... the fan I integrated gets slower before it happens, first running with full speed suddenly slows down and then the display gets dark. Before all function are gone the display writes Display init... and the dark. When I turn on again fast the Display remains dark, when I leave more time in between the more it works to maximal 10 seconds round. Again this only happens with more than 12V and for me it looks like an ELCO is involved in that problem.

[Antoon]

Hi Lizardking, I think you are absolutely right.
It seems indeed an internal power supply problem, elco related.
The external power supply is probably ok. But internal there are several power circuits (i suppose). Most units (like the LFEP) are usually using several different voltages.
Every voltage is usually made by a dedicated circuit. Mostly this voltages are made with voltage regulators and two elco's.(one 'in' and one 'out')
A defective elco can sometimes be found, because of a leak of electrolytic fluid. So look carefully at the circuitboard for white or brown "smudge" around elco's base.
If you do not see anything, i suggest you replace all the elco's one by one, and do a test one by one until you have the right one.
Succes ! and let us know

Best regards
Antoon

[the_lizardking]

I dont know,... I did not the following, I added a cooling plate on the regulators and put some cables to get it out of the board. I placed it direct next to the fan and now it works,...

I could not see anything on the ELCOs however could be that the regulators turn off as too hot too. I read that cooling was planned over the case and the regulator should touch the inner case plate. This was with old ones that burned off but the new ones did not touch it so nice,... anyhow colling over the case is a nonsense this regulators have to burn down 13 Volts and with 30V power even more,... that cant be cooled over a painted case anymore.

[Armando]

Hi the_lizardking link,

I read that cooling was planned over the case and the regulator should touch the inner case plate. This was with old ones that burned off but the new ones did not touch it so nice,... anyhow colling over the case is a nonsense this regulators have to burn down 13 Volts and with 30V power even more,... that cant be cooled over a painted case anymore.

The case is not painted, it's black anodised. I just found the FR K 105 52 120 SA case (in place of FR 105 52 120 SA) that should improve cooling. Anyway I think there is the need for a proper surface contact to make cooling properly working.

CS
Armando

[the_lizardking]

No mine is painted,... a thick black painting is on it I can see some drips,... maybe that makes the difference. The painting was melting and so the contact of the regulator to the case totaly gone,... then it was switching off. From specification it has a heat control so this should be safe I think.

I will now male the cosmetic and put a professional cooling on it to be sure that works. I will also lower the voltage in two steps with an 18V regulator in between to split the heat-stres.

[the_lizardking]

OK guys it really is solved now, I made a stres test - putting LFEP in a bag into a cabinet black in the direct sunlight. I also highered the voltage to 30V and it was running for 2 hours haveing a controler temp of 42 degrees without any hang ups for the controller. But the display still gets lost,...

What I did:
I bought a 78S05CV and a 78S12CV as well as a 78S18CV.
Then I bought some cooling body with 50 K/W and mounted the 18V infront of the 12V.
Then I screwed everything together on small plate cut for the rails in the case and left it hanging in air.

Thanks for help and thinking about this problem to all but there is still something that does not work. The question is - there are two more regulators inside, is there one that is espacally for the display??