Repairing EB8 blown TRIAC

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

Following is how to repair a shorted TRIAC on the EB8 module for Apex Controller.

*****Disclaimer****
Taking this unit apart will most likely void any warranty you have and if your not careful or know what your doing you could destroy your Energy Bar. If your unit is under warranty be smart and send it back to Neptune for repairs.

This is for the mechanically inclined and electrically skilled DIYer.

Ok lets get started.

First step verify you have a problem. WITH 120V POWER DISCONNECTED and AQUABUS disconnected, use an ohm meter and measure between the power and return pins on the outlet. A good TRIAC will read open a shorted one will not.

Here is a good outlet in my case #2

Here is a bad one in my case #3 and #6

So on to dis-assembly

First remove the 8 screws 4 on each side and the 2 screws on the top. Also remove the retaining ring around the breaker.

The case is tight around the Aquabus connectors and you have to shimmy it out of there carefully.

Next remove the two larger screws and nuts holding the ground wires to the chassis. This will separate the bottom case and you can set it aside.

Now you can see the outlet sockets.

You have to depress the retaining notches and separate the sockets a little and kind of work around the module until all 8 are free.

You can see I've separated these a little working around.

Once all 8 are free you can rotate the board off the top and see the TRIACs mounted to the heat sink in the middle.

The back side

You can directly measure them now top or bottom it's pins 1 and 2, pin 3 is the gate.

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

Remove the screws and nuts to remove the heat sink.

I started out attempting to use a hot air pencil as I always do at work however the board is cheap and it started to delaminate so I don't recommend this. Instead I cut the leads and wicked the holes out one by one old school style, lol.

Once the parts are removed wick the holes clean.

New parts

Place the new parts in the holes

I put some heat sink compound on the heat sink as this is common practice for these parts, however there was none from the factory.

As you can see I pulled some of the terminals out to ease re-assembly, and I found it easier to screw from backside and nuts on front.

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

Trim your leads down and solder them.

Check with ohm meter just because

Clean the board. You don't have to but I work in Mil-spec electronics and it's required. Flux is corrosive.

I did end up removing the top case completely by unsoldering the wires. I found it easier to work on the board. Also if you pop out the outlet clips from the top it makes re-assembly easier.

Re-install the board into the top case and secure with the 2 top screws and the breaker retainer.

Re-install the top outlet clips.

If you unsoldered the power wires re-attach them along with the ground wire to chassis by the board.

Re-attach the ground wire to the bottom chassis and re-connect the two halves. Remember the spot by the USB connectors is tight be careful shimmying the case in there. Re-install all 8 screws and your done.

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

Can a mod fix my typo in the title?

evolved · Oct 6, 2014

Sure.

Nice work btw

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

evolved said:
Sure.

Nice work btw

Thanks

Fish76 · Oct 6, 2014

Just curious, is this a common thing with those components going out over time?

Electrotech · Oct 6, 2014

More common for them to go out with voltage spike or over current than over time.

Fish76 · Oct 6, 2014

Is it better to have pumps or lighting on the mechanical or solid state plugs? Would this help more if there's spikes or overcurrents? Just wondering since I've got 2 EB8's and would hate to have one go out.

lakeviewink · Oct 6, 2014

Where did you get replacement parts?

Eckolancer · Oct 6, 2014

Very nice write up sticky?

redfishbluefish · Oct 6, 2014

Very nice write-up. I've got a dead plug on a ReefKeeper EB8....wonder if it's a similar fix?

ghellin · Oct 10, 2014

Nice well documented and explained!

Electrotech · Oct 10, 2014

Fish76 said:
Is it better to have pumps or lighting on the mechanical or solid state plugs? Would this help more if there's spikes or overcurrents? Just wondering since I've got 2 EB8's and would hate to have one go out.

Your kind of limited on what you can put where, very low wattage and high wattage should go on the mechanical relays. Things that turn on and off a lot should go on the TRIACS as they are rated for more on/off cycles than the relays.

Electrotech · Oct 10, 2014

lakeviewink said:
Where did you get replacement parts?

I ordered from digi-key, I just tagged it onto a work order, we order parts from there weekly and I got free overnight shipping by tagging along.

Electrotech · Oct 10, 2014

redfishbluefish said:
Very nice write-up. I've got a dead plug on a ReefKeeper EB8....wonder if it's a similar fix?

I'm sorry, I don't know, I don't have one to take apart. I imagine it's pretty similar though, same general circuit design.

Fish76 · Oct 10, 2014

Electrotech said:
Your kind of limited on what you can put where, very low wattage and high wattage should go on the mechanical relays. Things that turn on and off a lot should go on the TRIACS as they are rated for more on/off cycles than the relays.

Oh crap, I better re-organize my outlets cause I don't have my return and skimmer pump on those mechanical relays.

dccordell · Nov 25, 2014

Very nice write up... I'll definitely bookmark this one for later if I ever need it.

Quick question: does anybody have any resources for repairing the relay plugs? The no. 4 outlet on one of my EB4s won't turn on at all. I think it's the relay. Anybody ever repaired this without sending to Neptune?

NeveSSL · Mar 4, 2015

Electrotech said:
I ordered from digi-key, I just tagged it onto a work order, we order parts from there weekly and I got free overnight shipping by tagging along.

Do you have a part number you could share with us?

Brandon