My Delta portable power station stopped working so I pulled the cover and found a faulty connector, thankfully an easy fix. I can't do without my Delta
To be fair that is quite an unexpected part to fail as it's by design supposed to be ensuring long-term secure connection, as you can see many other plugs that are expected to come off were glues in place
@@Gastell0 I disagree completely. I worked in an ISO-certified manufacturing facility with product lines in a failure-intolerant product category. I don't like to think of how many of that type of terminal connector strip would prove to be unreliable. It's simply the kind of item that's hard to get perfect thousands of times on the first attempt. The wires are delicate and the precision tool for repairing them is clumsy. We would buy the harnesses from a subcontractor and end up fixing numerous terminations by hand and retesting them as often as not. We were not an industry where we could just apologize and send out a new replacement to make the end user happy. Failure could mean an innocent user got badly injured. Things had to work perfectly straight out of the shipping carton or crate, no additional assembly or battery purchase required.
@@puirYorick I do agree on testing of all of the components, but I believe you're confound the fault of the component and component design, and fault of the testing. I specifically meant component design that should prevent specific fault of faults like connector not having tight fit. (that is, I am still not certain what exactly was at fault in this case, was housing itself not having a tight fit and coming off? or was it connector pins not making connection possibly due to foreign object causing smaller point of contact than expected?)
@@Gastell0 Arrgh! Sorry. I typed out an answer then I lost the entire text when I went to scroll my margin. In essence, the wires are too tiny and delicate to be trusted. You have no way of being assured if all the conducting strands are in solid contact or if you're running with any signal line hanging on one barely clinging strand. The device gets jostled and that last strand lets go and the control PCB now has an open circuit. The harnesses are just flexed so much before they're even installed, that any single wire might be one or two jiggles from failure. Designers spec those strips because they're low profile and fit in tight spaces. They also happen to be standardized. They're ideal inside say a toy keyboard with a 30-day warranty that sells for $49.99. In my old job, I despised them as I said. I was paid quite well to re-crimp them as needed. However, I still hated them.
Hey Marty, I hope I'm not the only one wondering, but given the way you get yourself around electronics (including at least 2 hydro set ups), engineering, mechanics, boat repairs and a bunch of 'other stuff', I would be quite interested in a little commentary on how you acquired your skillset if you are ok with that and have the time. As always thanks for sharing and cheers from across the ditch.
You're asking someone with a particular set of skills, skills he's has acquired over a very long career. Skills that make him a nightmare for people like you. ^sorry Alan....when I read "acquired skillset" I couldn't help myself [Liam Neeson - Taken]
Don't worry and I won't worry because of the years I sold engine parts after working on them and then the skills of rebuilding them working at my father in laws automotive machine shop where we worked on all kinds of engines but aircraft and outboard.
Hi Marty, if you happen to have a microscope on hand, take a good look at the connector and crimped wires. I work at an electronics manufacturing site and when we started to do in-house crimping and assembly for similar wiring harnesses we got all sorts problems with them. Most of them had to do with incorrectly inserted crimped ends into the plastic connector body. When I took a good look into the connector(from the perspective of which the pins enter) I could see that the crimped parts had been inserted at a slight angle and had dug into the white plastic housing. Usually a small plastic shaving had also become stuck between the crimped terminal and later acted as an insulator.
I'm pretty sure that it's an Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) on the cables, they have been known to have alignment issues during manufacture, so it could be that, or as pointed out here a dry / cracked joint on the connector mounted on the PCB
These machines typically have a 2-3 year warranty, pretty short for what they cost. No company that I know of actually has a repair service, so if you're out of warranty, you've got a lump of landfill fodder. Marty, nice job, you could make some money fixing all the ones that are going to fail just beyond warranty date.
As a company, would be kinda upset to see my product to be broken on youtube. But, after opening it up, you can tell the quality is quite good. Think my buddy has the same one.
He already said they sent him a new one and as you said opening it up shows the unit is clearly well built and of high quality, they say any PR is good PR and i think this video is a net positive for ecoflow.
@@judge462 The company standing behind the product and shipping a replacement without making a big fuss and demanding the old one be returned also does a pretty good job of representing them. No company makes a perfect product, but not all companies deliver good customer service and support.
quality is fine everywhere but the capacitors they chose. I see what looks like Aishi caps on the charging board for instance... While they're not terrible depending on family and application, they wouldn't be my first choice.
If that upsets you as a company, then you lost "The Game", because ALL of your competitors, ALL of your rivals, have bought your product, taken it apart down to micro components and reverse engineered everything down to the software in the chips. Marty's actions are even more harmless than newly born kitten. Patents exist for two reasons only, and everyone in the industry knows this. 1. so you can't just rebrand someone's product and sell it for more (and that's about it) and 2. so other companies can't just steal your product and rebrand it as their own (with the IF variable, IF you have the money for patent lawyers and you don't care about what happens in the Copy/Pasta country and IF you understand that everything you put out will be copied and changed just enough to sell within two years (at best). just sayin' Bosch launched a new lineup of batteries a few years back, and within 3 months the cheapo variant was already on the market, making claims of more Amps.
I fixed computers from 1991 through to 2020. I came across myriad computers with ridiculous faults just like this. Just wiggle a few wires and bingo, I found the fault. Good job Marty. BTW I drive a tractor trailer now hauling fresh fish. Pays better.
JTAG is a programming/diagnostic interface. While it can have this type of plug to use it what you're looking for to replace it is something like MOLEX, of which there are hundreds of variations to search through. As mentioned the solder joints would be worth an inspection. Good spotting tho, it could've easily slipped unnoticed.
I'm always impressed with your ability to calmly and carefully diagnose electrical issues without destroying them in the process. I usually get as far as opening something up and when I don't see anything burned, I just turn into ape man and start poking at it until I've broken something. 🤦♂
This reminds me of when I was a kid, my dad would bring home an old tube radio that didn't work. Usually the owner replaced it with a transistor radio back then. He would give it to me and I would take the back off clean it and wiggle the tubes a bit to make sure they were seated well and 8 out of 10 times it would come back to life and work for years. No one cleaned in side the radio, but the lady of the house would clean the radio including picking it up and plopping it back down. After time things worked loose. I don't work on todays stuff, but it can't take more jarring than the old stuff so it is better.
We get these in the workshop all the time! The crimp on the wire in the socket has been crimped to the insulation you can get yourself a removal tool or simply get something pointed and lift the plastic lever that locks the pin in place and pull it out, re crimp the cable, reinstall, job done
Good one! Back in the 1950s when TVs were new, our 12" TV stopped working. I was just a kid, took the back off, put the back on and amazingly, it started working again. I acted like I knew what I had done, but, of course, never had any idea. That has, however, not been the story of my life. Thanks for letting us watch.
A problem we've seen before on this type of connector is when the insulation was stripped from the wire, some of the (few) strands were chopped off leaving only 3 or 4 strands to go into the crimp. The wire feels good if you pull it as the insulation is crimped soundly but the conductors are basically loose within their crimped section. Only luck makes them contact. Easy enough to spot with magnification if you de-pin the connector .
When it comes to circuit boards, he got lucky. Mechanics hate when they fix something by accident. Marty is the best when it comes to troubleshooting. Wiggle,wiggle.
"Heat creep" can sometimes cause connections to come loose. Reseating all of the connections is all that's needed sometimes. A tip I found useful when a TV or computer monitor starts acting funny or just stops working. Something I learned about, being a computer tech years ago.
What I learned from this video: Wiggle some wires around and unplug them and plug them in again first to see if it anything changes before taking things apart too much.
Nice fault finding, Marty. I'd get myself a good illuminated loupe to about X30-60 and check for dry solder joints around the connector plugs too. The problem may just need another quick poke with a soldering iron. Good luck.
That was a lucky find mate. You'll be working on that again soon. When you do, check the male header for that connection before you go replacing the female connector. Two things commonly happen to electronics that are used in non climate controlled conditions. One is the corrosion problem you mentioned. The changing temps and moisture in the air can create condensation on the connections and cause corrosion on plugs and sockets that are not coated in gold. The other problem that can occur is poor (cold) solder joints can split from temperature changes and the electrical connections on the printed circuit board can be separated by a crack. Check the header that the plug goes into. Each pin has a solder connection to the board. Look for a small ring around the solder that would indicate a separation from the circuit. A quick reflow of the solder can fix this problem. One other thing that can be an issue is left over flux from original circuit board creation. They use water based flux these days which makes their building and cleanup less toxic to the workers. However any flux left on the board can absorb the moisture in the air and become more conductive over time than the circuit can handle and cause a malfunction of the circuit. However since you can wiggle that connector and make it work this flux contamination is likely not your problem.
Me, a normal person: portable battery dies... Buy a new portable battery unit. Marty, Bloody legend: portable battery dies... "Let's take it apart and see what's going on". 😂
As the least mechanically/electrically minded bloke on the planet, I'm constantly in awe of Marty's logical, competent way of diagnosing and fixing all the things that make such great YT content.
Things that simple as a bad plug would never be my luck ,I never get over your abilities one day I would like to see the thing you were schooled in compared to what you just picked up out of necessity that Hydro electric plan you Built took quite a bit of skills tell us your background aside from good down to earth common sense you continue to amaze me Marty
You're lucky to have had that plug so handy to touch while putting it back together, Marty. I cannot tell you how many times I've fixed an electronic device just by taking it apart and staring at it really well. I usually never do find exactly which part is at fault. Good on ya, mate!
Marty, Now that you know what's wrong, To save time taking out screws...., If it happens again a couple of bops on top with your fist should fix it. It worked for my old TV set until it didn't
I used to be in the electronic repairs industry years ago before we became a throwaway society. The most common problem i used to encounter was fractured soldering where the socket joins onto the circuit board. The fractures can sometimes be difficulty to see with the naked eye. Wriggling the cable while watching the pins carefully would likely show it up. I think it would be worth you checking Marty.
Nothing like taking something apart looking for a problem and realizing you didn't have to but it's one of those things we fixers and tinkerers go through.
I woulda lost a $5 bet. I thought the wheel bearings sounded gritty and there appeared to be a weep from the water pump. Wasn’t thinking it would be anything electrical, lol. Good job of keeping the smoke contained! 🥸👍👀💨❌✅
Reminds me a bit of my recent used car purchase. The master window wiring harness had 2 loose wires. Would cut out intermittently. Now has 2 shaved down matchsticks wedged into the connection to hold them in place.
Being the old troubleshooter I am, I would suggest that, since the unit has received some vibration, that it's not the plug that's in trouble; I suggest that the pins that go into the plug have come loose from the printed circuit board. I have seen micro-fractures of the solder around an individual pin completly isolate a pin so there is not connection, even when it looks on the outside that all the pins are properly soldered. I then suggest you take out that board the plug connects to and with a soldering iron with a very small tip, reflow the solder around each pin. You shuld do them all, unless you can visibly see which one is loose. Care must be taken not to allow the solder to join pins together unless the printed-circuit conductor does that for you.
1997 PalmPilot hand held computer twisted the case and it worked, it was a heck of a folded film based PCB, found a dry joint on leg of a SMT chip after poking with a cocktail stick. I had a 15w soldering iron I wrapped a bit of copper wire around the tip to make a very small soldering tip and fixed it. I like all your YT fixes they keep me going when I am feeling a bit down due to bad health here in the UK. Over the years most electrical items were mechanical faults unless it was a blown component like a capacitor etc. Recent fixes on a rechargeable vacuum, window vacuum and a floor steamer all fixed with a power bypass around broken IC switching components. all the best to all John
Maybe put some hot glue to keep the connectors lined up so they do not move, did that many years ago with my tablet and still goes 5 years later. Great fix bro and good result. Safe travels. Ken..
Bet the manufacturers are kicking themselves, am sure they are going to have to do lots of returns now. Nice that there appears to be a no quibble replacement and now of course you have a spare, might be worth as you know what the issue is, just replacing that part anyway.
Pretty sure the whistling is those bigass capacitors at full charge. As soon as you opened the top to show those four big caps, they immediately reminded me of the inner workings of a high power professional camera flash I used to use years ago. It would whistle at about that same pitch when at full charge. It would also take a few seconds to charge each time as it was only powered by 6xAAs, and you would hear the whistle as a low to high pitched swoop as it got to full capacity.
Electrolytic capacitors don't normally make any significant noise, unless they explode 😅. Whining/whistling in inverters is typically caused by inductors/transformers (loose windings moving or the magnetic core changing size a tiny bit via a process called magnetostriction) or some types of ceramic capacitors that exhibit piezoelectric behaviour.
@@ferrumignis Not sure about that, but every camera flash I've ever used has made that noise to a certain extent, they all have heavy duty caps to dump the charge into the xenon tube, pretty sure they don't have inverters or transformers in them, but I'm not an electronics expert.
Always worthwhile to take electronics apart to make sure there's nothing obviously wrong when they don't work. Very critical to know that these battery banks can contain dangerous voltages though. They don't all have high enough voltage to hurt you but some of them certainly could.
@@MartyT Yeah the comment wasn't really aimed at you I could tell you were being careful with it. It was more for someone who would get inspired by your video and not know to be cautious with the finger poking
Nice to see how these batteries do long after all the Influencers praised them up. The battery portion seems to hold up, in this case I think its a connection problem.
Good accidental fix Marty. I’ve got a blown inverter that id love you to fix, but it may not be too easy. It was connected with reverse polarity. I might have thought they’d protect the unit from that common mistake, with easily accessible fuses, but I think they soldered those onto a PC board. Not good planning for reducing eWaste. Anyway, fun to watch you tackle any fixit job. Nothing intimidates the master 😂
Funny, I had the same problem with mine. I contacted Eco flow directly, they sent me a call tag and I mailed the unit back in. They sent me a brand new one, but now I wish I had done a bit of investigation. I probably was suffering from the same exact Connector issue. I have the previous model, I use it in my camper van, I have a few solar panels on the roof to replenish, and it’s great. Works all my lights, my little refrigerator, and really anything else I want to run.
Nice job Marty, right on. You may be on to something though, I’ve read many comments researching EcoFlow that has mention their units stop working around that year range. Next time I see or read about one failing with that problem I’ll mention your channel to them. Anyways thanks for taking one apart, not seen that before.
@@MartyT Common fault on a lot of old 80s & 90s cars was drying solder joints on the PCBs. A lad I know in the UK makes a living re-soldering boards. I had just this problem on one of my old Mercedes 190Es, never had the same problem with any of the other 4 I owned which kind of proves the point, there's always one that slips through on even the very best of merchandise.
Hi Marty, also take a look at the soldered pins of the connector. back when i was an electronics technician i repaired a LOT of cracked solder joints....
Great Video MartyT, normally I admire you're 100% skill when you are fixing vehicles after a long time after not being started for sometime, I think an element of luck came into that repair, the skill was the fault finding, but the luck was it was a simple issue, thanks for sharing
I suggest you check for a dry joint (solder) where the socket is attached to the board before replacing the plug. I think I saw the fault come on when you levered against the socket. Cheers.
I had the same problem with an Ecoflow - went dead - it was in the warranty period so I sent it back and they fixed it.... Interesting to know what I might do if it failed out of warranty.... Could be a cold solder joint on the board - changing the plug itself might be difficult without the correct crimping tool.
Times like this I always refer to my father in-laws saying. When something doesn't work have a go at fixing it. If you can't fix it make sure nobody else can. Nothing to lose. 😊
Marty, another possible cause of such a failure could be that you have a cracked/dry joint on the circuit board for the socket pins, it might be worth taking the board out and re-soldering the socket if your problem persists.
I use a product called Servisol switch cleaner and lubricant that comes in a spray can. I have resurrected a number of failed electronic items including a Leica R4 camera, by spraying the contacts on plugs, sockets and switches with it. I am sure there will be an equivalent product on sale in NZ.
Perhaps providing padding of some sort for the EcoFlow on your boat is worth considering. It could be the Ecoflow isn't designed for jostling about on a boat.
I'm like you Marty anything that breaks I take apart usually it's a heat sink issue I can't trouble shoot.solid state never a fuze or connection.u got lucky.
i would throw some hot glue on the back of that plug and up the wires just to hold them a little stiffer. sometimes a bit of support is all thats needed for intermitent connector issues. you can still cut it off to replace the plug if needed. however the fault may also be in one of the wires.
Give the circuit board and traces near the connector a good look if it happens again. A crack could have intermittent connections affected by a little pressure.
"Right - the old power station isn't working. Luckily I have a spare photonic discombobulator from the old Massey-Fergie tractor - that might do the trick......" ( 5 minutes later ) - "Yep - good as gold, she's all up and running....... "
In my experience, the problem would be more likely to be the solder on the other side of the board that plug goes into. I would resolder that before replacing the wire end.... of course the same could be said for the pin to wire connection but cold solder joints and early failures seem to go together.
It amazes me that there are many high-quality parts in these. However, there are a few cheap parts in important places, which then bring down the whole thing. I don't know if they were forced to use a certain manufacturer, or what. There seem to be very few units out there, whithout issues, after a couple of year's use.
there is an old saying ... when investigating a failure.... answer this first question ....where do I start?.... at the beginning.... I am not surprised you repaired this unit...
I know it's not the case in this instance but sometimes you have to "wake up " the lithium battery if it has been run down. Needs a recharge and a boost as well. Cheers Peter
