• You must be a Supporting Member to participate in the Candle Power Forums Marketplace.

    You can become a Supporting Member.

Need help with diagnosing dead BBNG module

yazkaz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
1,151
Someone built me a NG1000/P4 MagAA module using the mariposaoyako copper heatsink. It functions well in general, but causes some flickering especally with the bezel fully screwed down under certain conditions. The flickering eventually disappeared with the module properly (and firmly) clamped to the MagAA body.

However, after switching MagAA bodies a few times, the flickering came back, and eventually the module is dead. Even worse, although the LED won't light up, there is still electricity flow when powered up, but a measure of tailcap (battery) current yields dangerously high levels. With the module operating normally, tailcap current remains at around slightly above 1A. Now the current jumps up to a whopping 6.4x-7.xA. Running L91 batteries for ~10 seconds will render them very warm. And yet the P4 still wouldn't light up.

I hardwired the SSC P4 with a separate battery pack and the emitter lights up nicely. So the LED is not the problem, but something else. I suspect some form of short-circuiting inside the system, or the driver board simply got fried or whatever.

Can someone tell me what's going on? I intend to have someone open op the module and check. What steps should be taken? Please advise.
 

wyager

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
1,114
That depends where the short is. Open it up and look around, it's probably just a bad solder joint that finally came loose. That would explain the flickering.
 

yazkaz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
1,151
That depends where the short is. Open it up and look around, it's probably just a bad solder joint that finally came loose. That would explain the flickering.
It's not just about the flickering, the module is now completely inoperative, but still electricity can pass through when power is given, at very high current. I wonder if the driver board is fried given this circumstance (and that a new board must be used).
 

wyager

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
1,114
It's not just about the flickering, the module is now completely inoperative, but still electricity can pass through when power is given, at very high current. I wonder if the driver board is fried given this circumstance (and that a new board must be used).
I've had solder joints come loose, and they start out flickering and then don't work at all. That's what I mean, it's a perfect fit for your problem. It also explains the high current draw. I would guess a joint came loose and there is a wire hanging around in there, either before the driver board or between the driver board and LED.
 

Justin Case

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
3,797
What happens to a BBNG if the sense amp pins (such as Vout) short out against the mariposaoyako copper heat sink?
 

dat2zip

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 5, 2002
Messages
3,420
Location
Bay Area
What happens to a BBNG if the sense amp pins (such as Vout) short out against the mariposaoyako copper heat sink?

It can take a very short period of this, but, extended more than a few seconds will more than likely destroy the converter.

Wayne
 
Top