Uh....WTF happened to my Energizer 15min charger? (smoke came out of the wall wart)

[GarageBoy]

So I haven't used my Energizer 15 min charger in a LONG time (2 yrs) and it sat in the same spot and collected dust (next to my Maha 8AA charger that's in use)
So I go to plug it in an notice the light flickering (but slowed down in frequency). I look at the wall wart side and I see smoke and hear sizzling and smell molten plastic
So yeah, what the deuce happened?

 

[kramer5150]

Was it plugged into a light socket controlled or adjacent to a rheostat (dimmer type wall switch). I have had those things cause all kinds of problems with my vacuum tube amps.

Check the house AC, should be 110-120VAC

Wild guesses here...
-Something shorted with the rectifier circuit
-Something shorted to earth in the transformer
-Bad earth ground in the wall socket

 

[GarageBoy]

My plug is working fine with everything else i put in there (surge protector)
My computer, lamp and printer are all taking power from it right now and the breaker didn't trip.
That outlet works fine with everything else.
No dimmers
Yeah, your vacuum tubes need full voltage to light up the filaments and the B+

 

[GarageBoy]

Should I chuck it or try it again?

 

[Mr Happy]

I look at the wall wart side and I see smoke and hear sizzling and smell molten plastic

Should I chuck it or try it again?

I can't think :thinking:

 

[Black Rose]

Smoke and a sizzling sound doesn't sound promising.

I wouldn't plug it in again indoors.

 

[GarageBoy]

Something might be wrong with the charger part?

 

[NigelBond]

Is it posible that you used the wrong wallwart? I got so many of them that I now label them or else I'll never know which one is for what. I got several that I'll never know what they came with and what they were ment for. If you got another wallwart that has the right output, I would try it again.

 

[GarageBoy]

It's the right wallwart. I haven't separated the pieces
Can't seem to find another 11-16V 5A power supply

 

[Mr Happy]

Something might be wrong with the charger part...but if the wall wart made smoke and sizzling sounds and bad smells, then something is wrong with the wall wart now, even if it had not been before. To use the vernacular, it's f*%@ed I'm afraid. :(

 

[GarageBoy]

Guess I'll toss it. No use hunting down a power supply only to have that one toast too

 

[Mr Happy]

It might be that a capacitor failed. They can do that sometimes, especially after a period of non-use.

 

[GarageBoy]

Smells like it (all too familiar with the smell of blown caps, sadly)

 

[GarageBoy]

Cracked it open, all caps seem to be intact, except the glue around a few of them (potting glue) has melted
The plug and the wire that connects it to the inductor has molten and dripped all over the inside of the housing

 

[Lite_me]

Did you see any dead bugs in there? Sometimes they can crawl in there and short something out.

 

[GarageBoy]

No bugs, but the inductor is fried and had melted the insulation on the wires that connect the plug into the PCB and the insulation on a rectifier next to it

 

[JWP_EE]

If they are electrolitic capacitors the only indication that they are bad may be that they have bulged. The top and sides should be straight and not curved. If they are curved they may have over heated.

 

[qwertyydude]

Well the good thing is the energizer 15 minute charger can use a 12v input. I actually run all my 12v appliances off my computer. I run an external power outlet from it and it currently runs my audio system, including a 100w subwoofer, and my hobby charger, phone charger, mp3 player charger, my gps charger (so it's ready to go anytime), and my 15 minute energizer charger in case I feel like frying some batteries, I mean quick charging. To deal with all the heat it also powers and controls a computer controlled room fan I built to keep my room from turning into an oven because my computer is a heat making machine. Keep in mind I have a 1000w computer power supply which can handle the extra load.

 

[GarageBoy]

I'd hate to blow another power supply if the charger is at fault

 

[TakeTheActive]

I'd hate to blow another power supply if the charger is at fault

Then use alligator clip jumpers and a fuse (or an ammeter) to check the current draw.