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Thread: Spectronika 12V Regulator Board Question

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    Default Spectronika 12V Regulator Board Question

    Sooo...I've been fortunate enough to get my hands on a Spectronika Copper Bromide laser. In firing it up for the first time, I had a SPECTACULAR single-component failure during the initial heating cycle. What appears to be a Russian paper-in-oil capacitor on the little 12V regulator board in the front of the unit caught fire and is charred beyond recognition. Before I go all-in and fully reverse-engineer the board, does anyone happen to know the value(s) of the charred components? Thanks!

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  2. #2
    mixedgas's Avatar
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    Talk to Karl at laserwizardry... He has like two of them. He'll have to pop the lid and look. Try finding him either Facebook or his office in Phoenix.
    He bought my Asculap Meditech Cu:Br.. Making him the Bromide God.
    Steve
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    I gave him a call, but he never got back to me. I'll try him again.

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    I'll bug him this evening. I want to hear how his kids are doing. Single Daddy, that makes him one busy laserist entrepreneur , which means forgetful due to having kid induced amnesia with second grade acute toxicity. Odds are he'll never see your post here.

    PM me with your current cell. I'll get it to him.

    I have the schematics for the medical one.. Not the show one.. Very similar tube from the same bunch of designers but improved by the Aussies.. Medical electronics are vastly different and that board is in the entertainment version only .



    Steve
    Last edited by mixedgas; 05-16-2018 at 08:56.
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    Thanks, Steve!

    I'll probably end up generating some documentation on the Spectronika anyway...piece-by-piece. Seems like a worthwhile endeavor!

  6. #6
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    see revised post
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    That cap looks like a wet tantalum cap, that's the typical failure mode for them as well.
    If that board is only a linear regulator, the cap value isn't going to be critical; I can't see from the photo, is the TO220 device a regulator? If so, the cap is just a bypass cap and would typically be around 1 to 5uF.

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    The TO220 is a Triac. At first glance, the circuit topology smacks of "inductive-load dimmer circuit", but there is so much [very cool] voodoo going on inside of the control system for the Spectronika, I'm treading VERY lightly with my assumptions.

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    Quote Originally Posted by NobleGas View Post
    That cap looks like a wet tantalum cap, that's the typical failure mode for them as well.
    Thinking back to how incredibly toxic-smelling the smoke from that fire was, you likely nailed it with the wet tantalum ID. The casings also happen to look just like a lot of Russian PIO caps.

  10. #10
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    I just kicked Karl for you. He says after the kids birthday party.



    Steve
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