PL 8 repairs?

[wheelchairer]

I have a busted PL 8, which was connected to a fusion power supply which popped. The PL 8 still comes on but I am unable to use it. I enquired with somebody about getting it fixed, and they said;

Pl8...... they either have a simple issue like a blown aux supply or busted balance port.

Or

They have a dead bridge.

If the latter they are almost imposible to repair mainly due to the location of the drivers under the display.

Yes i have fixed some but yours sounds like a busted bridge...

is anybody on here more confident that they would be able to fix it? Have any other solutions?

[shirley_hkg]

https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... start=1560

[wheelchairer]

thanks Shirley

[swalker]

To be more specific:

Howard Matos worked for Revolectrix. He is the one who repaired my PL8 when Revolectrix was still in business.

I have talked to him several times on the phone while he still worked at Revolectrix and he has always been very helpful.

After the demise of Revolectrix, he has offered a service to repair PL8s (if they are repairable).

You can contact him at:

hmatosrepairs@gmail.co

Steve

[Burgerman]

fusion power supply

Run away!!!

[wheelchairer]

To be more specific:

Howard Matos worked for Revolectrix. He is the one who repaired my PL8 when Revolectrix was still in business.

I have talked to him several times on the phone while he still worked at Revolectrix and he has always been very helpful.

After the demise of Revolectrix, he has offered a service to repair PL8s (if they are repairable).

You can contact him at:

hmatosrepairs@gmail.co

Steve

just in case somebody else reads this. hmatosrepairs@gmail.com

[swalker]

Thanks for correcting my typo.

Steve

[wheelchairer]

Thanks for correcting my typo.

Steve

I am getting no response from the email address is anybody else having any success?

[expresso]

Has anyone had there PL8 repaired by the guy who worked for them ?

for some reason - my PL 8 the the banana plug - the red side is very hard to remove and connect - - i just realized it - it works fine - i wont be removing them

but concerned now - i tried another cable to see if it was my cable that i made - but another banana feels the same - so its has to be on the PL 8 end

maybe one of the girls handled it a bit rough bent some ? i cant think of why it would feel hard to plug in and very hard to remove

making me a bit concerned -

does anyone know of other repair places in the event its needed other than that one guy ?


i just emailed that guy to ask - lets see if i get an answer -

[Burgerman]

They are easy to swap esp if you can solder.

[expresso]

its working - i wont remove them now - but just strange why is it that way

i didnt do anything - what could have caused that ?

i emailed the repair guy - curious to know if hes around and really does repair them

i wont send it in yet - its fine - for some reason i kept looking at that red plug - seems as if it wasnt pushed in good enough

so i went to feel it - its in as far as it goes - but very hard to remove - i cant - my girl had to use force to remove it - hard to push in also

i tried another charge cable to see if it was the banana end - i made that one - but no its the same thing - neg. one is fine - easy to turn and remove etc,

red is the problem

what would cause that ?

if it ever stops working because of that - i would have no choice but to try to fix it myself - dont have a good track record - thats the unit i tried the BT on that killed it - got it repaired from them before they left us-

just in time also -

i dont charge that high a Rate - - 20A to 25A 30A on the larger pack if i need - but for the most part 20A

[expresso]

Maybe a BMS is in the future or if the newest icharger x8 works out

i really love to have the PC to see it in action - i dont like not seeing it now - PC software use

whats so hard to do that with the other chargers icharger lets say - cant they do it like the Pl 8 ?

or cant someone copy clone it - new name etc

[Burgerman]

Thousands of man hours and versions, testing, fixing, etc. Thats why the PL8 was so valuable. I couldnt live without the PC software as its the ONLY way I use it!

[expresso]

if you had none left to use - you wont have a choice either to live with out the Pl 8

i have spares also - but i can see them one by one do down the drain - i mean something like what just started to mines - how it happened or what happened who knows

when it rains it pours - besides i have a friend who i made the pack for her chair - would have to help her also if her only PL 8 gives up - it was mines which i gave to her with PSU to get her started -

i have to consider her also now - my spares wont last long if both of ours give up -

with no one to repair - i be stuck - so there is nothing out there that has PC software ?

[expresso]

They are easy to swap esp if you can solder.

thats what you say - everything is easy to you -


are they even for sale that part - or something special to the PL 8 and no longer can get - this is gonna make me crazy now having to keep an eye on the charger in case that affects it and fails

[Burgerman]

They are on ebay. Anyway, you could fit a different type if you wanted. Just a wire and a hole in the case...
A wire came off one of mine when I dropped it yers ago. I just took it apart with 4 screws, and soldered it back on. Better than original soldering... I could also have removed the thing at the same time. Just as easily.



Or fit 2 rubber grommits, and an anderson on a fly lead. Or add that as well. Or one of your XT60 or XT90S.

You can also buy a iCharger if needed and lose the PC support. Or by then maybe a better option.

[Burgerman]

RED...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264434021087

Black...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283583614011

But these are the same as originally used, 32A claimed but look pretty similar. I would use these.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383298783833
Or...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392208380584

Use original flat hex nut.

[expresso]

i guess its not too bad then if i had to change them - they just screw in and solder that one part - thats it -

i never seen inside the Pl 8 other than when i opened it for the BT - i dont recall seeing that section - if its exposed or buried under the top board


i would just replace with the same item if i had to -

what do you think happened to mines ? what would make it feel hard to unplug and plug in ?

today is the day - my new Cells out for delivery - will be putting the PL 8 to use more testing each cell -

the item in the link is the same size as the orginials - the soldering part - i guess i can solder some what if i have room - - for now its working - i wont touch it - maybe i just buy the connectors to have on hand -

do you have a picture of the inside of the PL 8 in that section by any chance ? i dont recall seeing them when i opened mines - not exposed -

may have to remove other parts to get to it ?

[Burgerman]

I suspect its got hot and partly melted the plastic.

[expresso]

i am curious if i try a unprotected plug to see if it works in and out easily

i have to find them - the ones i used loose - those are rated for 34A - maybe it was too much at 30A a few times i may have used -

if so i can either remove the plastic or just leave it in there tight -

i guess in time i will find out if when it fails - i wont touch it inside unless it fails or i am unable to use the plugs -

they are sold as - rated for 34A as the links you posted also - i have yet to find any that are rated for more than that - but yet the original PL 8 plugs - never had an issue that i realized at least


as long as it works - i leave it alone unless i have to remove them often for some reason - i will check if a loose plug fits with no plastic around it

[Burgerman]

Use some switchcleaner. Contact cleaner.

[expresso]

i guess i can spray some and see

i started to use it now - i wait

i dont think its that but cant hurt

[Burgerman]

they are sold as - rated for 34A as the links you posted also - i have yet to find any that are rated for more than that - but yet the original PL 8 plugs - never had an issue that i realized at least

Ratings like that are at best a guess.
A clean well fitting set that have good design may work at 30 to 50A without getting hot. All depends on fit, cleanliness, wire capability, and actual plug design. Its impossible to say 34A exactly. There is no sudden point where they will give problems. If they are cool/warm at 40A then no problem. If they are hot enough to melt, then thats either a badly designed connector or its dirty and making a higher resistance connecton.

The ones that are used by the charger manufacturer are rated at 32A. And tested to 50A by me many times. They get warm, and are fine. Some cheaper or worse designs melt at 20A... So only use the ones like the manufacturer sold. And an occasional squirt of switchcleaner to ensure they dont go high resistance or loose from physical damage. The contact area on those is longer than most 4mm bannana connectors. And doing that I never had any problems with them. I am still tempted to fit a Anderson to each however on a short cable.

[fishinjunky]

they are sold as - rated for 34A as the links you posted also - i have yet to find any that are rated for more than that - but yet the original PL 8 plugs - never had an issue that i realized at least

Ratings like that are at best a guess.
A clean well fitting set that have good design may work at 30 to 50A without getting hot. All depends on fit, cleanliness, wire capability, and actual plug design. Its impossible to say 34A exactly. There is no sudden point where they will give problems. If they are cool/warm at 40A then no problem. If they are hot enough to melt, then thats either a badly designed connector or its dirty and making a higher resistance connecton.

The ones that are used by the charger manufacturer are rated at 32A. And tested to 50A by me many times. They get warm, and are fine. Some cheaper or worse designs melt at 20A... So only use the ones like the manufacturer sold. And an occasional squirt of switchcleaner to ensure they dont go high resistance or loose from physical damage. The contact area on those is longer than most 4mm bannana connectors. And doing that I never had any problems with them. I am still tempted to fit a Anderson to each however on a short cable.

If I could take my icharger apart myself I would put in anderson connectors but I don't think I will because I have to direct someone to do it but we'll see the icharger 4010duo is pretty easy to take apart. And I realy like the anderson sb50 connectors. The ec5 input on the back of my icharger will be getting swapped for a sb50 for sure. I don't like the ec5 connectors

[expresso]

i leave it alone as long as it works - i can spray some cleaner once i am done testing my cells

dont want to unplug now - i can make a little extension also - with the same output - so they dont have to touched again

i will check for them solder some wire to one end of the banana and the other end the same out put thats on the charger -


the ones you linked above are correct ?

[Burgerman]

I think so.

[expresso]

I think so.

ok i will get some - good idea to do that -

[expresso]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7WG23G/?c ... _lig_dp_it


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7KBZ3S/?c ... _lig_dp_it

any of these good - ?

[expresso]

no answer from that Email about the PL 8 repair guy - i guess thats that -

best to start with the new Icharger when it comes out - get used to that one in the event its needed -

[shirley_hkg]

I lost my new PL8. It went corrupted during a firmware update.
What a pity.