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Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 2:55 am
by Shane French
I have 6 Teranex mini converters (a combination of HDMI->SDI and SDI->HDMI versions). They're in a mobile production truck.

In the past year I have replaced all 6. Now I'm back on the truck and 2 more are down.

That's 8 bad in past year.

Spacing/cooling adequate (they're in two sets of the little 3-up mount, with 1U space between).

They're operated via POE from UniFi 48 switch.

There's a LOT of equipment in this truck, and none of it fails except for these converters.

What gives? Should I just find something else?

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 4:04 pm
by Xtreemtec
That is kind of weird. We have multiple units, SDI HDMI HDMI SDI OPTICAL HDMI etc.. Have them for 3 years now.. No issues at all, only fans that get louder..

But we power them from mains, instead off PoE. Do they work with mains after they fail over PoE? Or did the power supply die?

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 3:19 am
by Shane French
They stop working on AC power as well. Oddly, if plugged into POE, the switch ports they're connected to still show as as something is connected (no activity though).

They do not pass video signals though, and they're not reachable via IP/config software. Additionally, the front screens (we have the addon faceplates) go black as well.

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 9:41 am
by Xtreemtec
So it seems the power supply dies when you use it with PoE for an extended periode of time.

Just for test, Start running 1 or 2 new ones on mains instead of PoE and see if they survive. Mine do for couple of years now.

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 5:13 am
by Andy Coulthurst
Adding to this - I’m currently repairing 15 teranex mini. They are all suffering from psu faults on the mains psu side. From what I can see the cooling duct forces air through the fpga heatsink and then over the POE psu , the mains psu doesn’t appear to get any airflow.

I’m not surprised that either PSU section fails whether using POE or mains.

Units affected are
SDI to HDMI 12G ( 6 )
HDMI to SDI 12G ( 6 )
Web presenter ( original ) ( 2 )
Hyperdeck Studio HD mini ( 1 )

Either the units are completely dead , or ‘ticking’

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 8:52 am
by Xtreemtec
And how are you repairing them? Or you send them all to BMD for repair?

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 11:51 am
by Andy Coulthurst
There are 3 capacitors which fail in the mains to 12v smps board.
100uF 25V 105C startup cap ( if this has deteriorated you’ll get no startup , or ticking )
1000uF 16V 105C - usually dried out / vented / bulging
1000uF 25V 105C - same , dried out and bulging.

You have to dismantle the unit , then remove the smps board ( can be tricky - need a decent soldering iron for this ) consists of 5 connections , 2 of which are connected to the ground plane.

Once removed - replace those 3 caps.
I have some longer life capacitors on order to see if it helps , also replacing 100uF cap with a 130C rated one, it’s right next to the smps switcher IC heatsink.
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Assembly is the reverse of disassembly.

Don’t get me started on the annoying habit of almost any BM kit to fail at the FPGA BGA joints :-(
I wish we could all go back to leaded solder for BGA.

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Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 8:19 am
by Xtreemtec
Yeah leadfree soldering is really a problem.. We see this also in some of our products that we tend to want to repair with lead holding tin. :(

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:27 pm
by nico.schmiedbauer
Hey, I just stumbled over this thread. Was anyone able to reflow the FPGAs already? I am looking for a temperatue curve to reflow the Lead free solder properly.
Kind regards
Nico

Re: Teranex Mini converters failing at alarming rate

PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:47 pm
by Videobegin
usually 240 to 250 degrees Celsius for a Pb-free ?