Hella marine fan repair

[SeaBob48]

I'm trying to repair a Hella marine fan. The resistor on the circuit board for this Bugler 12 vdc motor on this fan heated up to the point I can't read the ohms code. The fan still runs

ns but smelling burnt while it's on. I don't want to continue using until I can replace it. Any one that has this fan, it's really simple to pull the motor out and see the circuit board or if anyone has any experience working on them could help me out. I've contacted Hella ofc. In Georgia but are nearly shut down because of covid. Great fan and they are not cheap to replace

 

[Johnb]

A resistor like that will burn either because it is a bad design or something has gone wrong. Either way replacing it with identical without determine the root cause may be playing with fire

 

[SeaBob48]

A resistor like that will burn either because it is a bad design or something has gone wrong. Either way replacing it with identical without determine the root cause may be playing with fires

This happened right after I installed a new battery on that bank. The battery bank is charged and maintained by solar array. The float default 13.7 volts. I think this was the cause because it happens during the afternoon at peak full sun charging hours. Any idea how to maintain a 12v max. voltage to the fan ?

 

[SeaBob48]

This happened right after I installed a new battery on that bank. The battery bank is charged and maintained by solar array. The float default 13.7 volts. I think this was the cause because it happens during the afternoon at peak full sun charging hours. Any idea how to maintain a 12v max. voltage to the fan ?

I'm thinking of lowering the float level down to around 12.7 volts. That bank iusualy is at full charge before noon on sunny days. Have been wanting to do that anyway because of gassing off. Haven't had a problem with that yet but it seems to be a common problem of over charging.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

There is almost no way a change of 1.5 inpit volts would overheat the resistor so much as to burn the phenolic board to which it is attached. There was a lot of heat there and you should consider yourself very lucky.
As John said, that happened because something in the circuit failed. It might be just the resistor but might not...
If it was me, I'd try finding a schematic of the fan to id what size resistor it is and replace it but only on the workbench to observe and measure circuit voltages abd resistance of the motor winding. Or just trash it and be safe.

Lowering the charge voltage serves only to under-charge the batteries causing yet another unintended problem.

 

[SeaBob48]

There is almost no way a change of 1.5 inpit volts would overheat the resistor so much as to burn the phenolic board to which it is attached. There was a lot of heat there and you should consider yourself very lucky.
As John said, that happened because something in the circuit failed. It might be just the resistor but might not...
If it was me, I'd try finding a schematic of the fan to id what size resistor it is and replace it but only on the workbench to observe and measure circuit voltages abd resistance of the motor winding. Or just trash it and be safe.

Lowering the charge voltage serves only to under-charge the batteries causing yet another unintended problem.

I've talked with the Tech Dept at Hella I. Georgia and he was going to send me the resistor but things are slow there and can't get into office to even give me the ohms code for this resistor. I don't think lowering the float charge lower will result in low battery charge. At the end of the day it settles at 12.7 and in the morning it's still at 12.4v. after the nights load use. There is nothing wrong with the board on the motor. It was the 13.7 spike during peak solar hrs that caused the damage. If I can someone who actually knows what the ohms is on the resistor I can replace it and deal with eliminating the overvoltage supplied to that single use line that I have set up just for this fan. I just don't want to wait a week for Hella to get back with me. I can order it from my Japanese electrical parts supplier and have it 3 days if I can get that code.

 

[capta]

I'm thinking that the brushes are weak and.or the commutator is dirty and the new batteries just brought the problem to the light.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

. It was the 13.7 spike during peak solar hrs that caused the damage.

To reiterate, 13.7V isn't a spike or even a significant fluctuation but rather a normal occurrence such as in bulk charge cycle which would never toast a resistor that badly. You were lucky once.

 

[jviss]

Sometimes components just fail. The notion that this was caused by your house voltage rising to 13.6V is nonsense. You will see even higher voltages during a normal absorption charge cycle, voltages in the range of 14.1 to 14.8V. I looked on the Hella site and they don't specify an input voltage range for this fan, I strongly suspect that it's rated for the maximum one might expect to see on a boat, except for equalization charge voltages, which should never be presented to the boat's loads.

So a resistor croaked, so what? Did it cause a fire? No. Just replace it. There are thousands and thousands of these fans in service.

 

[SeaBob48]

Sometimes components just fail. The notion that this was caused by your house voltage rising to 13.6V is nonsense. You will see even higher voltages during a normal absorption charge cycle, voltages in the range of 14.1 to 14.8V. I looked on the Hella site and they don't specify an input voltage range for this fan, I strongly suspect that it's rated for the maximum one might expect to see on a boat, except for equalization charge voltages, which should never be presented to the boat's loads.

So a resistor croaked, so what? Did it cause a fire? No. Just replace it. There are thousands and thousands of these fans in service.

Sometimes components just fail. The notion that this was caused by your house voltage rising to 13.6V is nonsense. You will see even higher voltages during a normal absorption charge cycle, voltages in the range of 14.1 to 14.8V. I looked on the Hella site and they don't specify an input voltage range for this fan, I strongly suspect that it's rated for the maximum one might expect to see on a boat, except for equalization charge voltages, which should never be presented to the boat's loads.

So a resistor croaked, so what? Did it cause a fire? No. Just replace it. There are thousands and thousands of these fans in service.

Wither there was a spike or not that caused it is irrelevant. All wanted in the first place is if anyone could identify this resistor. I've contacted Phil at Hella and they are not in the office because of covid.He said he would send me one but hasn't and will not be able for another week. The one on this board is deteriorated to the point I cannot read it. All I wanted to is if anyone had this fan they could look into it and give me the ohms code. But all I got was comments about I should do this or I should do that. I can order this part but no one has given me what I've ask for. I don't need to be lectured. I repair electronics all the time.

 

[Ron20324]

Wither there was a spike or not that caused it is irrelevant. All wanted in the first place is if anyone could identify this resistor. I've contacted Phil at Hella and they are not in the office because of covid.He said he would send me one but hasn't and will not be able for another week. The one on this board is deteriorated to the point I cannot read it. All I wanted to is if anyone had this fan they could look into it and give me the ohms code. But all I got was comments about I should do this or I should do that. I can order this part but no one has given me what I've ask for. I don't need to be lectured. I repair electronics all the time.

 

[jviss]

Wither there was a spike or not that caused it is irrelevant. All wanted in the first place is if anyone could identify this resistor. I've contacted Phil at Hella and they are not in the office because of covid.He said he would send me one but hasn't and will not be able for another week. The one on this board is deteriorated to the point I cannot read it. All I wanted to is if anyone had this fan they could look into it and give me the ohms code. But all I got was comments about I should do this or I should do that. I can order this part but no one has given me what I've ask for. I don't need to be lectured. I repair electronics all the time.

Holy cow, take a chill pill! Or, maybe switch to decaf.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

We were trying to be helpful. Guess it wasn't the answer you wanted. Duly noted for the next time.

 

[jviss]

Any one that has this fan,

Which model fan is it? I have a couple. Is it the two speed turbo fan? I have one that is dismounted at the moment, sitting in a cabinet.

 

[SeaBob48]

I want you to know I wasn't getting on you for your reply. Matter of fact you were the first person that gave relevant info. That sometimes a resistor will just go bad which was my original though. As far as my remark about I don't need to be lectured, I'm 71 yrs old and I didnt need to be lectured like some 13 yr old kid.
I hope it makes it clear and there are no hard feelings from me at all. So thanks for your reply, it was much appreciated. Bob

 

[SeaBob48]

Which model fan is it? I have a couple. Is it the two speed turbo fan? I have one that is dismounted at the moment, sitting in a cabinet.

 

[SeaBob48]

It is the 2 spd turbo fan.

 

[SeaBob48]

It is the 2 spd turbo fan.

As you know there very easy to disassemble.

 

[SeaBob48]

I would really appreciate it if you could look into that and give me the ohms code on that resistor and save my day.

 

[SeaBob48]

Holy cow, take a chill pill! Or, maybe switch to decaf.

At my age thats all I drink is decaf. Sorry I was just getting fed up over such a simple question with no results.