Trying to repair Air Breeze circuit board

[Suddy]

You don't mention the symptoms of failure for your Air Breeze circuit board. Those would help a lot with trying to diagnose the problem with the board.

The PIC MicroController (the 18 legged rectangular chip) is the controller for the IRF2804 MOSFETs used to channel the current from the rotor on your wind turbine through an LC (inductor/capacitor) low pass filter to the brushes.

The gates on the MOSFETs (pin 1 on each) are most likely connect to 3 pins on the MicroController. The sources on the MOSFETS (pin 3 on each) are probably connected together and to one end of the large circular part already identified as a power inductor. The drains on the MOSFETS (pin 2 on each) are probably connected to the screw posts where the three metal straps are attached. (View the picture with the MicroController shown.) You can check the connections with an ohm-meter. The other end of the inductor probably is connected to the + end of the large capacitor. This is to filter the output voltage and smooth it out. This same side of the inductor should also be connected to one of the brushes shown on the same side as the MicroController. This would be the +12 Volt out to your battery(s).

The remainder of the parts are probably used to set up the working power for the MicroController. I don't know if the PIC16F87/88 is the one actually in the circuit, but if it is, it requires +5 Volts to operate. The +12 Volts would cause damage to it. One of the other parts (upper left corner of the picture showing the MicroController) looks like a voltage regulator chip. (I could not see the part number so I can't tell what it is with any certainty.)

Before you begin tearing the circuit board apart, I would recommend you do the following:
1) Verify when hooked up, the ground on the circuit board is actually shorted to ground on your battery system.
2) Check the "YAWL" assembly on the post and verify it is clean and has no grooves worn into it.
3) Check condition of the brushes to make sure they are in good contact with the "Yawl" assembly. Verify the springs hold them against the "Yawl" assembly, good contact is essential. Poor contact could result in a voltage drop that would prevent charging the battery(s).
4) Use rubbing alcohol to clean all mechanical contacts; the brushes, the yawl assembly and the rotor.

I checked Digi-Key and found the IRF2804 MOSFETS are $3.19 each. If you order them, get the TO-220AB package. I would suspect the MOSFETs after determining the mechanical parts were OK.

The next item would be the voltage regulator for the MicroController. I would need more information before I could speculate further.

The Capacitor could be bad, you might try to measure impedance across it. If the meter settles out very fast at a number, the cap is possibly bad. The reading on the meter should be jumping all around if the capacitor was good.

Don't worry about the MicroController. It is programmed with code that controls the MOSFETs which control the voltage being generated. If it is bad, you can just toss the whole circuit board as it is only good for spare parts. I suspect that the manufacturer set the code protect bit so you could not copy the code from it. MicroControlers rarely fail, so I would not suspect it is the problem.

I hope this helps you.
Suddy

[lucseawalker]

Yes, I have a multimeter and know how to use it as far as V. A and continuity.
Thanks for helping

[lucseawalker]

That is a interesting suggestion that in the back of my mind I was hoping would be possible
Right now, I never used the small regulator of the wind generator anyway as both wind generators are connected to a dedicated Charger Controller Flexcharge NC25 ... I see in the manual that the input voltage can be between 0V and 75V

So if bypassing the controller board is possible, I think that would be the best solution ...
Can you tell me how to do that? I guess I still have to fit the board in to hold the brushes ..

I like this solution as it should avoid similar problems in the future

Originally Posted by skipmac

Maybe the best solution is to ditch the internal circuit board altogether. I have read about a number of owners of wind generators having repeated problems with the builtin regulators switching to external regulators. Pretty easy job.

Just take the output wires directly from the generator and run them below and connect to any standard alternator regulator, preferably a smart one like the Balmar.

[lucseawalker]

Good idea, I will remove the rectifiers and test them all ... and see what I get ...

Originally Posted by travellerw

I do electronic repair as a hobby...

First.. Notice the rectrifiers (the black things bolted to the aluminum rail), the metal backs are discolored. This tells me they have been given a "hot supper" and are most likely the problem component. At the very least, that is the place I would start.

First, you need a multimeter, second you need google. A quick google will give you the process to test those components (best tested after removing). I would put $20 down that at least one of those are fried.

In fact, looking at the board, there isn't much else to fail. Its possible the Capacitor has also failed, but doubtful.

[Neddy]

Originally Posted by lucseawalker

Over the last 25 years, I can remember too many control boards that had to be replaced for my 2 earlier Air X and now for my 2 Air Breeze units.
Every time, I end up buying a new board since they cannot be repaired!

More junk to discard, more out of pocket money each time ... not very good situation. So this time, I will try to repair myself my circuit boards: I have 3 units (one that failed 2 years ago, one that just failed now and 1 brand new spare that tested badly when trying to use it
I know electricity but not electronics but I am willing to learn!

Looking at the circuits, I see only a few major components:

3x rectifiers IRF2804 ( I remember these failing on the AirX and replaced by beefier rectifiers the seemed to last

1x round part ??? MN473-8.2

1x tubular part ??? BMI 510DX / 1000uF 63VDC USA 125deg

1x flat rectangle with many legs PIC 168717 (?) tough to read with painted number superimposed! (B12 on photo)

I cannot find a schematic and the manufacturer says (!) they don't have any (!!)

Can anyone give me some advice as what and how to test components ...
Or can anyone recommend someone that will actually replace faulty components ...

yes we all have this problem sometimes.
we had 39 knots Sunday night, since then, my Breeze have only run up to cut out voltage, like its not connected to the battery.
trying to fault find the problem today. Wind generator in the cockpit, dismantle regulator, it looks ok.
On and On we go. well im at a coral Cay in self Isolation, plenty of time.

[lucseawalker]

Best of luck to you to fix the problem .. I have one of our 2 air breeze with the same problem since a few months now and had no courage yet to take it apart as I am not ready to fork another 300$+ for a new board for the little electricity it really produce on most days discouraging but it seems that I can produce a lot more power buying gas to our small Honda 200W generator used on our battery charger!


But one of these days I will try the simple way to bypass the MB ... although without any regulation (but I have a regulator down the line that should do the trick ...

Originally Posted by Neddy

yes we all have this problem sometimes.
we had 39 knots Sunday night, since then, my Breeze have only run up to cut out voltage, like its not connected to the battery.
trying to fault find the problem today. Wind generator in the cockpit, dismantle regulator, it looks ok.
On and On we go. well im at a coral Cay in self Isolation, plenty of time.

[Neddy]

I bought a ISTA wind generator on eBay $AU$422.
Set one of up on a small island in PNG, works very good. Met at yacht that had one and he was very happy too.
In trade wind season we have plenty of wind, between 10S and 17S , 145E tob155E. SE trade winds blowing

[MikeWhite]

Have anyone tried to order from this company before?


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32312053276.html

[dinopaolo]

reverse engineered schematic

[lucseawalker]

I bought such a circuit many years ago but I believe it was a very old stock of parts with obsolete software .... Gave it to a fellow Canadian cruiser who was going to see if it could work on not .. but he gave up as I never heard back from him anymore ...

I see that this item is no longer available anyway ...

Originally Posted by MikeWhite

Have anyone tried to order from this company before?


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32312053276.html

[lucseawalker]

Thanks for this diagram .. I will give it to any electrician I can find later that is willing to repair my unit

Originally Posted by dinopaolo

reverse engineered schematic

[Starrider]

Dino, Thank you for posting this schematic.