Convergie remanufacturing – the facts.
Consistently failing in a short time – 20 months.
Design flaws primarily due to overheating (visual inspection revealed this) but externally temperature not excessive.
- Incorrect part – Vicor modules with incorrect pin type for application (solder type fitted in connectors) – poor electrical contact.
- Inadequate thermal transmission – heatsink not flat enough – needed lapping.
- Incorrect thermal medium – paste used in lieu of mat as recommended by component manufacturer.
- Assembled poorly, not to manufacturer’s specifications. Soldered before screwing down distorted PC board putting stress on tracks and components.
- No electrical protection on MOSFET gate from external connector.
The unit was disassembled, the severe corrosion was removed and the entire chassis was Zinc electroplated. New components were used when available, and original, custom-designed components that could not be sourced, were thoroughly cleaned and tested before placed back into service.
To reinstate the electronics, Switchmode engineers not only installed appropriately specified power modules, but designed and built entirely new electronics to interface with the host equipment and also upgraded the diagnostic indication to make it quicker and easier to fault-find than in the original. A very satisfied client took possession of the better-than-new equipment and we have had successive reengineering of identical units from similar applications.
