Fender Passport 150

[Phil Allison]

Hi,

some of you may be familiar with this all Chinese design badged "Fender".

http://edu.znate.ru/tw_files2/urls_2/8/d-7315/7315_html_m3d62dc1a.jpg

Odd looking but quite functional with a pair of 80W Hitachi mosfet amplifiers and inside a regulated SMPS in the bottom of main unit.

One arrive last week *dripping water* out the main unit and both speakers - seems it had been caught in a flood about 10 days previously and was immersed up to the line of the XLR sockets.

( Why do people think it OK to let the water remain inside and do its worst for so long ?? )

Got the speakers apart first, removed the four drivers, towelled off the surface water and let the lot sit out in the sun for a couple of days. It had become rather smelly and the only fix I know is sunlight.

Next, the main unit ( also smelly) had to be completely disassembled, a huge number of screws involved, to gain access the SMPS which has its own enclosure right at the bottom - it was still soaking wet.

Pulled out the PCB and fan and gave that a good wash in the sink followed by a half hour in the oven at about 80C. The PCB need scrubbing to remove the white residue of dissolving solder - as did the amp PCB.

Used up plenty of PCB spray cleaner and then applied WD40 with a soft brush to every metal surface and connector. Then left it all out in the sun too.

Tested the SMPS first with a dummy load and blow me down it worked fine. Attached the rest of the electronics and they worked OK too. Re-assembled and tested the speakers and found they had also survived.

Naturally, I let the main unit run for many hours to make sure there were no issues with hidden moisture.

On informing the customer of my success he asked:

" was there much to do" ?



..... Phil

 

[Leif Neland]

Phil Allison kom med fřlgende:

Hi,

some of you may be familiar with this all Chinese design badged "Fender".

http://edu.znate.ru/tw_files2/urls_2/8/d-7315/7315_html_m3d62dc1a.jpg

Odd looking but quite functional with a pair of 80W Hitachi mosfet amplifiers
and inside a regulated SMPS in the bottom of main unit.

One arrive last week *dripping water* out the main unit and both speakers -
seems it had been caught in a flood about 10 days previously and was immersed
up to the line of the XLR sockets.

( Why do people think it OK to let the water remain inside and do its worst
for so long ?? )

Got the speakers apart first, removed the four drivers, towelled off the
surface water and let the lot sit out in the sun for a couple of days. It had
become rather smelly and the only fix I know is sunlight.

Next, the main unit ( also smelly) had to be completely disassembled, a huge
number of screws involved, to gain access the SMPS which has its own
enclosure right at the bottom - it was still soaking wet.

Pulled out the PCB and fan and gave that a good wash in the sink followed by
a half hour in the oven at about 80C. The PCB need scrubbing to remove the
white residue of dissolving solder - as did the amp PCB.

Used up plenty of PCB spray cleaner and then applied WD40 with a soft brush
to every metal surface and connector. Then left it all out in the sun too.

Tested the SMPS first with a dummy load and blow me down it worked fine.
Attached the rest of the electronics and they worked OK too. Re-assembled and
tested the speakers and found they had also survived.

Naturally, I let the main unit run for many hours to make sure there were no
issues with hidden moisture.

On informing the customer of my success he asked:

" was there much to do" ?

What was your bill?
What is the cost of a new one?
Was the customer ensured?
What warranty do you offer on the repair?

Will it ruin the show if this speaker dies during a performance?

In short, while the repair was heroic, I would have turned down the
customer, or at least informed of the risk of future failure.

Leif

--
Husk křrelys bagpĺ, hvis din bilfabrikant har taget den idiotiske
beslutning at undlade det.

 

[N_Cook]

On 03/11/2014 13:46, Leif Neland wrote:

Phil Allison kom med fřlgende:
Hi,

some of you may be familiar with this all Chinese design badged "Fender".
http://edu.znate.ru/tw_files2/urls_2/8/d-7315/7315_html_m3d62dc1a.jpg

Odd looking but quite functional with a pair of 80W Hitachi mosfet
amplifiers and inside a regulated SMPS in the bottom of main unit.
One arrive last week *dripping water* out the main unit and both
speakers - seems it had been caught in a flood about 10 days
previously and was immersed up to the line of the XLR sockets.

( Why do people think it OK to let the water remain inside and do its
worst for so long ?? )

Got the speakers apart first, removed the four drivers, towelled off
the surface water and let the lot sit out in the sun for a couple of
days. It had become rather smelly and the only fix I know is sunlight.
Next, the main unit ( also smelly) had to be completely disassembled,
a huge number of screws involved, to gain access the SMPS which has
its own enclosure right at the bottom - it was still soaking wet.
Pulled out the PCB and fan and gave that a good wash in the sink
followed by a half hour in the oven at about 80C. The PCB need
scrubbing to remove the white residue of dissolving solder - as did
the amp PCB.
Used up plenty of PCB spray cleaner and then applied WD40 with a soft
brush to every metal surface and connector. Then left it all out in
the sun too.
Tested the SMPS first with a dummy load and blow me down it worked
fine. Attached the rest of the electronics and they worked OK too.
Re-assembled and tested the speakers and found they had also survived.
Naturally, I let the main unit run for many hours to make sure there
were no issues with hidden moisture.
On informing the customer of my success he asked:

" was there much to do" ?

What was your bill?
What is the cost of a new one?
Was the customer ensured?
What warranty do you offer on the repair?

Will it ruin the show if this speaker dies during a performance?

In short, while the repair was heroic, I would have turned down the
customer, or at least informed of the risk of future failure.

Leif

Seawater or tap/rain water? Powered up or on standby when flooded?

 

[Phil Allison]

Leif Neland

What was your bill?
What is the cost of a new one?

** Been in the repair game long enough not to make that sort of mistake.

My bill is well below the price one pays on eBay for similar examples.


> Was the customer ensured?

** Not my problem.

What warranty do you offer on the repair?

** Same as ever - that my workmanship was without fault.

No new parts were used.

Will it ruin the show if this speaker dies during a performance?

** That is always a risk, any time you rely on a piece of gear.

In short, while the repair was heroic, I would have turned down the
customer, or at least informed of the risk of future failure.

** A lot of tech may have done that - cos they have simply not my experience with recovering water soaked audio gear.

I have seen and restored far worse.




..... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

N_Cook wrote:

Seawater or tap/rain water?

** Clean water by the look of it - Sydney had a big storm a couple of weeks back.


> Powered up or on standby when flooded?

** In storage, far as I know.

The owner was smart enough NOT to try powering it up wet.


..... Phil