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Broken Aldi Rear light/cam knockoff - FIXED (I hope)

slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
edited October 2019 in The workshop
You know the ones - the one with the camera and light combined ...

Went to use it last week - flat ... ok - no prob - charge it up as usual - came to use it again - flat ... odd? Can't be - I charged it up didn't I? Ok - charge it up again last night for use on the commute this morning. Check this morning - charge light has gone off - great - turn on - nope - not having it ... really odd ..
Chuck it in my bag - it's dark so it doesn't record much - not lost anything.

Try my cable at work to charge it - it's behaving oddly ... Ok - open it up because it's got to be a standard 3.7v 18650 battery - perhaps that's dud ...
It's 4 simple screws behind some waterproofing bungs - that takes the red face off - although held on with a ribbon cable - then the circuit is held on by 3 screws - just make sure you take the memory card out first.
Checking the circuit board, I can see some isolated corrosion around some chips near where the power connects - odd ... ok - clean off the corrosion, give it a blow and test the power button - Beep Beep Beep Beep - ok, seems to be working now ... put it all back together and we'll give it another go later :)

Bit odd with the isolated corrosion - the rest of the board looked fine and I haven't been out in torrential rain recently...

Posts

  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 8,837
    If it's the odd connections with corrosion showing it could be dodgy solder used. I find it occasionally on one off electronic modules used as industrial interface modules.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    ah - ok - thanks - hmm - connections are tiny and I'm not that steady with the iron I've got ... perhaps I need a new iron and magnifying glass !!
  • thistle_thistle_ Posts: 4,589
    Mine died a while ago for similar reasons - the corrosion was around the switch IIRC.
    I managed to revive it a couple of times by cleaning it up, then by resoldering it but it only lasted a couple more weeks.
    It only lasted a couple of months in total :(
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    Mine's been fine - Just had a look at the recent footage (clearing off some of the useless bits) and the last ride I did prior to the failure was a dry ride - but on really sh!ty roads - then I washed the bike ... hmm - I hope(!) that the corrosion is just some water getting in during the washoff ... must remember to remove before wash in future.
  • monkimarkmonkimark Posts: 740
    Could you spray the circuit board with ACF50 or something similar to try and protect it?
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    looks like it could work ..

    Generally when it's wet I'm on my winter bike with full guards - it only got sprayed because I did that ride on my best bike - not anticipating the tractor movement on one section that was more like a field ...
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    It worked on the way home ... I'll need to prove it next time I ride with it - but it seems like it's fixed.
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    Bah - it seems it's stuffed ...
    Failed again - taken it apart, couldn't see any particular corrosion - cleaned up with some WD40 & air canned it off - back on charge - shows the charge light - but can't turn it on ...
    Waiting till I get a bit more time to look at it - but have to assume it's duff.... Oh well - it lasted nearly 2 years ... not bad for £40 these days I guess ...
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