Aquarite Control Board Circuit Shorted

[amati5]

Hello

So I opened up the panel to check the part number of current limiter so can order a new one just in case as discussed on the other thread. My unit has been working fine, except lately I noticed even when everything showed normal, the voltage displayed in the 30's and the current at 0. My pool, however, seems to get enough chlorine. I am not sure if it's normal.

Anyway, I turned off the circuit breakers first (220v, double switch) to cut pwr from the pump and the Aquarite through the timer, leaving the timer in on position. The timer provides 220v for the pump and 120 for the Aquarite. I removed the board to get the part number and after I put eveything back in place, turned the circuit breakers back on, I heard a strange sound and next thing I saw was smoke coming out from behind the panel. I checked the board and the power circuit was all messed up (The coper contacts from the black and white (source) terminals that lead to the terminals where the wires from the transformer connected to were all burnt and broken up. So I repaired the the power connections temporary with some wires to test again. This time, I turned on the circuit breakers on first but the timer is in off position. And when I turned on the timer, the circuit breakers stripped (why didn't it do this earlier to protect the board?).

I did a continuity check (pwr off) between the blak and white power terminals and they were ok, not in contact ...until I reconnected either the white or the gray wire from the transformer back to its terminals (see pic). So I left them disconnected and turned the power back on with no problem (of course, the Aquarite isn't getting pwr). There is constant continuity among all the wires: gray, purple, white and blue wires coming from the transformer (is this normal?) and I think because of this, when inplace, it shorted my power circuit.

What went wrong? It's not easy for somthing on the board to be in contact when I reinstalled the board. Did I some how sent 220v to the board by turning on circuit breakers with timer still on? Logically, it's not possible. Did the transformer just coincidently went bad? Is it normal for the wires from the transformer to have constant continuity?

Thanks for any advice

 

[Bama Rambler]

The transformer will have continuity between the leads. However they should have some resistance. If they read zero then it's shorted.

 

[amati5]

Should I remove all the wires, including the out put wires (yellows) before measure the ohms? The spark must have killed it but I can't figure out what caused the spark. If that's the case, power was never sent to the board and I think that's why the fuse is still good, and hopefully the board still works.

Is it possible that switching the 240v circuit breaker on with the timer being in the ON position is the reason? but I do that all the time when working on the pool.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yes, you have to remove all the wires otherwise you'll read through the board components.

Throwing the switch wasn't the cause. Most likely it was a coincidence.

 

[amati5]

Thanks. I'll do that.

 

[amati5]

I took measurements of all resistance across all the transformer leads and they all have about 30-40 ohms. Is it small enough to consider "zero", if not then the transformer is ok?

Also, how often do transformer blow up like this and why did it also damage the power connection on the board (under the black tape I used to hold the temporary fix down). Unless I shorted the power line by accident (not sure how) after reinstalling the board and that blew the transformer.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Bama Rambler]

30 to 40 ohms is fine. I'd consider it good.

 

[amati5]

30 to 40 ohms is fine. I'd consider it good.

Uh oh! I was hoping it's the transformer. Now I don't know what stripped the breaker if I have the gray and white in place. My board seems to be fine as I tested all the connections along the input source to their destination (where the transformer leads connected to).

Thanks again for your help.

 

[amati5]

I have another question if you don't mind. I just want to confirm this:

With the jumpers inplace this way, it looks like the gray and white lead are connected to the white source wire and the blue and purple are connected to the black source wire. Assmuming these 4 lead are input wires for the transformer and the two yellow wires are the output wires. Why does the transformer need 2 sets of 120v for input?

thanks.

 

[Bama Rambler]

It's a dual voltage unit so it can be used for 120 or 240 volts so the primary windings are split. For 240 you connect the center taps together and power the outer leads.

 

[amati5]

I think my trans is out. I tested by connecting directly (without the board) the black to the blue and if the white is connected to any of the white or gray, it stripped the breaker. Is it a fair assumption?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Have you hooked it up with the secondary (wires coming out of the bottom of the transformer) disconnected?

It's very hard to know exactly what's wrong from where I'm sitting. It's possible that the transformer is toast but it's hard to know for sure.

 

[amati5]

Yes, the board was not even in the box, just 120 V wires and the transformer itself and those 2 yellow wires were just hung loose. It's trange that, I found some procedures to test transformer and the results don't indicate that it's failing. I did ohm test from the all four lead of the primary to the secondary (yellows) and last nite I had low value which meant it's bad. Today I did the same thing and it's nothing, indicating open circuit, so it's good. Continuity wasn't there either. I did the same test from the primary to the frame and the results are the same.

The unit smells burnt though.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I'd say it's bad then.

 

[amati5]

Thank you for your help.

 

[amati5]

I ordered the transformer and it's on its way. Does it matter which yellow wire go where? They have the same color and the output needs to be converted to DC voltage, so I don't know that work.

Thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

It doesn't matter. It's AC coming out of the transformer so there's no positive and negative.

 

[amati5]

Thanks