Eros Shunt Regulator Test issue

[bsadowski]

Hi.  Noob here.  I have a regular Eros Phono with Manual 5.19.09 and having issues with testing the shunt regulator.  I couldn't find anything on the forums that matched my issues.

I am just getting around to building it and have been good up until the shunt regulator testing.

Pg 58 of Eros Manual rev 5.19.09 is where I got my instructions for testing.

During testing of shunt regulator voltage test
D1 test:  (Red lead connected to D1 open red teflon wire, black lead on T23)
1. Only lit up 2 LEDs on B side of board.  The voltmeter did not quickly rise over 300VDC and then settle to 225VDC.  It started at about 75VDC and slowly rose to 223.8VDC over about 15 seconds or so.  A side LEDs never lit up.

D6 test: (Red lead connected to D6 open red teflon wire, black lead on T23)
1. Immediately all 4 LEDs lit up.  After a few seconds the A side LEDs went off.  The Voltmeter started around 70VDC and slowly rose to 310.5VDC and settled there after about 15 sec.  So it never landed at 225VDC.  The B side LEDs stayed lit the entire time.  The voltmeter never rose quickly over 300VDC to start, similar to the D1 test.

I am assuming something is wrong and hoping it's an easy fix?  The manual indicates both sides should be 225V and that all 4 LEDs should be on.  Any help would be appreciated.  This is my first bottlehead kit so I am very new with understanding the jargon that is present here on the forums so please be kind:-). 

[Paul Birkeland]

Can you post some photos of your build? 

How long has this kit been sitting around?  Has it been stored in an area with much moisture?

[bsadowski]

I bought the system on April 27, 2018 but I think it didn't ship for a month or two.  So I think it sat around for a little more than a year in the box.  I started working on it about 6 months ago, then stopped after building the Power Supply PC board, the shunt regulator board and the 2 plate load/servo PC boards.  Just started picking it up again the last couple weeks.  The setup is in my basement which is a little humid in the summer but has a dehumidifier running all the time so it's not that bad.  I'm in Boston area so in winter it's dry and spring and fall are not too bad.

I am having trouble posting the pictures so will do one here and will reply with the additional photos after this post.

[bsadowski]

I guess 1 photo per post..grrrr.

[bsadowski]

additional photo

[bsadowski]

more photos

[bsadowski]

more photos.  bummer that it keeps failing if i attach more than one photo:-(

[bsadowski]

more phtos

[bsadowski]

more

[bsadowski]

more

[bsadowski]

more

[Paul Birkeland]

You'll want to take a break until you can find a proper set of side cutters.  It looks like you only have wire cutters available, which leave really long leads hanging around.  This will become more of an issue the further you get along in the build, and you can even see a little component lead poking out on the middle 9 pin socket up front.  I use these: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/american-hakko-products,-inc/CHP-170/1691-1037-ND/6228793&?gclid=CjwKCAiAmNbwBRBOEiwAqcwwpQXTZ1llwvjS6RC2GEbA8iduQCkIDI9gOPW1GF038mIjU2Y0HMkDZxoCiVcQAvD_BwE&pdv=c&pcrid=306525589834&productid=6228793&mkwid=s2PkcYzNb&pmt=&pkw=

Another problem I noticed right away is that one end of the 270 ohm resistor in the power supply looks unsoldered.  Even if there is solder on the other side of the board, every hole on the board has plating in it, and these joints don't work properly unless the solder is heated enough to flow through to the other side of the hole (which it can do against gravity).  The only time this tends to not be an issue is with the LEDs, since they are really small and solder very easily, but make sure you have at least a 40W iron and for everything other than the LEDs, you can apply a lot more heat to your joints. 

[bsadowski]

Thanks.  I will get the correct cutters. 

Do you recommond I then take the boards off and go over all the solder joints to ensure the solder has gone through both joints before continuing? 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, you can heat up and remove the leads for the resistors that go down to D2 and D7, then remove as many wires as are necessary to bend the board up and just trim those leads down and reheat all the solder joints.