[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

It is a 5 min job to check the PCB, so I will check it again after another 10 cycles or so.

If it shows signs of heat damage, I’ll order a new relay (assuming I can find somewhere that sells them!).

Thanks for the concern.

Martin

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

Un-soldered the relay.

There are no tracks directly underneath the relay, so the heat had obviously just destroyed the copper track on the other side of the board.

Soldered on a jumper wire to the leg in question on the relay. Drilled a larger hole through the damaged PCB to allow jumper wire to fit through. Soldered other end of jumper wire back to the terminal pins where the push fit connector (to the heating elememt) is soldered to the board. Re-soldered rest of relay legs.

We have heat! 😆 Not sure how long it will last, but no signs of further heat damage after several wash cycles. I will keep checking it though!

Thanks for the advice guys!

Martin

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

MIMechE…

Yeah, I did all the basics at technical college and Uni (building circuits on bread boards, wiring up ring mains etc), but that was 18 years ago!

Having not studied it since, I think I can be forgiven for asking for some advice on reparing a PCB before diving in and risking damaging the rest of the board! 😉 Especially when some of the guys on here say they sort out the same problem week in week out!

If I had found this site before completely stripping down the dishwasher only to find there was nothing wrong with the heating element (like there was on my washer/dryer!), then I could have saved myself a further few hours :rolls: … (was quite interesting working out how it all works though! 😆 )

I’ll see what un-soldering the relay brings!

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

Steve, thanks for taking the time to explain a few things to me 🙂

I am a chartered engineer by profession and fully understand and appreciate what you are saying…

As a mechanical engineer I am naturaly interested in how things work and enjoy fixing things… I am also keen not to see things wasted from a recycling and energy point of view and chucking away a relatively shiny new dishwasher, just because one tiny electrical component has been under-rated, goes against the grain!

I know you are not advocating that, but many people will just buy a new one and the manufacturers can get away with churning out poor machines.

Anyway, I will investigate the relay further and if that gives me no further clues I will take it to a local repairer as you suggested.

Thanks again for the advice! 🙂

Martin

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

Penguin45 wrote:

MartinOz wrote:
Why would a dry joint cause a problem then if that leg of the relay is not connected to anything on that side of the board?

Think about it – tracks on both sides of the board….

Thanks for the explanation. Not meaning to sound confrontational, but just trying to understand… Does that mean that the leg of the relay was originaly soldered on both sides of the board and capilliary action joins the two? I assume both joints must have melted to stop it working!

MartinOz wrote:It’s hard to tell due to the heat damage where the copper track originally went to. Has anyone got any photos of a non damaged PCB?

If you unsolder the relay, it’s pretty obvious.

I might give that a try… are the relays fairly robust in terms of heat damage from a soldering iron? Any suggestions on how best to repair it considering there is no copper track left on the underside? (£100 is a lot to pay for a new PCB if it can be repaired.)

MartinOz wrote:Has anyone contacted Zanussi etc regarding it being a dangerous design fault that should be repaired under a product recall, as many people obviously have the same fault?! …or are PCBs burning-out after 2 years considered to be wear and tear :rolls:

Never seen one have a dangerous fault. Solder melts, board scorches a little, machine stops heating. As a repairer, it’s a problem I just deal with several times a week. People are usually just pleased the problem is resolved.

Mine looks like it has actually been on fire as the white plastic cover is scorched and carbonised 8O… lots of black powder over the whole board, but it wiped off easily. I can understand moving parts wearing out after a few years, but circuit boards should last for 10-15 years surely! Its probably only been through 100 wash cycles 😥 I expect I’ll be on here asking for ‘recommended’ models in a few weeks… Bosch ones are generally regarded as being reliable for a reasonable price…

Thank you for sharing your expertise 🙂

Martin

Penguin45.

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

Thanks for the reply.

Why would a dry joint cause a problem then if that leg of the relay is not connected to anything on that side of the board?

It’s hard to tell due to the heat damage where the copper track originally went to. Has anyone got any photos of a non damaged PCB?

Has anyone contacted Zanussi etc regarding it being a dangerous design fault that should be repaired under a product recall, as many people obviously have the same fault?! …or are PCBs burning-out after 2 years considered to be wear and tear :rolls:

Thanks

Martin

[MartinOz]

Re: in-line heater test?

My previous look at the pcb was, I admit, less thorough that it could have been. 😳

This time I removed all the wires and removed the pcb from the plastic housing and sure enough there is a burnt out terminal

This is right under the NAIS JS1-12V AJS1311 10A 125V~ Relay 😀

Alltogether – “I told you so” ok, ok, must do better………..

Talked to service force, who support AEG and they will only supply the full board at £94 plus they say it will be 10 days before they get one in.:x

My hot water has also packed up! Investigated the PCB after finding this excellent Forum and found that my PCB has the same damage, but slightly worse! There is actually no copper left around the pin in question, so i am unable to solder it to anything. Is it possible to solder in a small jumper wire to link the pin to the end of the adjacent track? (I’m assuming the pin should be linked to the track that is at 2 o’clock to it in the photo as it has nowhere else to go)

Thanks for any help and advice!

Martin

PS: It is from a Zanussi DE6855

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