Ac SSR issue

**masterful** · 10-08-2015, 12:51 PM

Hi there.
I have constructed an SSR neon g2 led board.
I'm having a problem with the output.
The opto switches on and off fine and dims up and down no problem.
But I have no power out from the triac, or the opto.
I will honest and say I accidentally put in the chip the wrong way round then flipped it when I had no LEDs lighting up on the board.

Does this suggest a bad opto and or triac?
Any advice very very welcome

Thanks

**LightUp** · 10-08-2015, 03:34 PM

We can't say with certainty.
If you replaced both parts and tried again, that may be the better way of knowing.
Also, if this board is new and never worked before, it could have other possible reasons why it doesn't work.

Does not this board have 4 channels? You only have trouble with one channel, or all 4?
I'm not clear about, "The opto switches on and off fine and dims up and down no problem." but "But I have no power out from the triac, or the opto. "
How do reconcile these two statements?
Check the fuse?

**masterful** · 10-09-2015, 09:46 AM

OK checked fuse. All OK. Checked the voltage on the opto and I have 1.18 voltage across the terminals with the chip in. When I tap the 330 ohm resistor the lamp flashes momentarily.

**LightUp** · 10-09-2015, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by masterful

.. When I tap the 330 ohm resistor the lamp flashes momentarily.

You must have a mechanical contact problem somewhere on your board, which could be a bad solder connection.
I don't have your board and the WIKI only has the 4 channel AC SSR neon g2. I don't know where on the opto you are measuring the 1.18V, and is that an AC or DC voltage measurement?
Are the other channels working?

**masterful** · 10-09-2015, 10:36 AM

This is a DC measurement.
So far I have only connected 1 channel of it. I wanted to do it that way to test before I attach the rest.

**rstehle** · 10-09-2015, 10:43 AM

Re-flow all of your solder joints, then check all 4 channels and let us know what you find.

**masterful** · 10-09-2015, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by LightUp

You must have a mechanical contact problem somewhere on your board, which could be a bad solder connection.
I don't have your board and the WIKI only has the 4 channel AC SSR neon g2. I don't know where on the opto you are measuring the 1.18V, and is that an AC or DC voltage measurement?
Are the other channels working?

tried removing the 330 ohm resistor as it seems to be that point where the defect is and lifted the trace to the triac off completely.
I have 10 more boards to play with ill let you know.

**masterful** · 10-09-2015, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by rstehle

Re-flow all of your solder joints, then check all 4 channels and let us know what you find.

Will do thanks for the help on this. i just want to get it done now and then concentrate on building my props

**masterful** · 10-09-2015, 11:24 AM

just to confirm things.

The voltage across the dc side of the optocoupler rises from 0 to 1.18 volts as the dimming cycle goes 0 to 100 percent.
On the transistor side it the resistance is 900 ohms to 1018 ohms respectively

does this sound right?

**Technician** · 10-09-2015, 11:58 AM

Lifted traces are caused by either of two things.

1 Too hot. Are you using a temperature controlled soldering iron? If you are using a 25 watt RS special, then this is the norm as the lamination glue breaks down.
2 Mechanical force. Were you trying to unsolder a lead with an oxidized tip and prying on the connection to lift a bent over lead? If oxidization glued the wire down and prevented proper heat transfer, prying up a lead can peel the trace from the board.

Recommendations. When building kits, only bend leads slightly to hold the parts in place for soldering. This makes reheating and part removal easy.
Use a temperature controlled soldering iron. Keep the tip cleaned and free of oxides. Use flux.

Google images of good solder joints. Note the leads are not bent over 90 degrees.