Intellabeam Issues

If you have no LEDs lit on the back, then the power board is the likely culprit. On the power board, F3, BR-1, C4, and REG-1 are about the only components between the transformer and the 5V LED being lit. If no 5V, then nothing works . . . the unit won't spin up motor power, fans, nada. So, check fuse F3 first, and if it is good, then check for DC power on C4, and then after REG-1. Any of these parts are pretty much generic, and should cost you $5 or less . . . . While transformers can fail, they are largely a passive device, and I would tend to look there last myself . . . I have had a bridge or two go out on mine, and I would check there first - and typically when they go, they take the fuse out with them (the fail shorted . . . ).

On the second unit, it's pretty much the same story to begin with . . . but regarding board damage, I don't know . . . I don't recall if the IBeam boards were coated or not (Its been a while since I have been in mine). If so, they should hold up, if not, who knows . . . it depends how much/how long there was contact. The good news is that an IBeam power supply is a pretty simple board, and if you have trace breaks, you can repair with flying ties and be pretty much as good as new.

Also be aware that IBeams are notorious for burning the connectors to the lamp and ballast, as well as others. Myself, I found screw down headers that are a direct replacement for the connectors, and replaced every one in my gear. It takes a negligible amount of extra time to get the harness off with the screws, and nothing fails any more . . .

Oh, and full power board/logic board schematics are available at the High End site . . www.highend.com/support/discontinued/intellabeam_700hx.asp

- Tim

Ok, so I just sent that second fixture back. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it and I couldn't get the mouse urine smell out (I actually found a mouse nest on top of the trasformer).

But the first unit with no LEDs lighting up... I just can't figure it out. I checked F3 BR-1 and C4--all good. I can't seem to locate REG-1 though. I tested the fuse holder as well (somebody had recommended checking the fuse holder as well as the fuse). The fuse holder checks out fine. The connector on the brown wire going into the fuse holder looked burnt, so I replaced it and still nothing.

What next?

The regulator is a 7805, which is a three terminal tabbed device, which most likely is standing at the edge of the board, on the heat sink, looking much like one of the power control SCRs. If you have a meter, check for DC voltage at the "+" terminal of C4 to ground - that's the input to the regulator. If nothing, move back though the bridge and the transformer. (You *have* verified that the voltage select taps are set correctly, right???). If you have voltage there, look for 5 volts DC on the "+" terminal of C6. If that's good, and still no 5V LED, then the harness between the power board and logic board is suspect. The same pretty much applies to the 24V supply - just it's a different bridge, cap, and regulator.

The more I think about this, the more I suspect that the voltage select jumper is wrong - that is about the only thing that will totally kill a fixture that can be messed up by a user (or set wrong) as opposed to an outright failure. I *strongly* suggest that you download the schematics from HES - these things are not exactly rocket science . . . frankly, the power supply is pretty much Fred Flintstone . . . but the 120V voltage jumpers for US 120V/60Hz are 5 to 6 and 1 to 3 . . . if it had been on 240V, it would likely appear dead . . .

And did you remove *EVERY* plug on connector on the power board and give it a check? The power input connector, voltage select, and ballast connectors are the ones that I have seen fail . . . the others are low enough current that while they could, it's pretty unlikely . . . but any one of the first two will leave it totally dead.

And where are you located? Your profile is blank . . .

- Tim

Yes, the voltage select taps are set correctly and yes I have the schematics. I'm getting 5 volts on the + terminal of C4. I moved over to C6 as you suggested got nothing. C7 has 3 volts. I checked continuity of C6 and that checks out. I pulled the power board out to do so and the coating on the back of the board is flaking in some areas--probably from heat. I'm assuming that that shouldn't affect functionality, but I could be wrong.

I've determined that it was, in fact, the connectors. I don't know how I missed it the first time I looked at them.

Thanks for your help.

Glad you found it! That really is the most common failure in I-Beams, and one I used to chase fairly regularly, before taking out all the plug on headers and putting on screw down headers. Almost as fast to take the board out, and nothing to burn . . . .

Oh, and no, the coating on the back of the board is not really important, just so the copper is intact. It is mainly a solder mask to allow machine soldering of the board when initially loaded, as well as potentially an anti-oxidation coating, but under normal conditions, does very little after build. If it bugs you, you can shoot the back of the PCB with a conformal coating, but frankly, automated lights are not typically in environments that cause much PCB damage to begin with, and the heat of use tends to drive moisture out.

But, since you found bad connectors, you *CAN* get heat damage to the PCB near the failed pins. Nothing that can't be repaired, but look closely, lest you have a secondary failure of the PCB after replacing the bad connector.

- Tim