A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 19/09/2016 21:28, Tim+ wrote:
A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim



Ticking sounds like an SMPS in shutdown, worth checking for a shorted
diode on the secondary side at least.

Lee wrote:
On 19/09/2016 21:28, Tim+ wrote:
A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim



Ticking sounds like an SMPS in shutdown, worth checking for a shorted
diode on the secondary side at least.


Ah, that's probably beyond my limited skills. Not quite sure what *would*
be within my capabilities having seen the inside. Most of the components
are tiny surface mounted things that I can't do anything with.

On the plus side, I have a triangular screwdriver now. ;-)

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Lee wrote:
On 19/09/2016 21:28, Tim+ wrote:
A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim



Ticking sounds like an SMPS in shutdown, worth checking for a shorted
diode on the secondary side at least.


Some pictures (if that's of any help to anyone).

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/pvnm5wib1...USTxRkH6s_uEza

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 19/09/2016 21:54, Tim+ wrote:


Some pictures (if that's of any help to anyone).

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/pvnm5wib1...USTxRkH6s_uEza


If you have a DMM,check that melf* diode, I've seen a few of those fail
short.

Has that unit been worked on? It looks like it's been hand soldered in
places.
Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently, because
if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further

*The thing in the glass package.

On 19/09/16 22:15, Lee wrote:

Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently, because
if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further


I tend to agree. Round here with overhead 11kv and 33KV stuff, storms
tend to pop the odd wall wart, router or mains kit now and again./ Its
juts part of the cost of living as far as I am concerned




--
Future generations will wonder in bemused amazement that the early
twenty-first centurys developed world went into hysterical panic over a
globally average temperature increase of a few tenths of a degree, and,
on the basis of gross exaggerations of highly uncertain computer
projections combined into implausible chains of inference, proceeded to
contemplate a rollback of the industrial age.

Richard Lindzen

Lee wrote:
On 19/09/2016 21:54, Tim+ wrote:


Some pictures (if that's of any help to anyone).

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/pvnm5wib1...USTxRkH6s_uEza


If you have a DMM,check that melf* diode, I've seen a few of those fail
short.

Has that unit been worked on? It looks like it's been hand soldered in
places.

Doubt anyone has been inside it since it left the factory.

Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently, because
if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further

We haven't had any storms for a long time.


*The thing in the glass package.


These thingies? D105 and D103?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ikbsp3u104...2057.jpeg?dl=0

Look way too teeny for my muckle fists to do much with alas. ;-)

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Its the revenge of the short wave listener who has developed a secret weapon
to put these interfering little buggers out of commission.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Tim+" wrote in message
...
A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 20/09/16 14:42, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:28:50 +0000, Tim+ wrote:

A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear a
faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign of
overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any suggestions?

Tim

Can't help directly, but over time I found myself the proud owner of some
dead units.

I suspect the fact they cannot be used in protected circuits may be a
factor in their apparent delicate nature.

Indeed. By definition they have to have a fairly high degree of
connection at high frequencies, so excessive HF energy - as in Lightning
or arcing - will feed straight into the modem.

And unless they put 50c worth of balun in there, chances are the
electronics will die.



--
"In our post-modern world, climate science is not powerful because it is
true: it is true because it is powerful."

Lucas Bergkamp

On 9/19/2016 10:37 PM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 19/09/16 22:15, Lee wrote:

Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently, because
if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further


I tend to agree. Round here with overhead 11kv and 33KV stuff, storms
tend to pop the odd wall wart, router or mains kit now and again./ Its
juts part of the cost of living as far as I am concerned





+1. On hols in Cornwall last week the storm took out the BT hub.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 17:12:48 +0100, newshound
wrote:

On 9/19/2016 10:37 PM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 19/09/16 22:15, Lee wrote:

Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently, because
if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further


I tend to agree. Round here with overhead 11kv and 33KV stuff, storms
tend to pop the odd wall wart, router or mains kit now and again./ Its
juts part of the cost of living as far as I am concerned





+1. On hols in Cornwall last week the storm took out the BT hub.

In a previous life I used to work on office phone systems. When there
was a storm you could guarantee work would come in the next morning.
Philips "Sopho" systems were particularly vulnerable.




--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Wed, 21 Sep 2016 10:30:14 +0100, Graham. wrote:

On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 17:12:48 +0100, newshound
wrote:

On 9/19/2016 10:37 PM, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 19/09/16 22:15, Lee wrote:

Also, did the failure coincide with any of the storms recently,
because if it did I wouldn't bother investigating it any further



I tend to agree. Round here with overhead 11kv and 33KV stuff, storms
tend to pop the odd wall wart, router or mains kit now and again./ Its
juts part of the cost of living as far as I am concerned





+1. On hols in Cornwall last week the storm took out the BT hub.

In a previous life I used to work on office phone systems. When there
was a storm you could guarantee work would come in the next morning.
Philips "Sopho" systems were particularly vulnerable.

SWMBO went to work on Monday (she runs the computing dept at a large
school). Thunderstorm Sunday, and ALL the servers were out, network ditto.

--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

Jethro_uk Wrote in message:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:48:58 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2016-09-20, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:28:50 +0000, Tim+ wrote:

A friend has a ZyXEL mains network adapter (model no. PLA4211).

It's suddenly just stopped working with no lights coming on at all
(normally 3 LEDs visible). If I put my ear right up to it, I can hear
a faint rapid ticking coming from the unit (4-5 clicks per second).

After making a triangular screwdriver I've opened it up but to my
admittedly rather untutored eye, I can't see anything amiss. No sign
of overheating, no bulging capacitors, no sign of anything leaking.

I can't help thinking that the ticking can't be normal. Any
suggestions?

Tim

Can't help directly, but over time I found myself the proud owner of
some dead units.

I suspect the fact they cannot be used in protected circuits

Care to elaborate?

The adapters I have are not able/supposed to be used in surge protected
multiway adapters, or indeed multiway adapters of any stripe.


Most domestic so-called surge protection is implemented by two or
three MOVs (specialised resistors), these won't affect RF signals
on the mains. Proper w_tom surge protection uses inductors and
capacitors and could easily block PLA operation.

PLAs probably work best when plugged directly into the wall
socket, but they do work in a multi way adapter even one with MOV
protection.
--

%Profound_observation%


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/