MicroGem DTV converter gets pretty hot

Jun 30, 2010 6 Replies
F

I just bought a used MicroGem DTV converter at an auction. The price was right, and it works ok. But I noticed that it gets pretty hot compared to my other converters (other brands). I also read on several websites that these converters are known to die in a short time because of excess heat, and many were sent back to the manufacturer for replacement. Because of the way I bought it, there is no warranty. Rather than let it burn out, I would like to add a heat sink to whatever part(s) gets hot. Does anyone know what part(s) overheats? (I might also enlarge the tiny holes in the case, or maybe even install a small fan (like a CPU fan, if there's a proper voltage source to run a CPU fan).



Thanks



Frank


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N

The original power supply supply may not have the spare capacity to run even a small fan. You might be better served with a fan powered by a wall wart of the proper voltage.

John

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T

Run it with the lid off...... ( if that's feasible)

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J

Nothing quite beats a fan. ...Jim Thompson

| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | Obama: A reincarnation of Nixon, narcissistically posing in politically-correct black-face, but with fewer scruples.
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D

Enhanced convection cooling can also be worthwhile... i.e. a cardboard "chimney" seated around the existing ventilation holes. This trick was used to cool the original Macintosh and Fat Mac, which had no fan and whose power supply really didn't have enough reserve current capacity to run one.

Dave Platt AE6EO Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!
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G

Unplug it from the wall and remove the cover screws to get inside. Leave the cover on and run it for an hour or so to heat it up. Unplug it from the wall and remove the cover and find out where it's really warm. You might not even have room to add a fan but they come in a wide ranges of sizes and power capacity as shown in the DigiKey website. It's actually difficult to build a power supply with such low capacity that there _isn't_ spare capacity to run a fan.Also keep in mind that the fan will _increase_ the supply capacity as it's heat that is the limiting factor and you're getting rid of it. Now if the fan STALLS you have extra problems.

G=B2

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A

I would determine what voltage(s) the device needs to operate, and bypass the obviously under-powered supply circuit, feeding the important circuitry with a remotely dissipating source, fed by a cord to the unit. It sounds like a poor PS design at the front end of the product and less likely that it is any element of the converter circuitry itself.

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