Recent content by DogMouth

I can't decipher your schematic, but i'll trust that it's right if everything at some point does work. Disregarding details, the one thing i would verify is that the SSR output is indeed "closed" at the same time the input is not present. When it's locked up, check for voltage on the input...

two scr's, optotriac, snubber network, maybe five resistors... I'd certainly use a printed board. I'm not a fan of dead bug assembly -- at least not for mains interfaces.

Well, of course it would be relatively simple to essentially make my own SSR -- because with optoisolation, that's functionally what it would be. The packaging of a quality commercial SSR is certainly a convenience for mounting and termination. For inexpensive triac relays, it's hard to...

One other thing I thought about while prepping things for my new relay was the consequence of the device structure on the junction-case thermal resistance. It's obvious from the testing and visual checks of the triac internal structure (they were broken during disassembly) that these are...

It's interesting that you mention the markings on the back. One of the things I noticed about the SSR when I got it was the backplate. Granted, I haven't seen a real FOTEK, but the backplate on mine was not what I would consider reasonably flat for a thermal interface surface. It might be...

I noticed that article too, though only in the aftermath. For what it's worth, mine has a squared recess with rounded corners on the label. Mine doesn't say Taiwan on it.

bu_gee: I haven't disassembled any other SSR's, let alone good ones. All I have to rely on for insight is my EE background and the handful of other potted power electronics I've pried apart in the past. As I referred to in the blog, at least in the realm of some of the encapsulated...

Hey. Not a brewer here, but I ran accross this thread while browsing and figured I'd chime in with my recent experience with fake FOTEK's. For the curious, I threw together a bit of forensic analysis of the failure of my SSR-60DA here...