Vu Duo Clone PSU Pics

[IAmATeaf]

Continuing from my posts in this thread http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums/f193/duo-clone-broke-afternoon-help-271538/ where meggiedude had problems with his Vu Duo clone I decided to get one to see what all the fuss is all about :)

meggiedude had reported that his PSU didn't look that great and the Duo clone PSU is pretty much the same. I've not yet turned the thing on but the seller assured me that they test everything before shipping.

This is a pic of the corrosion on the tranny legs:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/IAmATeaf/P1000429.jpg

Corrosion on the screw heads:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/IAmATeaf/P1000427.jpg

This is my biggest concern, the bridging wire was actually touching the heatsink, no idea what volts runs through that wire and I've bent the wire back before taking the pic but before that they were joined:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/IAmATeaf/P1000426.jpg

Pic of the actual heatsink that was touching the wire, you can see it's leaning and according the diagram on the PCB has been fitted over to the right which is why it's touching the wire:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/IAmATeaf/P1000430.jpg

This is a pic of a comp that others have reported blowing, included it for reference:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/IAmATeaf/P1000433.jpg

As I've said I've not turned the box on yet and am not going to to until I've sorted that heatsink and wire out. Generally the build of the PSU is very poor and it looks like the PSUs after being built are stored in damp conditions.

I have to say the overall build quality of the clone is pretty poor, I have a dm800se clone and that internally just seems better built.

I'll report back after sorting out the PSU if anyone is interested.

[dell_xps]

Recycled parts maybe ?, jeezo no wonder these things are blowing up, utter $hite.

[IAmATeaf]

Recycled parts maybe ?, jeezo no wonder these things are blowing up, utter $hite.

I've no idea, I reckon the mainboard and other components are made in a proper factory and the PSU made in some sweat shop with a leaking roof.

As I said I'm going to work on the PSU over the weekend and until I'm happy with the PSU I'm not going to switch the box on.

[cactikid]

i think more boxes should have photos taken to see if its a wider issue,with stains like that on board i would not be replacing anything except complete box.

[DOUGALMCD]

To look at these you would think you are buying fire damaged goods after the firemen have hosed all the boxes. I've got pcb's & tvs and consoles in garage and none look like that.

[IAmATeaf]

I've also discovered that under that large long heatsink in picture2 there are 3 wire links sitting under that heatsink. That heatsink was leaning and I couldn't understand what was stopping it from straightening up. The links look like they all go to earth but what a weird design.

I'm only planning on returning the box if I have problems with it to be honest and I've not said anything to the supplier yet, I'm sure his stance would be does it work?

[DOUGALMCD]

I hope it works ok. But I don't think I would like to use your supplier. Thanks again for uploading photo's.
Just to ask is the mainboard in same condition ?

[cactikid]

invite them to view the photos on the best website here to see howshite [ name of china man lol ] they are.!

[Meat-Head]

invite them to view the photos on the best website here to see howshite [ name of china man lol ] they are.!


Hi, no intrest in satalite boxes, just see the worlds best website mentioned.

Over in the garage section, it was mentioned, the Chinkys, use apple juice for flux when soldering, this after time corrodes the circuit board.

Having no intrest in satalite, would it be possable to get an external PSU and ditch this one.

Could you show us a close up of the power outlet of psu see if can figure out if can be moddifiyed.

[IAmATeaf]

I hope it works ok. But I don't think I would like to use your supplier. Thanks again for uploading photo's.
Just to ask is the mainboard in same condition ?

The main board is perfect and clean as is the rest of the box. Having seen a few pics of clone PSU I still maintain that I reckon there's a small sweat shop manufacturing them. I purposely picked a completely diff supplier to meggiedude and have personally used yaoxin before, my dm800se came from them.

The fact that my PSU has signs of oxidisation as did meggiedudes means that the Duos must be being made in the same place, well at least the PSUs are being made in the same place.

[meggiedude]

Those pics are like deja vu for me.

I don't know where you got that unit from mate (maybe somewhere in yorkshire??), but he is sourcing them from the same place I got mine.

Basically PSU shocking (fnar) state, Other bits OK. That's what I am seeing.

[IAmATeaf]

Those pics are like deja vu for me.

I don't know where you got that unit from mate (maybe somewhere in yorkshire??), but he is sourcing them from the same place I got mine.

Basically PSU shocking (fnar) state, Other bits OK. That's what I am seeing.

I got mine direct from wet and windy China.

[Rodbouy]

When did you buy this box ? is it the v2.0 or older model?

Does look like a batch of boards have been stored badly and the moisture has soaked in to the boards.

[IAmATeaf]

When did you buy this box ? is it the v2.0 or older model?

Does look like a batch of boards have been stored badly and the moisture has soaked in to the boards.

Ordered on Monday, arrived yesterday and yes it is a v2.0 box. Most of the guys that you see on Aliexpress including Yaoxin and other are simply resellers of these boxes, I've never managed to get a straight answer from suppliers as to how much the boxes actually costs them but I'd bet it would be shockingly low and right now on Aliexpress there some cut throat competition going on in terms of prices.

[meggiedude]

I got mine direct from wet and windy China.
My, my, you are a gambler then. Even worst than me - if you saw all my posts first and the problems I was having before you ordered.

The state of your PSU is similar to mine - if not worst. The replacement PSU looks shabby, but does not have the same level of corrosion.
Having said that I have just looked at the tranny as per your pic and even the new one has some corrosion here.

If we you have that level of corrosion that you can physically see - what about the rest that you can't.

[Rodbouy]

I have so far had dealings with both. I have a local supplier.

3 mates bought Original VU Duos and 1 was fcked but was replaced right away and not had a issue since.

Since then I sent to to Tina at yaoxcin for duos and thats been about 2 months, fingers crossed nothing yet.

But I am tempted to go open them up and have a swatch now, just to see how they are.

[IAmATeaf]

My, my, you are a gambler then. Even worst than me - if you saw all my posts first and the problems I was having before you ordered.

The state of your PSU is similar to mine - if not worst. The replacement PSU looks shabby, but does not have the same level of corrosion.
Having said that I have just looked at the tranny as per your pic and even the new one has some corrosion here.

If we you have that level of corrosion that you can physically see - what about the rest that you can't.

Components like the tranny are effectively sealed, it the resistors and caps that are most likely to suffer as far as I know. Also from what I can see the corrosion has occurred after the PSU had been assembled which is probably why when the people making them test them they are fine.

Stored is damp moist conditions, they probably get another quick test when they are put in the box, we are the people who then effectively put them through their paces.

[DOUGALMCD]

Maybe you should give the psu a good clean with a pcb cleaner .

[IAmATeaf]

Maybe you should give the psu a good clean with a pcb cleaner .

I think the surface grime just makes the PSU look grimey but doesn't cause any probs so am not intending on cleaning it but am going to give it a full look over this weekend.

I'm also going to pull that rusty tranny off to examine the legs that have been soldered to see what sort of state they are in. I'll also pull that sloping heatsink and sort out the touching link.

I won't know until this weekend but it does look to me like some of the links are there to earth the heatsinks. I suspect that in the original the heatsinks would have tabs which would get soldered to the PSU board. On the clone some of the heatsinks have wire legs but the main large one doesn't, so the 3 links under that heatsink are there to earth it but the only thing helping to keep the heatsink touching the links is a piece of sticky tape, you can just make out the tape in picture2. :alberteinstein:

[DOUGALMCD]

Keep us posted mate and by the way thanks for pics.

[meggiedude]

Can't figure how to split the flex ribbon cable mounts which connect the front display and card reader to the MB. I guess they can be split, but can't see an obvious way and don't want to break them..

[happy_highlander]

Just to let you guys know - I have a bunch of 330 uF caps and I intend to swap the C807 cap on the motherboard this weekend.
I have the unit dissembled, although can't figure how to split the flex ribbon cable mounts which connect the front display and card reader to the MB. I guess they can be split, but can't see an obvious way and don't want to break them..
So I've just manoeuvred all the boards/components about and will desolder/replace/resolder in situ.
Fingers crossed and all that.

~~~~ me meggie do you fancy building me a box while your at it ;)

[DOUGALMCD]

Yes good luck mate keep us posted.

[meggiedude]

~~~~ me meggie do you fancy building me a box while your at it ;)
lol.
Well its probably worth pointing out that in a prev occupation I used to be an agricultural engineer. Designing and in come cases constructing everything that hangs off the back of a Tractors PTO shaft. As a consequence I am more use used to MIG, TIG and arc welding than f*nnying around on an itsy-bitsy PCB
So if you want a new Plough or Dutch Harrow I'm your man.

If this all does not go well. I'll be taking a gas cutting tool to this pile of sh*te :)

[IAmATeaf]

I had a look at those ribbons on my box and couldn't see any sort of latch or flip up lever that would normally be there. Thought they looked just like friction connectors, so you just push them in and pull them out but I accept no responsibility :)

[meggiedude]

I had a look at those ribbons on my box and couldn't see any sort of latch or flip up lever that would normally be there. Thought they looked just like friction connectors, so you just push them in and pull them out but I accept no responsibility :)
Ok Thanks :)

[benny/9]

has anyone tried a genuine psu board in there clone
i have had both clone and now a genuine duo,and both
have never gave a problem,

[digicon]

has anyone tried a genuine psu board in there clone
i have had both clone and now a genuine duo,and both
have never gave a problem,

Same here.

[IAmATeaf]

Yes, well that settles it then. I'm not removing the ribbons. I have managed to juggle things around so I can get to the bottom side of the PCB anyway, so should be OK.

Do you have a solder sucker? As that will make the job so much easier.

[damiensk]

have looked at the pics and compared to my clone, no screws have any corrosion and the transistor legs are fine.
had a few months now, and had no probs atall
thanks benny/9

[the man]

got 2 psu the same as the pics , but the heatsink was on top of my wire ,
i pulled it back out

[redondo5]

with some early adopters not affected by this. i suspect either the early batches were made in a differant location or with more care. or standards have dropped and/or they are now making these psu on a make-do shelter on the banks of the mekong river.

[cactikid]

maybe they are going to made here lol.
Sony Releases Stupid Piece Of Shit That Doesn't ~~~~ing Work - YouTube

[dell_xps]

lol lol lol

[IAmATeaf]

Spent a few hours yesterday giving the PSU a once over. I removed the heatsink that was leaning, the rusty tranny and the long heatsink.

I then checked over the PSU. I found that the 3 links under the large heatsink are the only thing earthing that heatsink so the heatsink should be touching the links. On the PCB at either end of where the large heatsink sits there are holes which I suspect is there the normal earth points for that heatsink should be but they've obviously use a generic block of aluminium.

The leaning heatsink and the link that was touching, that again is actually an earth link so it doesn't matter that it touches.

The rusty tranny, the soldered portion of the legs were fine so I cleaned it up so it's as I suspected the PSU are being stored is a damp environment.

So my initial worries were unfounded, I remounted the lot, used some duck tape :) to keep the large heatsink touching the 3 links then tidied up a few crappily mounted components. Today I switched the box on and it booted up fine, the fan also runs fine as I've seen some reports of the fan not spinning up.

Haven't set the box up fully yet, will do that tomorrow.

[wingunners]

have looked at the pics and compared to my clone, no screws have any corrosion and the transistor legs are fine.
had a few months now, and had no probs atall
thanks benny/9

where did you get your box. Thanks? supplier? or seller which ever

[rockerduck]

to make a side by side comparison between clone psu pics (from first post) and orginal psu pics... read ahead:

missing trimmer and some components in clone...
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iMD9WoSu51E/UAz5-UvIYQI/AAAAAAAAASg/TramqwhV4Y0/s800/trim_clone.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l-QJtzcirec/UAz5-hWKFxI/AAAAAAAAASU/SmFpirOkBmg/s800/trim_genuine.jpg

heatsinks clone view:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zywWOuQQkaI/UAz57NgP2aI/AAAAAAAAARk/fjJ2gmlFS5Q/s800/sink_clone.jpg
heatsinks genuine view:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TiTrfSlsaIo/UAz57lKxFaI/AAAAAAAAARo/iqpCMdcp-bU/s800/sink_genuine.jpg

transistor clone view:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wOK3Ghu_MSI/UAz59G3NuXI/AAAAAAAAAR4/iW4Vz6L_or0/s800/trans_clone.jpg
transistor genuine view:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wgboZZTxdAU/UAz59gBsXcI/AAAAAAAAASQ/-ml91nJfhd0/s800/trans_genuine.jpg

[rockerduck]

missing component clone view:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WAvfpwxok9w/UAz58NCchAI/AAAAAAAAAR0/VSToJEwPXyY/s800/sw_clone.jpg

genuine view:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Mgn2W-FXlJY/UAz58q9huKI/AAAAAAAAAR8/DCYmf0K_NFA/s800/sw_genuine.jpg

clone side view:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_4dgvDC6jmU/UAz56n3ggwI/AAAAAAAAARY/ijVF6297cxE/s800/side_clone.jpg
genuine side view:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4gpfOWbgQKA/UAz56z2C13I/AAAAAAAAARc/BPet2J7a6a8/s800/side_genuine.jpg