wallas repair

dutch123 · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject: wallas repair

Well the wallas quit again, this time i let the smoke out of the circuit board. First thought is this is going to be expensive, after talking to scan marine my worst fears were realized, yes replacing the board was going to cost me 600 dollars! This was not acceptable and as much as i love the wallas when its working, i damn near threw it overboard when i heard the cost of repair. Hmm i thought i can afford to spend a few bucks at least trying to repair this thing. On closer inspection i found a Tip32a transistor was burned. After doing a little searching i found a transistor ( two actually just in case ) a small soldering iron, heatsink, solder and flux for the grand total of $17.65 !
Off i went to do the repair. In about 30 minutes time the transistor was removed the new one installed ( with a delicate touch mind you ) the board reinstalled and stove hooked back up. Then the final test ..... ahaaa fans running, light is on, pump is ticking and yes we have ignition! Wow i just saved alot of money and learned something as well.
So i guess the reason i'm sharing all this with you is that although we sometimes need suppliers so we can carry out repairs and buy new products for our cruising needs, don't hesitate to do your homework and learn how various systems work so you can do your own repairs and maintenance. For one it makes us safer boaters and two it gives us the knowledge, understanding and confidence to take on bigger things in our lives.
Three, it enables us to spend more of our time and hard earned money doing what we all enjoy most, being out on the water, exploring, growing, learning and creating fond memories with the ones we love. Happy cruising! Thumbs Up

JamesTXSD · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject:

Good for you! Thumbs Up

Pat Anderson · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:43 pm Post subject:

Oh, yeah, I can just see me mucking around on a circuit board with a "small soldering iron and a heat sink."

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:56 pm Post subject:

dutch123 · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:41 pm Post subject:

Roger is right, this wasn't that difficult of a repair, just a close inspection to determine the problem, a little time spent looking for the required parts and a steady hand for the actual repair. I think all too often money is wasted on parts that aren't required simply because of lack of knowledge or just being talked into something without doing the research oneself. My time is free and I enjoy problem solving, especially when it saves me a significant amount of money. Sometimes even with time invested you still have to spend the money but more often then not there will be a savings of sorts, and of couse the knowledge gained is an added bonus! Laughing