Any electrical/wiring skilled people around?

BeastMode335i · 06-01-2015, 08:34 AM

Ok so I have this little LED light for one of my fish tanks, (it's called a Solar Flare 115 for reference) and it's not working, so hopefully someone here can help..!

Anywho, the way it's setup is with 5 LED's, with 4 of them being white and 1 in the center being a blue one.. The switch that came attached to the light reads "I, OFF, II" so I can set it to "I" which would turn on just the blue LED, or I can switch it to "II" which turns on all the LED's.. So my light has stopped working completely and I figured since I'm pretty tech savvy let me dig into this and see what's going on.. So I grabbed my multimeter and checked for power and continuity and low and behold there is both, and then I tested each of the individual 5 LED's and they all work except one white one is out..

So I went to Radio Shack and bought a new SPDT switch, and after I desoldered the old switch and connected the wires to the new switch, the blue LED turned on, YAYYYY right, not quite.. None of the other LED's turn on, and I wired the new switch just like the old switch..!?!

Well where I'm at now is, with my multimeter turned to voltage out mode, I can power on 4/5 LED's when testing separately, and then when the switch is connected and everything is hooked up how it's supposed to be, only one comes on..!! I'm so confused now because that's about the extent of my electrical competence when it comes to these things... It seems like it should be a very easy fix as it's only 3 wires I'm dealing with, but it just doesn't make sense that the LED's light up individually when being tested with a multimeter, but don't light up when everything is connected how it's supposed to be.. If anyone can suggest some more tests or other things to try I'd appreciate it.. I'll attach a pic for reference...

Thanks!

DSB335d · 06-01-2015, 12:19 PM

You could de-solder the bad LED and replace it or make a little jumper wire and by-pass the bad LED. I'm assuming that the circuit board they are mounted to, power runs through them in series.

Pic doesn't appear btw.

UncleWede · 06-01-2015, 01:35 PM

IF you are lighting up the individual LEDs by touching the probe directly to the LED, the circuit board is bad.

BeastMode335i · 06-01-2015, 05:49 PM

I was testing them on the actual LED, once the optic is removed there's a little + and - on them and I was just touching the red/black wires from the multimeter to them and they would illuminate, all the LED's but one anyways.. I tried to disassemble the fixture they are in but it's not happening lol, I started to accidentally destroy it.. I put it back together for now with the one blue LED because the tank has been without light for 2 days.. I have some coral in it so I'd like to get this figured out but I'm thinking I'm probably not going to be able to fix it unless I can disassemble this fixture.. I contacted the manufacturer and they are pointing the finger at everybody except themselves so their customer service is not really sufficient for me in this matter.. If anyone can still help here though I'd appreciate it..

Thanks!

BeastMode335i · 06-01-2015, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSB335d

You could de-solder the bad LED and replace it or make a little jumper wire and by-pass the bad LED. I'm assuming that the circuit board they are mounted to, power runs through them in series.

Pic doesn't appear btw.

Could the one bad led be causing the rest to not work..?? Kinda like x-mas lights..??

DSB335d · 06-01-2015, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSB335d

You could de-solder the bad LED and replace it or make a little jumper wire and by-pass the bad LED. I'm assuming that the circuit board they are mounted to, power runs through them in series.

Pic doesn't appear btw.

Could the one bad led be causing the rest to not work..?? Kinda like x-mas lights..??

Exactly. By taking a small piece of wire and going from the good LED next to it solder the wire to the (-) and then the other end to the next good LED solder the wire to the (+). You would be bypassing the bad LED and sending power to the next good one.

BeastMode335i · 06-01-2015, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSB335d

Exactly. By taking a small piece of wire and going from the good LED next to it solder the wire to the (-) and then the other end to the next good LED solder the wire to the (+). You would be bypassing the bad LED and sending power to the next good one.

I understand... Maybe I'll further try to take this thing apart and see if I can figure it out! They really intended for this light to not be taken apart lol..!

Thanks!

WreckerX5d · 06-02-2015, 12:48 AM

I'm agreeing with DSB335d and saying the LED is the culprit. Do you get an O.L. (when on Vdc or diode setting) across the bad LED? If so, replace that and the light system should work.

06-01-2015, 08:34 AM	#1
BeastMode335i Maximus Decimus Meridius 1180 Rep 4,657 Posts Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Down South iTrader: (2)	Any electrical/wiring skilled people around? Ok so I have this little LED light for one of my fish tanks, (it's called a Solar Flare 115 for reference) and it's not working, so hopefully someone here can help..! Anywho, the way it's setup is with 5 LED's, with 4 of them being white and 1 in the center being a blue one.. The switch that came attached to the light reads "I, OFF, II" so I can set it to "I" which would turn on just the blue LED, or I can switch it to "II" which turns on all the LED's.. So my light has stopped working completely and I figured since I'm pretty tech savvy let me dig into this and see what's going on.. So I grabbed my multimeter and checked for power and continuity and low and behold there is both, and then I tested each of the individual 5 LED's and they all work except one white one is out.. So I went to Radio Shack and bought a new SPDT switch, and after I desoldered the old switch and connected the wires to the new switch, the blue LED turned on, YAYYYY right, not quite.. None of the other LED's turn on, and I wired the new switch just like the old switch..!?! Well where I'm at now is, with my multimeter turned to voltage out mode, I can power on 4/5 LED's when testing separately, and then when the switch is connected and everything is hooked up how it's supposed to be, only one comes on..!! I'm so confused now because that's about the extent of my electrical competence when it comes to these things... It seems like it should be a very easy fix as it's only 3 wires I'm dealing with, but it just doesn't make sense that the LED's light up individually when being tested with a multimeter, but don't light up when everything is connected how it's supposed to be.. If anyone can suggest some more tests or other things to try I'd appreciate it.. I'll attach a pic for reference... Thanks! __________________ F30 335i Melbourne Red Metallic M-Sport Package Last edited by BeastMode335i; 06-01-2015 at 08:41 AM..
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06-01-2015, 12:19 PM	#2
DSB335d Captain 1318 Rep 700 Posts Drives: '11 335d DSB/oyster&black/navi Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: West palm beach iTrader: (0)	You could de-solder the bad LED and replace it or make a little jumper wire and by-pass the bad LED. I'm assuming that the circuit board they are mounted to, power runs through them in series. Pic doesn't appear btw.
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06-01-2015, 01:35 PM	#3
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18525 Rep 9,432 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	IF you are lighting up the individual LEDs by touching the probe directly to the LED, the circuit board is bad.
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06-01-2015, 05:49 PM	#4
BeastMode335i Maximus Decimus Meridius 1180 Rep 4,657 Posts Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Down South iTrader: (2)	I was testing them on the actual LED, once the optic is removed there's a little + and - on them and I was just touching the red/black wires from the multimeter to them and they would illuminate, all the LED's but one anyways.. I tried to disassemble the fixture they are in but it's not happening lol, I started to accidentally destroy it.. I put it back together for now with the one blue LED because the tank has been without light for 2 days.. I have some coral in it so I'd like to get this figured out but I'm thinking I'm probably not going to be able to fix it unless I can disassemble this fixture.. I contacted the manufacturer and they are pointing the finger at everybody except themselves so their customer service is not really sufficient for me in this matter.. If anyone can still help here though I'd appreciate it.. Thanks! __________________ F30 335i Melbourne Red Metallic M-Sport Package
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06-02-2015, 12:48 AM	#8
WreckerX5d Warrant Officer 378 Rep 1,340 Posts Drives: Deezul Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (4)	I'm agreeing with DSB335d and saying the LED is the culprit. Do you get an O.L. (when on Vdc or diode setting) across the bad LED? If so, replace that and the light system should work. __________________ Deleted, ATM I/C and tuned by B.R.R.
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