Converter In-Rush Thermistors etc, UPDATE -4

BFL13 wrote:
I already had put a new 5R020 in the newer unit where its big 5R025 was, so I will leave that there and see how that goes instead of hauling that out before even trying it. Meanwhile the older unit I was using last time camping with the now a broken (but still working!) 5R020 in it from that episode, will get a new 2R025 to try. Edit-- it is installed, unit works.

I couldn't decide what to do, but seeing that 1R030 in the PD9280 has tipped the scales on which way to go for me. I will have the two 100ampers, one with the 5R020 and the other with a 2R025

Unfortunately they aren't quite the same front end design, so don't know what that might mean, but we can't keep dithering, so that's the Grand Plan. The newer unit has one less emi inductor and some other input differences, so its thermistor might have to do more of the work. So I might have lucked out having the 5R in that one, no idea.

I have not opened up the two 100ampers since then till now, Oct 2014.

The older unit with the 2R025 has been used many times and its thermistor looks fine.

The newer unit with the 5R020 has not been used as often and worked ok last time. I don't think I did anything weird with it like an accidental hot restart. Its thermistor has a big crack in it but no pieces have fallen off (yet!) and no obvious burn spots.

That unit came with a 5R025 but that thermistor failed with hot restarts and not clamping on first as reported way back in this thread from last winter. I have spare 5R025s so I will use one of those when/if this cracked one fails completely. See how that goes when the time comes :)

Hard to know what is the critical factor here. The 020 failed and the 025 is still good, but the good one is also 2R not 5R and the old 5R025 did fail, although with hot restarts. The PD 80 amper has that 1R030

No need to get this long thread going again and spinning wheels, but thought an update was due to those who got interested in all this last winter.