Mazda Rotary Club

Cars by Model Type => 3rd generation RX-7's => Topic started by: danrx7 on July 09, 2008, 08:48:17 AM

Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: danrx7 on July 09, 2008, 08:48:17 AM
Just a heads-up to anyone running an Apexi Power FC:
 
The torrential rain on Monday managed to seep into the passenger footwell and pooled in the port next to the commander port, which in turn blew the board.
 
I\'d wouldn\'t like anyone else to be stranded in those conditions on the hard shoulder (especially with the 2.5 hour wait for recovery!).
 
I\'ve reverted to the OEM ECU and shes\' running again, just need to source a suitable replacement!
 
Cheers,
Dan.
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: batman on July 09, 2008, 08:50:28 AM
i had a the same leak dan fortunatly my cars was on a slope and the water ran to the inside of the tunnel
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: leon on July 09, 2008, 09:25:48 AM
Is the board physicaly blown? Somtimes you can get lucky with electronics, give them a real good clean on the inside. I\'ve actualy seen people on here who have recovered dead apexi\'s that way

Worth a shot. :Giggle
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: danrx7 on July 09, 2008, 09:30:33 AM
Thanks Leon, that definately worth a shot. I can see any blown capacitors or the like, just some rust-type stuff across some of the pins on a few different chips..
 
Will electrical contact cleaner suffice do you think?
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: batman on July 09, 2008, 09:32:14 AM
i use white spirit drys to a powder not like water which rusts and a stiff paint brush
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: leon on July 09, 2008, 09:51:22 AM
As you know water conducts so you short out, but also when you run a current through it becomes a form of acid from memory which in turn eats the pcb. so give it a good clean and get it all off. Won\'t hurt to try and could save you a few ££
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: danrx7 on July 09, 2008, 10:14:57 AM
Absolutely, thanks for the advice gents. I\'ll give it a whirl tonight hopefully and post up the results..
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: SmbFD3S on July 09, 2008, 07:17:38 PM
Heard about this before which is why mine sits in a nice clear plastic bag just in case :D
 
Hope it\'s not dead and recoverable mate... If you find any parts that look to be damaged i\'m sure you\'d be able to find replacements at RS Components :)
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: leon on July 09, 2008, 08:55:40 PM
i\'m tempted to do this with a KS boost controller i have sat around its blown a cap (literally)
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: neil_jdmr on July 09, 2008, 10:05:56 PM
take the board out altogether mate and spray a healthy amount of good contact cleaner on it, with contact cleaner it drives out moisture as it evaporates. Follow this with a good clean and check all the connections for rust if so clean these up with some fine wet n dry then give it a few hours to let every bit of contact cleaner evap (its flammable and goes up easily) then plug it in and chances are it should be fine. (i have done it many times with various pcb\'s offshore).
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: danrx7 on July 20, 2008, 03:32:43 PM
Did as advised and its working again.
 
Thanks very much for the spot on advice guys.
 
 
Dan.
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: ashc on July 20, 2008, 09:41:42 PM
close call, well done. i think i\'m gonna put my apexi in a plastic bag, i think i\'ve fixed my leak but dunno till it rains hard again..........
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: BenLewisMav on September 05, 2008, 08:16:27 AM
Sorry to raise the dead but what causes the leak?
Mines pooling up right now as we speak, makes the carpet stink... have left the carpet rolled and tied up to try let the water evapourate, but its been raining for three days now with no sun.. :P
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: Bobbit on September 05, 2008, 09:46:08 AM
Mine leaks some times and the water gets in via the window seal, then get onto the kick panels and from there dribbles into the car, only if i\'m on a slope mind
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: Kieron on September 05, 2008, 10:03:41 AM
Cant you mount the ECU higher up? The harness should stretch tot he glovebox. Save this happening again.
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: Steve-Q on September 05, 2008, 12:54:05 PM
Quote from: danrx7;515258Just a heads-up to anyone running an Apexi Power FC:
 
The torrential rain on Monday managed to seep into the passenger footwell and pooled in the port next to the commander port, which in turn blew the board.
 
I\'d wouldn\'t like anyone else to be stranded in those conditions on the hard shoulder (especially with the 2.5 hour wait for recovery!).
 
I\'ve reverted to the OEM ECU and shes\' running again, just need to source a suitable replacement!
 
Cheers,
Dan.

 
 
give steve a call at www.lindopmotorsport.com (http://www.lindopmotorsport.com) he keeps em on the shelf, can post it to ya and every thing. numbers 07970 776634 - steve.
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: NurburgRob on September 14, 2008, 09:41:28 PM
Mine leaks too! drivers side rear footwell is where mine collects :(
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: cyman on September 14, 2008, 11:12:48 PM
mine leaks and after a few running probs because of it the apexi now sits in a nice blue freezer bag.
 
after reading up it seems that normaly the leak is from the trim fixing screws that are under the plastic caps on the trim that sits along the bottom of the windscreen.it causes it a drip into the blower housing which drips down to the passenger footwell. these screws have a plastic insert with a little rubber washer that is supposed to keep the water out but they perish. all you need to do is take the trim off remove the little plastic fixings then re fit them into the wholes with a nice blob of silicon to seal them up, then also put a dab of silicon on the screw thread when you put them back in. i read all this on a thread on here ages ago could prob track it down with a bit of searching.
 
hope this helps
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: ashc on September 15, 2008, 08:19:47 AM
my leak seemed to be coming from a door seal, but i removed the passenger side door trim and checked the plastic \'pressure\' sheet covering the window mechanism, and re-attached it really well and it hasn\'t done it since (3months), i bagged the pfc anyway to be safe.
Title: Apexi PFC Expired Through Water Ingress
Post by: ro284 on August 04, 2009, 08:06:55 PM
Revived for Wolverine