Irrigation Controller KwikDial KD4 KD6 KD8 KD12 Backup memory fault, No parts available from Irritrol - Torro design fault

The Irritrol KwikDial are great controlers with a great sales feature that they backup your program should the power fail under 24 hours. Never needs a battery so the sales pitch goes. Dam another power outage - No programs kept !

Well all the External units in Australia are failing after a few years and after no spare part availability of the circuit board, I decided to open the unit up.

The designers had used Electric Double Layer capacitors Elna 0.33F

5.5 V Double coin type at PCB location C12 & C17.

There is a MAJOR design flaw as to why these are not lasting a reasonable life. Above super capacitors have their life extremely shortened if operated less than 5=B0C or over 30=B0C and HUMIDITY over 50%. (as Corrosion of leads and shorting of capacitor cell corosion will occur).

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HELLO Irritrol - over 30=B0C & over 50% - sounds like a typical Australia garden enviroment. Not HAPPY! to shell out big buck again for another.

So In Australia, I'm repairing mine - although I know it will re-occur

- by replacing the super capacitors with imported USA stocked items through Farnell, but for replacment you will need to have reasonable desolding / resoldering skills as the printed circuit board is double sided, and the replacement items legs may be a larger diameter & it's a Horizonal version vs the OEM verticle, but the leg pich is nearly correct verify + - as the capacitors are polarity sensitive.

Part Num. Quantity . Availability Line Price Description Mfr Part # Mfr Name =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

1340832 2 Refer Web 7.48 Supercapacitor; Capacitance:0.33F; Serie EDLSD334H5R5C CORNELL DUBILIER

Hope this helps people out there so that they don't have to fork out for a new unit that will fail anyway if they want there backup memory to be retained

Reply to
aus1
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Thanks for doing the legwork on this and explaining the problem in detail. This has helped me a lot.

Reply to
jmsmith86

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This was excellent information

Reply to
sloadon

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