Turnigy 9X - OUCH!

RoyBro

Senior Member
Mentor
Okay, I feel really stupid. I've seen the posts and videos on how to fix a Turnigy 9x after switching the polarity on the battery. I always wondered, "How could anyone accidentally switch the polarity on the battery?" Well, now I know. And it let out that all important magic smoke. Now I'll have to either try to repair the damaged components, or get a replacement.

Ouch.png

I wish I could find an FRSKY Taranis in stock somewhere in the U.S. I also wish I could afford to simply drop a couple of hundred on the Taranis if I could find it.

So now I'm looking for a used, but working Turnigy 9x or 9xr in case I can't repair mine.

Anyone out there upgrade their Tx recently?

RB
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
I'm waiting for the Taranis restock as well. I'll have a fully modded 9X once that happens, but I hadn't thought about selling it. I did the smartie parts boards for both flashing the firmware and on screen telemetry along with their screw mod with metal inserts and hex cap machine screws.

I did see on Bruce's YouTube channel a video of him doing just this repair.
 

RoyBro

Senior Member
Mentor
I'm waiting for the Taranis restock as well. I'll have a fully modded 9X once that happens, but I hadn't thought about selling it. I did the smartie parts boards for both flashing the firmware and on screen telemetry along with their screw mod with metal inserts and hex cap machine screws.

I did see on Bruce's YouTube channel a video of him doing just this repair.

Yeah, I saw that video and I'm going to give it a go, but the type of desoldering tool Bruce used costs more than a new radio. I'm going to try it with a flameless butane torch and see what happens. I still need to source the parts though.

I had done the programming port and LCD backlight mods. I have been using ER9X and I was getting ready to switch to OpenTX like the Taranis when this happened.

If you decide to sell the Turnigy, check in with me. I may still need one.

RB
 

Jaxx

Posted a thousand or more times
I'm waiting for the Taranis restock as well. I'll have a fully modded 9X once that happens, but I hadn't thought about selling it. I did the smartie parts boards for both flashing the firmware and on screen telemetry along with their screw mod with metal inserts and hex cap machine screws.

I did see on Bruce's YouTube channel a video of him doing just this repair.

Xuzme720,
Where will you be purchasing your FRSKY Taranis?
 

Rubicon

Member
Yeah, I saw that video and I'm going to give it a go, but the type of desoldering tool Bruce used costs more than a new radio. I'm going to try it with a flameless butane torch and see what happens. ...
RB

If you have A high wattage heat gun that will work just as well as the reflow tool.
 

vk2dxn

Senior Member
The top one is a 5v voltage regular, I can not make out the bottom component but you also have a burnt out resistor between them.
Unless you have experience with surface mount soldering I would suggest getting someone else to solder it for you.
I am an experienced tech but even I still have dramas with surface mount because I do not have the correct tools for the job
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
The top one is a 5v voltage regular, I can not make out the bottom component but you also have a burnt out resistor between them.
Unless you have experience with surface mount soldering I would suggest getting someone else to solder it for you.
I am an experienced tech but even I still have dramas with surface mount because I do not have the correct tools for the job
Yes SMD's are dodgy little critters. A re-flow gun or oven is probably the best bet, but a bit pricey if you're not doing repairs on a moneymaking basis...
 

RoyBro

Senior Member
Mentor
I'm on the waiting list at Aloft hobbies.

I saw on Facebook this morning that Hobbyking has them in stock. I didn't think they were going to carry them because they would be considered competition for the 9x and 9xr.

Anyway I just ordered one. It should be here by the time my cataract surgeries are done.

Yay!
 

RoyBro

Senior Member
Mentor
The top one is a 5v voltage regular, I can not make out the bottom component but you also have a burnt out resistor between them.

Any idea what that resistor might be? I think I've found the voltage regulator and cap on Digi-key. But given the size and location, I'd rather work on the resistor first.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
That resistor may not be bad, rather it's probably just blackened a little by the cap going China Syndrome...test it with your VM.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
No not 100% but all surface mount resistors I have seen are black and have a number code on them. The caps are usually just brown with no markings.

Thurmond
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
I think you're right. I took another look at the video. He actually said both resistor and cap but I think it's a cap like you said.
 

vk2dxn

Senior Member
Any idea what that resistor might be? I think I've found the voltage regulator and cap on Digi-key. But given the size and location, I'd rather work on the resistor first.


Not 100% sure but I think Thurmond may be correct
 
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vk2dxn

Senior Member
Just looking at the pic again and I can see a chip cap on the top left same colour as the suspect. Measure it first to confirm if it has let the magic smoke out. A crude method I use Is to crush the dead component with needle nose pliers then it makes the whole desolder/solder process quicker. With the voltage regulator (if you have room) just solder in a normal lm7805 and same goes for the cap just put an electrolytic back in its place. Others will disagree but I always take an easy option. Can you get a schematic diagram to check the value of the bottom large cap?

Edit: when crushing the component be sure not to damage or lift the tracks