Russian candy and power bank repairs.

It may be clipped together very tightly. If you try using a spudger to open it I'd recommend fully discharging it first in case you short something out.

Big Clive

Now that I'm reminded of powerbanks... I have an Aukey PB-N41, a very compact, smart (though now slightly old) "pocket" powerbank with a microUSB charging port that's started to fail. I can sometimes get it to charge at 100-200mA with just the right cable pushed up or down by hand. The obvious solution is to open it up and repair or replace the port - but how do I go about opening it? I've tried the usual methods, but lacking a Vice of Knowledge and (mostly) unwilling to destroy the case in the process, I've failed so far.| How do you (if you've ever managed to) open Apple-grade sealed products? The seams are either ultrasonically welded or well-glued, and arranged to leave little in the way of structural weakness. Perhaps you've dealt with an enclosure of a similar shape (Image Search for "aukey pb-n41" with Large size gets some good seam detail) - maybe you have some suggestions before I start considering drills, dremels, and hot wires? (The hot wire failed to open an iPod charger years ago, by the way, which still works.)

I think it might be in human nature to collect things like lights, solar panels and power banks. It's the prepper instinct to have independent power. I have far too many power banks for no good reason at all.

Big Clive

Yes. You can taste them.

Big Clive

There's a science to it. You have to sell the fact you are eating something or else there'd just be silence. I don't actually make those noises while I'm eating normally. (Maybe I should.)

Big Clive

My pal's e-bike battery pack had suffered the same fate as the second power bank, it had been put away dead and the processor quiescent current took it below the cut-off point. The bike shop wanted £450 for a new pack, one jump start later and it was back to life. I imagine a lot of devices get replaced for the same reason, if you don't know someone who is into electronics and the shop only want to sell you a new device, I guess that's what usually happens?

The Tinkering Shed

I love power bank videos. I've watched every one on the net. Don't know why. I'm a PBjunky.

But does the chocolate contain real babies?

Moz in Oz

Interesting. I guess that the MOV at the input is an indication that they regard the spikes as an issue. The glow may be capacitive coupling from the large pads to the grounded backplane. It would be interesting to know the failure mode. Were the 4 that failed on a continuous section of the wiring? Have you tried them on their own with a known good supply? Sometimes when a neutral is lost the LEDs will glow to ground.

Big Clive

Hi, have any of you had the 220v 50w grow lights fail on you? (Clive analysed some 50w a few months ago) have several in in garage and yesterday killed 4 of 6 that was on when using an large (and old) angle grinder on the same fuse circuit. Open up one and can not see that any of the devices have let the smoke out, The rectifier works and supply DC to the chips and I can see a faint glow in the LEDs but that is it. https://photos.app.goo.gl/qrGRpNXeQK3JcmZN9 I assume the large inductive load led to over-voltage and killed them...

Trond Jarle Pedersen

Once again, you've got the Ashens on mic momping down to a tee 😝

JT