Problems with Micro-Trak RTG cables

The power/serial cables that we provide with the new MT-RTG ( which is also used as an optional connector with our MT-AIO) apparently has had some quality control problems from the Chinese manufacturer. Although there have only been a few units that have exhibited problems, it appears that the hand-soldered pins inside the PS/2 connector may allow the "hot" wire from the vehicle's cigarette lighter to come into contact with the outer shield of the PS/2 connector if the connector is flexed excessively. Since it takes a reasonable amount of interference fit to keep the PS/2 ( 6 pin mini-DIN connector) from falling out accidentally, it is possible to cause a short. This fortunately, will only effect the cable, and won't hurt your transmitter. The fuse will blow, but don't just replace it. The PS/2 connector comes apart by sliding the case off allowing the shell to separate into two halves. You can dress the pins with a layer of electrical tape as an expedient fix if the problem arises, or send the cables back to us for repair or replacement ( from another cable manufacturer as soon as is practicable) I apologize for for any problems this may have caused any of you.

Best regards,


Allen R. Lord
VHS/Byonics

VHS said:

The power/serial cables that we provide with the new MT-RTG ( which is also used as an optional connector with our MT-AIO) apparently has had some quality control problems from the Chinese manufacturer. Although there have only been a few units that have exhibited problems, it appears that the hand-soldered pins inside the PS/2 connector may allow the "hot" wire from the vehicle's cigarette lighter to come into contact with the outer shield of the PS/2 connector if the connector is flexed excessively. Since it takes a reasonable amount of interference fit to keep the PS/2 ( 6 pin mini-DIN connector) from falling out accidentally, it is possible to cause a short. This fortunately, will only effect the cable, and won't hurt your transmitter. The fuse will blow, but don't just replace it. The PS/2 connector comes apart by sliding the case off allowing the shell to separate into two halves. You can dress the pins with a layer of electrical tape as an expedient fix if the problem arises, or send the cables back to us for repair or replacement ( from another cable manufacturer as soon as is practicable) I apologize for for any problems this may have caused any of you.

Best regards,


Allen R. Lord
VHS/Byonics

Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up, Allen. I just checked my RTG cable and the large blob of solder on the red wire was so close to the shield a short was likely at some point. A few layers of masking tape (can't stand "electrical" tape) were applied and the cable should now be good to go.

Hi all,
Just wanted to give a major kudos to Byon and Allen of http://www.byonics.com/ fame.

I received an MT-RTG that *appeared* to be DOA. They immediate offered to take it back for a replacement, and in fact shipped a new unit to me the same day that I shipped my unit back to them. They didn't even wait to receive my unit first. GREAT customer service!

Turns out I had one of the bad cables. The MT-RTG unit that I sent back works fine. Insidious little problem. Test the cable by itself, pin to pin, and no issue detected. Plug the cable into power and test the other end, no issues detected (power at the proper pins). Plug the cable into the RTG and plug it in to power, and the fuse would blow.

When the cable is not plugged in, the metal shield on the ps/2 plug is not connected to anything. When plugged into the RTG, the metal shield is connected to ground in the RTG. The problem with the cable was that, if flexed just right, the +12v pin had a solder blob that would contact the metal shield, that was connected directly to ground when plugged into the RTG, thus rightly causing the fuse to blow.

Received my new RTG, wrapped a piece of electrical tape around the pins inside the metal shield, and all is good!

My thanks to Byon and Allen for being such great people to work with!

-Dj

CHICOM Connectors

DJ and Sam,

Thanks for your understanding and support. In retrospect, I don't know why I decided to make the metal shield ground on that connector except for, well, just tradition! The cables would probably still have failed even without the chassis ground, and Byon dissected a bunch to make sure that they were operational. Byon will go back to his old cable supplier, and the next gen cable will have the red/black wires as standard "zip" (side by side) cord, which should make things a bit neater. Its frustrating as you might imagine to come up with a low cost, "Ready to go" only to have it show up in your hands as DOA ( **** that Allen and his alleged "Ready-to-Go" I hear the sounds of your voices denouncing angrily!)

Allen
VHS