Hey guys,
I have some unfortunate news for everyone in the first batch who ordered in December:
I've recently figured out, after a few units turned up with similar failures, that a specific part (P-Channel MOSFET "Q2", for those curious) is failing pretty consistently due to it being under-rated for the voltage it's carrying.
The result is that this part is going to fail at some point, and may or maybe not take other components on the BlueBus out.
This is 100% my fault as I glanced by the value on the datasheet when originally shopping for a suitable part.
As I stand behind the BlueBus, I am going to be recalling every unit and I'm going to replace the part with one properly rated for the job.
If you are part of the second batch of BlueBus units, this DOES NOT impact you as I was able to have the correct part installed prior to assembly.
Q / A
Quote:
How do I know if my unit is affected?
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If you ordered in December, your unit is affected.
When will my unit fail?
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At some point in the future. It's hard to tell, and I've only had 12 failures attributed to this part.
What happens if other parts, or the whole unit fails before you recall my unit?
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All impacted parts will be replaced and you will be given a fully working BlueBus.
How will you handle recalls?
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I will soon be emailing users in groups of 50 to send their BlueBus units in. Units that have been in use longest will get priority, as they have a greater chance of failure. If your unit fails while you're waiting, I will immediately have you send the unit to me for repair. You will have 4 weeks to get your unit shipped to me, after that any failures will NOT be covered by me, and I will charge you for the part required to fix the unit.
Why did this occur?
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Reading is hard, apparently.
Is anything else on the BlueBus going to fail?
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Not likely! I've gone over the datasheets, typical application schematics and recommended layout guidelines for all parts on the BlueBus and everything else is fine.
What if I'm not in the U.S.?
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Users in the EU/GB will send their units to a gentleman I know and trust in Germany who will perform the repair.
Users elsewhere will have their units swapped out with one of my spares.
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Let me know if you have any additional questions and please know I am so sorry about this issue!
Please refrain from emailing with regards to this unless your unit has failed as I'm the only person who fields questions.
Thanks!
-Ted