> Hi Steve -
> I think I can answer your comment above. Last Thursday I got my
> new 3 element SteppIR up, actually for the second time and I was
> using my 3rd control box. The other two boxes failed, however, not
> because of their design but because of my own stupidity.
> I had added a 15pin plug and socket on the control cable up near the
> beam -- the idea being to simplify installation and troubleshooting.
> The control boxes failed because I had an intermittent pin to pin short
> in the plug. It was so small that even after I discovered it with the
> ohmmeter, I could not visually find it with bright light and high
> powered magnifier........... yet it truly was there. The short took out
> two boxes.
>
> //Only problem is, this changes "component failure problem" to "design
> problem," but it's still a problem. When a user interface is subject to
> field connectivity solutions, it's incumbent upon the product designer to
> appropriately fuse all I-Os to prevent cockpit error damage. A perfect
> example of this: Every I-O port on your common home PC uses a resettable
> fuse in series with it. This includes the keyboard and mouse ports. They
> have 5vdc on them, but you can short them out all day to your heart's
> content, and that won't make anything in the PC fail, because in series
> with the bus (in each case) is a resettable fuse. You short the line, it
> trips the fuse. Turn off the power, and the fuse resets, so you can goof
> and do it over again. -WB2WIK/6
>
>
>
> The company quickly sent me two replacements at no cost, even
> though it was (finally) obvious that the fault was all mine.
> Tremendous customer service.
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
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Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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