Is My Powermax Dead?

[Jamespio]

I bought a Powermax PM3 a few years ago. The trailer has no battery, but it sat on shore power for a few years, until a couple years ago when the trailer ha dto be moved to a storage unit, and after that it only got used occaisonally. This week, when I plug into shore power, everything works fine for about 5-10 minutes. Then the lights would start flickering.

I pulled the unit after making sure it was getting 110V AC (it was). On the bench, when I first plug it in it puts out 13.6V as it should. Within a few minutes, the voltage becomes unstable, jumping from 4.5 to 5.9 to 14.1 to 9.3 etc. The unit also starts making odd hissing and clicking noises.

I opened the case and found the noises seem to emanate from a large object wrapped in yellow plastic film with two large wires going into it. Capacitor? Resistor? Got me.

Any hope for this unit, or should it go to the recycler?

[rmkrum]

Sigh. Unless the yellow object is clearly marked as to what it is and the value, it’s not likely to be able to fix it. Easier and cheaper to replace the unit.

[Jamespio]

It's a transformer, and is marked SJ6.172.255 (which might just be a warehousing code). Even if I could identify the part and find a replacement (and there's an electronics store here where the staff would likely be able to do so), my soldering skills are not up to the task of replacing parts on a circuit board. Whenever I attempt that I end up melting stuff and puddling silver solder where it doesn't belong.

I wish I could remember whether I bought this converter new or used. If new, this does not seem like a very impressive lifespan.