Hoverfly Power filter released the magic smoke.

[SleepyC]

Hey guys, So I was changing my Y6 from a HF Sport to a Pro board last night and had everything mounted up and ready to go.
I was starting to check motor spin and such and plugged in my battery for around the 10th time in 5 minutes and BAM magic smoke.
I was totally worried it was the HF Pro board, but it checked out. After using my nose to find the culprit, I noticed that big red wind of wire on the power filter was burnt and the unit smoked. (You can see the black in the pic)

I check the unit and no wires were out of place, everything was soldiered properly and no other wires had any issues. In fact I got discouraged and put my HP Sport board back in the unit, and everything works as it should.

My question is, has anyone else had an issue with these power filters? I'm scared now as if this would have waited a few power cycles to blow, my rig would have been airborne.
I have another HF Pro flying with this kind of filter with no issues, but I'm still weirded out.

I hate not knowing why something happened. I almost wish I would have found a bad wire or a lose soldier joint... ERRR.
View attachment 9627

 

[kloner]

I've fried a few of them l-c filters and every time it's that red winding separates from the part of it that's soldered. No idea what does it

One of these hf support guys here keeps saying you dont need any filter.

 

[tahoelight]

I still have videos of the flip of death from back when the green board was released without the filter. Multiple rebuilds before installing the filter, no flips since. What size battery are you running with that filter. My hexa would twitch then rocket sideways (out of control until it hit something) I'd be worried to fly without one. 2s or 3s battery might still be the best option. I still fly that board an filter has been fine for years, but that concerns me to hear it is smoking.

 

[SleepyC]

It's on a 3S, And I too have one green board with the filter that is fine with tons of flights. This was a second green HFP board and a brand new filter.
I have the opposite of good luck usually so I probably just got a bad filter. I'm actually glad it happened in the shop and not in the air!

 

[ross_badger]

The DPCAV L-C board filter is only rated for up to a 3S battery. I've modded mine by removing the stock capacitor and replaced it with a 25V 1000uF capacitor so I can use 4S batteries. So far, I've had no issues with my V1 green board with this DPCAV filter.

Ross

 

[kloner]

they have been rated to 4s since at least last spring when i got into fpv..... i saw the warning on the hf manual but it's not the case

 

[Tomstoy2]

Damn! Just yesterday I installed one on my Hexa to run my vtx and camera off of the 4s main pack, however, I installed before a a voltage regulator dropping the voltage down to 12 vdc.
I hate reading stuff like this!

 

[kloner]

if you look at the capacitor, it says the max voltage across it....
in 7 o my fpv rigs, theres like 10 of these things aboard...... its what makes powering the video off a flight pack cleane than a pack by itself

 

[ross_badger]

they have been rated to 4s since at least last spring when i got into fpv..... i saw the warning on the hf manual but it's not the case

Good to know! I purchased mine back when the HFPro green boards came out and have been using it ever since!

Here is what is listed on the DPCAV site:

Design Update: Beginning with September 2011 production, all PSF-001 filters are compatible with up to 5S LiPo batteries. Earlier production was limited to 3S applications. If you need to identify which voltage rating you have then check the printed voltage on the large 1000uF cap (capacitor); The older design used 16V caps where as the new design we now sell uses 25V rated caps.

 

[Aerovideo]

I modded my first ever filter I received with my first HF Pro board. I've since purchased several others mostly so I can run video off of the flight battery and I have yet to toast one. This thread makes me a bit nervous, yikes!