Halstead Hero 50 - PCB Replacement query

[DaveHerns]

Couldn't a properly refurb'd PCB be better than the original if a fault has been engineered out? The refurb'd PCB on my boiler has lasted 10 years so far, the other 2 managed 6 years in total. He took away my failed PCB so I guess that went off to be "fixed"

 

[Hot&Cold]

I've been advised by a heating engineer that the reason our Halstead Hero 50 boiler (installed in 2002 but we've been at the property for 2 years) has stopped working is because the PCB has had it,

Just hope the heating technician has correctly diagnosed the fault to the pcb. There are a series of led's to try to pinpoint the fail point on that boiler's pcb. See makers instructions.

Buying parts from the internet has its advantages and disadvantages but if it looks like the seller is selling off untested/undated van stock i would be very .

Edit,not looked at the sellers link,

 

[bernardgreen]

Couldn't a properly refurb'd PCB be better than the original if a fault has been engineered out?

Many PCBs in boilers are single sided non PTH ( Plated Through Holes ) and that is a design fault that cannot be engineered out unless the board is rebuilt using a PTH board.

Non PTH boards are prone to the track next to soldered joints on component leads failing. With PTH boards there is effectively a hollow copper rivet through the hole and this rivet provides a secure mechanical anchor point for the joint

With a Non PTH board there is only a ring of copper around the hole in the under side of the board. This ring is glued or bonded to the board. If the lead from the component exerts any force onto the ring via the soldered joint then that ring may become detached from the board and the track to the ring will then break. The glue or bonding will have been weakened at manufacturer by the heat of the soldering of the joint. Vibrations affecting the board can give rise to component leads exerting forces on the joint and this over time results in the ring becoming detached from the board and the circuit broken.

The other vibration related failure mode in Non PTH boards is an annular failure of the soldered joint. The ring of copper remains attached the board but the component lead is a loose fit in the hole. The bridge of solder between the lead and the ring has to absorb the vibration and eventually fails.

Both these failures create intermittant faults which makes them hard if not impossible to find other than by a close examination of the board and every joint on it.

 

[DP]

Couldn't a properly refurb'd PCB be better than the original if a fault has been engineered out? The refurb'd PCB on my boiler has lasted 10 years so far, the other 2 managed 6 years in total. He took away my failed PCB so I guess that went off to be "fixed"

Fact remains a refurbed board is just that
No testing will have been carried out on it for all aspects as carried out on OEM PCB which then gets stamp of approval that it maintains a standard
A reformed board will be OK until there is an issue. It is then the big guns come out and question get asked.