Hey everyone! My Surron Storm Bee charger just fried, and I found this disk with a burn mark on the pre-installed plastic cover. I believe the white box is a transformer to step down the charger to 120V for standard wall outlets (it's also capable of handling 220V). Here's the issue: I tried using a J1772 EV adapter with it, but for some reason, the adapter had 220V on the 120V side, which overloaded the transformer. When I plugged in the charger, I heard a loud buzz for a split second. The capacitors seem okay, but I'm unsure about that disk—could it be a failsafe or fuse? I'd appreciate any insights, especially since Surron is discontinuing these bikes and chargers are getting hard to find. I have one lined up from a friend, but I'd hate to toss away a $400 charger if it could just be a simple fix!
1 Answer
That disk might be a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistor used to limit inrush current, which isn't too uncommon for these setups. Since it’s all potted, though, repairing it could be really tough. You might be better off looking for a complete replacement if the transformer is fried too.
Yeah, I hear you! The trend of potting is a pain because it often means throwaway products. If you can open it up without completely destroying it, it might be worth looking into replacing the disk.
I totally feel you on the frustrations with potting! It feels like they just want you to toss it instead of fixing it. I'm no expert, but you might be able to remove the old NTC and replace it with a compatible one. Just make sure those other boxes nearby aren’t part of the issue too—they might be surge protectors.