I have two S500 PCBs connected via LAN on a hydrographer boat. The mounts for the said PCB are printed with PLA material. I noticed that the mounts are deforming and to my surprise the PCBs are very hot to touch. Is this normal? If so, could anyone please advise on mounting practices?
Operation Time - 60 - 75 minutes
Input Voltage - 16.8V (max) from a 4S Li-ion pack.
Other details - It has longer than standard length wires. Not placed near any other heat source.
Interface - LAN
Operation State - Operational even at high temperatures.
Yes this is normal. From the “PCB Mounting” section of the S500 Manual: “The Sounder S500 incorporates a high power transmit amplifier, and it can get quite warm in normal use. We highly recommend aluminum standoffs (or other thermally conductive material) for mounting, and if these can be connected to other metal components for additional heat dissipation, all the better. Important: There is firmware protection so that if the temperature gets too high, the ping rate will be reduced. So adequate cooling will insure maximum performance.”