Do you want to make the BLDC control board more durable? We must first keep a close eye on these core components

When it comes to the service life of BLDC control boards, it is not a fixed number, usually between 5 and 15 years, depending on the usage conditions and the durability of key components. So, which components are most susceptible to damage and affect the overall lifespan of the control board? Let's analyze in detail.

Firstly, the most prone to malfunction are usually power MOSFETs/IGBTs. They are the core driving components on the control board, directly controlling the on/off of the motor coil. When working, they face high temperatures caused by frequent switching, current surges during motor stalling, and voltage spikes in the circuit. If the heat dissipation design is poor or sudden voltage surges occur, it may cause instantaneous overheating or breakdown short circuit, resulting in the direct failure of the entire controller.

Secondly, electrolytic capacitors are also a common point of failure. They are mainly responsible for stabilizing the DC voltage, but due to the gradual evaporation of the internal electrolyte over time and temperature, their lifespan is extremely sensitive to temperature. If the working temperature is too high or the ripple current is too large, the capacitor will accelerate aging, manifested as a decrease in capacity, an increase in internal resistance, and even bulging and leakage, ultimately leading to unstable power supply and abnormal control.

In addition, gate driver chips are also crucial. It is responsible for amplifying control signals to drive power transistors, but is susceptible to noise interference from motors or power sources. Voltage spikes or poor grounding can cause damage to the power transistor, leading to loss of control, short circuits, or shutdowns.

Some interfaces and protective components may also become weak links, for example, if the wiring terminals connected to the motor have poor contact or withstand excessive current, they will heat up and oxidize; Voltage regulators or TVS transistors used to absorb voltage spikes may gradually deteriorate or even short-circuit under repeated overvoltage shocks.

To extend the lifespan of your board, the idea is clear: provide sufficient heat dissipation margin for power devices, choose long-life electrolytic capacitors with specifications of 105 ° C or even higher, perform robust filtering and transient suppression at the power and motor ports (such as adding varistors, TVS tubes, and appropriate RC buffer circuits), and fully consider noise isolation during layout and wiring.

Ultimately, the reliability of BLDC control boards and understanding these vulnerable key points can not only help you better troubleshoot, but also build a wall of reliability from the beginning of product design, making your project run more smoothly and for a longer period of time.