Screwdriver Controller - Successful failure or Failed Success?

I took the screwdriver controller outside a few minutes ago. 

It doesn't have the 5v regulator yet, but the battery I've been using is getting a bit low anyway. The limit detector circuit also doesn't work yet so that's not connected.

Everything worked. Until it didn't. 

Going back 2 steps - firstly I need to reterminate the power cable for the antenna. The Anderson plugs on it are dicky.  Possibly the socket they're connecting too needs some TLC as well. 

I had the PWM module in and working pretty well. Then it died. I'm within its specs - it runs down to 3V/5A, and I'm not *that* flat, nor am I dragging 5A - in fact, that circuit is fused at 3A. 

There's a polyester capacitor at the bottom of the board, and I suspect I grabbed it after it died. My finger hurt for a few minutes afterward. I couldn't detect any heat  when I went back to check, but I do wonder if that cooked. It's also remotely possible that I hit the transistor on the other side of the board. 

Not sure. Either way, that module is dead. I'll attempt to get a replacement and see what happens. 

When it did work, I was able to get things as close as I could on 10 & 20m. That was still showing an SWR of a bit over 2:1, but I'm not expecting miracles - just getting it as close as possible. The PMW module helped a lot with slowing things down to the point I could fine tune. 

Still, overall, some progress.