Arcade Collecting > Restorations & repair
NPs Star Wars
Neverending Project:
I got a lot done last night. I still didn't get everything installed, but first the short story and a couple of questions for those who don't want all the details.
Short Story
I have installed the LV2000 board, and most of the parts from the Bob Roberts Cap Kit and Additional Parts kit. R100 was badly burned in the lov-voltage section of the deflection board, which may have been the whole problem with the monitor. It got removed with the rest of the LV section, and the LV2000 went in its place. The wires are soldered to the chassis cage transistors, so I still need to replace these. Since they all came in the kit I plan on replacing them all, and I plan on soldering the wires back on.
Questions
In the WG documentation it lists a 33µF 160V cap for C905. Bob Roberts kit came with a 47µF 160V radial cap - not an axial cap like is required - but his documentation lists it as 33µF. I just want to make sure that this is a mistake, and I should not use the 47µF, right? I mean the radial cap will barely stretch to fit the holes anyway since it is supposed to be axial.
Also, the WG document lists C901 & C901 as 100µF 50V caps, and so does the Bob Roberts documentation. But they are also listed as a recommended upgrade to 220µF 50V. I already replaced the existing 220µF with these new 100µF because it came with the kit and I thought the kit included all the upgrade parts. Should I remove these and get some 220µF caps to use, or leave the new 100µF caps in there per the Bob Roberts kit?
Read on for the long version of the story...
OK, now on to the details. Getting the monitor out was much more of an ordeal that I thought it would be. There was no way I could get the monitor out from the back of the cabinet, so I tried to get it out through the front. I took off the housing and removed the glass and bezel. I removed the bolts holding the monitor frame to the cabinet and tried to slowly take it out the front. It was so close, but ultimately the monitor kept running into the speaker grill. I considered removing the grill, but it looks like it is riveted on.
Finally I decided that I would be able to remove the tube separately, so that's what I did. I discharged it (using my home-made screwdriver/alligator clip tool) into the ground pin of a three-prong AC cord. Then I disconnected it and slowly removed the monitor from the frame out of the front of the cabinet. Next I couldn't get the chassis out from the front of the cabinet! I tried every which way I could manage, but the monitor shield kept getting in the way. I was about to remove the shield when I decided to give the back a try. After some more finagling I was able to lift the chassis forward, tilt it, and bring it out the back of the cabinet.
So for those of you still following, I had to remove the monitor tube out the front and the chassis out the back. I probably spent about an hour just removing the monitor. It was like a puzzle.
So on my workbench (kitchen table) I was able to install most of the parts from the kit(s). Next up is to get some thermal compound and install the chassis transistors.
I have another question... the kit came with replacement Q603/Q604/Q703/Q704 transistors. I do not suspect a problem with them, so I am considering not replacing them since they look like they are a bit of a pain to replace. do you think I should replace them anyway?
RetroACTIVE:
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---In the WG documentation it lists a 33µF 160V cap for C905. Bob Roberts kit came with a 47µF 160V radial cap - not an axial cap like is required - but his documentation lists it as 33µF. I just want to make sure that this is a mistake, and I should not use the 47µF, right? I mean the radial cap will barely stretch to fit the holes anyway since it is supposed to be axial.
--- End quote ---
Yes it should be an axial cap... I didn't end up using mine... I ended up getting the axial version.... you may still use the radial, as long as it makes the distance.
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---Also, the WG document lists C901 & C901 as 100µF 50V caps, and so does the Bob Roberts documentation. But they are also listed as a recommended upgrade to 220µF 50V. I already replaced the existing 220µF with these new 100µF because it came with the kit and I thought the kit included all the upgrade parts. Should I remove these and get some 220µF caps to use, or leave the new 100µF caps in there per the Bob Roberts kit?
--- End quote ---
Bob's kit for the most part replaces all caps back to factory values. You'll be ok with those values. The more important upgrades are included in his kit anyway.
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---I have another question... the kit came with replacement Q603/Q604/Q703/Q704 transistors. I do not suspect a problem with them, so I am considering not replacing them since they look like they are a bit of a pain to replace. do you think I should replace them anyway?
--- End quote ---
According to the FAQ these don't often fail... but I decided to replace mine anyway... this whole upgrade is a lot of work... the last thing I wanted to do is skip something and have it turn around and bite me in the but. :cheers:
Neverending Project:
--- Quote from: RetroACTIVE on May 15, 2009, 01:31:52 pm ---
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---In the WG documentation it lists a 33µF 160V cap for C905. Bob Roberts kit came with a 47µF 160V radial cap - not an axial cap like is required - but his documentation lists it as 33µF. I just want to make sure that this is a mistake, and I should not use the 47µF, right? I mean the radial cap will barely stretch to fit the holes anyway since it is supposed to be axial.
--- End quote ---
Yes it should be an axial cap... I didn't end up using mine... I ended up getting the axial version.... you may still use the radial, as long as it makes the distance.
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---Also, the WG document lists C901 & C901 as 100µF 50V caps, and so does the Bob Roberts documentation. But they are also listed as a recommended upgrade to 220µF 50V. I already replaced the existing 220µF with these new 100µF because it came with the kit and I thought the kit included all the upgrade parts. Should I remove these and get some 220µF caps to use, or leave the new 100µF caps in there per the Bob Roberts kit?
--- End quote ---
Bob's kit for the most part replaces all caps back to factory values. You'll be ok with those values. The more important upgrades are included in his kit anyway.
--- Quote from: Neverending Project on May 15, 2009, 01:08:24 pm ---I have another question... the kit came with replacement Q603/Q604/Q703/Q704 transistors. I do not suspect a problem with them, so I am considering not replacing them since they look like they are a bit of a pain to replace. do you think I should replace them anyway?
--- End quote ---
According to the FAQ these don't often fail... but I decided to replace mine anyway... this whole upgrade is a lot of work... the last thing I wanted to do is skip something and have it turn around and bite me in the but. :cheers:
--- End quote ---
Great. Thank you!
I mis-typed earlier. Bob's kit comes with a radial 33µF 160V cap, but there was a 47µF axial installed. I will just install the radial since I have it already.
Also, I took another look at the chassis mounted transistors. I finally understand what everyone is talking about when they say you won't need to solder them. I thought I understood, but somewhere it was mentioned that you can pull off the lugs. When I saw that mine were soldered on, I thought that I wouldn't be able to. Now I realize that the transistor "holder" has the wires soldered on, but the transistor itself simple screws into this - no solder required. It should be really straight forward. Bob even threw in some new mylar insulators with the kit! Yay Bob!
I feel the same way about the extra Q603/604/703/704. I bought them because I didn't want to place a second order if I found they were bad. As long as I have the whole thing apart anyway (and I just bought some thermal compound for the chassis transistors) I might as well install them. One more thing to rule out as the problem.
Hopefully my next post will be after it is all re-assembled and after I have played a few games!
Level42:
uhhhmmm, maybe I missed it (there are so many ur sw threads here now :) ), but did you renew the solderings on the deflection board ?
Do it or fail. :D
Neverending Project:
I was hoping my next post would be after it's all assembled and I had played a few games.
Well, it is! I did all of the upgrades, re-flowed the solder on all the header pins, replaces the chassis caps and got it all back together. I put the monitor back in and fired it up. That 4 or 5 seconds before the screen comes on seemed like an eternity, but there it was - my working Star Wars.
The top of the screen was very dim, and it seemed to be missing some colors. I was a little worried, but a simple twist of the brightness dial and all was wonderful.
I still have to do some adjustments on the monitor and rebuild the yoke (already have the kit), but it is just as fun as I remember, I was so happy that I took the rest of the night off to relax and enjoy a cocktail, and perhaps even play a few more games. :cheers:
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