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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Jeff AMN on June 01, 2007, 01:50:08 pm

Title: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: Jeff AMN on June 01, 2007, 01:50:08 pm: I have a Donkey Kong cabinet that I'm restoring and I need to do a cap kit replacement on the monitor. I've never worked on monitors before, so this will all be a learning experience. Now, I don't have any tools to discharge the monitor, but I was wondering if you guys would trust this tool (which I do have) to tell me whether or not the monitor is holding a charge.

(http://z.about.com/d/homerenovations/1/0/y/-/-/-/5alsocords400x300.JPG)

I picked one up from Home Depot for another project a while back, and it works well. It beeps and flashes if there is any voltage present. I've plugged the DK in, got it close to the monitor's no-no area, and it lit up. It even lit up after unplugging the machine for a while. However, just the other day it didn't light up. Do you guys think I can safely assume that the monitor has discharged? Would you trust it?
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: shardian on June 01, 2007, 01:56:23 pm: Short answer, no. Even with a bleed resistor, there could still be enough residual charge to give you a comfy tickle. Always thoroughly discharge a monitor before messing with the electronics.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: ChadTower on June 01, 2007, 01:57:50 pm: Long answer, ---fudgesicle--- no.

If you can't be confident in your ability to discharge the monitor don't touch it. You're not ready to do the job.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: BobA on June 01, 2007, 02:08:08 pm: That tool detects AC voltage. The charge on a monitor is DC and would not be detected.

Always discharge a monitor even if you think it has been discharged. Be safe not SORRY.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: northerngames on June 01, 2007, 02:27:46 pm: http://www.arcadegames.net/sightsound/discharge.ppt

this is a simple way to do it with common tools
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: ChadTower on June 01, 2007, 02:56:56 pm: That's not a bad tutorial. I'd add a couple things, like making sure not to scrape off paint around the anode, and use a more insulated screwdriver than that.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: Jeff AMN on June 01, 2007, 04:47:25 pm: Ok, thanks guys.

I'm confident enough in learning how to discharge and doing it, I just wanted to know if I could trust that thing to avoid having to learn.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: shardian on June 01, 2007, 04:57:05 pm: It is still a very handy tool when doing household electrical work.
Title: Re: Would you guys trust this...possibly with your life?
Post by: northerngames on June 01, 2007, 08:23:59 pm: I pulled the link from the monitor FAQ by menace but yeah I was thinking the same thing with the screw driver shown I have the exact same one and don't think I would try it with that type just to be sure I would suggest one with a rubber casing over the handle or if you do use a screw driver like that at least were a rubber glove I never been shocked by one and hopefully never do lol.