Screen collapse or multiple problems?

[tetsu96]

Sometimes the deals just come out of nowhere.  Well, I put down some money for a Centipede cab that seemed to be in moderately good condition except it broke after a move according to the seller.  It does power up but it looks similar to an issue I read about on this thread.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=57255.0

I haven't finished reading EVERYTHING in there but I did want to get the consensus - does this look like screen collapse to you guys?  And if so, shouldn't I hear the game playing when started or would not hearing the game indicate other problems?

And my monitor pics aren't great here but does this look like an Electrohome G07?

[Ken Layton]

Yes that's an Electrohome G07. And yes it looks like it still has original capacitors. The monitor definitely needs a capkit, but it also appears that the "big blue" capacitor in the bottom of the machine has gone bad and needs to be replaced.

[Rickn]

Like Ken says, try the cap kit...

Honestly I am not a fan of Cap Kits as we prefer to trouble shoot and find the real problem- but based on  your Pix- this G07 has an external magnetic shield ( the metal enclosure around the back of the tube) likely 1980 or so.

In this case capkit makes a whole lot of sense, most of the electrolytics are dried up?

But based on the pictures, all green - I think the tube may be shot.

Good luck

Rick Nieman
Rick@Niemandisplays.com
www.niemandisplays.com

[modessitt]

Honestly I am not a fan of Cap Kits as we prefer to trouble shoot and find the real problem

I can understand if this were a monitor a few years old or newer, or obviously caused by a transistor or such, but not for capacitors.  Even if you were to go in-depth and find it was C501 (for example), it's still a good idea to change all the caps on a monitor this old, especially if the caps are older than 5 years.  There's no use to pull the chassis out and just change one cap, then have another one die a few weeks later...

Bad caps cause lots of different problems and cap kits are always a good idea on older monitors, if for no other reason than to eliminate that possibility quickly and cheaply....

[tetsu96]

Yes that's an Electrohome G07. And yes it looks like it still has original capacitors. The monitor definitely needs a capkit, but it also appears that the "big blue" capacitor in the bottom of the machine has gone bad and needs to be replaced.

Ok, so "big blue" is the capacitor that's sitting all by it's little lonesome on the bottom of the cab then.  I was told it had a power supply issue possibly when I got it so I should probably start replacing that.

Any tips on the how to / discharge?  Just touch a screwdriver to both leads on it before unsoldering?  Anything else down there that may carry a charge power-wise?

Also - is this auction reasonably priced for a replacement?  Or is there a better source for parts as far as quality / reliability / reputability / etc?

http://cgi.ebay.com/CENTIPEDE-POWER-SUPPLY-TRANSFORMER-BIG-BLUE-CAP-NEW_W0QQitemZ250109565047QQihZ015QQcategoryZ13718QQcmdZViewItem

[tta583]

Bob Roberts is the man.

Big Blue $12.50
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/parts.html#atari

Cap Kit for a G07 $5
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/parts.html#atari

[tetsu96]

So it took a while for me to get the time to order and install it, but I went with the replacement cap kit and big blue from Bob Roberts (and I agree, he really is the man)...  I tried just the big blue replacement to see how bad the monitor was / if it needed the cap kit - monitor looks a "bit" faded but not bad at all.  If anything, the screen burn puts me off more though it's certainly at an acceptable level of burn in.  And when I do decide it's time to do the cap kit, I got it from Bob anyway so I'll be ready.

The marquee doesn't light up brightly, gonna have to see if either that's adjustable or if I need to replace a bulb / ballast, but all in all it's up and running with a single part replacement.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[modessitt]

The marquee doesn't light up brightly, gonna have to see if either that's adjustable or if I need to replace a bulb / ballast

If it lights at all, then it's not the ballast.  If the bulb is darkened on the ends, it's probably just the bulb, but pick up a new FS-2 started while you're getting a bulb.  They're cheap and you might as well replace it while replacing the bulb.  You can keep the old one to use as a test starter if you ever need one.