Cap Kit Install Videos - Informational

[WunderCade]

A big thanks goes out to the guys on the forums (p1899m) who took the time to make these. Thanks. 

Disclaimer: These video clips are informational only, YOU PROCEED AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION, RISK AND LIABILITY, these guys are not purporting to be experts. No assurances are implied. 

CAUTION - HIGH VOLTAGE RISK: Discharging a Monitor



Installing the Caps:



Additional Cap Install:


[Youtube links fixed]

[Lutus]

Sweet mercy.  This should be stickied.  I can't count the number of posts that say "I am afraid of discharging".

Come to think of it... arcade owners aren't the only ones that say that exact phrase.   

Thanks for giving us a topic with some videos so we (the collective) don't have to explain cap kit installation a bazillion times.

[ChadTower]

Sweet mercy.  This should be stickied.  I can't count the number of posts that say "I am afraid of discharging".

Mostly followed immediately by "I'm afraid of the liability of a discharging document bearing my name getting out there... so there are no formal instructions".   Real or imagined, the potential for someone getting it wrong and suing is a large reason why there has never been a good web page on discharging a monitor.

[Neilyboy]

awesome vids!! that kinda makes me want to cap my donkey kong ez monitor since thats what he was doing there.. but im the kinda guy who always says.. if its not broke dont fix it.. dang it i may have to do that this spring.. thanks a ton for the videos its very informative.

Neil

[Lutus]

Capping CAN be dangerous absolutely but like GI Joe always said... "Knowing is half the battle!"

[ahofle]

Damn the 3rd link is already dead. (EDIT: I got a 'no longer available' error, but it seems to be OK now) 
Is there anyway to capture these and host them here permanently in case they are removed from youtube?  This kind of tutorial is so nice.  I had no idea how the anode cap was actually attached to the hole until I watched this.

[Mauzy]

Awesome. I really appreciate these vids as I need to recap my Pentranic 1125, but have never done anything of the sort due to fear of missing something in the instructions and being zapped. After seeing these, I will definitely get around to recapping in the future!
 


Big vote for this becoming a sticky. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who need to see this.

[SirPeale]

.. but im the kinda guy who always says.. if its not broke dont fix it.

And you'd be fine in that assumption.  If it's working well, with good colors, LEAVE IT ALONE.

[Hurray Banana]

Is there anyway to capture these and host them here permanently in case they are removed from youtube?

Yes

You can use these to convert YouTube to video files (even just the audio if that's what you want). My students use these a lot.

http://www.mediaconverter.org/

http://vixy.net/

They can then be uploaded somewhere.

[Bender]

Does anyone know who made those top two videos?

I'd like to thank them
I just finished my first cap kit and it went beautifully (for the most part, thread herehttp://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76739.msg799757#msg799757)
I was really nervous about doing it, especially discharging the monitor of course, and having that info gave me the confidence to do it


WunderCade,

thanks so much for posting this
this should be stickied

[sfrascella]

Does anyone know who made those top two videos?

p1899m made the first 2. He is a KLOV member.

I also would be very careful touching that anode cap before discharging. If it has dried out over the years and has even the smallest crack in the rubber you could literally get the shock of your life!

[Bender]

I also would be very careful touching that anode cap before discharging. If it has dried out over the years and has even the smallest crack in the rubber you could literally get the shock of your life!

I'm with you on that! I didn't want to get any where near that till I was sure it was discharged.  I just slid the corner of the screwdriver head of discharge tool under the anode cap till I heard the pop and the did it four more times 10 minutes apart just to make sure.  I Then removed the anode cap I did it two more times to the anode hole, better safe than sorry!

[WunderCade]

*bump* for noobs

[The EH Man]

Vids are gone.  Did anybody save them?

[SirPeale]

Vids are gone.  Did anybody save them?

Vids are there just fine, man.

[The EH Man]

Vids are gone.  Did anybody save them?

Vids are there just fine, man.

Weird.  I clicked on all of them earlier and "Sorry, this video is no longer available".  They all work fine now, though

[DaOld Man]

Great info!!
Im going to show my ignorance here...
I just bought a Capcom Bowling machine.
This is the first "real arcade" monitor I have.
How do I know if it needs re-capping?

[Level42]

Great info!!
Im going to show my ignorance here...
I just bought a Capcom Bowling machine.
This is the first "real arcade" monitor I have.
How do I know if it needs re-capping?

If the picture sucks, you need a re-cap. If it's fine, leave it.

[castlesteve]

Great info!!
Im going to show my ignorance here...
I just bought a Capcom Bowling machine.
This is the first "real arcade" monitor I have.
How do I know if it needs re-capping?

If the picture sucks, you need a re-cap. If it's fine, leave it.

ditto.  dont touch it if it looks good to you.  you have a better chance of messing it up ... especially if you arent efficent with a soldering iron

[Arm123]

I cant help but notice the 'little helper' in the background    I have two cats that supervise my work as well.

[Boingo]

I loved the videos except for one problem.  In the second video, the guy kept referring to the capacitance values as "uF" instead of "µF".  I know "µ" looks lot like "u", but it is actually the Greek letter M.  In the SI (metric) system of prefixes, "µ" stands for "micro".  The Latin M or m could not be used for "micro", because they were already being used for other prefixes ("Mega" and "milli"), so the Greek letter M (µ) was used instead.  At first I thought he had said "µ", pronounced "moo" like what a cow says, and that I had just heard him wrong, but as the video continued, it was clear he was saying "u", not "µ"

BTW:  µF stands for microfarads.

Sorry.  Just something that was bugging me.

[Level42]

Nice vids !

Like it's mentioned in the third video (but not in the 2nd !) do not assume that the silkscreen printing is correct. Check the polarity by how the old cap is installed. IIRC the G07 is one of the monitors that have an error in the silkscreen.

Another tip: the solderings on those monitors are very old and won't flow easily. Add a little new solder tin to make the old solderings flow much easier. This also prevents you from overheating (because the old solder won't flow).

Also, on the second video the guy is moving the iron to "smear out" the solder. That's a big no-no. Basically you put the iron at the right spot and hold it there, let the solder flow into it's natural "position/setting" and then simply remove it. Don't allow the part or leg to move during the setting of the solder, or you'll have a cold solder joint.

Just some details, otherwise these are great tutorials

[georgemcfly]

If the monitor in my cab has terrible burn in, and i want to replace, do i need to discharge it first? Or is it safe to pull, and destroy redneck style?

[SirPeale]

You can pull without discharging, but I urge you to find some that wants it for either parts or repair.

[moose]

As far as caps specifically go, do they need to be discharged (not the tube) before removal? I know they hold charges, I don't know how long for though, or what a safe way of making sure they're drained are.
Also, for discharging the tubes, should the power cord be plugged in to have a ground connection to the outlet or not?

[SirPeale]

As far as caps specifically go, do they need to be discharged (not the tube) before removal? I know they hold charges, I don't know how long for though, or what a safe way of making sure they're drained are.
Also, for discharging the tubes, should the power cord be plugged in to have a ground connection to the outlet or not?

There is one on the G07 that can hold a painful charge, but other than that, no.

[ChadTower]

I'll do it anyway for a lot of caps.  Not that I think I'll get shocked - I just don't want to accidentally discharge one into a nearby component.  It would suck to blow a driver transistor and not realize it.

[SirPeale]

I might do it for larger caps, but won't bother for smaller ones.

[Muerto]

Thanks!!!! - i think im might be able to d a cap kit now!!! - had no idea how it was performed before i saw those vids!

[AE35]

Love the cat in the background goofing around. Not very nice to ruin the
guys video

[Xiaou2]

Ive had to discharge quite a few monitors back in the Arcade days.

 One thing to note.. is that Id NEVER put my hand anywhere near the Rubber Anode Cap, when the monitor has a charge.   Dont lift the cap.. just slide the thin grounded screwdriver under till it pops.

 Another thing... Is that I never trust an arcades grounding.  I place a ground wire right into the electrical outlets ground input, and tape it in place.  Also, besides making a nice tight wire loop around the screwdriver... tape it as well.  You dont want any chance of it coming loose / off.

 Never underestimate the thing.  A tiny crackle sound is deceiving.  Theres still a LOT of power in there, even after a single discharge.  I once caught a bolt from being a little careless... and my arm flung back uncontrollably at mach5 into the nearby wall. It impacted so hard that it nearly broke my arm.  My fingers had black soot on them.

 Wear some thin workmans rubber coated gloves, for added safety.

[lettuce]

Another thing... Is that I never trust an arcades grounding.  I place a ground wire right into the electrical outlets ground input, and tape it in place.  Also, besides making a nice tight wire loop around the screwdriver... tape it as well.  You dont want any chance of it coming loose.

I have done a few CRT discharges and I have always used a screwdriver attached to a wire with crocodile clip on both ends.....



and have always attached the other end of the wire to the earthing strap that goes around the CRT tube with the CRT unplugged from the wall, are you saying that it is dangerous to do it this way??

[Sarver Systems]

Screwdriver:
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-super-long-screwdriver-set-34253.html
$4.99

Alligator Clips:
http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-electrical-clip-set-67589.html
$2.99

DO NOT use these screwdrivers: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-16-inch-go-thru-screwdriver-set-65772.html
The metal shaft extends past the plastic handle, therefore completing the circuit to your hand.

[Slippyblade]

DO NOT use these screwdrivers: http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-16-inch-go-thru-screwdriver-set-65772.html
The metal shaft extends past the plastic handle, therefore completing the circuit to your hand.

Is that the "shocking" voice of experience I hear?

[Sarver Systems]

No, but I can see from the pics how that screwdriver is manufactured.

I was looking for alternatives, in case someone wanted to upgrade or multi-task a tool, but the one I posted is pretty much the only one that'll work.

Unless you want a shorter screwdriver of course.

[yotsuya]

I bought mine from Bob Roberts.