Monitor Recap

[sirmatt]

Alright so I've done plenty of pinball power supply recapping/PCB work...never a monitor.

First test case - electrohome (stamped made in 1991) inside of a Tetris cab...to be turned into a mame cab for 1-button games, but that's another story.

I see the monitor "chassis"...now how do I get the flippin' board out that's attached? Do I need to unscrew and slide the whole monitor/chassis/board(s) thing out, or can I somehow "just" extricate the board in question?

I know of that realbobroberts site to buy cap kits (with instructions?) but how about some sort of site or youtube video which describes this that anyone might recommend?

Thank you.

- Matt

[Tdchewy]

Arcade Repair Tips - Installing A Cap Kit

I found this video..hope it helps

[Hamster]

step 1: remove monitor
step 2: DISCHARGE THE HV
step 3: DISCHARGE THE HV
step 4: Ground tube
step 5: remove chassis from monitor, or, if enought room, leave chassis attached..

I would get a kit from BobRoberts, or any other person who makes a "kit" for the monitor., not all caps get replaced half the time.

What are the symptoms of the monitor? It may not even need a cap kit.. not everything needs a "cap kit"

Qouted from JoMac
Quite a few people ask me if I sell cap kits , in short the answer is no , probably for the same reasons you wouldn't go to your motor mechanic and ask for a spark plug kit to hopefully repair every problem your motor could have.

If you ever get a chance to look through some of the US arcade forums where this ridiculous "cap kit" term originated you will notice that in just about every post where someone has recommended getting a cap kit the following post will be something like this " I installed the cap kit as suggested and my monitor is still the same or not working at all now"!
Well no surprise here and unfortunately many of these monitors end up in my work bench usually in much worse shape than if they had been left alone.

In most cases where the "shotgun" approach has been used ( called shotgun because in reality it is pointing without aiming hoping you will hit the right spot ) the initial fault is masked and much harder to find.
Sure some caps just dry out , these faults are normally displayed as simple vertical fold-over etc but many more caps are damaged because certain parts of the circuit are operating over voltage or out of spec .

My advice in 2 parts:

1.When is it ok to change caps yourself?

A. Only when you know the cap that is causing the fault displayed.
B. When they have obviously leaked from the bottom.
C. When you have been told the exact cap causing the fault and you are competent to replace it yourself.
D. When the cap has obviously exploded from the top

When shouldn't you replace Caps yourself?

A. When you have no idea which cap is faulty
B. When you have no idea at all what you are doing
C. When someone suggests using a "cap kit" ( because they have no idea either )
E. When Someone says "It might be just caps".
F. When your soldering skills are not good.
G. Before you send to Jomac hoping for a discount because you have just wasted your money on unecessary caps.
H. After reading on a US forum that a cap kit worked for them and you think why not give it a go hoping it will work for you.


In summary if you are not sure what you are doing dont do it , some say trying is learning but when it comes to monitors unfortunately all most people learn is that they shouldn't have touched them to begin with .

[sirmatt]

Text slightly fuzzed/doubled/"ghosted" (vertically).
Picture looks washed out? Maybe that's an adjustment thing.

Anyways, my point in doing this is to practice for my Lethal Enforcers which I know needs one (exaggerated and increasing stretching near the edge of the screen making "stilt legs" on characters, etc.)

[Hamster]

well, i would love to say "replace this, do this, change that"

if your willing just to try out doing one to try out, i would just order kit from BR, and give it a shank.