3 Atari Power Bricks - How can I salvage one?

Ok so we tested the fuses on the best looking power brick. They all check out ok with the meter set to 200 ohms.

Then we tested the bridge rectifier with dokerts tut..

http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll282/dokert/Testing Video/?action=view&current=100_3099.flv

And it checked out ok with readings between 400 and 600 like he said. They were in the 580 range while testing with the meter set to diode.

So now I need to test big blue... Anyone have any pointers on that? How do I test big blue on the brick?
 
There really is no good way to test, general rule of thumb is just to replace if its original. You can also scope the outputs to see how clean they are, thats about it.

There's not much to really fail on those other than that bridge and big blue.
 
I am gonna order a few rebuild kits from bob but rent is due. So it wont be this week. I was trying to get a brick up and tested out of the three because of lack of money to spend. lol

I am almost there... If I could only prove one of the three big blues had some life in them...

Then it would be back to work on the pole position.
 
There really is no good way to test, general rule of thumb is just to replace if its original. You can also scope the outputs to see how clean they are, thats about it.

There's not much to really fail on those other than that bridge and big blue.

What would you set the scope to? I have a tek 2335 on my bench.
 
You have to use the calibration test point on the front of the scope to calibrate it for a voltage. Then you just connect the probe to the 12v (or is it 10v unreg?) on the power brick and look at the waveform. If its a flat line (just jumps up) then you're good. If its really rippled bad, then the cap is bad.
 
Hmm it has a test point (between the two big knobs) but I can't tell how you connect to it. Usually there's just a screw or a loop you'd touch the probe to.

Usually the test point is a square wave, and you connect your probe to it, and set it up to read that test point so you know ahead that the scope is working properly. The wave will be small, like .5v, so you have to crank up that "voltage per division" knob, just like a meter, so 10 or 12 volts won't go off the chart/screen. Its just like a meter - you have to set it for what you're anticipating to read.

Honestly I have to get to bed but check this out, I found this a while ago and its a nice easy beginner tutorial on scope useage - at least then you'll understand it a little better.

http://www.doctronics.co.uk/scope.htm
 
Using a multimeter, set to a mid scale of ohms (IE about 2K), measure the reading of the legs of the cap (Out of circuit).

The reading will change as the battery in the meter charges the capacitor up.

Then when it stops, reverse the leads and watch the meter go back the other way.

If it charges and discharges it is OK.

Another way is to measure it using a capacitance meter, but it simply gives you a reading of the caps value, not if it works properly.
:)
 
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