Billabs 19" CGA monitor doesn't turn on- just 'click-click-click' s , over and over..

mooimacow

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Billabs 19" CGA monitor doesn't turn on- just 'click-click-click' s , over and over..

Hi!

I have a Donkey Kong fitted with a new Billabs 19" CGA monitor from arcadeshop - beautiful picture!

This has worked perfectly for me until yesterday when I moved the arcade machine a few feet on the carpet, gently. The monitor no longer powers up. I've verified proper power to it and the game itself turns on, but the monitor just clicks. I hear something that sounds like a relay? It goes *click-click-click!* *click-click-click* over and over again. The tube never actually turns on (no high pitched noise).

The odd thing about this is- this happened once before when I moved the arcade machine a few feet on the carpet, however the problem went away in a few hours and has been fine for a month now- until yesterday.

I had written off the first time as a fluke (bad power in the building? who knows) ...but now I'm really worried about my monitor.

There's got to be just one loose thing I can reconnect or something I can check, but I'm nervous about touching the monitor too much. It can't be permanently gone, can it?


Thanks!

-D
 
that usually happens if the hot is shorted... However if it did this before, mabye a loose connection somewhere causing low voltage to the monitor? Check ac power to the monitor and report back.
 
Thanks for your reply sir!

I checked the AC wiring and can't find a thing wrong. When I moved the cabinet, it was a very gentle move - about .5 feet on the carpet.

Unfortunately, I'm thinking this means some *very* tiny, delicate component of the monitor must have shifted positions. From what little I can find online, monitors that click but never power on usually have issues with the flyback. However, being relatively dangerous, I've never touched the flyback at any point. I visually inspected the flyback and couldn't find anything that looked out of the ordinary.

Might this have to be replaced?
 
I've handled many flybacks. they're only dangerous when they're live. that's why when working on monitors it's crucial that you discharge them first. for shits and giggles I touch my jumpered screwdriver (my discharge tool is a craftsman flathead with an alligator clip stripped and taped around the base of the driver and you connect the other end to the monitor frame :)) to the anode on the flyback... never any sparks.

flybacks are actually very easy to replace. I've done 3 of them now. only reason I had any complications with the last one was because the solder pads were lifting on every single flyback pin. it's as simple as desoldering the old one, and soldering the new one in.

the only variation between flybacks is the focus wire installation... there's the white block that they plug into by the neck socket -- these vary by manufacturer, but isn't usually a big deal. and then the G2/Screen wire that connects to the neckboard -- usually new flybacks do not come with the plug though, I've had to desolder the G2 pin off the neckboard and hardwire the wire in there.
 
Thanks for the reply! (Love your icon by the way)

So is that what's going on here? Do I really need to replace the flyback?

I was hoping there might be something a little easier to address going on here.

Any other ideas? As I said, this happened once before when the cabinet was moved, but it fixed itself a few hours later. Since then the machine has been powered up and down at least 20 times.


Thanks!
 
I can look into that. I bought the monitor somewhere between 2 and 3 years ago so I'm guessing it may not be under warranty anymore (aren't most electronics 1 year?)

I may be out of luck though because I had to take a pair of metal cutters to the chassis in multiple places in order to get it to fit inside a DK cab.
 
Usually when the monitor is clicking ,it has nothing to do with the flyback! That's the power supply going into shutdown mode, because it has too much power. It's called High Voltage Shutdown.. there are different parts in the power supply section that regulate the power. If one of these goes bad, or makes bad contact, etc. the power supply's B+ voltage goes through the roof, and the monitor resets itself and tries again... over and over, click click click.

I wouldn't think it's the flyback. It's probably a cold solder joint if it's done it before and it does it when you move it.
 
YES! This is what I was looking for. This seems way more like a step in the right direction, and a cold solder joint that has gone out sounds like exactly what could be going on too, since I've had to move the electronics board around a bit, those wires have been every-so-gently stressed more than most people's.

Where should I be looking, do you think?

Also, would resoldering this require me to discharge the tube?

Thanks!
 
Not really because the charge isn't going to be in the power supply section, if you're going to attempt to do it while it's still connected to the tube. If you're going to remove the board, though, of course you need to discharge it to remove the anode.

Look where the power goes into the board, follow the traces and you'll see where they lead over to where the HOT is, you'll probably also see several diodes and large resistors, plus an IC chip. It may have 8 pins on it, or may be more like a 16 pin or something. Anyways, all that is the power supply section. See if one of the larger resistors has burnt pads that it's mounted to. Just resolder anything that looks 'different' than the rest of it.

May work, may not!
 
I neglected to mention the HV shutdown possibility. lol of course I was getting screamed at at the time and lost my concentration. :)

there are other reasons for causing this, but just out of a general purpose preventative maintenance/narrowing down approach, check all the solder joints as mentioned by LyonsArcade.

you'll want to check your B+ to make sure it's not running super high, but then again, my mind's a little hazy on the subject (I need to find my Randy Fromm Blue Book! ARGH!) but if there's any issues with the power supply section, it will drive the B+ high, I think.. which will of course lead to HV shutdown.

I don't know anything about Billabs stuff at all, but I think you'll be relieved to know that it's not permanently dead.

I'm leaning towards there being something that was loose and potentially got moved and may have grounded against something when you tried powering the machine up again. so look for anything that just looks wrong.
 
Well, I've moved and wiggled just about everything there and so far, no difference, alas.

Also checked over the board for any damaged/broken equipment, any burn(s) (nope!), no loose leads. I'm honestly not sure how to deal with the B+ voltage. I've been told to leave the flyback alone repeatedly by other people (for safety purposes and to not mess anything up).

I think I'll call Billabs? (Hope they have a support #)- I can't be the only person to have this problem.

Thanks again for all the help, guys. If you think of anything else I might be able to try, I'm all ears!
 
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