Cap Kit Tools

[Danimal219]

Looking to build my toolbox! So I have them for doing my cap kit. I'm not going to until I study up on all aspects especially the discharge. New to the hobby and want to freshen up my games. EVENTUALLY

Was wondering if you guys have any recommendations on tools nicely priced to get and from where?
For when I do get the courage to do my first cap kit install!

 

[RetroHacker]

For replacing caps, you only need a few simple tools and materials:

Soldering iron - Radio shack 25 or 30 watt works just fine
Solder - use 60/40 lead/tin rosin core solder, not lead free!
Dikes (diagonal cutters, for clipping cap leads)
Solder sucker - blue spring-loaded solder sucker, available at Radio Shack
Flat blade screwdriver with plastic handle (for discharging)
Insulated clip-lead (for discharging)

To discharge monitor, attach one end of clip lead to monitor frame, other end to screwdriver shaft. Slide screwdriver under suction cup until you make contact with center prong. If the tube still has a charge, you'll hear a snap.

To desolder a cap, heat connection with iron, flow in a bit of fresh solder if it's not melting well. Suck out with solder sucker. Remove cap, noting polarity. Install new cap, solder in place, then clip leads short. Repeat.

-Ian

 

[kb2umj]

Don't forget the solder wick!

On a 25yr old double layer PC board you may want to use solder wick before a solder sucker. I've found that the suckers can damage the traces far quicker than using wick alone.
Not sure if Rat shack sells wick or not.

Michael

 

[RetroHacker]

Yeah, Rat Shack sells solder wick. Honestly, I've never had a problem with a solder sucker damaging traces. Also, monitor circuit boards are single sided - which makes working on them a breeze. Very easy to desolder/replace parts.

To each his own method - try various things and find out what works best for you. I prefer the solder sucker, but I know other people can't stand them. Wick works, but I don't like it because it's kind of a pain to get hot enough along with the joint you're trying to desolder (especially on large joints). I do use the wick when working on delicate things like surface mount chips though - things I don't want to bonk with the spring loaded solder sucker. Dipping the end of the wick in flux helps the solder flow much more easily.

Case in point, I was replacing a chip on a pinball board, and I was using my trusty solder-sucker and Rat Shack iron, all the while my buddy was saying how much he loves his fancy desolder station and how he hates the solder suckers and could never get them to work. He was amazed when I had that chip out in about two minutes, without damaging or lifting any traces.

Basically, practice, and figure out what method works best for you. If you want, find a junk board and practice on that - a TV set chassis or a PC power supply are both pretty similar in construction to an arcade monitor.

-Ian

 

[mhanlen1]

I've found that a good set of needle-nose pliers also comes in handy.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

For monitors I use a Radio Shack desoldering iron instead of the sucker.

 

[Jimjaycee]

This tip is good for all monitors but especially for discharging older b/w monitors GO5 or 19L2000. You need to use a 1m ohm resistor in between the screwdriver and the ground to discharge the anode. I made one using 10-100k ohm flameproofs in series wrapped with shrink tube. This prevents blowing the hv inline diode from being blown on your red line connector to the tube in the old B/W monitors.
(Thanks Retrohacker for the correction HV diode not HV resistor)

 

[delroy666]

On a 25yr old double layer PC board you may want to use solder wick before a solder sucker. I've found that the suckers can damage the traces far quicker than using wick alone.

Interesting, I've had the opposite experience. If the solder on the wick solidifies as you're pulling it up, it takes the trace with it. With the solder sucker, it's just air, so there's less chance of pulling anything off the board.

 

[Stuffmonger]

I've tried two of those radio shack solder suckers, and couldn't get either of them to work, so I stick with wick. Never had a problem with solder drying to it as I lifted it off a board. Also, adjustable temperature solder stations are MUCH nicer than solid state cheapo soldering irons. Also make sure the soldering iron you end up with is ESD safe.


I have used this station for the past 6 years and could not be happier with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-Soldering-Station-936-Iron/dp/B000ARU9HW
It's not too expensive, it's reliable, and it's durable... hell, I've dropped it onto a concrete floor once, and thought it would be broken. Plugged it in, and it works just fine.

 

[sconfu]

This tip is good for all monitors but especially for discharging older b/w monitors GO5 or 19L2000. You need to use a 1m ohm resistor in between the screwdriver and the ground to discharge the anode. I made one using 10-100k ohm flameproofs in series wrapped with shrink tube. This prevents blowing the hv inline resistor from being blown on your red line connector to the tube in the old B/W monitors.

you can also just carefully slide a good handled flat blade in unhook the anode then discharge the tube

but if you dont want to work it hot do Jimjaycee's method

i also find that finger nail remover (with acetone) works good cleaning junk off of contacts, trace pads.

replace the caps one at a time and verify polarity before and after (as well as value), test the caps you pulled at the end to see if there were any out of range

Have put 7000's g07's and a 4900 in the dish washer then cap kit and no problems yet

 

[RetroHacker]

you can also just carefully slide a good handled flat blade in unhook the anode then discharge the tube

but if you dont want to work it hot do Jimjaycee's method

The problem is if you do the "jumper directly to the frame" bit on a black and white monitor, you've got a good chance of blowing out the HV diode in line with the flyback's anode connection.

No problem doing it on color (raster or vector) monitors.

-Ian

 

[SuperSprint]

Not sure if Rat shack sells wick or not.

They used to (used some from toolbox this week), but now who knows...

The problem is if you do the "jumper directly to the frame" bit on a black and white monitor, you've got a good chance of blowing out the HV diode in line with the flyback's anode connection.

Is that problem avoided by always discharging to the dag wire?

 

[RetroHacker]

Is that problem avoided by always discharging to the dag wire?

As far as I know, the dag and the chassis frame are always connected in an arcade monitor. While I've seen a few television sets that weren't made this way, just about everything else is. No, the only reason the black and white stuff is different is because of that external HV diode. I believe color flybacks have integrated diodes at every layer of winding (or something like that, preventing the need for one massive external diode.

I've pondered rigging up a 1B3 to replace the HV diode in an arcade monitor before - but never had the specific need to do it. The replacements aren't too hard to get, but still, would be funny to try. You could probably get filament voltage by using a single turn around the flyback core. I'd like to see someone kill a 1B3 by discharging without a resistor!

-Ian

 

[Danimal219]

Should I

Should I always change flyback when doing cap kit?

 

[80scoinops]

Should I always change flyback when doing cap kit?

If it's the original flyback and you're capping a G07, yes.

 

[SuperSprint]

As far as I know, the dag and the chassis frame are always connected in an arcade monitor. While I've seen a few television sets that weren't made this way, just about everything else is.

True, but when you discharge a tube aren't you really shorting a big capacitor with the dag being one lead and the anode hole/ultor being the other? At least that's the way I understand it. If so, grounding the anode to the dag wire would discharge it with a no current to the chassis, and hence no risk to the HV diode in a B&W unit.

 

[Danimal219]

If it's the original flyback and you're capping a G07, yes.

I believe it's a G07 just studying everything new to hobby and wanting to fix things up. also have a Gorf that takes a while for monitor to warm up. Is this cap kit too?

 

[modessitt]

Others have told you some good things to have. Some to add:

1) Have good lighting. I have a nice bright overhead and a desk lamp.

2) A small clean paintbrush is good for getting dust and stuff off the chassis so you can see what you are working on. A can of compressed air works too, but runs out and costs money.

3) Have a small dish handy to put parts into. Two is better - one for parts you may put back in (screws, etc) and one for parts you'll throw away when done (just in case you need to doublecheck something like polarity or part numbers).

4) A dental pick is a good thing to have for when you need to get a resistor or something out in an area where it's too tight to get a finger or needlenose in there.

5) A mirror is essential for when you are doing testing. I have two - a handheld for when I do adjustments to a monitor that is installed in a cab, and a wall mirror mounted near my workbench for when I do bench testing (I just look over the monitor at the mirror while I do tests or adjustments).

6) I keep a small desk fan on the bench, too. Sometimes it gets a little warm while sitting there doing monitor work, but it also helps blow any fumes from the solder away. It's not so cool that it keeps my soldering iron from being effective, though.

7) A magnifying glass is very helpful when trying to read a number on a tiny zener diode. You won't always have access to a manual for part numbers, and some manuals are incomplete.

I'm sure I'll think of more later...

 

[sconfu]

The problem is if you do the "jumper directly to the frame" bit on a black and white monitor, you've got a good chance of blowing out the HV diode in line with the flyback's anode connection.

No problem doing it on color (raster or vector) monitors.

-Ian

method above has NO jumper attached, "working it hot"

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

I use a small 3 gallon air compressor (less than $100) to blow dust off my pcbs. It also comes in handy for many other things in the arcade.