CD-i 910, been through hell.

I'm assuming this isn't a good thing, correct?


Besides the obvious, there's the fact that the front controller port doesn't work. If I can get the PSU and the controller port fixed, I'd have a happily usable unit. Any ideas on the controller port?

 

That's HOT!

-hl718

 

Would you believe that piece of garbage was sold to me as working?! The CD didn't even spin because the spindle had sunken onto the drive tray! The case is bent, the laser needed cleaning, the controller port is broken, the save feature broken, it only sometimes starts up, the tray belt is almost done and finally it needs to be run with the cover off as the drive tray is warped. At least I only paid $40, worth it fro that video cartridge and the three games, rather then paying $20 return shipping and get nothing.

 

Heh, if this was on eBay I hope you issued negative feedback.

The MPEG-1 video cart is worth that alone, but still, to claim that is a working state is just sad.

-hl718

 

Oh, don't worry. I just wish I could remember the name of the seller.

 

Would have sold you my CD-i that is working for slightly more hah. Sucks that its in terrible shape (the one you bought).

 

caps look to be bulging/leaked. try replacing them

 

That's the first thing on the to-do list, as well as fixing anything else that might've been nuked by the heat. I'm more concerned about how to fix the front controller port, do you replacing the capacitors would help?
EDIT: Also, it appears to have been submerged in a sticky, moist substance at once. The power cord was sticky to the touch, and there's dust essentially clued to various boards of the unit. Unsurprisingly, the main point of entry seems to be where the PSU overheated.

 

Sounds like someone spilled a soda can on the thing.

-hl718

 

That's common to see in power supplies. It's just a sign of bad circuit design. They always try to minimize space and use a cheap heatsink.

Doesn't always mean the power supply is busted though.

 

Doesn't make it any less surprising that it still powers on. If only the caps are dead, it should be a relatively simple fix, just need to order some nice high quality caps from Digikey.

 

hope you get it fixed

 

I would replace all the Philips (Blue) capacitors in that PSU. I had a couple of Philips S-VHS VCR's in the past and it's always those caps that leak.
I recommend using Panasonic FC Series (105c) caps for long-term reliability. After changing them you'll notice that a lot of small faults may disappear, and the VFD will sometimes look brighter.

 

if i buy one i would change all caps

 

For successfully/properly repair power supplies with leaked electrolytic capacitors, you're required to partially dismantle it. Remove all electrolytic capacitors and inductors (the caps won't be put back, will be replaced with fresh capacitors instead) and with the board as clean as possible, you put it in a bucket full of tap water, grab some neutral soap and scrub the board like if there were no tomorrow.

Remember to remove the inductors, saving you from the trouble of having water enter in them.

That will get rid of the leak residues which are not only corrosive but also conductive. That stuff can even cause a fire depending on where it lands when it leak.

That's one of the reasons power supplies have fuses ... lol

Once you clean it, dry it and put it back together there's a good chance it works properly on the first try. :thumbsup:

 

I think that's overkill, not to mention the problems that may arise with pulling out and then replacing every wirewound component again.
Why not just clean the affected areas with a cloth (maybe with a dab of window cleaner on it), and then leave it to dry out overnight?

 

Because the leaked residues make the circuit board conductive.
The day I replied the topic I did the exact same thing to a US Playstation 2 console power supply that were connected to 220v outlet without a converter. The capacitor leaked leaving the electrolytic fluid all over the board and it was already dry.

If you put the meter on a board on a high range scale (like Mega OHM) and put the two tips on the board it will show conduction in such cases. That's enough to cause problems similar to the PSU the OP posted.

Anyway, I do that kind of stuff on professional repairs. I don't know if the OP is willing to do something like that, just wanted to mention that the best solution is scrub the thing throughly ...

 

Brand is irrelevant. Electrolytic capacitors have a short lifespan - fact. Usually after 8 years or so they start deviating, so it isn't surprising that a machine that's what, 15-20 years old, has suspect caps.

Never EVER clean electronics like this. Water and electricity DO NOT MIX. Water will also speed up oxidation, i.e. rust. There's a reason why there are PROPER cleaning solvents available for PCB cleaning. Use them! Electrolube do several cleaners that are suitable, for example.

 

Water and electricity don't do squat together.

Water, by itself, won't conduct worth a damn. It's the impurities in the water that make it conductive.

As for cleaning a board, as long as there is no power going through it, water is fine. Go to town. Just dry it completely before running power through it.

-hl718

 

There are caps that are specifically designed for SMPS use, something to do with the high switching frequencies (I think), plus they are more tolerant to high temperature environments. Why not use caps designed for the job rather than off-the-shelf no name equivalents? It's not like they're any more expensive either :shrug:
I remember a few years ago there was a pandemic of dead PC motherboards with leaking caps. I bet if they had all used caps from a 'proper' manufacturer they'd last a lot longer.