IBM Color Monitor Repair?

I'm not sure if it really counts as gaming(Well it has games) But I recently got an IBM 5150 with a color monitor, the monitor powered on fine but then I turned it on again and now it just shows a single horizontal line in the middle. Are there any things I can do to fix it?

 

If you are asking the question then you are probably not qualified to fix it. It is frame collapse which is a common problem, normally it's just a power transistor that has failed but you have to find out if there are other things that might have died when the power transistor failed.

I personally would try to find another 5153 color monitor (or a 5151 mono montor) as it would be safer then doing it yourself and cheaper then getting someone else to do it. There is a 5151 on ebay for $40.

 

Well I'm more oriented towards keeping it as it belonged to family(Who happen to be dead) Also it happened when I was trying to get the video input in a little more. If that is relevant.

 

While I have no experience with this monitor in particular, I have worked on a couple arcade monitors with this issue. A horizontal line (Vertical collapse) is often caused by a blown high voltage transformer (aka a flyback). To be sure you would have to see inside but NEVER open a CRT if you don't know how to handle the high voltage inside! You must discharge the high voltage possibly stored in the CRT (upwards of 20k volts!). Check out the first post of this thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=76567.0) to see about discharging a monitor.

Once you've done this, take some pics and post em!

EDIT: Wow I started this reply way too long ago. Jamtex has it right as well.
EDIT 2: geometry issues...

 

20k volts?!?! Ok screw that. I'd be better off buying a new one then.

 

If its been turned on recently, yes. Voltage will dissipate over a few hours but its not worth the gamble if you don't know exactly what you're doing. Buying a new one is probably best as finding the proper parts may prove difficult as well.

 

Old monitors do tend to hold charge for a lot longer period of times, the 5151 does hold it for a few days as a coleague of mine found out.

mauzy : normally if the flyback goes you tend to get no picture, normally you would look at other things before looking at the flyback. Although you would look at the chassis to see if anything is burnt out or the flyback has a crack and crud coming out of it.

 

Could be dry solder joints. Give it a bash to see if there's any effect.

 

If you do that you will need to discharge the monitor first then you need to make sure all the caps are discharged too, failure to do either could give you a nasty shock...

 

Might be aged components as well. Try leaving it on for a long time. The value of older electronic components tend to drift faster with temperature changes.

 

I wouldn't leave it on for too long especially if the line is really bright, could damage the screen.

 

Oh right! I guess its been a while. If he's got a horizontal line wouldn't that be something in the deflection circuitry? Or maybe I've lost all tech knowledge of monitors I had... :redface:

At any rate, listen to Jamtex over me: he has a better idea of what he's talking about!

 

How exactly do you discharge it? Ive never worked on Monitors or TV's so i wouldnt know.

 

Normally you'd use a well insulated screwdriver or high value resistor to discharge the high voltage capacitors (especially the main reservoir cap).

If removing the chassis completely, you'll need to discharge the CRT via the anode cap (before the anode cap can be removed).
This is where you're more likely to get a nasty jolt if you screw it up. On some monitors you have to discharge it again, as the charge can build up.

 

Forgive my lack of knowledge but, what do you mean it'll explode if there's no load? I'm starting to think I should just get a "new" one.

 

What he means is: if you try running the power supply disconnected from everything else, so it's not actually powering anything (ie: no load on the power supply), the capacitors on an old power supply could literally explode as they are archaic and may not have seen a full charge since they were built.

As many people have said: please, please don't try and repair it yourself. A misplaced finger or screwdriver *will* kill you. They're not joking with those 20k voltages. Either get a TV shop to fix it, or chuck it out and get a replacement.

 

Absolutely - if you don't know how to repair a monitor, don't try. As stated, a reputable television engineer that has been in business a long time could probably fix it, but the cost may outweigh the cost of replacement.

Incidentally, I'd call this more a Computer Support issue than preservation and restoration - that's really a different thing altogether ;-)

 

Well I can safely say that you guys have talked me out of repairing Monitors and TV's. I knew how dangerous it was but never how easy it was to be hurt by them.

 

Definitely something best left to a professional!