How I repaired my 1902A monitor.

[airship]

I got a 1902A monitor cheap. Real cheap. In fact, it was free when I bought a C128 and 1571 for a dirt-cheap price. (I also got a 1700 REU thrown in, along with a pair of CBM joysticks and a Seikosha SP-1000VC printer. But I digress...)

Anyway, the thing has had a flaky power problem from the beginning. Because I'd read Ray Carlsen's tech note about replacing the power switch on a 1902A, I kind of figured that was my problem. So, not wanting to open up a device that had the ability (if not the will) to kill me, I let it go. Then one day as I was moving things around, I noticed that if I wiggled the power cord it flipped the monitor off and on. Aha! I thought (I actually have those "Aha!" thoughts), the cord is frayed. That I could handle.

So, following Ray's excellent instructions, I pulled the case apart, and noted immediately that the power cord was routed through one of those awful labyrinthine stress relief thingies. I figured after years of being kinked, and then being pulled on, the cord had shorted out. (Watch out, here comes brainstorm #1!)

So I figured I would take the cord out of the retainer, straighten it out, push a little bit of the straightened cord into the monitor case, then feed  a fresh length of the power cord into the relief. I tried it and it seemed to work like a charm! (More on the "seemed" part later...)

Well, of course, after a few days it started up again, only worse than ever.  Power switch for sure. At least, it seemed like jabbing around at the power switch would usually kick it back in. But eventually it got so I would have to bang the living crap out of the side of the case to get it to come back on even momentarily. Clearly, it needed taken apart and stared at again.

So, reluctantly, that's what I did.

Trembling with trepidation, I powered it up with the case off and began poking and prodding things with a wooden dowel, all the while trying to keep important body parts from being fried. But frustration eventually beat out common sense. I pushed down on the front edge of the power supply card and the monitor kicked back in. It stayed on as long as I applied pressure, and kicked out when I let up.

Cracked power supply board, or solder joint popped loose, or something. Certainly something that was beyond my meager power to even attempt to fix.

But Aha! (again...) As long as there was pressure on the end of the card, there was power to the monitor. And that corner of the card had a HOLE in it! Just the right size for a cable tie...

I cautiously explored for a place to tension a tie, and found the only likely spot - a sturdy-looking cable clip on the far side of the board. Right next to (you guessed it!) the high-voltage transformer. And about a foot away, much longer than even the straight length of my longest tie, much less getting it back to the card again.

So I put together two big green cable ties. Then added a third. After five minutes of CAUTIOUSLY threading them across the board, under the CRT, and past the huge terminals on the high-voltage supply (using my dowel, of course), I finally have the ends through the hole in the power supply board. I give a mighty yank, the board flexes inward, and the monitor comes on. (I DID tell you that I did this all 'live', didn't I? I just forgot to unplug the thing. Sheesh!)

I shake the heck out of it and determine that it will probably stand up to a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. Since I live in Iowa, I figure that's good enough. Plus, there are a dozen old cable ties in about the same vicinity on the board, so I imagine mine will last just as long as those. It will certainly outlast the other components in there, most of which look like they came out of an abandoned missile silo somewhere.

And since I always turn off my C128 system (including the 1902A) with a power strip when I'm not right in front of it, it can't burn my house down without me noticing something isn't quite right first.

Since my hack, the sucker has run 100% fine for a week now.

So, how about it? Is this the dumbest MacGuyver fix you've ever heard of?

[RobertB]

Anyway, the thing has had a flaky power problem from the beginning. Because I'd read Ray Carlsen's tech note about replacing the power switch on a 1902A, I kind of figured that was my problem.

When our club 1902A went bad this year, we just gave it to Ray Carlsen, who repaired the power switch and reflowed solder over the joints.  His repair price - $35.

So, how about it? Is this the dumbest MacGuyver fix you've ever heard of?

Hey... as long as it works...  :-)

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[airship]

Believe it or not, my local Commodore dealer is still in business. He started out in CB radio, then moved into CBM when the C64 came along. Of course, in the early 90's he had to segue into building PCs. He still has all the old Commodore test equipment and manuals, and still loves the machines. He even has old Lemmings and Firebird software posters on the wall! Problem is, his eyes have gotten bad enough that he just can't do the solder work anymore. Since PCs are just 'test a card, and replace it if it's bad', he can do that. But he won't touch my aging C128 stuff.

At least his shop gives me a place to go from time to time to discuss the wonders of Commodore computing.

[RobertB]

Believe it or not, my local Commodore dealer is still in business.

How fortunate!  What is the name of the dealer, and where is he located?

At least his shop gives me a place to go from time to time to discuss the wonders of Commodore computing.

Wish I had a meeting place like that in my town.  Well, our user group meetings are a good substitute.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[airship]

I wouldn't call it a 'meeting place'. It's only John and me. His shop is still called 'Hawkeye Communications', which is what it was first called way back when it was a CB shop. He kept the name all through the C64 era and right into his PC work. I've pointed out to him on numerous occasions that a name change might improve business.