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Monitor Repair Advice Needed

I have a PC monitor that works fine except for an intermittent that I have traced to the connection between the pins in the neck of the tube and the small pc board that is mounted on them.

Although I can't see the socket surfaces, the pins appear to be the problem, with a dark coating that does not respond to the mild cleaners I have tried so far. I am assuming that if I can clean the pins properly the problem will disappear, however some form of surface treatment that leaves a non-reactive conductive coating would be a better long term solution.

What options exist for treating the pins to leave them with a non-tarnishing finish that will help ensure a reliable contact with the socket?

Reply to
James Hahn
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I'd be surprised if it was the pins, more likely is the spark gaps in the socket acquiring dirt that makes it arc across too readily. The spark gaps are there to protect against high voltages in a fault condition, a sufficiently high voltage will arc across and be shorted to earh. But if there is dirt in the spark gap the gap will be shorter and it will arc over at a lower voltage - perhaps within the normaal operating range of that electrode. The solution is to generously flush the tube base socket through with alcohol, which should work.

2 warnings:

make sure it is fully dry before you put it back on

nearly all electonic components will be quite happy having a bath in alcohol, but s few things won't be. If you are not confident of assessing this yourself then to be safe you should remove the tube base socket before cleaning.

Good luck

Reply to
Luke Siemaszko

If you're VERY careful, you can get a better connection by lightly scraping the pins with a dull knife. This helps to remove some of the oxide.

Also, carefully spread the pins outward just a skosh with long-nosed pliers. This gives the pins a better grip in the socket.

BTW -- Are you sure that the solder connections on the CRT socket are OK? That's often a weak spot. Resoldering those joints will often help.

Reply to
Matt J. McCullar

Thanks. I have replaced the whole socket, so I'm confident about the solder joints (and the spark gaps, which I don't believe were ever an issue). Gently scraping the pins removes a covering which sure looks like it would prevent the connection, but the problem re-appears in about two weeks. I am only scraping the exterior face of the pins, where I can see exactly what I'm doing, which is why I thought a different cleaning technique that could safely get around the whole pin might be better. I'll try the gentle bending trick, as that will increase pressure on the surface I can scrape, but the pins appear to be made from a very brittle metal.

The latest fix is to use a plastic tie to put some upward pressure on the board, and currently that seems to be working!

--
 "Matt J. McCullar"  wrote in message 
news:z0Uee.2430$Jz2.2209@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
> If you're VERY careful, you can get a better connection by lightly 
> scraping
> the pins with a dull knife.  This helps to remove some of the oxide.
>
> Also, carefully spread the pins outward just a skosh with long-nosed 
> pliers.
> This gives the pins a better grip in the socket.
>
> BTW -- Are you sure that the solder connections on the CRT socket are OK?
> That's often a weak spot.  Resoldering those joints will often help.
>
>
Reply to
James Hahn

Caig make excellent products for cleaning all electronic terminations. They have a web site and even sell at RadioShack now.

Reply to
borgunit

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