Taking apart a CRT Monitor?
So I wanna see if I can do anything to fix my old monitor, though it ain't actually all that old, 4 years or so maybe. It's a 19" SONY Trinitron. The thing is... I just don't think it's actually BAD, but more or less screwed up. 
One day it was working perfectly fine, the next it wouldn't turn on all the way. And actually, make that day 15 minutes becuase it was when I left my computer to use the restroom that when I returned it wasn't on.
When you turn it on, I can hear the static inside like usual, the light turns green for a moment then turns off as if it's going into hibernation. So I figure it may just be the cord, but then again, I don't get the usual error stating that it may not be plugged into the computer.
What do you think? Fixable? Or not worth it since I have no health insurance?
One day it was working perfectly fine, the next it wouldn't turn on all the way. And actually, make that day 15 minutes becuase it was when I left my computer to use the restroom that when I returned it wasn't on.
When you turn it on, I can hear the static inside like usual, the light turns green for a moment then turns off as if it's going into hibernation. So I figure it may just be the cord, but then again, I don't get the usual error stating that it may not be plugged into the computer.
What do you think? Fixable? Or not worth it since I have no health insurance?
0
Comments
Yeah it probably will.... but I'd die knowing I tried my best and failed!
Those dirty greedy environmentalist bastards!!!! I wonder how much their ass will stretch before ripping when I shove it up... their ass.....
the glass screen in a CRT is just the front of a hollow tube that takes up most of the space inside the monitor's housing. It's shaped more-or-less like an Erlenmeyer flask (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlenmeyer_flask) with a square/rectangular base (the "base" being the screen). That entire thing is made out of leaded glass. Rather thick leaded glass, in fact, as the tube is under a vacuum, and over such a large surface area, 1 atmosphere (14.7psi) is quite a bit of pressure... Which is why CRTs are so heavy. And lead is a hazardous material. The electrolyte in electrolytic caps is not nice stuff to have floating around in the environment either. Copper is highly toxic as well. CRTs are just not good things to be going into landfills, and for very good reasons.
To be serious, the place where I used to live had an amnesty day a couple times a year where you could take it down to the dump and drop it off at no charge. They had a deal with a company specializing in that sort of thing there with a big truck to haul it away for recycling.
Those monitors were not in front of my house 30 minutes before they were all scarfed up.
They were MUCH older then yours. If you call around you can probably find a place to fix it for $100 to $150. Thats about the quotes I got to fix the old 20" mitsubishi and Hitachi monitors I had. They were basicaly charging a set price to fix anything but the main tube for that price.
I have taken quite a few apart as I used to paint the cases black to match the computer case and keyboard. I was painting computers 15 years ago before this was even thought of by most.
H*LL I sold a network of almost 30 computers in Aspen in the late 80's because the guy was shopping around and came into my shop and I told him what to buy and he says... But those beige cases really clash with my just redecorated offices. Guy spent half a mil having his sexy young wife decorate the offices in soft pastel colors. I was sitting there with my mouth open. He didnt care what was inside. He wanted "pretty" ones. I was like... you mean if I was to paint them all to match the new offices you would buy these today. He whooped out his check book and I bought a nice spray gun and actually mixed up paint to exactly match the colors in his office and got to spend several delighful afternoons with his Playboy Playmate caliber model wife working out the details. He was in his 50's and a millionare many times over and she was maybe 25 and hotter then a firecracker. Shorts and halter tops cut so low you had to really try hard not to just stare. What worried me the most though was her devilish grin when she caught ya staring. I still just almost swallow my tongue thinking of her bending over in those Daisy Duke cut off shorts. OMG. And turning around and grinning while she is bent over at the waist. My wife at the time would have to sand blast the grin off my face at night when I came home. talk about a "good day at the office". Oh sh*t.
You had to love Aspen Colorado in the 80's. Rich folks with far more money then sense.
Tex
You see that little lead going up to the tube? It's carrying 25Kv from the Line output transformer. Low current, but it can still seriously ruin your day.
And all that black stuff coating the tube? That's known as the Aquadac coating and is one big capacitor. That can also whack you with 25Kv.
You have two choices: dispose of it or get a quote from a local TV/Monitor repair shop.
A Sony 19" Trinitron is a nice piece of kit. It may be worth getting repaired.
But there again, with the popularity of TFT Monitors, CRT Monitors are cheap now.
You have to weigh up the finances and make a decision.
you in the states? if so, what state? if you'd be lucky enough to be close by we might be able to fix it.
i have a 21" Sony that did the exact same thing you describe, and i fixed mine. in mine it was component failure in the power supply portion of the monitor. a double transistor shorted out, taking out a .1 ohm fusible resistor and a 470uf ceramic cap.
as stated before though, danger lurks in these things, so dont go poking around in it if you dont know what your doing.
You can also make a discharging resistor that you use to short the two legs of a capacitor together by attaching leads and insulated alligator clips to a 1 mega ohm 10w wirewound resistor, you then clip one clip to one leg and the other clip to the other leg and let it sit for about twenty minutes.
Make certain to wear heavy rubber gloves when you're doing something like this and wear rubber soled shoes as well and don't hold onto anything that will give you a good path to ground.
High voltages can be worked around as long as you take the proper precautions and remain cautious at all times, a small shock might feel kinda good at first but a big shock can kill you and it's not the voltage that will kill you but rather the amperage that will do you in.
Not always true. In newer monitors/TVs, yes. In older sets (or even newer ones depending on the damage) this isn't the case.
Before opening it or doing anything, by the way, I searched a lot of information, and finally came across this page from which I learned a lot:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/monfaq.htm#mondis
So take a look at it if you really want to try something. But please, be careful, read it, be sure that you understand and if you are not sure of something, don't touch it, and take the whole thing to a repair center. CRT monitors are certainly dangerous as you will see if you take a look at the link. I don't want anyone to get seriously hurt because of my fault.