Author Topic: Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)  (Read 243 times)

hieihell

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)
« on: November 18, 2015, 06:19:46 AM »
Hey guys, I'm regrettably new but would like to say thanks for letting me join. I often repair systems, and would say my level is at least up to snuff. I recently had a friend ask me to repair his turbo express as the video worked but produced no sound(someone had replaced the caps before and did a poor job, also replaced the fuse). I replaced all the caps on the boards that were SMD cans(not the small rectangular ones) OR electrolytic. Fuse popped when turned on, replaced it. Sound works perfectly, video no longer worked. All I was able to see was a black backlit screen. I did research that suggested the Q900 & Q901 were toast. I ordered 4 new transistors from mortoffgames and installed them. Now i was getting no backlit at all(everything here to the beginning was run off batteries new from the package). I decided to try an Atari lynx power supply to see if the batteries were the issue(the lynx supply isn't far off from the turbo ratings). First Q901 completely smoked and burned, i decided to put one of the original transistors back in place(no more smoking in the area). Now the transistor at Q500 started smoking, but it seems intact still. This sounds like a bad component or 2, or voltage is messed up. I looked around the board and removed the grey goo around the or area(moron who first replaced the fuse scratched the top of the board getting it off, i checked everything i could and traces seem intact) to see if anything was wrong there. I found one of the inductors(L502) is broken and have no idea what that could do or what the replacement would be. I checked VR501 and get a max of about 2.35 V out of it. I need a schematic but it seems this is nonexistent. Short of that, does anyone know 1.) where the power regulator is 2.) what measurements i should get across VR500&501 3.) if the transistor in the Q901 spot is a correct replacement for the stock one I have currently in the Q900 spot 4.) what is the replacement part for L500 or how to test it? 5.) what the replacement for Q500 is called? Any help would be greatly appreciated, and from what I've read thesteve is the most qualified to tell me I'm an idiot. Also what's the best way to show pics of the board through here, perhaps if someone could send me a pm about the pics to not muddle up the topic?

Keith Courage

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2688
Re: Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2015, 12:07:19 PM »
Double check that one of the 4.7uf caps was not replaced with a 47uf cap on accident. I've seen this fry some of the parts you mentioned and blow fuses.

I am not sure of any of the values you need for those parts so someone else will need to chime in.

Worse comes to worse you could have a 3.5" screen mod installed since the mod does not require any of the parts you mentioned to be working. The new screens have their own lighting built in.

thesteve

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2952
Re: Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2015, 04:36:21 PM »
at first you didnt have q900 901 issues as the backlight was working
the regulator is discreet and its output is the biggest transistor on the board
i have seen damaged resistors cause the 5V to run low (physically broken)
the 22uf 35v cap is your -24V supply adjusted by the pot by it
several caps have the - not going to ground, so if you rerouted them, double check

hieihell

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2015, 07:35:29 PM »
First of all, thank you both for your quick responses.

Keith, I'm fairly certain I doubled checked all cap values but I will do so again. Crap happens. If all else fails I'll be trying the LCD upgrade. Is thesteve's LCD mod the most up to date tutorial, or is there a better/newer version to use?

Thesteve, I will be checking this information religiously. I believe you're talking about VR500 in the screen backlight area of the board(not the top of the board near the fuse).  I still need to find out what voltage I should output from both VR500&501. Is the value off the VR with the -24v cap supposed to measure out to -24v? The VR near the fuse is the one that really worries me as I want it as precise as possible. As for the grounding issue on caps, I had 2 lifted/lifting pads(2 different caps), one stayed intact to the trace the either I had to mount to a via leading from the trace(continuity also checked out here). I'll look again but I wish I had darn schematic for this. I'll let you guys know if anything happens, please inform on what you can. Again I am grateful.

thesteve

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2952
Re: Turbo express weird issues(after cap replacement)
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2015, 01:57:46 PM »
as for the pots, the one near the fuse is your 5V adjustment, the other is the -24V
5V can be checked at caps or the big transistor collector (tab)
-24V will be on the - of the 22uf 35V cap near its pot, and on the screen ribbon