Monitor Neck melting? (Superbug)

[Milky]

So powered up Superbug and there was a bit of a hissing/crackling noise. Picture was okay (ignoring the slight drop of gamefield), game played okay (picture was bouncing a touch) but when I opened the coin door to locate the noise, I saw this (seen from the front):

Now, there's no smell of burning or anything like that and it looks like there's been some repair work in that area but, is it me, or is this thing slowly melting?! I admit I've not looked closely at the neck before now, so can't tell you if it was always there or not. The monitor in question is (according to the manual) a TEC TM-600/623. It just looks like old foam filler/sealant and the dirt suggests it's been there a while.

(Seen from the rear access panel)

(a cap encased in dusty foamy stuff)

(and from another angle)

Milky2012-10-28 16:49:59

 

[Level42]

Hissing/crackling noise ? check the HV cup area for dirt.

 

[guddler]

I very much doubt that's melting. It just looks to me like the white silicone goop they put on at the factory to prevent things from coming off / loose. I can see why you might think that from the first pic, but no.

Another clue is that you have a picture. If the neck of the tube was shot then you wouldn't have a picture.

As said above, the hissing / crackling will most likely just be dirt and damp around the anode cap. It should go away after some use, if it doesn't, clean the area up but discharge the monitor first if you're going under the cap or you might get a bite

PS: If you do try to clean up the back of the tube, don't go mad with liquid cleaners. It might be tempting to clean all the dull grey surface up so you can see all the nice shiny glass underneath but that grey textured surface is called 'aquadag' and it's there for a reason. It forms part of the capacitance of the tube (I think, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on that!).

If you do accidentally wipe it off it can be bought in a liquid form and painted back on but it's a pretty specialist thing so best to not remove it in the first place

guddler2012-10-28 13:57:41

 

[Milky]

Ah, thanks both - I'm still at that freaking out, "what's that!!" phase of learning about these things

I saw all that hanging off the neck and a very bright orange glow and panicked. I've powered up the other cabinet and studied its behaviour to realise that, actually, an orange glow is probably not a problem either. That one is a lot tidier too, no goo on the neck.

So I had a look at the cup and it looks like it has pulled away from the monitor a little (I'm guessing it should be a good seal). So either it's perished and pulled away, or someone has been up in there to discharge the screen once or twice and its not "snapped" back into shape. So I reckon either a quick blast of compressed air around/near the cap (but not into the gap, that wouldn't end well I'm guessing)? Or just fire it up and let it burn off the damp/dust?

Thanks for the heads up on the powder coating too - I would probably have shifted some of it thinking it was dust. That would have left me with one chimped monitor

That bit that looks like a damp patch isn't damp, not sure what it is, but 'tis dry (and it took me 5 minutes to pluck up the courage to find that out, I don't really fancy touching anything in this area..!)

Milky2012-10-28 16:48:55

 

[andyman]

I would change that anode cap and clean the sh*t way from the hole (remembering what Gudd said above), they tend to go a bit out of shape/brittle with old age and cause some nice arcing to surrounding metalwork.

Bit of discharging and It'll be ok

 

[guddler]

For all the crap on the tube, the vast majority of that is dust so I'd be inclined to use a brush from a dustpan and brush (so somewhere between a stiff brush and a soft brush!) and brush all the crap off. If you (carefully) put a hoover nozzle in there too you should be able to brush it all straight into a hoover.

 

[ataritoobin]

If I'm not mistaken, the horizontal shift (keeping in mind the vertical mounting of the monitor in the game) on black and white monitors is controlled by one of the yoke rings.

I'd double check against the manual for that particular monitor.

 

[P-Man]

Just brush the dirt off, dont change the anode cap (you're new to this, lets try keep it simple and manageable)

You're seeing silicone sealer that has been put on in places to stop stuff from falling off, or in the case of the cap on the yoke, proabably to stop a buzzing noise.

The horizontal shift is not an adjustment on the 'yoke rings' on any black and white monitors that i've seen or heard of. (you don't find yoke rings on b/w games as there's nothing to line up or converge)

Milky : if you can't move the image with the controls on the monitor sufficiently then you can move the yoke itself. But please try the H FREQ (horizontal position) adjustment first. If you have no luck then the next stage is to move the yoke, but thats a reccomendation for another post, don't try it without asking me first.

 

[Ordyne]

just to add my 2 pence, if its arcing that could be making the picture jump, so best to get that sorted first.

 

[ataritoobin]

Just brush the dirt off, dont change the anode cap (you're new to this, lets try keep it simple and manageable)

You're seeing silicone sealer that has been put on in places to stop stuff from falling off, or in the case of the cap on the yoke, proabably to stop a buzzing noise.

The horizontal shift is not an adjustment on the 'yoke rings' on any black and white monitors that i've seen or heard of. (you don't find yoke rings on b/w games as there's nothing to line up or converge)

Milky : if you can't move the image with the controls on the monitor sufficiently then you can move the yoke itself. But please try the H FREQ (horizontal position) adjustment first. If you have no luck then the next stage is to move the yoke, but thats a reccomendation for another post, don't try it without asking me first.

Odd, the B/W Toshiba monitor in my Taito Space Invaders has two rings on the yoke. This was the only way I could shift the image up to line back up with the cellophane.

It looks like there are some rings on Milky's yoke just above the fixing screw:

ataritoobin2012-10-29 16:17:52

 

[P-Man]

Well then i'm an ignaramous!

I'm used to just shifting the yoke itself, havn't spotted any rings before now on the ancient crap i've had to deal with.

 

[Ordyne]

You can use the rings on a B&W to move the picture around, however its not the first port of call to adjust it, more of a last resort.

 

[Ordyne]

Well then i'm an ignaramous!

Does this come framed at extra cost ?

I'll forgive you, not sure about the rest of the world!

 

[Milky]

Thanks for all the feedback and help on this - I think I owe a number of beers

I've cleaned gently as near as I want to get to that cap and blasted some compressed air near it (but not UP it). I've powered it up again and it doesn't sound like it was as bad as before so what is there may well burn off with extended use.

I agree with you all that even attempting to tinker with that cap will result in my glorious electrical death. I'm googling CRT/Monitor repairers that might be local to me, so might see if someone can replace that cup for me, just to get that gap closed.

With regards to the imaging, I had a "Mr. Bean" moment with this as the rear access door is set up to switch off the game should it be opened. As someone pointed out today, push the tamper button back in and then you can tinker with it all still running. Just going to be careful there too, but will let you know how it goes. The monitor board has the following switches, so should be able to do it all from there; Contrast, Brightness, Horizontal Hold, Vertical Hold, Vertical Height(??) and Vertical Lin. (???)

These Rings that you refer to;I can see what looks like a large washer (?) above the screw flush against the part above it - is that it?

thanks again!

Milky2012-10-29 19:35:05