What blew out on this monitor?

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QPC414@reddit

Someone was playing Hapoy Weed on their vintage computer.

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maddler@reddit

Why would you even try to switch that back on once you had that much smoke coming from it?!

Unplug and leave unplugged. Then get a screwdriver as see what melted inside.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

Because im not really planning on fixing it, doubt it’s worth the time, just wondering if anyone knows what would blow and then it would still work.

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maddler@reddit

Just for clarity: do you expect someone to just look a that pic and tell you what just blew up inside the monitor just by looking at the smoke coming out? I see..

And, still, plugging that in and trying to switch it on after the smoke is still a dumb move.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

It’s not going to get any worse. No I just figured it is very odd that it blew and still turns on, can’t imagine many things inside can blow out and the thing still works.

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ShantyTed89@reddit

Are you familiar with the term “cascade failure”? The power supply board or main board in that unit is full of things that depend on the things that are emitting smoke. Recycle it.

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No_Doubt_64@reddit

its not going to get any worse

this is how house fires start

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

Not going to leave it plugged in and walk away. It’s already in the driveway at this point.

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yami_no_ko@reddit

Either you give it to someone who can repair this or consider it gone for good.

It smoked for a reason won't magically fix itself by trying to turn this on again.

CRTs are generally safe to use if you use them within their safety regulations. Anything you may or may not try after seeing this smoke isn't, when you don't know what you're dealing with.

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agent_flounder@reddit

It happens all the time, actually. It's not even remotely unusual.

A monitor, like most electronic devices, consists of many sub circuits.

For a CRT, you have a vertical pre-amplifier, vertical amplifier, horizontal preamp, horiz. amp, blanking circuit, ramp generator, multiple power supplies -- typically supplying high voltages for the CRT and low voltage(s) for the digital side. Each of these circuits have dozens of components (caps, transistors, diodes, etc)

The smoke is due to overheating of a component due to high current, usually due to a component that has failed in a way that causes a short. The failure and the smoking component may or may not be the same and each could be any of hundreds of components including chips, resistors, transistors, diodes, wires themselves, transformers, etc.

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takeyouraxeandhack@reddit

It does get worse. The longer you leave it on with failing components, the more components you damage down the line.

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maddler@reddit

Do as youn please dude...

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probably_platypus@reddit

Actually, the cause is quite certain. Not 100%, I grant, but quite certain.

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takeyouraxeandhack@reddit

CRTs are not manufactured anymore. As long as the tube is ok, pretty much everything else can be fixed. Given that tubes are getting more scarce every day, a lot of people (myself included) would argue that every CRT is worth repairing.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

It’s not something I could do myself and not worth paying someone, I’ve been selling a lot of these on Facebook marketplace so maybe I’ll ask buyers if they want to take it and give it away. I was going to take it to dump today, but maybe one of them will want to have it to fix.

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eaglebtc@reddit

So you come here expecting people to give you advice for free, and also telling us that you sell a lot of these. Maybe do your own research instead of mooching off everyone's help.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

You’ve discovered my evil plan, corner the vintage monitor market using my stolen secrets and then spread my empire westward crushing everything in my path.

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savro@reddit

Ok, but even if you can't sell this monitor, don't just send it to the landfill. Offer it for free and perhaps someone who wants to and is able to repair it will take it from you.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

I’ll see if I can find someone who wants it, but I live in a town of 2500 people. Usually when I sell monitors people drive for at least an hour, usually more, to meet me. Can’t imagine someone will drive for one to repair even free, but never know. I’ll post it and see.

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ChloeTigre@reddit

Oh you’re one of those scalpers. Breathe that then.

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brodydwight@reddit

Do you know what sub you are on m8?

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probably_platypus@reddit

I'll guess that the smell wasn't pleasant. When RIFA caps fail, people say they smell like fish.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

Definitely unpleasant, bummer of a morning.

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Vegetable-War1920@reddit

Do not open a CRT unless you know exactly what you're doing, the capacitors inside can hold a lethal high voltage charge even when unplugged

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aspie_electrician@reddit

*capacitors

You mean the tube itself.

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tsukiko@reddit

The flyback transformer can also store a lethal amount of charge for some time after external power is removed. Practically speaking, cathode ray tubes and flyback transformers generally aren't lethal if they are completely and continuously unplugged for a few weeks to months. This comment should not be construed as advising for CRT repair.

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khauser24@reddit

This. I used to build Heathkits (I'm old, most of you won't understand that reference). Was carrying a (thankfully monochrome) CRT and didn't really my thumb had gotten close to the anode socket. Also, this was horseshoes but it was DEFINITELY close enough!

Somehow, I did not drop it.

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Howden824@reddit

That's the magic smoke escaping. Don't turn this on again.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

It’s not going to explode.

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Howden824@reddit

Fine, go risk a CRT implosion and/or house fire.

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maddler@reddit

That's just a CRT screen, after all. What could possibly go wrong...

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OrthosDeli@reddit

Were you baiting for this?

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maddler@reddit

That obvious?!

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waitingForThe_Sun@reddit

No, but maybe implode.

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maddler@reddit

If you've got good fresh smoke you can still try to top it up, perhaps. /s

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Remarkable-Memory374@reddit

They sell it at autozone next to the blinker fluid

look for ac/delco Harness wiring magic smoke. I personally get the demagnitized kind

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CindyStroyer@reddit

Gotta put it back

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ziplock9000@reddit

Too late, they already did and are not listening to anyone's advice.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

No, definitely not.

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common_redditor@reddit

Don’t breath that

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VimtoUK@reddit

More importantly what caused it to blow. The blown component is not always the source of the fault.

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Lofaszjanko@reddit

this is propellant

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Garfriend@reddit

Dreams and aspirations.

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treesmith1@reddit

Just a really big spider fart.

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Wfflan2099@reddit

Smoke valve

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Salt-Fly770@reddit

Did you try turning it off and back on again? 🤣

My guess is what most are saying - capacitors. They are usually the first to go.

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6502ish-com@reddit

You've got capacitor problems. Most likely a RIFA line-filter, or an electrolytic. Could also be flyback-related. Was there any noise when it failed? A loud pop? Was it really stinky? Well, turn it off, don't turn it back on. As you may know, there are dangerous voltages in there that remain even when unplugged. Based on your questions, I suspect you'll probably need a good electronics person that works on retro-tech.

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Cspeed76@reddit

La electrónica

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shaokahn88@reddit

Apparently we have a New pope

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probably_platypus@reddit

RIFA capacitor. It's a pretty straightforward repair. The RIFA X2 class capacitor is right across the mains 'line and neutral' wires, so it gets your mains voltage. They degrade (search for it!).

Without your input capacitors, the device will be electrically 'noisy' and will definitely be out of compliance. Most recommend replacing them.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

Thank you, I’m not terribly good at electronics repair so I can’t imagine I’ll try, I was just shocked it was still working at all.

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byelow@reddit

And you may well be shocked if you open that monitor case. Bring it to someone who knows what they are doing.

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pherkes@reddit

for real capacitors are no joke

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WingedGundark@reddit

If that is something like late 90s monitor, it is highly unlikely that it has paper di-electric RIFA caps. It can be a catastrophic capacitor failure, but in can be something like mosfet too.

You really can’t tell without opening the monitor.

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probably_platypus@reddit

Agreed on all fronts. And smoke isn't proof of anything other than smoke.

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mdgorelick@reddit

Please do not open the case of this monitor unless you understand the process to discharge the CRT. Big ouchy inside.

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agent_flounder@reddit

To put a finer point on it, CRTs have high voltage (100-1000V) and capacitors, ergo, you could literally die if you don't follow proper safety protocols.

Any kind of device that uses tubes, whether cathode ray tubes or vacuum tubes, is dangerous as fuck.

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thebaka18@reddit

Definitely don’t want to have a grounding wrist strap on if you touch one of those capacitors and ARE properly grounded.

Extra crispy human being the order of operation in said situation.

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mdgorelick@reddit

For sure, your body is then the shortest path to ground. Bad news.

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Tricky_Fun_4701@reddit

It's not 1000v.

It's 10,000v to 30000v. Depending on the design. It's insane voltage.

You're right about one thing, the most important one, it will kill you.

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dizzywig2000@reddit

I think, from memory, that color tubes about this size run at ≈20k-30kV. Definitely don’t want to open it up if you’re not a real expert.

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agent_flounder@reddit

Yikes. Yeah that'll kill ya right quick.

Tbf I have only worked on oscilloscopes and tube amps. Those are in the 100-1000V range.

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MichaelJM81@reddit

The hamster died.

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jussuumguy@reddit

Don't understand all the rude comments and Downvotes.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

People are very grumpy this morning.

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Regular-Host-7738@reddit

Magic smoke leakage - You need to recharge your monitor with fresh magic smoke.

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Nervous-Method-3904@reddit

Smoke

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TheAnalogJawa@reddit

monitor go kaput, don't turn on

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TrinityCodex@reddit

smonk

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Familiar_Asparagus14@reddit

Sacrifice to the CRT Gods

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chispitothebum@reddit

Why did you stop to take a picture? Unplug it, open a window, exit the room closing the door behind you, grab your fire extinguisher, and peak in to see if you need to use it.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

I’ve had about twenty of these blow in the last two to three years. Not terrible concerned about it immediately starting a raging fire.

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agent_flounder@reddit

The smoke is almost certainly toxic.

And yes it could start a fire. WTAF.

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myrsnipe@reddit

Growing up I had one catch fire; stupid or smart as I was I unplugged it, carried it outside and tossed it in the snow, actual flames sticking out.

Today I would probably have used the fire extinguisher instead

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agent_flounder@reddit

This whole thread belongs on /r/oopsthatsdeadly

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

I forgot about the sudden rash of CRT monitor deaths as the vintage computing trend has gotten more popular.

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LaundryMan2008@reddit

RIFA filter capacitor, can be removed without operational impact, as for the failure, the RIFA must have blown its guts hard and possibly knocked off a component disconnecting it or caused a voltage spike to damage something else

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wthulhu@reddit

What an idiot

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Der_X_Buddne@reddit

Puff the magic dragon

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meehowski@reddit

Capacitor shit it’s pants. If you’re lucky it’s just a RIFA filter cap which can safely be deleted.

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FixMy106@reddit

I would replace ALL CAPS

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cubixy2k@reddit

WHAT?

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takeyouraxeandhack@reddit

It's the usual bad advice in this sub. They go and replace perfectly good capacitors with cheap AliExpress who-knows-what without even measuring them just because of a flicker, or even without any faults at all.
It's like a knee-jerk reaction.

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probably_platypus@reddit

Yes. Capacitor testers are now cheap enough for most anyone working on this stuff to afford. Watch 2-3 YT vids and you'll be good to test a cap.

That said, I've fully re-capped something I can't get to work via easier means -- usually power supplies, when there's no schematic.

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alex_under___@reddit

That’s a ghost who worked in you monitor, now left

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MSDOS71@reddit

Since its old and nothing lasts forever, gotta expect things in it to go bad over time, often it is RIFA capacitors or electrolytic caps

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

It’s kinda crazy what works still and what doesn’t. I’ve bought towers that have been literally in someone’s yard for five years and they run no problem, but then something like this still new in the box, been in a bedroom closet in a climate controlled house and it’s out immediately.

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EmersonLucero@reddit

Does it smell like fish? Since it is running I would think it is a RIFA as they are more on the power inlet side and many power supply/high voltage side uses them to smooth out ripple and does not take down the circuit when blown. If it was the flyback, or most of the big caps the picture would be gone.

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potsofjam@reddit (OP)

It’s a 15” Sceptre.