Monitor Woes

[OneStiffRod]

My monitor just blew out - it's an Opti-quest just past the warranty (17in).

I am strongly considering getting a new monitor to replace it but took a look inside of the monitor to see exactly what happened - It just went blank and there was a strong burning smell when it happened. When I looked inside there was no sign of any synges or burnt marks and everything looked fine until I noticed a SMALL FUSE in the corner - It has a burnt smell to it when I took it out - no other part has that strong of a burnt smell but there is a trace on the other components only right next to the fuse. I was thinking that I would have to replace a perfectly good monitor becuase of a small fuse - does anyone know/have experience working with monitors??

Maybe you can tell me where I could get a replacement fuse and see if by replacing the FUSE my monitor will work again.

any help is appreciated.

PS. Viewsonic does not offer any support for this it seems.

[windoze victim]

Do what i do when i need a part replaced. Go to the store with the part, wander around looking lost, and eventually one of the "nice" employees will get you what they "think" will "work."

[kevinalm]

First let me say that I'm an electronics technician and I'm not just trying to scare you. STAY OUT OF THE INSIDES OF TV'S AND COMPUTER MONITORS! (I know all caps isn't considered polite but right now I'm being a true friend to OneStiffRod so mods please don't edit).

There is 25 to 40 thousand volts in there when it's running and probably half to 2/3 that for hours (and possibly days) when it's off. There is enough current drive in that supply to kill a healthy adult male in one to two seconds or less (probably less). And it can jump up to about an inch to get you, depending on humidity and other factors. I know what I'm doing and I don't like crt work. As far what type of fuse, if you have to ask the question, you shouldn't be doing this.

That being said....

A tech can usually tell by looking at the fuse markings and by the construction of the fuse the type and rating of the fuse. When there is a doubt often there is a stencil on the pc board or a printed label inside the case that can help. After that you have to try to get schematics.

I doubt that replacing the fuse will help, although it's possible. Usually fuses blow for a reason, there is something else bad. Very occasionally a fuse can blow for no apparent reason and replacing it can solve the problem. Usually you just waste a buck and a half for a fuse the instant you power up.

I know your probably going to try to fix it anyway so please be careful. A good safety habit is to keep one hand in your pocket to minimize the chance of cardiac shock.

[OneStiffRod]

I've decided to go for it and replace the fuse - thanks for the warning though - but it's better for me to attempt it and possibly waste a $1.50 on a fuse than taking it to a DUDE who charges me $75 just to look at it and tell me that I need to buy a $200 monitor.

There is stenciling on the BOARD next to the FUSE that says this should be replaced with a FUSE of the same type and rating. The fuse itself is white and on the ends it has some markings but no writing.

If I take it to a guy at an electronics shop to buy a FUSE do you think he can tell what type of FUSE I'm gonna show him or that I need???

Also, CAN I just goto an electronics store and get the FUSE, or is there a special kinda store I need to visit - a website would be best???

[kevinalm]

A lot of the time you can get the right fuse at Radio Shack, if you know what you need. The expertise of they're employee's varies a lot. Put it this way, if you have a good Shack francize near you they probably have it in stock or can get it.

Sometimes you need good light and a magnifier to read the fuse. They can be very faint. The markings might be some letters and numbers, can you describe what you see, or draw it and post or something?

Also, have another look at the circuit board. Sometimes there is a stencil away from the fuse that tells the type. As in the fuse holder is labeled F1 and somewhere else says replace F1 with such and such.

[OneStiffRod]

The stenciling on the BOARD says:

F801
5A/25V01


Ok just found some writing on the FUSE:

T2.5 AH 250V

Are any of these the info I need?

Type and Rating...

[kevinalm]

That should be enough info for a good Shack store or a electronics shop to go on. Bring the fuse with you. Also, look again and make sure it doesn't say .5 amp. Sometimes the decimal point can be easy to miss on the fuse and also on the stencilling.

[kevinalm]

I'm wondering if it isn't really this:

F801
.5A/25V01

T2 .5AH 250V

Have another good look.

The reason being that this makes the two consistant (1/2 amp 250 volt fuse). The only other things are the action(slow-blo or fast, a tech can tell by the construction of the fuse) and the physical size.

[OneStiffRod]

There is, conveniently, a BLOB of white goo(hardened) right where the . in front of "5A/250V" would be so it's impossible to tell. Ps. above is how it is and not "5A/25V01", sorry.

On the FUSE the lettering is spaced as put

T2.5 AH 250V it's etched around the ring of the FUSE

but maybe it could be read as "T2 .5AH 250V"
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The FUSE is about 1inch long with etchings on the caps on each side:

1 side: |F (an F in an L) and an S with a circle around it

2 side: 2 triangle symbols

------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm gonna take it to radio shack today - Do you know if circuit city does the same thing?

[OneStiffRod]

I got the FUSE, 2 actually

a 5 amp 250 volt fast-acting and a 2.5 amp 250 volt slow-blow now just need to know which one goes into MONITOR.

the orig was a 2.5 amp 250 volt and the stenciling on the BOARD states that it would accept a 5 amp 250 volt

it's just that I don't know which type should go in the MONITOR -
a Fast-acting or a Slow-blow????

Ps. I got both so I wouldn't have to go back again.

[kevinalm]

My best guess (and it is a guess) is sloblo. It sounds like the powerline input circuit, and that's what would make sense there. You get some pretty strong current transients when you turn on a monitor. Blew out a surge strip that way once, but that's another story.

Speaking VERY generally, you can often sneak by with a sloblo instead of fast acting, but not the other way around. Although it's always best to replace according to type whenever possible.

I would go with the 2.5 amp 250 volt sloblo.

Good luck. And be careful.

P.S. Be ready to shut off if something goes wrong. Smoke, smell, odd sounds. Damage mounts very quickly if you aren't quick. Sometimes even when you are.

PPS. Does the old fuse have a white stick inside? One common construction of sloblo can be identified by a white (possibly scorched) "stick" running the lenth of the fuse inside the glass tube. There are other styles of sloblo, however.

[OneStiffRod]

I went with the sloblo, it was actually a 5amp 250volt sloblo, the monitor power light did come on but then it quickly went off so it is something more than just the FUSE - I suspect it's a motor assembly in there at least that's what it looks like in there. Anyhow it's too much trouble and not worth fixing, nice while it lasted but I'll just buy another Monitor - I wish I knew what I could do with the old broken one though - the damn thing was only 3yrs old (1999) - I'll never buy another ViewSonic brand (OptiQuest).

Does anyone know of how I can ditch this monitor?? - they've got these places that'll come and pick them up butt they actually charge you to do it and they treat the thing like TOXIC waste.

[kevinalm]

Yeah, the phosphorescent coating inside a crt is toxic and the epa is touchy about that. You might try donating it to a computer repair shop but you'll probably have to bite the bullet and pay to have it hauled off.

[Necrodeemer]

Poor people. Over here in the Uk, we take it down to the local dump, stick it in a special container and get paid £10 for giving it to them! How nice is that....

[face_master]

If it was me, id go into the backyard and start hitting it with a sledge hammer untill it was in tiny pieces. Its so fun! I love doing that. Or, better yet, i'd set it on fire with shellite! ooh...far out. Can I have this monitor? All these great ideas...anyway, im sure your smoldering little peices of monitor would fit nicely into your normal garbage bin that gets collected every week