Dragon's Lair Fans - Arcade Lifestyle
General Chat => Technical Area => Topic started by: gyruss on September 14, 2009, 03:10:36 PM
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I finally got my dedicated Rolling Thunder cabinet (pictures will follow soon) and got a question regarding the monitor.
It’s very dirty with dust and smoke/tar (I think).
What’s the best way to clean this mess? Should I use a compressor, a brush and some cleanser or just hose it down??
Would be nice if you guys could give me some advice.
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the glass side you can clean with a mix of dishwashsoap and ammonia
the back i dont know....
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thanks, but I already did that. the problem is the inside..
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Several people on BYOAC and KLOV forum hose down their monitors.
I don't.
I just have a feeling that it's too risky. There are too many parts on monitor PCB's that absorb water like pots, trimming coils etc. that I wouldn't trust to throw water over.
They always say that drying it really well is the trick, but water can stay in tiny corners for quite long (capilar effect) and corrode things.
I always do the best I can with a vacuum-cleaner, brush, compressed air. On certain parts I spray some cleaner like glassex on a paper towel and clean parts that way. The back of the CRT needs extra care. If you remove the conductive dye, your monitor is dead forever.
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Thanks, I'll follow your advice and will try to rend a compressor somewhere (gamma??).
First I'll have to discharge the monitor, seems I have to get a broom, ducktape and a screwdriver ;)
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Instead of a compressor you can also use "canned air" spray bottles.
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OK, thats seems like a cheaper option. Thanks for your help :D
BTW where did you find that mario bros cab? Its one of my favorites.
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Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
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Level42 is very carefull. That is good. 'Better safe than sorry' is the best way to be sure that you will not damage anything. However hygiene is also necessary, especially for potentiometer and mechanical objects, also to be able to access parts and actually be able to see what part it is, and not getting your hands dirty ofcourse.
A very dirty monitor chassi I personally wash just like any PCB or dirty plates. I use water and soap and a normal paintbrush. Sometimes it may be necessary to desolder certain parts, but most chassis just need a good rinsing under hot water. If any grease is present under the anode cap I remove it with normal white spirit, or gasoline. And always, before washing a chassi take a photo of any paper labels on HT unit, and other if present.
Drying the chassi is the critical moment. I use to stand the chassi ontop of my Electrolux vaccum cleaner for 10 minutes (warm air coming out there), then I blow 'compressed air' (with my mouth) under components I feel are tightly mounted to the chassi, and then I put it back ontop of the vaccum again for 10 minutes. Ofcourse real compressed air would be best to use now, but I have no access to it at home.
The CRT I clean like any other window, with window cleaner and soft cloth. The back of the CRT and neck with yoke, I just use a dry brush to dust off the most, holding my vaccum hose to eat the dust as it flyes. If necessary I then use a damp cloth or white spirit to remove any sticky stuff. The 'dag' (conductive paint) I clean only with a damp sponge, then dry it with a soft cloth. Never use abrasive sponges or scrub this 'dag' off. It must be left intact.
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I don't know the amount of dirt affecting your monitor, but i can assure that using a soft/medium paintbrush with no need of solvents is a good way to avoid:
1- capillary effect due to solvents/water/cleaning additives
2- dust framed under caps or other components due to the air-compressor (ab)use
It's surely time expensive (like any other conservative approach :D) and requires the removal of the monitor chassis, but generally it's sufficient ;)
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Thanks for the information, but the Rolling Thunder Monitor has been cleaned for a long time, I used the method Level42 advised. The monitor is like new again, the colours are great!
Next up: Centipede.