CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

stefuel · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:02 pm Post subject: A good AmPro gone bad

I figured I'd post this so all you AmPro bashers would have something ti chuckle about.

Well it's taken three sets of tubes and I'm about half way through the third set. The beastie is giving me gas Laughing

I know I know it's a AmPro and it's supposed to 4uck up Mr. Green

All of a sudden I started having multiple issues that point in a bunch of different directions. I mean really, what are the odds that you could have 4 or 5 boards fail at the same time and all be intermittent? When it screws up a tap on the side of the projector fixes it. OK, something loose. I re-seated every board in it with a visual inspection of each. No dice. I checked and replaced the CPU memory battery that was way low. No dice. I also replaced the SMPS and HV power supplies with no change. Then I waited for it to act up again and used long wooden dowel to poke around. I found that if I tapped on the mother board in the right place I could cause a reaction. I couldn't see much with it populated with all the boards so I decided to strip it out and inspect it. Boy am I glad I did. There is four pig-tails on the board for G-2, one from the HVPS and three to each tubes neck board. Two of the four fell right off while taking it apart so I re-did all four.
There was a resistor at R37 which looked like it was getting over heated. That resistor tested good but the soldered joints were bad. I took it out, cleaned up the solder pads and re-installed it. Yes I was having G-2 problems as well. Then I found something I wasn't expecting. On the solder side of J10 which is a 26 pin connector that feeds the registration board, I found residual mess from a coolant leak with corrosion all over it. Some of you might remember a few years ago when I had a tube implosion on my green tube. That's the only thing I can associate with that. I cleaned it up like new.
With the projector still hanging and the tubes still in place, I stripped it down to the mother board and removed the mother board in 55 minutes. Let's see you Marquee guys do that Mr. Green

Now it's time to put it back together. That will take twice as long but that's OK. Wish me luck... or flip me the bird...whatever Laughing

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:07 pm Post subject:

I got a nice 4000 you can have. Laughing

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:08 pm Post subject:

I've always maintained that any Ampro post the 3300/4300 was fine. Save for this ^*&^%$ 4300 I have here. I sold a number of 4000s as well that worked fine. Analog's has had the odd issue. Smile

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:10 pm Post subject:

stefuel · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:50 pm Post subject:

"Analog's has had the odd issue"

Ya but that's not projector related Laughing

I just have to re-assemble the SMPS cage and power input (PIA) and then plug in all the boards and I'll be done.
Say what you will about AmPro's but they have to be the easiest projectors to service hands down.

incova · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 745 Location: london

hows it going now Chip?

Nashou66 · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:38 pm Post subject:

Chip, I knew you still love CRT, Especially your ampro!! This tear down might make you fall inlove with her again and want another set of thomas tubes in the future !! Wink

Nashou!!!

stefuel · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:51 am Post subject:

I'm in the mood for love.
Simply because I've got one.
Funny but when I've got one.
I'm in the mood for love.

It's been running for 1-1/2 hours now solid as a rock. I'll rough it in and let it run. I'll give it a couple of days before I re-calibrate. I'm not that crazy.

The only way I'll put in another set of tubes in this is when Curt opens up a CRT projector Hall of Fame. Laughing

This one qualifies Thumbs Up

stefuel · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:03 am Post subject:

48 hours and still solid as a rock Thumbs Up

km987654 · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:19 am Post subject:

stefuel · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:21 am Post subject:

jbmeyer13 · Joined: 03 Dec 2010 Posts: 354

You drive the PJ 16-18 hours per day...do you telecommute and use your PJ for work purposes?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:49 pm Post subject:

No, he's creating a huge hole in the atmosphere right over Green Harbor, Ma. :G

Jeremy112 · Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 1437 Location: Fond du Lac, WI

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 5080 Location: Colorado