components lifespan

[xhul]

Welcome =]
I should receive my lynx 2 by the end of the year, and it seems in a pretty good condition (barely used).
I've seen some info out there about the potential necessity to change some components (capacitors, etc).
So my question is, does the integrity of those components degrade mostly through intensive usage, or naturally over time aswell (even without juice passing through them)?
Thanks in advance for your time.

[Turbo-Torch]

Bought my Lynx II new, always kept in padded case and never used it excessively.  Over the years I've had install a new screen, speaker and a cap kit.  The screen and speaker were totally shot.

Also had a Game Gear since new and recently had to do a cap kit.  Screen is nothing like it was when new, but it's still passable.

 

Early LCD screens seem to crap out with age.  As far as capacitors and other components, I'd rather have an electronic device that's been used (exercised) every so often vs one that was stuffed in a closet and not touched in 20 years.  

[xhul]

28 minutes ago, Turbo-Torch said:

Bought my Lynx II new, always kept in padded case and never used it excessively.  Over the years I've had install a new screen, speaker and a cap kit.  The screen and speaker were totally shot.

Also had a Game Gear since new and recently had to do a cap kit.  Screen is nothing like it was when new, but it's still passable.

 

Early LCD screens seem to crap out with age.  As far as capacitors and other components, I'd rather have an electronic device that's been used (exercised) every so often vs one that was stuffed in a closet and not touched in 20 years.  

Thanks a lot for the reply.

I don't care much about the original state of the LCD, i already have plans to put a bennvenn in anyway.

Interesting to learn that small components not working for too long can actually be a bad thing, that reminds me how far i suck when it comes to electronics.

[Turbo-Torch]

31 minutes ago, xhul said:

Thanks a lot for the reply.

I don't care much about the original state of the LCD, i already have plans to put a bennvenn in anyway.

Interesting to learn that small components not working for too long can actually be a bad thing, that reminds me how far i suck when it comes to electronics.

 

I went with an original new screen from Best, but next time around I'll do the Bennvenn upgrade.

For some reason Lynx speakers die, but replacements are cheap and take 2 seconds to install.  If you need to recap the Lynx, it's surprisingly very easy to do, especially compared to the GG which was no fun at all.

[xhul]

2 minutes ago, Turbo-Torch said:

 

I went with an original new screen from Best, but next time around I'll do the Bennvenn upgrade.

For some reason Lynx speakers die, but replacements are cheap and take 2 seconds to install.  If you need to recap the Lynx, it's surprisingly very easy to do, especially compared to the GG which was no fun at all.

I'll probably try a recap in the future, soldering is one thing i know how to do, though i hope the component removal isn't too much of a challenge.

 

About speaker upgrade, how different is the feeling?

I mean, if there's something i love with the lynx, is the crispness of its sound, and i wouldn't want to lose that...

[Turbo-Torch]

8 minutes ago, xhul said:

I'll probably try a recap in the future, soldering is one thing i know how to do, though i hope the component removal isn't too much of a challenge.

 

About speaker upgrade, how different is the feeling?

I mean, if there's something i love with the lynx, is the crispness of its sound, and i wouldn't want to lose that...

All caps were through hole, no surface mount like in the GG.

Your speaker may be fine, if not, places like Best-Electronics sell a replacement.  It even plugs in, so no soldering.

Mine started to get quieter and then really raspy.  The new speaker is awesome, really loud with no distortion.  Only minor gripe I have is that it's a clear poly and I can see some of the backlight shine through the grill opening.  Original speaker is black paper and blocked the light.

 

If you've not dealt with Best-Electronics, do a bit of research on Atari Age or simply ask for advice before calling to place your order.  If you tick him off, no soup Atari parts for you!

https://www.best-electronics-ca.com/Lynx Speaker.htm

 

[xhul]

10 minutes ago, Turbo-Torch said:

All caps were through hole, no surface mount like in the GG.

Your speaker may be fine, if not, places like Best-Electronics sell a replacement.  It even plugs in, so no soldering.

Mine started to get quieter and then really raspy.  The new speaker is awesome, really loud with no distortion.  Only minor gripe I have is that it's a clear poly and I can see some of the backlight shine through the grill opening.  Original speaker is black paper and blocked the light.

 

If you've not dealt with Best-Electronics, do a bit of research on Atari Age or simply ask for advice before calling to place your order.  If you tick him off, no soup Atari parts for you!

https://www.best-electronics-ca.com/Lynx Speaker.htm

 

Thanks for the link, should be helpful if i ever decide to replace mine.

I see there are some example sound files on that page, i'll check that after work, see if the sound doesn't feel too different for my taste.

[+Stephen Moss]

It is difficult to be accurate about component lifespans as it can depend on storage conditions, i.e. if in an attic subject to high heat in the summer and sub zero in the winter.

It is mostly electrolytic caps that may fail, as the electrolyte in them can destabilise if the caps are not used for long periods of time, although it can be re-formed by connecting to a low voltage supply for several hours and then slowly increasing.

Consequently, it is generally a good idea to run you little used equipment or a hour or so every couple of years, just to keep thinks like electrolytic caps in good order and things with mechanical parts lubricated so the oil/grease doesn't go thick and gungy.  

 

How long it takes for the electrolyte to go bad depends on the caps, but we are generally talking decades if kept within their specified temperature range. At work we have 30 year old equipment that is rarely and I have never to replace the caps in them, so my advice is unless one fails (or you are really paranoid about it) don't bother with re-capping as you are probably wasting your time.

It is largely an internet myth, likely first muted by someone who doesn't know what they were doing getting something to work purely by chance by changing the caps when the real problem was probably a bad solder joint on one of the caps that happened to be resolved as a by-product of the re-capping process.

 

Unfortunately, it has then been endlessly espoused by others as the cure all solution for old equipment when in reality it really makes any difference.   

[xhul]

1 hour ago, Stephen Moss said:

It is difficult to be accurate about component lifespans as it can depend on storage conditions, i.e. if in an attic subject to high heat in the summer and sub zero in the winter.

It is mostly electrolytic caps that may fail, as the electrolyte in them can destabilise if the caps are not used for long periods of time, although it can be re-formed by connecting to a low voltage supply for several hours and then slowly increasing.

Consequently, it is generally a good idea to run you little used equipment or a hour or so every couple of years, just to keep thinks like electrolytic caps in good order and things with mechanical parts lubricated so the oil/grease doesn't go thick and gungy.  

 

How long it takes for the electrolyte to go bad depends on the caps, but we are generally talking decades if kept within their specified temperature range. At work we have 30 year old equipment that is rarely and I have never to replace the caps in them, so my advice is unless one fails (or you are really paranoid about it) don't bother with re-capping as you are probably wasting your time.

It is largely an internet myth, likely first muted by someone who doesn't know what they were doing getting something to work purely by chance by changing the caps when the real problem was probably a bad solder joint on one of the caps that happened to be resolved as a by-product of the re-capping process.

 

Unfortunately, it has then been endlessly espoused by others as the cure all solution for old equipment when in reality it really makes any difference.   

Interesting read, thanks for the share.

I happen to have a lower voltage power supply (3.7V|355mA), do you think it would be a good idea to use it for a while before using the official one (9V|1A)?

I'm not sure how the device would behave with such insufficient values if turned on, could that be dangerous?

EDIT: According to some quick researchs i did, it seems undervoltage is a bad idea.

Edited December 14, 2022 by xhul

[Turbo-Torch]

Reforming capacitors through controlled low voltage/current is something done on large industrial equipment to try and prevent huge caps from going off like a bomb (I've experienced that first hand on a Baldor VFD and it's quite impressive).  Hobbyists have picked up on that and reform the larger aluminum electrolytic caps used in things like TVs and Radios built back in the 1960s and older.

That's not something you're going to do with little baby caps built during the "dark period."  Your Lynx won't even power up if the voltage falls below a certain point.

Capacitors made in the late 80s through early 2000s are just trash and they were used in all brands from no-name to IBM, Sony and Mitsubishi.  Even worse is they can leak and cause corrosive damage to the circuit board.

A nice thing about cap kits is that the research has been done for you, they typically include the caps that take a beating and normally fail, but not the others that tend to last forever.

 

If things work, leave it be.  But if you're going in for anything else, like the voltage regulator...do it all at once an be good for another 30 years.

 

 

[xhul]

4 hours ago, Turbo-Torch said:

If things work, leave it be.  But if you're going in for anything else, like the voltage regulator...do it all at once an be good for another 30 years.

Sounds like a plan.

Thanks again for the shared knowledge =]

[dudeguy]

I have a couple of CRT televisions that I suspect have failing/failed capacitors. The picture is wonky when they used to look fine. I dont know what else would fail over time besides capacitors. The TVs are 20-30 years old.