Snap Crackle and (possibly) Pop!

[NEOband]

Hi

I have a Macintosh SE/30. Bought it at a market (sold as seen) for very little money. When I switched it on today I can hear what can only be described as a grinding and crackling noise coming from somewhere behind the fan. I switched it off immediately. Turn it on and off a few times only for a few seconds at a time and it still makes the noise. Im afraid to keep it on any longer as I'm afraid it might explode. I'm yet to pop the lid off to see more accurately where the noise is from.

It's not the Harddrive which is near the bottom. It's sounds to me like its behind the fan at the back. There is no bong noise when I flick the power switch. Just this crackling noise that makes me then it's gonna go bang.

I'm hoping its a common fault.

Also, the centre of the screen has a very obvious black spot about 2 inches across the smack centre of the screen. Is this normal screen burn? Or has something in the CRT blown and damaged the inside of the screen?

Thanks

 

[sadmanonatrain]

Welcome!

These noises could be a symptom of a break in the neck of the CRT. Maybe the nipple has snapped?

Do you have a long Torx screwdriver to open the Mac?

The next step will be opening the case.

 

[Paralel]

This is one thing I will never understand, if people turn on a system and it makes a bad or strange noise, why, in the name of all things good and sacred, do they usually keep flipping the power switch on and off??? I know of not a single time when this has produced a positive result.

 

[Macdrone]

Because you don't have any other option or knowledge at that point?

Same as people keep trying to restart a car that died on them.  They think it will just correct itself.

 

[Paralel]

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

[uniserver]

Quick question, now when you say, your hoping its a common fault.

Were you maybe thinking of the SE/30 or just Mac's in general?

a black spot 2 inches across the center of the CRT ,  I'v never experienced any screen burn like that before.

Pretty sure all that noise you were experiencing was the CRT going through melt down, pretty sure you lost vacuum.

 

[Elfen]

Besides insanity kicking in for a positive result, one can only hope for the best.

NEOband, you need to open that SE/30 up and check things out. I'm suspecting the crt tube too. A broken CRT Tube is an uncommon repair but an easy one, as its a matter of replacing the tube itself. It's a matter of getting one. You might be able to get one, there are few places if you search online. PM me for a link of one who might have one.

After that, lets see how it goes. post up pics of your analog board and logic board and what other things you might find after the tube is replaced.

 

[Elfen]

Info sent. Good luck, I hope that source has a tube for you.

 

[NEOband]

Hi.

Thank you all for your quick replies.

@Paralel I can assure you that did not switch on and off many times expecting a positive result. I simply purchased the computer, plugged it in, switched it on, heard an unexpected noise , switched it off, then and only then switched it on once more to get a rough idea were the noise was coming from so that I could search the web for help. I did not expect it to fix itself, but thank you for expressing your confusion of such people.

@Sadmanonatrain I think you could be correct, as I don't know the history of the machine it is very possible it has been dropped and suffered a break.

@uniserver i was thinking that perhaps it was common to the se/30 and others had some ideas from experience.

@elfen Thank you very much. I will open the mac tomorrow (once I find a long torx t15 )and take pictures. I will try to upload a picture of the big black screen burn for your feedback

Perhaps when you all see the black mark you may suggest a massive internal CRT fault has occurred. Maybe it wasn't dropped, just a CRT meltdown. These are the gambles you take I suppose buying from a market. Then again it was only £10

 

[NEOband]

Wow, this picture makes it look a lot worse than it is to the naked eye. The overhead lighting really makes this black thing stand out.

Internal explosion perhaps?????

Update: i turned the mac upside and there's is atleast 2 very small (things) bouncing about in there.

I shall open it tomorrow and take pictures for you all.

Thankyou

 

[Elfen]

@elfen Thank you very much. I will open the mac tomorrow (once I find a long torx t15 )and take pictures. I will try to upload a picture of the big black screen burn for your feedback

Perhaps when you all see the black mark you may suggest a massive internal CRT fault has occurred. Maybe it wasn't dropped, just a CRT meltdown. These are the gambles you take I suppose buying from a market. Then again it was only £10

Anytime, you're welcomed.

For £10, I'm assuming $35USD, for a Mac SE/30, that seller knew that it is broken, crt or otherwise. Most people get scared when they hear that the CRT is broken, people freak out thinking that its a $2000 repair! Its a matter of finding the crt tube as cheap as possible and replacing it.

As you describe it, it looks like the SE/30 was dropped and the neck broke. Then the air rushed into the vacuum and caused added damage to the screen up front as you see it. There is no way to fix this other than replacing the tube.

Get yourself some rubber coated work gloves and be prepared to work with broken glass.

 

[NEOband]

I'd certainly like to fix it. It's a shame to even think of scrapping it.

I shall endeavour to return it to its former glory.

Pictures to follow.

 

[Elfen]

Since you're a Mac SE/30 too (I have one as well that I'm working on as are a few others here), I can say that you would be very lucky if it is just the CRT Tube that fixes everything, which I'm hoping that it is. In nearly all cases, they need a washing and recapping of the logic board, the analog board and power supply needs checking out too. Most are simple fixes and doable by the average joe with some time, parts and soldering skills.

I recommend you going through the SE/30 and SE needs fixing threads on this subforum and read them, seeing how they got things fixed.

Good luck to you!

 

[techknight]

That tube is broken! it got "necked" 

You will have to replace the CRT. 

 

[SuperToaster]

The small things inside could potentially be some parts of the MB that got corroded off...

 

[bibilit]

Find yourself another SE for cheap and get the tube replaced, SE/30 are expensive, but SE' s can be found on the cheap (the two 800k model probably)

 

[Elfen]

The small things inside could potentially be some parts of the MB that got corroded off...

Or it could be the pieces of glass and the electron gun of the BROKEN CRT.

Find yourself another SE for cheap and get the tube replaced, SE/30 are expensive, but SE' s can be found on the cheap (the two 800k model probably)

Though this is one way to get a CRT, why cannibalize a working machine for another? CRTs are not that expensive when you can find them. Less expensive than a whole machine. And replacing it is easier fix when its just one open machine and not two.

Ebay listings for:

Mac SE CRT Tube ($75 + free shipping): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mac-SE-CRT-Tube-Screen-Apple-P-N-825-4002-A-630-5144-/111290668250?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e970d4da

Mac SE / Dual HD floppies ($125 + $35 shipping): http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAC-SE-SuperDrive-Works-Keyboard-and-Mouse-Included-/151396172589?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item233fea432d

Which would  you rather spend?

No disrespect here to anyone, but if you need specific Mac Parts, you can find them and find them cheap. It just takes time to do a search, and one does not have to destroy a good or fixable machine to fix your machine. Don't be lazy and take short cuts in killing a good/fixable machine to get yours fixed. That is rather selfish to do.

It is also showing the limits of one's intelligence when one states the possible condition of the Mac when the evidence shows otherwise. Its like walking up to a crime scene and finding a body with a bullet hole through its head and say, "the cause of death is body falling out of 8-story window..."

The Logic board is unknown - that's a given. But the damage on the CRT Screen is from air rushing into the vacuum of the tube at a high speed and forcing the imaging elements of the tube against the inside of the glass. That can only happen when the neck of the tube breaks off. With the neck of the tube broken, it is now dangling about its harness inside the case. When the Mac is moved, that is what one hears - the broken glass and the neck swinging about freely the inside of the case. Once the CRT is replaced and fixed, can the logic board be tested, and if needed repaired.

Again, no disrespect here to anyone, but we all need to think with clear heads and give worthwhile advice. Not shots in the dark about what it can be despite what the evidence says.

 

[sadmanonatrain]

Hello,

I live up North and a have a spare Plus CRT which could be used in an SE/30. If you can't find one anywhere we can work out a deal.

 

[NEOband]

Thank you everyone for all your great advice. I live in the UK and will look on eBay for a tube. Was hoping to get the long torx screw driver today but it will be tomorrow must likely. My extension bit is slightly to wide to fit properly into the holes under the handle but I'll just pickup a T15 long screwdriver tomorrow. Might come in handy to have anyway.

I will post pictures as I do it do you can see first hand what I discover as I lift the lid. Perhaps I'll make a video.

Thanks again.

NEOband