SE30 Restoration worth doing?

[ChrisW381]

Hi all new to the group!

So I have a vintage SE 30 it's been in the attic for at least 20 years and not used before that as far as I can recall.

So not surprisingly it is not without its problems!

At switch on there is a low volume chime and the fan runs up, the hard disk can be heard attempting to boot.

Black screen even with using the brightness control.

I suspect the power supply but would appreciate any words of wisdom please

Thanks

Chris

 

[joshc]

Welcome to the forum!

Open it up. Discharge the CRT.

Check the yoke board is attached properly onto the CRT neck. Check the yoke connector/cable is securely attached too.

At this age, an original SE/30 needs to be recapped - at the very least the logic board. The PSU and analog board may also need recapping.

 

[cheesestraws]

Welcome to the forums!

That sounds like a machine I'd have a go at recovering personally, certainly.

First, get the battery out if you already haven't. Those things are the number one reason the machines die permanently.

Low sound volume probably means capacitors on the logic board dying, which is pretty usual. Those capacitors have an unfortunate habit of leaking electrolyte all over the board, which both knackers their capacitance and damages the board in the long term. Usually can be forestalled with a good clean and a replacement of the capacitors, though

If you want to check the PSU voltage rails, you can do this at the floppy port at the back of the computer without having to take the thing to bits. Here's the pinout:

https://allpinouts.org/pinouts/connectors/data_storage/macintosh-external-drive/

Note that on the SE/30, -12V isn't passed through to the back port, so don't panic when that is missing.

edit: Agree with @joshc that the first thing to check with the CRT is that the actual connections haven't worked loose in storage and heat/cool cycles.

 

[ChrisW381]

Many thanks for the info… done all the suggested basic checks on connectors with no change, so fairly handy with a soldering iron any pointers on a UK supplier of the cap sets for both the main and analogue boards and the PSU boards ?

 

[ChrisW381]

Just a small update took the old battery out although it was still showing a small voltage! Popped a new one in - no changes.
I have done the printer port tests and the 12v and 5v lines are present and stable. Likewise the the supplies to the hard disk which is running along with the fan is running and voltages are correct (5v - 12v present) So still no CRT activity so I am suspecting the Line transformer or the CRT itself?

 

[ChrisW381]

Just as an aside I took this card out of the computer for the moment ..



I assume (always dangerous!) that this is a external monitor card? Any info would be appreciated..

This is the SE30 by the way....

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

That does appear to be a video out card, a highly sought-after item among collectors! Good luck fixing this SE/30, get those caps changed, and check your analog board solder joints, especially around the fly back, yoke connector, and any other connectors. They can crack and cause no video. Once working, that will be one nice system.

 

[cheesestraws]

So still no CRT activity so I am suspecting the Line transformer or the CRT itself?

It's more likely the AB than the CRT itself, in my experience. Do you have an oscilloscope? A useful thing to check would be whether the LB is actually sending video signals to the AB at all...

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Further troubleshooting might not be worth it until you’ve recapped it, in many cases the cap juice on the board might just be causing a short somewhere causing a video issue.

 

[joshc]

UK supplier of the cap sets for both the main and analogue boards and the PSU boards ?

Farnell or RS Components will have them.

 

[joshc]

So still no CRT activity

This could be AB or LB related. I wouldnt waste time doing more diagnosis until you at least recap the logicboard. The logicboard has to work for the CRT to have any activity, and then the AB bits that handle video also have to be working.

 

[ChrisW381]

Thanks guys, so do those companies have the made up kits or do I do them individually? If so does anyone have a list / description and location crib sheet?