Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Right in a bit of a dilemma, my beocenter 9000 has stopped reading cds.

It will run the cd, because i can see it spin, it spins it for about 2 seconds, then it stops. I don’t get any error codes on the display, just 000.

I don’t understand, the cd spins, i can see the lens move up and down, and i can even see the beam of laser that comes on a few times, but nothing.

So ive searched every where on line to find a solution to this problem. But turned out nothing.

I read on here that there is a 33uf capacitor located on the driver board underneath the laser mechanism,  which usually causes this, so i did replace it with another 33uf cap, still nothing, so i replaced all of the other caps with brand new ones, still nothing, then i read on this forum it might work if you replace the 33uf cap with a 47uf cap, it will work. So i did that too, still the same!!! Ahhh its driving me mad!

Does any one know what to do? Please help?

Welcome to Beoworld !

Not all types of capacitors will work on the servo board and that 33uF cap is
particularly sensitive.
Other types may work with higher or lower success rate but I've found
that using a blue Philips type (as the original) works everytime.

It's very tempting to adjust the laser current etc. but don't adjust anything
on that board. It will not cure anything and will only give you
a headache when the board is eventually repaired.

The symptoms are exactly those of dead servo board capacitors.

Martin

Agree with Dillen. Sounds like C2103 33 uF is the problem from the symptoms described. May still measure 33uF but could still be faulty?

joeyboygolf:

May still measure 33uF but could still be faulty?

I think it was Tournedos who told me in another thread that measuring does not tell you anything about the condition of the capacitor. It's the ESR value ???

thanks martin, quite overwhelmed with how fast every one replys. cheers guys.

about that blue cap, ive tried really hard to find one of those philips capacitors, not easy! looked online, even today i spent hours going through some old circuit junks that i keep  for "you never know times" and nothing, lots of caps but not the blue philips cap.

any one has a spare that would like to sell me, or know where to find one?

cheers

Philips does not produce caps anymore, the production is now done by BC and I think that is changed to Vishay now.

Yes, Vishay bought out BC in 2002 I think, and the current name for this product line is Vishay 138 AML (axial miniature long-life aluminum electrolytic capacitors). I bought them from Digikey a couple of years back, and can confirm they have worked in every B&O CD I have repaired (except for the one where some previous butch...erm repairperson had actually managed to blow the laser).

My CD6500 - the first one I did - is still doing fine with some other type for a C2103 I dug up from my junk box, but the pros on this forum have repaired enough of these that nowadays I just believe them, and don't even bother trying anything else. Doing the job once is annoying enough with all the risks of ruining a flex cable or something else in the process.

As said, when you are replacing caps because they have aged, the specification that has gone is usually ESR (oversimplified: resistance to AC has gone up), not the capacitance - unless the cap is obviously blown, leaked or otherwise damaged. So just measuring the capacitance seldom tells you enough about whether the cap can perform its job in the circuit, or not.

But with this C2103 application even a good ESR isn't enough, because most cap types simply will not work even when they are new and perform to specs. These B&O servo boards follow very closely the original Philips reference design, so I suspect the design of that or the controller chip internals relies on some quirky property of those blue Philips caps - it might be just accidental if the prototype engineers obviously used in-house components. It would be most interesting to hear the original application engineers' / designers' opinion on this need to have a specific cap type, but it's possible they have all retired by now

I have bought the Vishay BC caps at Farnell, and they still can supply them. Only thing is that, at least in the Netherlands, you have to order for at least €50,-- excluding taxes at Farnell if you are not a company. At €0,36 a capacitor that's a hell of a lot of capacitors....

thanks everyone for all your help

i also placed an order with farnell today (minimum order £20, in UK), so i ordered 15 caps at £0.38, and had to fill up the basket with whole lot of other stuff to bring it up to £20.

when they arrive, i will replace the cap and hopefully it should fix the problem.

Are you sure you have ordered the correct caps? On the Farnell website they are well over £1 each . They are nil stock in the UK and must be delivered from US stock with a £15.95 delivery charge!

 1165415

5475 available! If you order them all, you are well over €50,-- or £20,--!

yea im prety sure, i think the one you are refering to is the 10volt one, the one i pulled out from the b&o was

33uf 16 volt

http://uk.farnell.com/vishay-bc-components/mal203035339e3/capacitor-33uf-16v/dp/1165415

and theres like 5000 available.

cableguy11:

yea im prety sure, i think the one you are refering to is the 10volt one, the one i pulled out from the b&o was

 

33uf 16 volt

 

http://uk.farnell.com/vishay-bc-components/mal203035339e3/capacitor-33uf-16v/dp/1165415

 

and theres like 5000 available.

Wrong one guys. You want the 138AML series here

http://uk.farnell.com/vishay-bc-components/2222-138-36339/capacitor-alum-elect-33uf-25v-axial/dp/3345040

The ones you have ordered are not guaranteed to work!!

Believe me, I've been doing this fix for 7 or 8 years now having first posted it on the original pre Lee Beoworld.

Oops! Ther's a competition going on, who's right or what's the best?

I want to order....and "only" 502 in stock!

The correct information is all on the forum but it calls for a little research!

The most cost effective way is to order a capacitor kit from member Dillen who will provide excellent written instructions along with a "known to work" set of replacement electrolytic caps.

The 502 Farnell stock are all in the US by the way!!!

Lucky me, I can order them via the company where I work. Thanks Graham!

ahhh crap! so ive ordered the wrong stuff and £20 worth too.

well we'l see what happens, if that doesnt work, then i will have to find dillen, see if he can help me.

(Just realised Dillen is martin)

The original cap is a 030 series, and the cheap replacement from Farnell is a..... 030 series. I have used them in several B&O CD-players and they still work. Agree, the cap's from the USA have better specs, especially the lifetime is longer, but let's be honest, if it breaks down again after another 20 years, the BeoCenter is 40 years old! 

I think you made a point Blackrix, will wait ordering these caps untill the (other)experts here made a conclusion!

Dont worry everyone ill be the lab-rat , as ive already ordered them and got email earlier that they have been shipped.

i will let you all know if it works

cableguy11:

Dont worry everyone ill be the lab-rat , as ive already ordered them and got email earlier that they have been shipped.

i will let you all know if it works

Will you also keep us updated with a weekly report for the next several years??

Most of them will work but some won't.

Most of a cheap batch of no name caps that I bought from Maplins worked but some won't. I've still got some left.

In my experience so far ALL of the more expensive 138AML ones have worked (now cased in white plastic rather than metal).

Your problem will come when you fit the capacitor and the CD mech still does not work!! Is it the capacitor or some other problem giving similar symptoms?

I have recently decided, as a matter of routine, to replace C2103 on all the BC9500/8500 and CD5500/6500/7000 that I sell. Should lead to satisfied customers into the future.

The cheaper cap is also BC (so a Philips), not a plastic cap, it has a metal case. And I also have replaced many of these caps and non has refused to work!

Hello everyone and happy new year.

i thought id give you guys an update on the cheap caps, from farnnel.

they arrived and i replaced the cap, there was good news and not as much good news. The good news is that it works, but its tempramental, at first it didnt read the cd, but there is a 1K pot on the bard (blue and white one), i twisted it with a small screw driver, then it started reading the CD, but when you change to a different cd, or when you switch the system on and off, it stops working again.

does any one know what that 1K pot does? or what it should be set to?

Ive bought the capacitor kit from dillen, hopefully those caps will do a better job, and get this beast going again.