Vintage Products

Re: Problems with Master Control Panel (MCP) 5000

Dillen — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:55:08 GMT

A scope would be superb, but sometimes a multimeter is better. It all depends on the actual circuit and signal.
I'm afraid I can't guide you through an exact diagnose of this circuit, it's quite complex as you can see in the schematics.
But check for cracked solder joints under a microscope. The nature of this item, being a remote control, suggests that it will
be moved around quite a bit and the vibrations related will eventually introduce connection faults.

The last photo - it looks as if someone else was in here before. It doesn't look too bad but whoever did this was not very good
at soldering. I think I would redo the soldering of that large chip or at least clean it good to get a better look.
The exposed copper traces I wouldn't worry too much about unless something else can touch it, which I believe is
not the case here. Of course, you could confirm their continuity.

Martin

Re: Problems with Master Control Panel (MCP) 5000

fdejong — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:25:25 GMT

On last photo - do the traces(?) here pose a problem? In some places the green colour seems to be worn off, expsing the metal underneath. Doesn't seem like a huge problem to me, but I'm not %100 sure.

Re: Problems with Master Control Panel (MCP) 5000

fdejong — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:22:38 GMT

Thanks Dillen.

Can you help me out a bit, I'm a bit of an electronics noob, but very resourceful. Do I use a multimeter, voltmeter? Where do I find the standby circuit?

Re: Problems with Master Control Panel (MCP) 5000

Dillen — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:13:43 GMT

The transistor housings have a ridge where their two cast plastic parts are joined, this is normal.

Nothing visually wrong in the photos, I think. You will have to measure around a bit. That standby circuit is wonderful for a headache
and probably where to start.

Martin

Problems with Master Control Panel (MCP) 5000

fdejong — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:29:28 GMT

I purchased this MCP 5000 the other day, and got it to display a few things twice, but since then no luck.

The seller told me he suspected the contacts on the battery points, so I taped 4 D cells together, with a wire on each end and connected tehm directly to the positive and negative wires on the MCP 5000. This worked twice, both times very briefly but not since.

Does anyone see (in the pictures) or know what could be (or goes) wrong wit the MCP 5000?

*Note: If you right-click, and then select view image you will see higher res. versions of these pictures.

In image 3, there appear to be cracks in the middles of the transistors (?). All of them on the board have these cracks - is that hte probelm?