crap from a heatgun and computer monitor

[Ansil]

http://geocities.com/austenfantanio/crapfrommon.htm

[smoguzbenjamin]

What about resin stuff? Soldering is a bad idea when something's been coated with epoxy or similar, does a heatgun work well though?

[sonicparke]

So all that stuff came out of a computer monitor?  How old was it? I have one that just blew up.  If I choose to open it up and try to salvage parts what should I avoid?  Would a picture help?

[smoguzbenjamin]

The image tube (you know the huge thing that projects the image) can be at potantials over 30 kilovolts! :shock: So watch out! They take about a day to completely discharge, if my physics teacher is correct...

[sonicparke]

so how do I discharge it?  Or know that it is discharged?  Don't want to get a shock  :shock: !!

[smoguzbenjamin]

To be honest I'm not sure. :lol: I haven't ever disassembled one before. Just parroting what my physics teacher told me

[sonicparke]

well then...I guess I'll leave it alone.  I can buy parts.  

[smoguzbenjamin]

I guess you could remove the board from the monitor first and be very careful not to touch the tube while you do that.

[Samuel]

I think the common wisdom is: know exactly what you're doing before you try. I'd either skip it or do some fairly thorough research first.

[smoguzbenjamin]

Wise words... :roll:

[Peter Snowberg]

You have to watch out for the anode more than anything. When you do monitor service, one of your special tools is an insulated handle with a resistor inside, an alligator clip on a cord, and a long wire tip (like a big needle) to push under the rubber anode cap on the side of the tube. If you discharge that point, you will probably be quite safe. The lower supplies should have bleeder resistors on the big caps, but be careful until you know there is no charge for sure.

The very high voltage points are all insulated to stop corona, so you can't just touch metal somewhere, you need to get past insulation first.

CAUTION: The anode lead may contain between 7,000 and roughly 30,000 volts depending on the size of the tube and the construction. The kick is more than enough to kill you.

For a discharge tool, a 2 watt 22K resistor works well, but you may want larger wattage and/or resistance. 100K at 10 Watts is probably much better.

ANOTHER CAUTION: The glass the tube is made from contains a huge amount of lead for x-ray shielding. The cathode coating may also be radioactive! Don't break the tube! On top of that, the tube contains a very high vacuum. If you get cut by the glass, you can actually get lead poisoning from it if it gets embedded in your skin.

The safe way to dispose of a tube is to USE A FACE SHIELD and HEAVY GLOVES, and to break the pump nipple in the center of the pins with some pliers. Once the vacuum is gone, they're much safer.


Be safe,
-Peter

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I think if you have a chunk of monitor tube glass embedded in you, the lead poisoning aspect is the least of your worries (same if you are shot!).
There isn't a whole lot inside a modern monitor, the whole art is to use fewer discrete components in them. Old modems are in my experience a much better source of parts.. caps, ferrite beads connectors, diodes.
If you ARE mucking around wiht old monitors, keep them face down on a towel. The way they accidentally break, is when the neck hits the bench.

[bobbletrox]

Geez, it's comforting to know I'm staring at a possible death trap.

[Peter Snowberg]

When I was in high school, a friend wanted to make an "art project" by breaking a picture tube while it was still in the TV case. He got cut and called me right away. I thoughth the danger would be from the phosphors and told him to call the poison control people. They said, don't worry about that, but the lead on and in the glass is a very serious issue.

The world is a hazardous place; mitigate the danger and have fun.

-Peter

[bobbletrox]

There's a thing called TV Turnoff Week (April 21-27) and people often celebrate by smashing old TVs.  I wonder if they know about the potential hazards?  Even breathing the dust probably wouldn't be very good for you.

[smoguzbenjamin]

Long live TFT screens I didn't know it was that dangerous. But peter, if you accidentally punched a hole in the tube, wouldn't the thing implode and not explode? Seeing as there is a vacuum in there... :?

[Peter Snowberg]

But peter, if you accidentally punched a hole in the tube, wouldn't the thing implode and not explode? Seeing as there is a vacuum in there... :?

The pieces implode until they run into each other at which point they have to keep going somewhere thanks to all the kinetic enery they picked up, so just like a ball thrown at a wall, they bounce and head in the opposite direction.

Take care,
-Peter

[smoguzbenjamin]

Hmmm :? That explains it.

[blabj]

hehehehe, thanks you guys, you just helped me answer a tough sciene question  :lol: oh yeah, the taking apart the modem idea is much safer and easier then a monitor  :wink: i salvaged a few good parts and a alot of l.e.d's
thanks for the advice
callum

[Gringo]

90% of my parts come from computer monitors, radios, tvs, you name it. A friend once told me to stay away from "el chupete rojo" (the nipple) when working with monitors.

I'm still alive so i guess he was right  :twisted: