need help identifying thing

C

Caffeinatedsoap

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 7, 2003
Messages
361
My projector stoped working so I was poking around inside it trying to find out what was wrong when I saw this blue thing. It has 3 prongs, is cylindrical, is blue, and has some blue substance solidified on it. It has what looks like a philips head on the top of it. The questions are what is it and is this blue solidified stuff supposta be on it (glue holding it from spinning?) or is it leakage like a leaking capaciter.

Pics(my camera is kind of blurry up close dont know why):

http://www.pirateweek.com/images/thing/pic1.jpg
http://www.pirateweek.com/images/thing/pic2.jpg
http://www.pirateweek.com/images/thing/pic3.jpg

Thanks for the help.
 
Those pictures are terrible and useless. Sorry.

But from your description, it sounds like a potentiometer. A potentiometer is a variable resistor of sorts, and manufacturers frequently lock them down to the proper setting by using hot glue or a special paste, to keep them from moving. This would not be the reason your projector is not working.

EDIT:

Something like this? Sorta? They come in all shapes and sizes, but you get the idea.

Potentiometer.jpg
 
No, it's not leaking anything. The goop is there intentionally, so the pot doesn't move around by itself.
 
not that i have seen, also with the blurry pics try to change the focus from infinite to .5m for real close up shot like that.
 
What kind of projector is this, and what exactly seems to be the problem?
 
Its a kodak v600 Digital Projector. It was givin to me because it didnt work. It actualy worked fine until 2 days ago when it wouldnt power on. When it is plugged in there is a flashing green led to say its in standby mode but that didnt come on and pressing the power button didnt work eather. So here I am.
 
I dont have a lamp to replace it with and I dont want to buy a new one because they cost $350. The manual says the led should blink even if the lamp is bad.

Edit: before the projector died the lamp had 40hrs on it, it is a 4000hr bulb (or so the manual says)
 
Hmm, i'm not to sure. I don't have a whole lot of experience with projectors other than replacing lamps and filters. Try taking the lamp out completely, then putting it back in and making sure its secure. And just because its only got 40 hours on the clock, doesnt mean its good... a nasty vibration could still kill the lamp. I would test it for continuity with a meter just to double check. Also check for voltage at the lamp socket - although this might be tricky. A lot of projectors cut voltage to the socket if there is no lamp installed, or when you pop the cover open.

Of course there is always the option of sending it in to Kodak for repair,
 
Its not under warrenty so poking around it in myself seems to be the best option. Here is what I do know, the problem is with the board you see in picture 2. The pinout for that bundle of wires with the magenet around it is:
Black - Ground
Orange - 8v
Orange - 8v
Red - 5v
Red - 5v
Black - Ground
White - -5v
Green - 13v
Black - Ground
Yellow - 18v
 
it would take a considerable knowledge of electronics or a schematic to fix that thing unless the bulb was loose or something simple.
 
What makes you so sure that the problem is with that board? Have you swapped it with a known good one?
 
There really isn't a whole lot of user serviceable parts inside a projector other than the lamp and other big items like that. Most of the control and data and stuff is probably going to be custom stuff, most of it surface mount. Even if you did find the problem, you would have a hell of a time replacing the part. If you really want a projector then take it somewhere to get it repaired.

If you still really want to do this yourself, check for obvious things like burned components or circuit board or a blown fuse. A power supply problem might be doable, as there are probably a lot of easily replaceable capacitors and transistors and such. I really don't think you'd be able to do much else without schematics, data sheets, and a nice oscilloscope.
 
I don't have a good one to swap it with, but I can trace power all the way to it, aka from the plug from the wall to the plug in the projector to this other board and from that board to this board. The wires I gave you a pinout to goto the motherboard and the other to wires that look like they are going to another board which you can see part of is the balast and it isnt getting power. I am thinking that one of those wires I gave the pinout to is a switch that if i shorted would start something up but I wouldnt know what to jump.
 
If the lamp cost $350 its probably a special metal Halide lamp not a regular incandescent or halogen lamp
 
Caffeinatedsoap said:
I don't have a good one to swap it with, but I can trace power all the way to it, aka from the plug from the wall to the plug in the projector to this other board and from that board to this board. The wires I gave you a pinout to goto the motherboard and the other to wires that look like they are going to another board which you can see part of is the balast and it isnt getting power. I am thinking that one of those wires I gave the pinout to is a switch that if i shorted would start something up but I wouldnt know what to jump.
Click to expand...
Well I think at this point your guess is as good as ours as to which wires to jump. Your projector isn't working as it is, so you don't have much to lose. What makes you think one of the wires is a switch? Have you traced any of the power supply board? You don't really want to blow something up by shorting a bunch of stuff together.
 
Well if you don't want to send it in for repair, you could try calling up their service department and running your problem by a few of the guys there. Chances are, they've heard of this problem before and they know how to fix it.

They'll know more than we do, anyway.
 
Actualy the more I think about it I dont think that any of those wires are a switch. Also I think that there should be power coming out of those wires. My next idea is to wire the connector from those wires to an atx power supply. I dont know if this would work though.
 
I don't believe I've ever seen an ATX power supply that outputs 8, 13, and 18 volts. ;)
 
if you can link to some really high resolution (200+dpi) images of this thing's circuitry (and *not* blurry pics) that provide a lot of detail, i *might* be able to help you out.

i would need a variety of shots, including ones that show the entire board (or boards if there's more than one) and ones that are close in on things that look funky or not quite right. i would basically need pics of everything that's inside this fella, on all four sides (or just top & bottom if it's a circuit board)
 
you're going to need some serious hardware to repair that thing. Call the manufacturer and see what kind of data you can get on it.
 
I looked over your pictures (they are really blurry) but if the problem actually is with the power supply board then you might be able to fix it.

I might be able to help you if you can answer some questions about the projector.

Do you have a multimeter?
Have you measured the actual voltages on the 10pin power header?
Also its not clear from your pictures how the powerswitch is connected.
Is it a push button switch?
And if so what board does it connect to?
 
:LOL: now i see why you did *.rar... *.rar can compress files... that zip archive is filezilla :eek:
 
I would be more then willing to help out as well, but the pictures don't provide enough information. There needs to be some hands on work from you. If you could answer my previous questions we could probably move forward from there.
 
starhawk said:
not with the file *that* freaking big... what are those files, *.bmp's?!
Click to expand...

Nope; they're JPGs straight from the camera. They're too blurry and inspecific to be useful... though diagnosing this problem remotely from picutres seems like a hopeless endeavor to me.

.B ekiM
 
sorry brian didnt see your questions

Do you have a multimeter? Yes
Have you measured the actual voltages on the 10pin power header? Nothing comes out
Also its not clear from your pictures how the powerswitch is connected. The powerswitch connects to the main motherboard
Is it a push button switch? Its a button..,
And if so what board does it connect to? The motherboard.
 
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