4000G Plasma problem(meter)

[jwhmca]

I'm just about ti dig into the schematic and see what might be going on... just thought I would ask here first to see if anyone has had this problem.

On one meter I'm getting no "plasma" display in ppm mode. It seems to work okay in VU

[StefanNowak]

Yes I have a 2 of those here also.

Get in the back and have a look. Sometimes the back cover of the console can press against the ribbons, might be an easy fix.

It seems the PPM is a little less stable than the VU reason, not sure why that is the case.

Stef.

[Matt Sartori]

interesting,
would be good to see a schematic.

Mattia.

[Rick Carson]

I had a few issues with my plasma meters and I learned a trick that fixes it 95 percent of the time. If you take the meter out and remove the two smaller cards that are screwed in using the small dl connecter. Once you get down to the main meter card you will see many sets of pins lined up in a row. They are set up in pairs, take a small set of needle nose pliers and pinch the set of pins together just ever so slightly. This will I guess make a good connection that may have stretched out.

I know it sounds like voodo but I watched it work on multiple meters!

[jwhmca]

Yeah...

I had a few issues with my plasma meters and I learned a trick that fixes it 95 percent of the time. If you take the meter out and remove the two smaller cards that are screwed in using the small dl connecter. Once you get down to the main meter card you will see many sets of pins lined up in a row. They are set up in pairs, take a small set of needle nose pliers and pinch the set of pins together just ever so slightly. This will I guess make a good connection that may have stretched out.

I know it sounds like voodo but I watched it work on multiple meters!

That is a good'ole' trick!

[Rick Carson]

Did it work out for you?

[kilmister]

I just uploaded bargraph schematic picture set in our server:
http://www.5by5.fi/diy/ssl4k/ssl_bargraph_schematics.zip

-Paavo

[jimlfixit]

For the record, those connectors that locate the Bargraph cards are made by Elco (or Varelco), the same company that makes Edac equivalent 20, 38, 56, 90 and 120 way connectors. SSL used 56 way Elco's on the 5K console and the connector uses the same friction fit to connect pins together as the Bargraph meter and SSL channel routing cards.

The suggestion of squeezing the pins is a good one and also works with dodgy Edac/Elco connectors as well.

Also, in case you are interested, I think those Bargraph cards, like the routing PCB's are secured in place using M2 x 10 mm pozipan screws. The main screws used to mount the Bargraphs into the console penthouse are 4 BA x 1" chemically blackened countersunk pozi screws.