Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

[mockingbird]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

.05 is essential for for clearing motherboard cap holes. .075 sinks away too much heat... I'd like to get my hands on some .035 and see if that is an improvement even over .050. Digikey is expensive for the 5ft spools. I don't know what kind of stock Radio Shack has but every brand I have tried has worked extremely well. I could get 5ft spools from China for less than $2, but they only have them in wide diameters and who knows what the quality is like.

[ratdude747]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I don't want to invest in a large spool because I use the 0.5~mm for logic boards and tight spaces and the wider stuff for regular applications. So I'd have to buy two spools. The 5ft spools keep me going for a few months. You should also keep in mind that when you buy the smaller diameter stuff, the price should be less because you're getting less copper.

Yeah, smaller diameters are cheaper... what I like to use is 0.075". It seems to be a good general purpose braid size...

My current (and the previous) braid was this:

http://www.frys.com/product/4462116?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

(and yes, it is pre-fluxed)

One thing I have noticed is that the stuff that comes in the tinier things (like they have at radio shack) is a much crappier braid than what comes in the more traditional spools (like what I linked). It seems to be a much looser and less effective braid (often w/o flux) from my experience. The only brand where the braid type was constant was the MG chemicals brand above (their stuff isn't half bad; I am pretty fond of their 63/37 solder).

I wonder if one could get better pricing through digikey or the like... I may try that when my current braid runs out.

[mockingbird]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

If you buy it in quanities 50ft+ it's not too bad. I get mine for $20/50ft, or $.40/ft. Each LCD uses up maybe 8" on a bad day... so $0.27 per board. For me, it's well worth it.

I don't want to invest in a large spool because I use the 0.5~mm for logic boards and tight spaces and the wider stuff for regular applications. So I'd have to buy two spools. The 5ft spools keep me going for a few months. You should also keep in mind that when you buy the smaller diameter stuff, the price should be less because you're getting less copper.

[ratdude747]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I used a solder sucker/solder pump on mine and it worked just fine. Braid is not cheap so I try not to use it when the situation allows.

If you buy it in quanities 50ft+ it's not too bad. I get mine for $20/50ft, or $.40/ft. Each LCD uses up maybe 8" on a bad day... so $0.27 per board. For me, it's well worth it.

I have never had good luck with solder suckers other than for reducing the volume of solder on large joints. Even then, 4 out of 5 times I have to finish the joint with some braid. I wouldn't use a sucker on LCD transformer/transisitor joints anyway; that's a good way to kill the pads/traces.

I do that all the time (wiggle it out by heating 2 pins at a time). No pliers either! Just gotta have your iron real hot so you can be real quick - that way you don't get burned. If you add some flux to joints, it can be even quicker.
I do have to admit that I can tolerate a lot of heat on my fingers, though (I regularly clean the nozzle of my hot glue gun with my fingers). For those that can't, a piece of cloth or a pair of thin gloves would do. I have a piece of cloth on my bench when I need to remove components with all-metal cases - those do burn me eventually.

I accidentally did that once and burnt my self in a bad way. If you can do what you say you're doing, I'd bet that your iron isn't delivering enough heat.

[mockingbird]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I would be interested in this kit. RusMike charges way too much. Can you do it Unique?

[ben7]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I have an idea. we should design our own ESR meter (I'm sure our genus romanian forum member could do this easily). Have it set for ether a 100khz output or 120hz output (most common two). I'm sure tc could get the parts cheap, and build them in free time (seeing as how some of his work might dry up)

perhaps a modification of the blue meter

I would be highly interested in this

I need to build one myself actually.

We could make an analog one then make a digital one with a uC

[Uranium-235]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I have an idea. we should design our own ESR meter (I'm sure our genus romanian forum member could do this easily). Have it set for ether a 100khz output or 120hz output (most common two). I'm sure tc could get the parts cheap, and build them in free time (seeing as how some of his work might dry up)

perhaps a modification of the blue meter

[momaka]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

You mean 2SC5707.

No . 2SC5706 are found bad in Dell monitors quite often too.

ooh or...start doing recapping for bad monitors. Hmm, not sure how that would work, there would be more legwork cause of the higher chances of other bad components. Good thing is: they're usually easier to solder

That.
And not to mention that you can't always easily test a repaired monitor board unless you have the rest of the monitor.

The only catch is that the transformers and transistors require a desolderign gun, solder sucker (not recommended), or desoldering braid (my recommendation) to perform.

I used a solder sucker/solder pump on mine and it worked just fine. Braid is not cheap so I try not to use it when the situation allows.

Transistors: they have 3 legs. If you are cunning enough you can wiggle it out by heating two legs and using a pair of pliers (pin 2 goes to the metal end, you'd get burned).

I do that all the time (wiggle it out by heating 2 pins at a time). No pliers either! Just gotta have your iron real hot so you can be real quick - that way you don't get burned. If you add some flux to joints, it can be even quicker.
I do have to admit that I can tolerate a lot of heat on my fingers, though (I regularly clean the nozzle of my hot glue gun with my fingers). For those that can't, a piece of cloth or a pair of thin gloves would do. I have a piece of cloth on my bench when I need to remove components with all-metal cases - those do burn me eventually.

[ratdude747]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

Why not just add some new lead solder to the connections?

Depends on which part we are talking about:

Transistors: they have 3 legs. If you are cunning enough you can wiggle it out by heating two legs and using a pair of pliers (pin 2 goes to the metal end, you'd get burned). However, IMHO it is much easier to use braid, which on such single sided boards works REALLY well.

Transformers: When I go to resolder transformers in an LCD monitor (other brands besides benq have this too it seems), I will use the braid to get as much of the old solder off as possible from each pin on a side of the transformer. I then add fresh leaded solder. I do this one side at a time to keep the transformer from falling out (they are a PITA to put back in).

The reason why I don't just add solder to the old solder that (1) the old solder sometimes is pure crap to begin with and I don't want to add good to bad, (2) I don't want to add too much solder but I still want to get plenty of heat and solder melt, and (3) using all fresh solder makes the joints look a lot better. Not that it's a pretty joints contest, but I take a certain level of pride in my work. I have no respect for lazy/sloppy repair work.

[ben7]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

Agreed. With the benq dells, I've found that resoldering the transformers and replacing the caps and transistors is almast always the fix for 2STB issues. The only catch is that the transformers and transistors require a desolderign gun, solder sucker (not recommended), or desoldering braid (my recommendation) to perform. You can't do those with a pick like you can do with caps.

Why not just add some new lead solder to the connections?

[ratdude747]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

ooh or...start doing recapping for bad monitors. Hmm, not sure how that would work, there would be more legwork cause of the higher chances of other bad components. Good thing is: they're usually easier to solder

Agreed. With the benq dells, I've found that resoldering the transformers and replacing the caps and transistors is almast always the fix for 2STB issues. The only catch is that the transformers and transistors require a desolderign gun, solder sucker (not recommended), or desoldering braid (my recommendation) to perform. You can't do those with a pick like you can do with caps.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

yeah I think they have a point. There is ALWAYS people posting in the monitor/TV forums cause of crap power board caps. Stock some usual caps and fets for those

ooh or...start doing recapping for bad monitors. Hmm, not sure how that would work, there would be more legwork cause of the higher chances of other bad components. Good thing is: they're usually easier to solder

[retiredcaps]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

While you are at it, stock up on some 2SC5706 NPN transistors - those are often found bad in certain monitors, including many Dells.

You mean 2SC5707.

[momaka]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

In any case, though, you would still be competitive enough for international orders, as Digikey and mouser charge $50 or so for overseas shipping bs $8 from here.

My thoughts exactly.

FWIW, if this does kill off badcaps.net, it won't be for a while.

I'm guessing perhaps you haven't visited the "Troubleshooting Computer Displays" sub-forum too often? Well, let me tell you this: there's a cubic crap-ton of many new threads there every day and people often need new caps for their monitors all over the world. All you might have to do is just change your stock to common caps/sizes found in LCD monitors, and I think you'll be back in business again. As c_hegge mentioned, you would be quite competitive due to the lower international shipping costs.

While you are at it, stock up on some 2SC5706 NPN transistors - those are often found bad in certain monitors, including many Dells.

I don't think you would go out of business, though. You might have to add/remove a few services, but other than that it should be fine. Someone as well known as you in the repair business will always have work to do.

[Topcat]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

^
It's a toss. Some months, cap sales are floating the boat, and next month its repairs. I have a lot of very old corporate clients that continually send me things for repair, in large batches. However, the individual stuff is all but gone....IE, the guy who needs a single board recapped...I don't see much of that anymore, maybe a dozen a week.

They've got plenty of NOS, thing is, even Chinese sellers with legitimate stock will deceive the buyers after gaining their trust, because that is their way of doing business. We still ought to be good for at least a year while Nichicon finishes shipping their stock to American distributors.

As far as Nichicon goes, you are right I do believe. I don't think this will be a cause for panic or brand changing for anotehr year or so. I put buy limits on most stuff so I dont get cleaned out....IE, nobody can buy more than 600pcs of any given product....and if I'm low on a specific product, I drop that accordingly or just mark them out of stock so I have a supply to use in-shop.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I"d say this: close the store on nichicons, collect them for recapping jobs only, I mean, really isn't 90% of your money from the capping jobs?

[mockingbird]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

The company may be japanese, but the samples I got were made in china. This was around the same time Rubycon ceased MB/MC, they were actually one of my prospectives as a replacement, along with Panasonic. Show me where all this NOS is? Don't reference me to fleabay, most of that crap is fake.

They've got plenty of NOS, thing is, even Chinese sellers with legitimate stock will deceive the buyers after gaining their trust, because that is their way of doing business. We still ought to be good for at least a year while Nichicon finishes shipping their stock to American distributors.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

I thought most of your sales come from capping jobs? There are a number of good brands out there with good specs that would work for most hardware

if big mfgrs are focusing on polys the price of those might go down, and you could just do polymods

but the cap store itself might be gone

[kc8adu]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

time to develop our polymod recipies...
i have plenty of stock right now to deal with my workload.
but i poly most mobo's anyway.

[Topcat]

Re: Nichicon HM/HN/HZ scheduled for discontinuation

This is a gross overreaction. There's enough NOS out there to last for years and years.

Suncon is a Japanese company, not Chinese. Suncon caps are great, but they don't make anything with a lower ESR than WG.

The company may be japanese, but the samples I got were made in china. This was around the same time Rubycon ceased MB/MC, they were actually one of my prospectives as a replacement, along with Panasonic. Show me where all this NOS is? Don't reference me to fleabay, most of that crap is fake.

Like I said, if I wanted to peddle chinese crap, I'd stay with Samxon.