Hello.
I recently came across a nearly new eMachines EL1200 Small Form Factor system that expired after only 6 months or so.
It was so cheap my neighbor was about to throw it out rather than return it for warranty service.
So I looked it over last night for her.
Symptom: No Power. No response to the power switch.
A quick test of the LiteOn PSU with my KeriProductions PSU tester revealed 5vsb OK and normal operation of PSU outside of the system with all voltages reasonably close and with very little ripple.
A quick test of the power switch found: Open Circuit! No electrical response to the pushing of the button. "∞Ω" for those that like symbols.
Uh oh.... that doesn't look like a commonly available SPST momentary-contact switch to me.
Fortunately, it does disassemble easily. Just pull out the little plunger (squeeze first) and out pops the little contact disc for cleaning. A little DeOxIT and back to life for the little black eMachine. In under 1/2 an hour, too.
OK, so eMachines buys really cruddy power switches.... How does the rest of this cute little box look?
The motherboard proudly states "Made In China" and has an AMD CPU under a decent-looking and very quiet cooler by Asia Vital Components. The big capacitors are Sanyo and Nichicon with some hard to see polymers under the heatsink where the fan blows plenty of air at them through widely-spaced clog-resistant fins. The PSU is by LiteOn, not BestTec.
Could eMachines have seen the light? Even this nondescript little bargain basement box has a PSU with little ripple and decent caps on board!
How do they intend to implement planned obsolescence with LiteOn, Sanyo and Nichicon? Surely not with cruddy power switches.
Have Fun,
Keri
I recently came across a nearly new eMachines EL1200 Small Form Factor system that expired after only 6 months or so.
It was so cheap my neighbor was about to throw it out rather than return it for warranty service.
So I looked it over last night for her.
Symptom: No Power. No response to the power switch.
A quick test of the LiteOn PSU with my KeriProductions PSU tester revealed 5vsb OK and normal operation of PSU outside of the system with all voltages reasonably close and with very little ripple.
A quick test of the power switch found: Open Circuit! No electrical response to the pushing of the button. "∞Ω" for those that like symbols.
Uh oh.... that doesn't look like a commonly available SPST momentary-contact switch to me.
Fortunately, it does disassemble easily. Just pull out the little plunger (squeeze first) and out pops the little contact disc for cleaning. A little DeOxIT and back to life for the little black eMachine. In under 1/2 an hour, too.
OK, so eMachines buys really cruddy power switches.... How does the rest of this cute little box look?
The motherboard proudly states "Made In China" and has an AMD CPU under a decent-looking and very quiet cooler by Asia Vital Components. The big capacitors are Sanyo and Nichicon with some hard to see polymers under the heatsink where the fan blows plenty of air at them through widely-spaced clog-resistant fins. The PSU is by LiteOn, not BestTec.
Could eMachines have seen the light? Even this nondescript little bargain basement box has a PSU with little ripple and decent caps on board!
How do they intend to implement planned obsolescence with LiteOn, Sanyo and Nichicon? Surely not with cruddy power switches.
Have Fun,
Keri
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<----Computer says I need more beer.
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