best cheap/free scores 1.1

[c_hegge]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Another freebie from Hell (erm, sorry. I meant Dell ). This time, it's a studio 1737, but it was dropped while it was running (so obviously, I don't have a working HDD for it). The mirror is also cracked (or is that the screen? ), the slot machine (DVD drive maybe? ) is also wrecked, and the keyboard is slightly bent, so those parts will have to be replaced. Surprisingly, though, the casing looks good, even though it's not the magnesium alloy used in the Latitudes.

PS. Sorry about the bad payouts on the parts

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Mirror screens are bad and the person who invented them should feel bad.

[c_hegge]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I know, I hate glossy screens with a passion. I'm not big on slot DVD drives either.

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I know, I hate glossy screens with a passion. I'm not big on slot DVD drives either.

Lucky for me I've never had one. But I can imagine they could be a pain if a disk got stuck, especially with a laptop.

At least on a desktop it should be fairly easy to get the drive out to open it.

[c_hegge]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I haven't had a glossy screen or a slot DVD drive before either. I'm torn between replacing it with another slot DVD drive or ghetto modding it by cutting the side out and using a tray DVD drive. If I was keeping it, I'd go with the ghetto mod option, but I want it to be sell-able once I'm done with it.

I probably should add that it also has Mobility Radeon HD3650 graphics.

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Found a nice looking stainless steel microwave the other day left outside for trash pickup. Pic:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
So I got it home. Turns out it's a Panasonic NN-SN797S. Although pretty on the outside, this is what it looked like on the inside:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

I haven't tried testing it yet. Am I correct in assuming that I shouldn't run it like this? On the inside, there was a cover of some sort on the side that has started to burn. Looks like it has aluminum foil or something similar in it. Anyone know what that is and what it's used for? Magnetron cover, perhaps?
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

Other than that and the rust, the electronics looks fine. Nothing obviously burned. Pics:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

So can I do something about it? Everything looks very nice on the front but IIRC those rust spots will make the magnetron short, correct? Can I cover everything in aluminum foil or something like that? Or is there a special paint that needs to go on top of the metal inside the microwave?

What do you all think? Make a new thread and fix it or just trash it?
I'm thinking save the electronics at the very least, maybe even the door and frond panel as well (a lot of reviews mention broken latch mechanisms on the door so maybe someone else can use those parts).

[ben7]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Found a nice looking stainless steel microwave the other day left outside for trash pickup. Pic:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
So I got it home. Turns out it's a Panasonic NN-SN797S. Although pretty on the outside, this is what it looked like on the inside:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

I haven't tried testing it yet. Am I correct in assuming that I shouldn't run it like this? On the inside, there was a cover of some sort on the side that has started to burn. Looks like it has aluminum foil or something similar in it. Anyone know what that is and what it's used for? Magnetron cover, perhaps?
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

Other than that and the rust, the electronics looks fine. Nothing obviously burned. Pics:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1342333028

So can I do something about it? Everything looks very nice on the front but IIRC those rust spots will make the magnetron short, correct? Can I cover everything in aluminum foil or something like that? Or is there a special paint that needs to go on top of the metal inside the microwave?

What do you all think? Make a new thread and fix it or just trash it?
I'm thinking save the electronics at the very least, maybe even the door and frond panel as well (a lot of reviews mention broken latch mechanisms on the door so maybe someone else can use those parts).

Theres only one way to find out if it works, turn 'er on! But, seeing the magnetron wave guard as it is, I think it will start making some plasma

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

But, seeing the magnetron wave guard as it is, I think it will start making some plasma

Yeah, I think it has already been doing that to the previous owner. Hopefully nothing else has been damaged by that. From what I gather online, the microwave can be used without that cover so that's good news. I'll try to clean it this week and test it. I don't think my family will be happy when they come back and see this microwave - they really hate it when I bring "junk" in the house. But hey, at least it doesn't have roaches!

If nothing else, I think this microwave will be fine for some "science" experiments . Or maybe I'll fix it one day, who knows (granted I would need to get a welder and some steel sheets first).

[ben7]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Yeah, I think it has already been doing that to the previous owner. Hopefully nothing else has been damaged by that. From what I gather online, the microwave can be used without that cover so that's good news. I'll try to clean it this week and test it. I don't think my family will be happy when they come back and see this microwave - they really hate it when I bring "junk" in the house. But hey, at least it doesn't have roaches!

If nothing else, I think this microwave will be fine for some "science" experiments . Or maybe I'll fix it one day, who knows (granted I would need to get a welder and some steel sheets first).

Haha, I know, they hate it when I bring 'junk' in the house here too xD

Try smoothing off (with very fine sandpaper) the arced metal areas, plasma balls usually form on sharp edges. Its not guaranteed to last though.

Shame it has an inverter instead of low frequency iron core transformer, you can make arcs with them (WARNING: VERY dangerous, they can provide up to 2000v at 2+ amps!).

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Shame it has an inverter instead of low frequency iron core transformer, you can make arcs with them (WARNING: VERY dangerous, they can provide up to 2000v at 2+ amps!).

Yes. When I saw it, I was a little disappointed as well cause I always wanted to build a welder out of one.

It would have been funny if I did - use the parts from the microwave (the traffo, that is) to fix the microwave itself (by making a welder and welding a new back piece), then put the parts back in the microwave to make it work.... then sell it on ebay as a "self-healing" microwave

[kc8adu]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

you can sand down the bad spot and repaint with special paint made for microwave cavities.the waveguide cover is sheet mica and also availible and cheap.cut it to fit.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Went to goodwill today and they had 8 Acer 17" LCDs for $10 a pop. I bought two v173 units.

They are two very different revisons (internally), as they had 4 V173 units, two of each revison. The reason I mix-matched revisions is that one of the older revision units (made in 2008) was DOA (not even 2STB) and one of the newer revision units (made in 2010) had some nasty foam crap all over the front bezel.

Cosmetically, the only difference is that the older unit has silver buttons while the newer unit has black buttons, the rubber feet are different shaped, and the position of the AC input is slightly different.

Internally, the older unit used a two-transformer inverter with 4 lamps and an LG panel, while the newer unit used a single transformer inverter with two lamps and a chinese brand (forgot the name) panel. Also, the older one used leaded solder and had bad looking transformer joints, while the newer one used lead-free solder (ROHS) and had good looking solder joints. Both had sketchy cap brands and will be fully recapped when I get the caps to do so.

Sadly, I haven't had much work getting my ATI Radeon 9800Pro to run a dual setup under linux... I may try it under XP pro and see if i have better luck there... If I had a AGP Geforce 6 card or a newer ATI card supported by the prop. driver maybe that would work under linux.

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Sadly, I haven't had much work getting my ATI Radeon 9800Pro to run a dual setup under linux... I may try it under XP pro and see if i have better luck there... If I had a AGP Geforce 6 card or a newer ATI card supported by the prop. driver maybe that would work under linux.

The open source radeon driver works but make sure you have a recent distribution or you'll get an outdated version, which may be problematic.

Under XP there should be no issues at all.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I think one of the LCDs is toast.

The older oen is acting in a very unreliable way... The video will work erratically. My guess is a bad videpo controller (I tried known working cables and output devices.

Maybe I need to go back and buy the other newer one... facepalm...

Edit- the bad one is a V173b revision.

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

The problem is, it looks like the metal has rusted all the way through to the other side. But I'll try cleaning it anyways just to see what comes up. After all, you're the know-it-all guru around here, so if you think it can be fixed, it probably can be . Thanks for the tip on the microwave cavity paint. Saved me a lot of time researching.

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I think one of the LCDs is toast.

You give up too easily. Make a new thread. Could be something simple.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

You give up too easily. Make a new thread. Could be something simple.

I did...

--

Today I went back and found that the only V173 left was the one I tested yeterday and and was 100% dead.

However, I found a pair of Acer AL1716s, both revision B units made in September 2007. They seemed to work ok in the store and since I had a $10 off card (the family's frequent buyer card), I essentially got 2 more for $10. When I got them home, they both 2STB'd on me and had a buzzing issue... a quick dissassembly revealed both had a bloated 1000uf 25V suscon and crappy transformer soldering. There were other crappy caps as well but they weren't bloated and I don't have replacements on hand. Once I get home from my College class I'll replace the bloaters and resolder the transformers with the notion of an eventual full recap (of all 4 LCDs).

Hopefully that fixes it...

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The Two AL1716s run great after replacing the popped cap and resoldering the transformers. I still will complete the recap at a later date.

I did get dual displays to work under linux but with gnome shell the system lagged to the point of being unusable. Gnome classic (fallback mode) runs great, which makes me think either my GPU isn't enough or the measly 1gb of RAM is the issue.

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I did get dual displays to work under linux but with gnome shell the system lagged to the point of being unusable. Gnome classic (fallback mode) runs great, which makes me think either my GPU isn't enough or the measly 1gb of RAM is the issue.

It will be the new version of Gnome\Unity and 3D effects coupled with the slower open source radeon driver.

But 3D works pretty well in Linux for me, and I have a 9600XT and 1GB system RAM on this one. Get 12.04 if you're using Ubuntu, to make sure you have the latest drivers.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

It will be the new version of Gnome\Unity and 3D effects coupled with the slower open source radeon driver.

But 3D works pretty well in Linux for me, and I have a 9600XT and 1GB system RAM on this one. Get 12.04 if you're using Ubuntu, to make sure you have the latest drivers.

I am using debian testing...