ScuzzBlog: Diaries August 2024
Entry 9th August 2024: Post 1: Amiga 500 Plus - The illusion of failure.
Amiga 500 Plus - The illusion of failure.
I can't believe that it has been a year since my last health check
for the Amiga 500 Plus machines I have that suffered battery damage.
Today I feature my favourite A500 Plus with the ROM switcher and
use it to demonstrate the illusion sometimes of bad things that
just aint.
I started monitoring the damage on boards more regularly from 2017.
The most notable change to the surface of the motherboard is the
degrading of what I call the mask. This is the green ( normally )
colour that is placed over traces and the like. The action of the
battery damage causes the weakening of the surface which either
is removed over time or turns dark green black. Cleaning has not
stopped the progressive change in colour, though the amount of
discolouration appears much much less over time. It could be that
the mask reacts to the vinegar salts in the cleaning process.
If you take a high resolution image with a piece of white paper
next to the affected area and shine the light from the side you
will clearly see all the supposedly failed tracks suddenly reappear.
It's like magic, that the tracks, which appear ghosted out are in
truth fully in place. They have simply lost the mask colouring.
If corrosion is going to be an issue it will be seen on chip legs
and the pins inside the AGNUS. These are key areas to check.
Sadly, the ROM splitter on this machine had a pad of Velcro under
the main part crossing the motherboard, and that had literally
melted in the heat and run over the motherboard. This happened in
2020. I fully cleaned off and removed the Velcro. Fortunately it
doesn't appear to have damaged the board.
And so the computer was given a clean bill of health, having checked
she was working, and then noted on the label. The changes in heat
levels to my storage areas due to so called 'heat waves' are a tad
worrying I have to say. Difficult to avoid. Evidently we are due
another wave over the next few days.
Ar hum.
Anyhoo.. check the inset circular image in the pics below that shows
that illusion of tracks ghosted out that in truth are still clearly
visible in a different light. I do impress upon owners of the Plus
not to get over zealous in trying to clean off all the corrosion cus
from my experience it becomes static and ceases to attack the board.
Repairs can be more lethal than the corrosion itself. Just saying.
Amiga 500 Plus - The illusion of failure.
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Last updated 9th August 2024
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