Original iMac PSU. Replacable?

Are powersupply units still available for those machines? If so, is it easy to fit?
Joe Flannigan wrote on :

I've got an original rev b 233Mhz iMac that's been sitting in the corner of the spare bedroom, looking forlornly at me each time I go into the room.

It works, apart from every 10 minutes or so there's a nasty sounding crack from inside the machine and it goes off. It also blows a fuse roughly 20% of the time when it does this.

Needless to say, it doesn't get much use these days, however, I'd like to resuscitate the old girl and press it back into use for various reasons.

Now, my not very great electrical knowledge (I'm a programmer, I'm dangerous with a screwdriver) is telling me that it's more than likely the power supply that's to blame for the machine's untimely death.

Are powersupply units still available for those machines? If so, is it easy to fit?

D.M. Procida replied on :

Joe Flannigan joef@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've got an original rev b 233Mhz iMac that's been sitting in the corner of the spare bedroom, looking forlornly at me each time I go into the room.

It works, apart from every 10 minutes or so there's a nasty sounding crack from inside the machine and it goes off. It also blows a fuse roughly 20% of the time when it does this.

Needless to say, it doesn't get much use these days, however, I'd like to resuscitate the old girl and press it back into use for various reasons.

Now, my not very great electrical knowledge (I'm a programmer, I'm dangerous with a screwdriver) is telling me that it's more than likely the power supply that's to blame for the machine's untimely death.

It's almost certainly the flyback transformer, not the PSU, and if you're not very good with a screwdriver then you probably don't want to be unsoldering a flyback transformer.

Daniele

Joe Flannigan replied on :

It's almost certainly the flyback transformer, not the PSU, and if you're not very good with a screwdriver then you probably don't want to be unsoldering a flyback transformer.

Daniele

Ah. Unsoldering a flyback transformer (whatever the hell that is) sounds like something I definately wouldn't want to touch.

Seems a shame to chuck it, but I'm not about to spend any decent amount of money on labour and parts for it (if the part is even still available).

Wonder if it can be turned into one of those mac fishtanks? I'd imagine it would look pretty nice with an internal light and some fish.

Stuart Bell replied on :

Joe Flannigan joef@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've got an original rev b 233Mhz iMac that's been sitting in the corner of the spare bedroom, looking forlornly at me each time I go into the room.

It works, apart from every 10 minutes or so there's a nasty sounding crack from inside the machine and it goes off. It also blows a fuse roughly 20% of the time when it does this.

Needless to say, it doesn't get much use these days, however, I'd like to resuscitate the old girl and press it back into use for various reasons.

Now, my not very great electrical knowledge (I'm a programmer, I'm dangerous with a screwdriver) is telling me that it's more than likely the power supply that's to blame for the machine's untimely death.

Are powersupply units still available for those machines? If so, is it easy to fit?

I fear that, except for the very able DIY person (not me!) it isn't economic. New parts will be more than the thing will ever be worth now (<£100), and fitting is far from trivial for someone who isn't qualified.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Best bet might be to hope for £30 on eBay.

Stuart

Joe Flannigan replied on :

I fear that, except for the very able DIY person (not me!) it isn't economic. New parts will be more than the thing will ever be worth now (<£100), and fitting is far from trivial for someone who isn't qualified.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Best bet might be to hope for £30 on eBay.

Stuart

I thought as much.

I'm loath to chuck such a design icon though (did I really say that?).

Just need to persuade the wife to let me have this in the living room now :

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2004/fishtank_500x609.jpg

:D

I think it would look great in the bondi blue and its the type of modification I'd be willing to risk, as I wouldn't be risking life and limb.

Time to start the persuasion..

Elliott Roper replied on :

In article RHRbe.922$iQ1.209@redacted.invalid, Joe Flannigan joef@redacted.invalid wrote:

I fear that, except for the very able DIY person (not me!) it isn't economic. New parts will be more than the thing will ever be worth now (<£100), and fitting is far from trivial for someone who isn't qualified.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Best bet might be to hope for £30 on eBay.

Stuart

I thought as much.

I'm loath to chuck such a design icon though (did I really say that?).

Just need to persuade the wife to let me have this in the living room now :

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2004/fishtank_500x609.jpg

:D

I think it would look great in the bondi blue and its the type of modification I'd be willing to risk, as I wouldn't be risking life and limb.

Looks like a good negotiatiing ploy. "Lemme buy a dual G5 or the living room gets the fishtank"

Kez replied on :

"Joe Flannigan" joef@redacted.invalid wrote in message news:kdRbe.17459$u5.17362@redacted.invalid

I've got an original rev b 233Mhz iMac that's been sitting in the corner of the spare bedroom, looking forlornly at me each time I go into the room.

It works, apart from every 10 minutes or so there's a nasty sounding crack from inside the machine and it goes off. It also blows a fuse roughly 20% of the time when it does this.

Needless to say, it doesn't get much use these days, however, I'd like to resuscitate the old girl and press it back into use for various reasons.

Now, my not very great electrical knowledge (I'm a programmer, I'm dangerous with a screwdriver) is telling me that it's more than likely the power supply that's to blame for the machine's untimely death.

Are powersupply units still available for those machines? If so, is it easy to fit?

i have the same problem with one [1] of mine (flyback transformer)

personally, i just use a mac->vga adapter and a 15" tft

[1] well, two, actually - but the other one has been rehoused in an ATX case. I can't bring myself to rick messing around with the CRT again ;-)

gutts replied on :

Stuart Bell spamfritterspam@redacted.invalid wrote:

I fear that, except for the very able DIY person (not me!) it isn't economic. New parts will be more than the thing will ever be worth now (<£100), and fitting is far from trivial for someone who isn't qualified.

http://www.bluestar-online.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=6174Z-1003G

30 US$ before shipping

not easy to instal.

Tom Warner replied on :

Joe Flannigan joef@redacted.invalid wrote:

I'm loath to chuck such a design icon though (did I really say that?).

Just need to persuade the wife to let me have this in the living room now :

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2004/fishtank_500x609.jpg

You could do that or, you could gut it and insert an LCD monitor and a Mac mini.

Uhhh, then you could tell me know how you did it so that I could try it with my dead slot loader...

All the best, Tom

Rob E replied on :

"Joe Flannigan" joef@redacted.invalid wrote in message news:kdRbe.17459$u5.17362@redacted.invalid

I've got an original rev b 233Mhz iMac that's been sitting in the corner of the spare bedroom, looking forlornly at me each time I go into the room.

It works, apart from every 10 minutes or so there's a nasty sounding crack from inside the machine and it goes off. It also blows a fuse roughly 20% of the time when it does this.

Needless to say, it doesn't get much use these days, however, I'd like to resuscitate the old girl and press it back into use for various reasons.

Now, my not very great electrical knowledge (I'm a programmer, I'm dangerous with a screwdriver) is telling me that it's more than likely the power supply that's to blame for the machine's untimely death.

Are powersupply units still available for those machines? If so, is it easy to fit?

Hi, you might get some info here before the "CHUCK". http://www.capecodgraphics.com/imac_firmware.htm

regards, Rob E.

Jon B replied on :

Tom Warner tom@redacted.invalid wrote:

Joe Flannigan joef@redacted.invalid wrote:

I'm loath to chuck such a design icon though (did I really say that?).

Just need to persuade the wife to let me have this in the living room now :

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2004/fishtank_500x609.jpg

You could do that or, you could gut it and insert an LCD monitor and a Mac mini.

Uhhh, then you could tell me know how you did it so that I could try it with my dead slot loader...

Well slot loaders are internally completely different, I'd actually imagine the tray loader to be easier except you'd have to tidy up the front as you'd be changing to a slot load drive. The internal assembly on the tray loaders just slides out and off top of my head there is plenty of room there to just gut it and drop the mini internals in, just a case then of changing the monitor [1] and powering up.

Again in the slot loader there is quite a bit of room [2] and it is already set up for the slot loading drive. The tricky bit again is going to be the monitor, I'd imagine it would be impossible to use the original 15" crt as that is wired/powered direct from the motherboard. A bit of handy wiring and some front port panels [3] to re-create the IO panel on the side. Bobs your uncle and all that.

[1] Or hacking the wiring to use the original monitor. [2] I'd say the mini will easily use less room than the motherboard and ram in the iMac, but I'd plan on relocating the drives to the original iMac location to give clearance. [3] Which are available from a company called front-x (iirc) in the usa very well priced and often free shipping