Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

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Dave
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Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

Post by Dave »

Hi folks,

Just a request for you all to bear in mind for the future, either as your own Electron fails or you come across one on your travels . . . . .

I wouldn't normally consider breaking up a vintage home computer, even a toy :-) but . . .

As we know, a common problem with the MTX is bad or sticky keys. They can't always be recovered by cleaning and sometimes need replacement. The key switches are not available new, but the ones fitted to Acorn Electrons are the same.

Since Electrons are much more common than MTXs, I think that using the key switches from a broken Elk to repair MTXs is an acceptable thing to do. You may disagree, but hey, this is my thread :-)

So, if you come across a broken Elk, I'd be happy to take it off your hands (and pay the postage). I would desolder all of the key switches and make them available to the group FOC, for the cost of postage. If you have any skill at all with a soldering iron, replacement of a useless MTX key switch is pretty easy and can make an annoying MTX a pleasure to use again.

Any other potentially useful Elk parts would be donated to Elk owners on Stardot and the like,

Regards
Dave
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1024MAK
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Location: Looking forward to summer, in Somerset, UK

Re: Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

Post by 1024MAK »

A service engineer on StarDot has posted that using an ultrasonic cleaner, with the proper cleaning fluid is effective - 4 out of 5 have come back to life and work perfectly!

See here

Mark
:!: Standby alert :!:
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Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :D

Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
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Dave
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Re: Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

Post by Dave »

Hi Mark,

yes, thanks, I had seen that.

It does of course, require that you have an ultrasonic cleaner & solvent, and is "only" 80% effective :-)

regards
Dave
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1024MAK
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Joined: 24 Dec 2012 03:01
Location: Looking forward to summer, in Somerset, UK

Re: Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

Post by 1024MAK »

What, no cleaner? Instead unscrew the pins (one at a time) and clean them... (Full instructions somewhere else on StarDot...)

Mark
:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :D

Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
User avatar
Dave
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Joined: 11 Aug 2012 18:16
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Re: Wanted : for free :-) Broken Acorn Electron(s)

Post by Dave »

Unscrewing the pins is easy, and **might** work, depending on the fault.

At least one of mine had damage to the leaf spring inside the switch though, it is supposed to be possible to strip them down and reassemble, but if the spring is damaged, it's nearly impossible, at least it was for me anyway.

regards
Dave
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