9090 dial lamp bypass procedure
- Thread starter spacelord
- Start date
You guys have inspired me to get my 8080Db out tomorrow and run deoxit. Havent used in 6 years!
river25
Super Member
Hi,
I am currently refurbishing a 9090 I got recently. I have the service manual and all the checks have passed and no adjustments needed. I visually checked the caps and they all look good, and as the unit is within spec I will leave the re-capping until it needs it.
Most of the lamps were blown, so I've gone on a hybrid lamp-LED solution. The 4 small power meter lamps were blown and it's not easy to find replacements for these, and considering how difficult they are to reach I decided to LED the power meter lights.
Took me 9 hours to replace the 4 blown power meter lamps with LEDs. I used waterclear bright blue 3mm LEDs, and it looks great. To get the brightness I needed, especially as the cone of light from the LED doesn't lend itself easily to illuminate these meters, I neede max power and brightness. To do this you need to run the LEDs off DC. So I built a DC converter. I removed the AC black & white power leads from the back of the meters and fed it into my converter circuit - which is merely a small bridge rectifier and a 470uF electro cap, and a curent limit resistor. I fitted the DC converter board neatly within the amp and connected up the LEDs. I hope this will now last my lifetime so I don't have to get in and do it again.
The tuning meter, signal strength meter and the station dial are illuminated by the stock fuse lamps. I bought some and they give a nicer, warmer feel - especially for larger areas to be illuminated.
This weekend I will be replacing the little dial pointer lamp with a 3mm waterclear red LED, and then will replace the selector lamps (AUX, AM, FM, Phon, etc) with 5mm waterclear Amber LEDs. As the above lamps are AC powered, I'll be making sure I can put them in place with a current limit resistor. Even though this will, at best, give me half the illumination the LED would have if run from DC, the dial needle light and thr selector lights do not require the same level of brightness that would be required to illuminate gauges. I just hope I get no flickering otherwise I will have to get smart again and devise a DC conversion.
The stereo indicator is working, so I will leave that until it blows and then do a LED replacement.
river
I am currently refurbishing a 9090 I got recently. I have the service manual and all the checks have passed and no adjustments needed. I visually checked the caps and they all look good, and as the unit is within spec I will leave the re-capping until it needs it.
Most of the lamps were blown, so I've gone on a hybrid lamp-LED solution. The 4 small power meter lamps were blown and it's not easy to find replacements for these, and considering how difficult they are to reach I decided to LED the power meter lights.
Took me 9 hours to replace the 4 blown power meter lamps with LEDs. I used waterclear bright blue 3mm LEDs, and it looks great. To get the brightness I needed, especially as the cone of light from the LED doesn't lend itself easily to illuminate these meters, I neede max power and brightness. To do this you need to run the LEDs off DC. So I built a DC converter. I removed the AC black & white power leads from the back of the meters and fed it into my converter circuit - which is merely a small bridge rectifier and a 470uF electro cap, and a curent limit resistor. I fitted the DC converter board neatly within the amp and connected up the LEDs. I hope this will now last my lifetime so I don't have to get in and do it again.
The tuning meter, signal strength meter and the station dial are illuminated by the stock fuse lamps. I bought some and they give a nicer, warmer feel - especially for larger areas to be illuminated.
This weekend I will be replacing the little dial pointer lamp with a 3mm waterclear red LED, and then will replace the selector lamps (AUX, AM, FM, Phon, etc) with 5mm waterclear Amber LEDs. As the above lamps are AC powered, I'll be making sure I can put them in place with a current limit resistor. Even though this will, at best, give me half the illumination the LED would have if run from DC, the dial needle light and thr selector lights do not require the same level of brightness that would be required to illuminate gauges. I just hope I get no flickering otherwise I will have to get smart again and devise a DC conversion.
The stereo indicator is working, so I will leave that until it blows and then do a LED replacement.
river
Mod blows the fuse..
Hi all..I just got my 9090...
But its dark...Slowly getting illumination. But the mod pictured blows the fuse. Definitely the switch. Its been buggered up in its life, so Id rather leave it alone. I can get it lit at a half position, but looses stereo. Sure love bringing these machines to life...And the blank stares from retail store folk when I ask for stuff like fuse lamps...This kid pulled the ends off my old ones insisting its a fuse showing me heat damage...Then tried to sell me a 7.1 pile of crap. Sure would appreciate a suggestion on the lights..
Hi all..I just got my 9090...
But its dark...Slowly getting illumination. But the mod pictured blows the fuse. Definitely the switch. Its been buggered up in its life, so Id rather leave it alone. I can get it lit at a half position, but looses stereo. Sure love bringing these machines to life...And the blank stares from retail store folk when I ask for stuff like fuse lamps...This kid pulled the ends off my old ones insisting its a fuse showing me heat damage...Then tried to sell me a 7.1 pile of crap. Sure would appreciate a suggestion on the lights..
Do you have a 9090 or a 9090DB? The lights are wired differently on these models. The bypass mod works on the 9090, 990, 8080, and 890 only. It does not apply to any of the DB models.
If it is a 9090 and you blew a fuse when moving the wire, you did it wrong or something is shorted in the lighting circuit. That short may be what buggered the switch. You will need to do some checking.
You probably won't find fuse lamps at a local retailer but they are available from many on-line suppliers. You can also get them from AK member DGWojo.
- Pete
If it is a 9090 and you blew a fuse when moving the wire, you did it wrong or something is shorted in the lighting circuit. That short may be what buggered the switch. You will need to do some checking.
You probably won't find fuse lamps at a local retailer but they are available from many on-line suppliers. You can also get them from AK member DGWojo.
- Pete
Thanks for this. My dad recently let me use his beloved 9090 to listen to records with. Ever since I was a kid the dial has never lit up. Did the mod this morning and bam, all the working lamps came on. Part of the dial is out and the right signal meter is dark. But hey at least it's not totally dark anymore. Ordering some LEDs for it soon. This thing still sounds amazing and has been taken care of. My dad told me he'd had the switch replaced before when it wouldn't switch on the illumination probably sometime in the 80s and it went out again and he never replaced the 2nd one. He was surprised to see it light up after such a long time!
SubseaTree
New Member
... and another happy 9090 owner in 2017! This permanent dial light procedure is so easy, and not only is it pretty but fixes the problem of burned out selector switches in the lights wafer.
I think even in 2047 readers will be thanking their lucky stars they came across this thread. Muchos Gracias!
I think even in 2047 readers will be thanking their lucky stars they came across this thread. Muchos Gracias!
If the dial lights on a 1000X switch on and off with the function switch, there is certainly a way to bypass that switch but it may not be as simple as swapping the position of a wire in a connector. Before going there, what is happening with your dial lights? It may not be the switch.
- Pete
- Pete
I also a lurker on AK. Just acquired a 9090 with a faulty input selector switch. After removing the rotary switch, I see the that indicator light wafer in the switch is frozen so none of the lights come on in any mode. Sourcing a replacement switch is near impossible. Will this jumper red wire mod light up the lights even with this bad wafer?
Best,
dave, San Francisco
Best,
dave, San Francisco
I purchased a Sansui 9090 back in 1976 for $750.00. I was only 15 and my mom had to co-sign a bank loan for me! I sold it about 10 years later and I always regretted that. Last week I purchased a Sansui 9090 on Craigslist and had it shipped to my home. It is in excellent cosmetic condition and all of the audio functions work correctly. None of the back-lighting worked except for the power meters.
I performed the power bypass modification and that brought back all of the backlighting. Even the FM Stereo indicator and the dial pointer now work. THANKS for this thread!
None of the source indicators illuminate and the lamps are all good. I am going to try cleaning the rotary selector switch wafers with deoxit tomorrow. I'll post my results afterwards.
I performed the power bypass modification and that brought back all of the backlighting. Even the FM Stereo indicator and the dial pointer now work. THANKS for this thread!
None of the source indicators illuminate and the lamps are all good. I am going to try cleaning the rotary selector switch wafers with deoxit tomorrow. I'll post my results afterwards.
One more data point. I bought a 9090 at a yard sale a few months ago. Just did a big overhaul (with a kit from ebay, 50 or so caps, relay, a few transistors, etc.) - I'm pretty happy with the kit and the instructions it came with. Cleaned everything with contact cleaner and deoxit. The sound is fantastic, even through my bench speakers (Optimus 7's)... Still most of the lamps were out. Reflowed the solder on the lamp board, no help. Did this mod and it now lights up like a christmas tree. I did order a led kit for it too and will install those as soon as they arrive as I don't want the heat. Thanks for this mod - super easy, VERY satisfying.
i2h82lose1
Member
Did this lamp mod my 9090 and it works like a charm. When my friend came home from Germany back in 77 with this monster I asked why the lights did not stay on in other selections. Replaced lamps to LED's cleaned up unit and some small replacements of electronics and its banging again.