2600 Six-switch - chiclet capacitor blowing out?

Yoder · November 10, 2013

Hey guys,

I couldn't pass up a Sunnyvale 6-switch for $10, even though I was told it wasn't working. I got it home and found that the 7805 was ouputting zilch, so I changed that. Then it powered up, but I had no picture (just lines and squggles), so I checked the three big chips in my other Atari and they're fine. I reflowed all the cartridge slot solder points, but no go. Then I decided to change the green chiclet capacitor wit a .22 uF one from RS (C103) and it worked! I saw Crystal Castles bright and clear! For about two minutes... :-(

So the screen started to mess up and then went back to what I was getting before...same whether there is a cartridge in there or not.

I wanted to see what you guys thought. I could put in another chiclet capacitor in case it fried some how, but it may just burn it out again. Or maybe I got a faulty one?

Also, the one I pulled out said 220K on it...I was assuming something more like the other Atari's I've worked on that read 22M or something similar to that. Probably not a big deal as the service manual states that it is a .22 uF for the original 2600.

One other piece of info is that the console looks like it was sitting in a puddle at one point. The RF shield was badly oxidized and there was a lot of rust in the bottom of the case (from the screws and RF box case). It seems like it didn't touch the main board or any major components, but I figured I'd mention it.

Please let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks!