A good late new years resolution...

[Thirteen]

Just a reminder for everyone about an often overlooked item - on Friday I got the fourth machine in in 6 weeks that has had major CPU board damage from a leaking memory battery. This one was a Korg Polysix, which is legendary for being a battery casualty I also have worked on a Prophet, a Linn 9000 and an SH101 in that time, all with bad corrosion. It's good to open all your gear with batteries and check them at least yearly, ie; effects devices, synths, pedals and so on.

[chris p]

Its what killed my Polysix, the synth that, sigh, was my first.

Now of course emulated in the Korg Classic virtual instrument. I wonder if the emulation gets the weird filter drift sounds that comes from major components being dissolved in battery acid.

[rachelp]

My PolySix is just fine, thanks to the service done on it by Thirteen, last year ;)

BTW, the battery mod for the Multitrak is working great too - it's held its memory for so long now
I have almost forgotten it myself! But I've gotta get my OSCar to you..... :(


rachel

[Thirteen]

Well, number 5 last night, a Roland CSQ-600 sequencer I borrowed from a friend to try out with my modular had the insides of it's NiCd battery all through it, I had a suspicion that I had better check it before I turned it on, knowing that my friend never turns his stuff on. The CSQ 100 and 600's are great machines, but ancient. Cleaned up the mess, now off to Jaycar to find a battery that will fit inside properly. The battey goo is usually alkaline, so I clean it off with vinegar and swabs to neutralize it, remove anything physically that I can, then wash that off with clean water, and then flush with alcohol to remove the water, and then flush switches and sliders with cleaner and then coat with Deoxit. I then repair any corroded tracks with Kynar wire, remove and replace any suspect solder and replace any damaged components. If an area of PC board now has exposed clean tracks I spray that section with clear circuit board lacquer. This is a big job, so best avoid it by replacing those batteries...

[Thirteen]

My PolySix is just fine, thanks to the service done on it by Thirteen, last year ;)

BTW, the battery mod for the Multitrak is working great too - it's held its memory for so long now
I have almost forgotten it myself! But I've gotta get my OSCar to you..... :(


rachel

Hi Rachel, good to hear your battery woes are over :-) Looking forward to catching up.

[Thirteen]

Its what killed my Polysix, the synth that, sigh, was my first.

Now of course emulated in the Korg Classic virtual instrument. I wonder if the emulation gets the weird filter drift sounds that comes from major components being dissolved in battery acid.

Ouch... Usually the first time you know about the battery melting in the Polysix is when all the button LED's get kooky on the front panel, the battery is right beside the IC's that handle the buttons and LED's, the chip that really cops it is beside the negative terminal, for some arcane chemical reason it is the cathode of the battery that leaks most. There must be a lot of vapour too, the corrosion gets into the weirdest places...