Thompson SKY HD PSU - SATCURE Capacitors

paul1999

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Hello

I recently purchased an exchange psu for my Thompson Sky HD box from a recommended source (not ebay !) and was told that the psu had been refurbished with satcure mark II (uprated) caps.

It seems to be working ok but it is early days.

Most of the new caps are black but one (one of the larger ones) is purple. However I think I remember reading on the web that satcure replacement caps are all purple.

Can anyone who has purchased new caps/mk II caps from satcure confirm whether they are all black except for one of the larger ones being purple ?

Many Thanks
 
The Panasonic capacitors are predominantly black with a gold stripe but the telling factor is the beige coloured heat-resistant card between capacitors and heat sink. If that's missing, it's not a SatCure kit and it's not guaranteed. In addition, the shakeproof washer should be correctly fitted underneath the PSU. All information is here: http://www.satcure.net/psu/

If you didn't buy direct, the approved repairer can give you a password for this web page.
 
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...the telling factor is the beige coloured heat-resistant card between capacitors and heat sink. If that's missing, it's not a SatCure kit and it's not guaranteed. In addition, the shakeproof washer should be correctly fitted underneath the PSU...

Martin, once the star washer became known about (around 6 weeks after I installed my exchange PSU from you) I removed the PSU and fitted one.

However, the heat-resistant card is a much newer development to the repair kit. Having bought my upgraded PSU around 18 months ago is there an option to purchase just the piece of the card, and, if so, how should I fit it (I am assuming it is attached to the board somehow and doesnt just sit there). Seeing as it was so long ago I no-longer have my "keep-Me" email.

Finally I just want to say thank-you to you and to Michael Dranfield for offering such an excellent upgrade option. As I will tell anyone who will listen on here and on DS, even though I swapped my PSU when my HD box was only seven months old (I was upgrading the HDD and decided I was too lazy to open it up again a year or so later - prevention being better than cure etc), it transformed it from an unreliable donkey to a leopard. No BSODs, no crashes no dual recording or back to back recording problems, no "No Signal" problems and only one missed recording (obviously it has got worse since the new EPG, but I am guessing a repair for that will not available from Satcure any time soon). Some of the improvement is probably down to a better HDD, but I personally think the PSU is the key here (rubbish power in, unstable operation out). It is my opinion that even when new, the original PSU is a pile of noise producing crap and only just upto the job.

You and Michael have produced an excellent and cost effective repair and upgrade (IMHO) and I salute you both.
 
Obviously the older PSUs without the H.R. card enjoy the full guarantee regardless. You can get the card by sending an addressed envelope to the Sales Office, together with a note asking for HTCARD65, your original order number and two unused first-class stamps (or equivalent) just to help cover costs. The girls are mad about horses so, if you enclose a horsey postcard or similar, you'll get their attention! ;)

The card is simply slid down between the heatsink and capacitors. You can use a couple of dobs of glue if necessary.

I can probably locate your order number if you email me details.
 
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telling factor is the beige coloured heat-resistant card between capacitors and heat sink. If that's missing, it's not a SatCure kit and it's not guaranteed. In addition, the shakeproof washer should be correctly fitted underneath the PSU. All information is here: http://www.satcure.net/psu/

If you didn't buy direct, the approved repairer can give you a password for this web page.[/QUOTE]

Hi - I purchased from an engineer listed on Satcure website - I can provide name if it helps. Would he be an 'approved' repairer as I cannot get access to link ?
 
I dont suppose anyone has a spare HT Card they could send me?
I have just carried out a repair on a TV PSU and I would like to protect my new capacitors that are right next to a heat source?
Thanks
 
I dont suppose anyone has a spare HT Card they could send me?
I have just carried out a repair on a TV PSU and I would like to protect my new capacitors that are right next to a heat source?
Thanks

If the original capacitors were mounted next to a heatsink and you've replaced them with 105 degree caps it's not needed.
 
It's good to know that someone knows so much more about this subject than I do. After all, I merely spent my teenage years (from age 10) repairing TVs, three years at university, ten years at GEC as a design engineer, three years as a reliability laboratory manager, three years investigating component failures at Siemens, three years as Q.A. Manager at Brother, three years repairing 25,000 satellite TV receivers, as well as writing books on the subject and supplying repair kits for more years than I care to remember.

So, reflecting heat away from the capacitors won't extend their life? I learn something new every day.

By that same thinking, I don't need the heat shield around the exhaust pipe of my motorbike so I can throw it away and get rid of that extra weight.
 
It's good to know that someone knows so much more about this subject than I do. After all, I merely spent my teenage years (from age 10) repairing TVs, three years at university, ten years at GEC as a design engineer, three years as a reliability laboratory manager, three years investigating component failures at Siemens, three years as Q.A. Manager at Brother, three years repairing 25,000 satellite TV receivers, as well as writing books on the subject and supplying repair kits for more years than I care to remember.

Gawd, you're not shy are you!

So, reflecting heat away from the capacitors won't extend their life? I learn something new every day.

Of course I don't dispute that, and I suspect you know that fine well.
My point is that the original Thompson psu and others where space is at a premium and components are crammed next to each other do benefit greatly from such heat reflecting shields.

In this case the OP is asking if he should fit one in a Tv psu where there's likely to be a good bit more space between components and where there was no shield originally fitted by the manufacturer.
As long as he fits good quality high temp, low ESR caps they'll probably outlive the rest of the set and certainly last a lot longer than the poor quality ones originally fitted.
 
Take a look at this Samsung TV that I repaired.
The SatCure Blog 189
Before I replaced the cover, I slipped a heat resistant card between capacitors and heatsink. It was a tight fit. In my opinion, the capacitors will last longer because of it.

"Reeflodge" doesn't state the make or model number of his TV but, if it's as badly designed as this Samsung, it might benefit from having the card in place. I realise that professional repairers don't want the repair to last too long but, if it were my own TV, I'd certainly do a "belt & braces" repair.
 
Being "Old school" I'd have used foil backed asbestos.......:laugh:
 
I sometimes wonder how I survived. We had asbestos string wrapped around the kettle handle and the 150 Watt soldering iron; the garage roof was boarded internally with asbestos sheets; I would blow out asbestos dust from my brake shoes; The Bunsen burner flame mesh had asbestos embedded in it; the physics teacher let us dip our fingers into a bowl of mercury before he set up the "dancing coil" trick, that vaporised mercury in the classroom; I had a "maze game" that used mercury and I had my teeth filled with the stuff!
 
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Makes you wonder how we survived! (I remember "playing" with mercury at school, and leaving plenty of the stuff in the grooves of our desks!)
 
I sometimes wonder how I survived. We had asbestos string wrapped around the kettle handle and the 150 Watt soldering iron; the garage roof was boarded internally with asbestos sheets; I would blow out asbestos dust from my brake shoes; The Bunsen burner flame mesh had asbestos embedded in it; the physics teacher let us dip our fingers into a bowl of mercury before he set up the "dancing coil" trick, that vaporised mercury in the classroom; I had a "maze game" that used mercury and I had my teeth filled with the stuff!

Aye, I have all that stuff (well, not the fingers in the mercury). My dentist wants to pull my shiny terminator fillings out and replace them with resin (and to charge me a fortune).
 
Sigh,

Now your only allowed to play with a few drops of mercury sealed inside a glass bottle in school.
 

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