MacTester57's iMac G5 17" (A1058 Model)

[zombillano]

The EEVblog is a good source for electronics knowledge: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DjFE7Xf11URZqWBigcVOQ

Thank you so much, I will start to see them soon

Combining the SMC board with a new board for the connectors (including the ATX PSU connector and the inverter connector) would be the most professional solution. Unfortunately, the free version of eagle does not allow to design a board with this size and it would be very expensive... The integration of the display converter board does not make sense in my opinion, because it's located on the other end of the iMac
MacTester

That's true, it is so expensive. Eagle is the only software to design PCBs? Also, you are right, it does not make sense to put the display converter on it... I will try to think another solutions... and seeing that I have to wait for some parts to start the conversion of my imac's display, I will start by replacing some components that are broken on the PSU.

 

[MacTester57]

Eagle is the only software to design PCBs?

There are other PCB design softwares:
- http://www.circuitmaker.com/#why_circuitmaker
- http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/deu/page/designspark-pcb-home-page
- http://www.electroschematics.com/2249/pcb-design-software/
- http://www.expresspcb.com/free-cad-software/

In my opinion, we should try to stay with eagle. Why?
- Runs on OS X
- Allows to share our designs

I will start by replacing some components that are broken on the PSU.

Be careful! The big capacitor on the primary side is able to store a lethal amount of energy...

MacTester

 

[zombillano]

There are other PCB design softwares:
- http://www.circuitmaker.com/#why_circuitmaker
- http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/deu/page/designspark-pcb-home-page
- http://www.electroschematics.com/2249/pcb-design-software/
- http://www.expresspcb.com/free-cad-software/

In my opinion, we should try to stay with eagle. Why?
- Runs on OS X
- Allows to share our designs

Well, yes, those are good reasons to stay with eagle. But maybe in the future we will need to move almost 1 time to any other PCB design software if we want to do an unified PCB with connections and SMC. Just because Eagle (for non-commercial use) is so expensive (I guess 150 dollars....).

Be careful! The big capacitor on the primary side is able to store a lethal amount of energy...

MacTester

That's what I was seeing... Any way to discharge that capacitor? I have never worked with PSU's, but I remember my father told me that I have to be careful working with them...

 

[MacTester57]

That's what I was seeing... Any way to discharge that capacitor? I have never worked with PSU's, but I remember my father told me that I have to be careful working with them...

Such capacitors normally have a bleeder (discharge) resistor in parallel. But if you want to be sure, you should wait a couple of hours after you've disconnected the PSU from your mains. Then carefully remove the housing and check for remaining voltage with a multimeter.

Good luck

MacTester

 

[zombillano]

Such capacitors normally have a bleeder (discharge) resistor in parallel. But if you want to be sure, you should wait a couple of hours after you've disconnected the PSU from your mains. Then carefully remove the housing and check for remaining voltage with a multimeter.

Good luck

MacTester

I guessed that it takes a lot more time to discharge something like some days or so, but if you say that with a couple of hours will do it, I believe in you

Also, my iMac has been disconnected since my first post here (I guess a couple of weeks ago). Just because it shows some strange bars, just like this one (isn't mine, I forgot to take a picture of mine):

Should be the PSU, right? I have opened the PSU and I saw one capacitor broken, and in the shell I saw some marks, like if something have burned inside...

 

[MacTester57]

but if you say that with a couple of hours will do it, I believe in you

I'm not responsible, if you burn your fingers or more

Just because it shows some strange bars

I'm not sure, if the PSU is the culprit. Maybe, the LCD or logic board is also damaged? Are the capacitors on the logic board bulged or are they looking intact?

I have opened the PSU and I saw one capacitor broken, and in the shell I saw some marks, like if something have burned inside...

If you can see visual damage on the capacitors, replace them! Only use low ESR types with at least the same voltage rating and capacity.

 

[zombillano]

I'm not responsible, if you burn your fingers or more

Hahahahaha I know, I know, I will read how to do it, I love my fingers and want to keep them

I'm not sure, if the PSU is the culprit. Maybe, the LCD or logic board is also damaged? Are the capacitors on the logic board bulged or are they looking intact?

I looked to the capacitors in the logic board and all of them appear to be fine. Also, I don't need a working logic board, at the time I will follow your modification almost to the letter, but I will try to see if repairing the PSU will fix that. I don't think it is a LCD failure, It looks so fine.

If you can see visual damage on the capacitors, replace them! Only use low ESR types with at least the same voltage rating and capacity.

I will replace them, as soon as I get the capacitors I will start my own thread Also, every day i'm closer to the 75 messages to be able to reply the PM

 

[steveLB]

Please discharge the Caps !! Be careful !
I tried to repair once an Apple Time Capsule and forgot about that, an got a flash/ discharge in my finger because i slipped from a pin with the tip of the multimeter probe (before the flash i could meassure about 300 V at the caps, after there were 50V ) You don't have to die immediatly, but you can cause your heard to flicker and in a moment were your body is calm ( for example sleeping) you can die. Thats why people with electric shock have to go and stay at minimum 24h at hospital.

Look at this video from 6:30 minute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x5Qab8DJyo
" leave it sevaral days ... for discharging ..." and than discharge with Resistor. So you have to invest only a liddle bit of patience and an 1 cent resistor.

 

[Simmy]

Hi I'm just after some advice from yourself and all the other clever modders.

I have a G5 iMac 20" sitting around not being used and also a 17" frame screen and logic board so think it's about I done something with them.

Has anybody made use of an old laptop in a mod like this before?

I have several old laptops sitting around that will donate motherboard etc and would be working with a budget of almost nothing.

Do you think this is possible?

 

[steveLB]

I thought about something nearly the same, using old netbooks with HDMI or DVI (for the iMac displays), but working netbooks are over 80€ on ebay and are old ( ~ 2008- 2010 ) and slow. You can find ITX motherboards or NUC PC in the range of 130€ with actual hardware.

You can do that, with you old notebooks, but why? Whats your win?