Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

IanNVJ35 · 22nd Mar 2017, 10:59 am

I have been working to restore a 1987 Panasonic D80 VCR (HiFi with Digital Effects) and have done the following (along with full mechanical and external clean / lube:

Recapped the PSU - originals were dried out
Fitted new upper drum
Replaced 33uF capacitor on digital effects board (was of a different grade to others and was leaking)
Replaced three 2.2uF bipolar capacitors on PCB under head drum (low video and HiFi audio output)
Replaced a capacitor on the index PCB (was not reading CTL pulses)

Now I have a smooth working VCR with bright display and solid tracking. However one fault remains and that is blue and red chroma flashes on the screen in diagonal lines moving down the screen, almost exactly the same as with the F65 model when the secondary capacitors dry out in the PSU.

So, has anyone else found another area in similar SMPSU VCR's that can cause this issue - something on the chroma board perhaps? Also could it be the mains smoothing cap drying out - I did not replace that. I'm nearly there and I am almost certain that it is a capacitor somewhere but any help is appreciated.

HamishBoxer · 22nd Mar 2017, 11:19 am

I have never had a mains cap fail on one of these,how ever there is always a first time.

IanNVJ35 · 22nd Mar 2017, 11:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamishBoxer

I have never had a mains cap fail on one of these,how ever there is always a first time.

Neither have I - but I did encounter a totally dried up one last week on an Akai VCR so now I am a bit suspicious. But that had a different problem to this.

HamishBoxer · 22nd Mar 2017, 12:00 pm

Worth a try unless you have an esr meter?

IanNVJ35 · 22nd Mar 2017, 10:57 pm

Well I have it open and for starters I am on the lookout for more of those purple capacitors, one of which I found failed on the effects PCB. Sure enough, there's more of these dotted about and hiding - see https://www.dropbox.com/s/uyjpr40qdf...15259.jpg?dl=0 and one at the front and some others further back, all leaking. A good starting point. The reservoir cap seemed ok but it's 30 years old so I'm going to replace it.

IanNVJ35 · 25th Mar 2017, 11:05 pm

Quick update. I changed all the purple capacitors - around 7 in total and the machine is fixed. They were of another make and all were faulty. Dotted around on a few PCB's. So anyone fixing a D80 change those as well as the PSU caps.

22nd Mar 2017, 10:59 am	#1
IanNVJ35 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 842	Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration I have been working to restore a 1987 Panasonic D80 VCR (HiFi with Digital Effects) and have done the following (along with full mechanical and external clean / lube: Recapped the PSU - originals were dried out Fitted new upper drum Replaced 33uF capacitor on digital effects board (was of a different grade to others and was leaking) Replaced three 2.2uF bipolar capacitors on PCB under head drum (low video and HiFi audio output) Replaced a capacitor on the index PCB (was not reading CTL pulses) Now I have a smooth working VCR with bright display and solid tracking. However one fault remains and that is blue and red chroma flashes on the screen in diagonal lines moving down the screen, almost exactly the same as with the F65 model when the secondary capacitors dry out in the PSU. So, has anyone else found another area in similar SMPSU VCR's that can cause this issue - something on the chroma board perhaps? Also could it be the mains smoothing cap drying out - I did not replace that. I'm nearly there and I am almost certain that it is a capacitor somewhere but any help is appreciated.

22nd Mar 2017, 11:19 am	#2
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,931	Re: Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration I have never had a mains cap fail on one of these,how ever there is always a first time. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

22nd Mar 2017, 12:00 pm	#4
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,931	Re: Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration Worth a try unless you have an esr meter? __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

22nd Mar 2017, 10:57 pm	#5
IanNVJ35 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 842	Re: Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration Well I have it open and for starters I am on the lookout for more of those purple capacitors, one of which I found failed on the effects PCB. Sure enough, there's more of these dotted about and hiding - see https://www.dropbox.com/s/uyjpr40qdf...15259.jpg?dl=0 and one at the front and some others further back, all leaking. A good starting point. The reservoir cap seemed ok but it's 30 years old so I'm going to replace it.

25th Mar 2017, 11:05 pm	#6
IanNVJ35 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 842	Re: Panasonic D80 (1987) VCR restoration Quick update. I changed all the purple capacitors - around 7 in total and the machine is fixed. They were of another make and all were faulty. Dotted around on a few PCB's. So anyone fixing a D80 change those as well as the PSU caps.