9090 question

[Kamakiri]

I have this stupid recurring problem with my 9090db. Every now and again, the far left dial lamp goes out, I can flick the glass with my finger, and it will come on. It's not the bulb itself, those are brand new, and I can't spot any bad connections.

The reason I'm asking is that Rob is having the EXACT SAME problem with his 9090, and can't find a reason. Is this a common issue, and if so, does anyone know what the fix is?

[moondog]

Ah... The flicking on the glass with the finger trick!

Unfortunately or should I say, "FORTUNATELY" that seems to be the only small quirk us 9090DB owners have to deal with on a some-what routine basis.

I take all my FM dial bulbs out & clean the bulb holders with steel wool every few months or so. Helps a lot, but I still have to do the occational flick on the glass. (Although increasing the wattage does the trick too some times). :D

What I want to know is, "How in the hell do you change a watt meter bulb in these monsters?"

Moon

[Lefty]

Yes, I saw the same problem in the 9090DB I had. I suspect it's just the lamp socket to lamp contacts. I just tapped when it needed it. Later when a lamp burned out I just changed them all and the problem seemed to stay away for a year or so until I sold it. I also had intermittent problems with the Dolby function switch that would cause a channel to drop out of decrease in volumn. Usually just teasing the switch would clear the problem up for weeks.

Sometimes we just have to live with the little quirks of some models, not unlike a favorite car. ;)

Lefty

[ProAc_Fan]

moondog to change the watt meter bulbs you gotta remove the faceplate and take the meters out from the fron. Then it's a matter of finding the right size bulb. I performed this task on an 8080 and it took me a long time to locate a bulb that was physically the same size.

Mike

[BeatleFred]

The dimming of the lights is very common- also on the 8080, 7070, etc... and my QRX-7001 does that as well. It will be at full brightness when you first turn it on and then after a little while, in various places it will dim and either stay dim or come back to full brightness again. If you dont mind the chore of disassembling some things to enable access, a lil' cleaning or perhaps resoldering should correct it. Alot of Sansui enthusiasts like to compare the 9090DB...5050 Line with the G Series, thats a tough comparsion, but when it comes to bulbs, the G Series dont have that dimming problem. And I must give honorable mention again to the GORGEOUS design of how the Sansui logo is placed inside the front tuner display of the G models so that it also illuminates when powered on- that is the best! I prefer the way it is on my G-5500 than to my G-7700, the G-5500 has a wee bit larger size logo that illuminates (plus I like those wider, squarer shaped selector buttons and the lighter color tuner background). That reminds me, the tuner needle pointer illumination is out on my 7070, hope that's not a super-pain to fix.

Happy Holidays, B/F.

[Rob]

Originally posted by Kamakiri
I have this stupid recurring problem with my 9090db. Every now and again, the far left dial lamp goes out, I can flick the glass with my finger, and it will come on.

The reason I'm asking is that Rob is having the EXACT SAME problem with his 9090, and can't find a reason

Tim,

True I do have exactly the same problem and it is the left side lamp, but I haven't ever tried to find the problem. I've never even had the cover off. As you say, placing a twinkie on the dial glass in the area usually fixes the problem.

In fact from my experience I'm willing to bet that descriminate placing of twinkies on your audio gear will have a more directly noticeable improvement impact than Shun Mook Discs! :)

Rob

[Wardsweb]

Are these screw in lamps? If so look down into the socket. Is the center contact look like a glob of solder or a bent piece of metal. If solder you just build it back up(alternate build up the tip of the bulb); if metal spring clip, pull it up with a small screw driver or pick.

[kc8adu]

the last 9090 i worked on had the light flicker gremlin and a scrubbing of the sockets with a glass fiber pen chased his ass away.:D

[Morden2004]

1) My 7070 has the "flickers" in the right-most dial lamp. New bulb (fuse-style lamps) didn't fix it. Cleaning the fuse-holder did - for a while. It's now a quirk that I kinda like :D

2) Lamps in meters :uzi: - ya gotta pull them gently out of the rear bottom of the housing. Good luck.

3) I LOVE the georgous gold & teal "face" on my G-8000 when lighted by all them bulbs (B/F is correct - G-series is some of the best looking of all the gear, ever!). And, no blinking lights so Sansui got it fixed by '78.

4) Dial pointer lamp on the 7070 - it's a sub-minature pig-tail lamp. Bitch to change for the fumblefingered. I may have spares.

5) Channels dropping out periodically? I've worked out a procedure that has "cured" my G-8000 and it's now virtually undisturbed by drop-outs. Work each and every switch, pot, lever, slider, gear-shifter etc. a few times EVERY DAY before you power it up. Takes just a few seconds but my G-8000 and the 7070 were cured in about 2 weeks. It's just crud and a bit of oxidation settling in and mechanical action clears all but the most stubborn. Some may require a squirt of De-Oxit and others - replacement. On the G-8000 the biggest culprit was the MUTING switch.

Paul