Vintage Sony Audio Drstroyer

punprankster

Super Member
Vintage Sony Audio Destroyer

This is exacrly why I am hesitant in doing DIY fix of any of my audio compinents. In my desire to restore the much loved green dial light of my sony str-7065, i managed to make things even worse.

I was trying to replace the festoon lamps on the side of the glass dial with green led's and as i was screwing the faceplate back on, i saw smoke coming out from somewhere in the right side of the receiver. I then noticed that the vu meter amd the tuning meter lights went kaput. Thankfully the unit still works, but the only light left functioning is the source select light.



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Does anyone have any idea on what it will entail to bring the lights back on? Do i have to scavenge another 7065 or the like to repair the unit?

This is going to be the last time that i will attempt to fix anything by myself. Some things just aren't meant to be. Even the greateat basketball player of all time couldn't hack it in baseball. So is my failed career at being an electronics repairman.
 
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Gotta ask. Before you put it back together did everything work OK? Your LED mods and the other original bulbs?
 
Yes. Replaced burnt out lamps with de 3022s but couldn't quite get the green back so i thought i'd try the green leds.
They did work although they were a bit big for the holders. I was able to screw one side of the faceplate back in but the smoke started happening when i was doing the other. Must have shorted something out while i was doing it.
 
I don't know if everybody agrees with me but before I did anything else I would shut power off, unplug, then carefully reverse what you did that led to the smoke and fail. Once you got your work free and clear and you don't see any shorts you could power it back on and start troubleshooting from that point.
 
Yes, probably a pinched wire. Silver lining? It still works. And it's a learning experience. I doubt the LEDs overloaded anything, they usually use far less power than the original incandescent.

You have not failed, it could have happened to the best of us, and probably has, in some way or other. :)
 
I tried reusing the de 3022s i was using before the swap and it still won't light up.
Does anyone know if i need to buy another unit for replacement parts of if this can be fixed without spares?
 
I tried reusing the de 3022s i was using before the swap and it still won't light up.
Does anyone know if i need to buy another unit for replacement parts of if this can be fixed without spares?

What part(s) are we replacing? Did we find the problem?
 
There should be something fairly obvious, can you follow your nose with the cover off? Usually if there was smoke, there is something blackened.
 
I think my nose might be able to pinpoint which part got messed up, but the service manual should also tell me which.
What i want to know is if i need a replacement part so i can start looking for it now or if it is a matter that can be fixed easily.
 
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Maybe need a resistor or something, since there was smoke. :) It was working before screwing it back together, right? So the electrical work you did was fine.

Just start by tracing the power for the lights back through the boards/wires to see where it burnt/pinched.
 
I think my nose might be able to pinpoint which part got messed up, but the servuce manyal should also tell me which.
What i want to know is if i need a replacement part so i can start looking for it now or if it is a matter that can be fixed easily.

The schematic doesn't suggest that anything peculiar to your unit would be at risk. It's even possible that some non-OEM part that you used in your LED mod died. Do the visual / smello inspection and see if you notice anything suspicious. Caution: the destructive fault condition you (may have) created may still exist so proceed with the power off at least until you've looked for "pinches" etc.

edit: can you describe your LED mod?
 
I doubt its anything too serious. If the unit works fine and its just meters an lights not working then its more than likely an open resistor, shorted wire or possibly a voltage regulator, all readily available parts. I have seen some receivers where the dial lamps serve a dual purpose and also act as fuses for some of the low voltage circuits this could be a possibility also. Can you post some pics of the fried area?
 
"Bare" LEDs need a resistor in series.

Is it possible you just wired in "bare" LEDs?

They may have functioned for a short time and then just decided to "fail" while you were attaching the second side of the front panel?

Replacing (standard) filament lamps with "bare" LEDs usually require a series resistor to control current (and if the Voltage source is AC, a protection diode for reverse current blockage).

Even if the Voltage of several series LEDs are matching the Voltage output of the source, a slight increase in Voltage may send the current too high for the LEDs to handle.

The above does not apply to the "fuse lamp" style of LED lamps being sold, these are built to match the output from the set.

mark T. :music:
 
With the exception of a very few parts unrelated to your issue, there isn't anything inside of that unit that does not have a modern equivalent, no need for a parts unit.

Don't quit now, you're half way through the initiation.

Don't think your the first, last or only person who has ever let the smoke out of a piece of gear.

It just stings a little more when you make more work for yourself.

Consider it a learning experience, dive in, figure it out and fix it. Probably not much more than a burned fuse or resistor that let go.

As bad as you fee right now, you will feel 100x better when it's all lit up and back together.

Quitters never win...........
 
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So these are the leds that j used to replace the festoon dial lamps:

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They are bigger than the standard de 3022 that i originally used to replace the burnt out dial lamps that came with the unit. They powered on fine when i inserted them into the socket; the trick was how to keep them in place and stay on. I actually managed to screw on the right side of the faceplate and was working on the left side when the smoke started. I'll see if there are any burn residue on the spot and take a picture so you may get a better idea on what the problem may be.

Before:

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After:

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End connectors too large for the clips or the space?

If I think you did what you did (use these on the "end of the dial" replacement for the "fuse" style original lamps) you may have shorted one or both end contacts of the lamps to the chassis via the front panel!

If the lamp clips are mounted to the back part of the tuner dial, you may have shorted the "larger" of the two rings on these lamps to the front panel.

If the clips are "side" mounted, forcing these lamps into the clips may have pushed the clips too far apart and they may also have shorted to the front (or rear) panel when re-assembled.

These are tight spaces and anything not "just the right fit" may cause trouble, and any other spot could cause shorts too.

This short may have blown a fuse or burned out some wiring, leaving you with some "dead" lamp circuits.

While troubleshooting, try and get the proper lamps for the set.

Mark T. :music:
 
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