8-year old 17" color monitor has served us well on the home PC, but recently
started having a problem. Every 20-30 minutes the screen goes red for a
brief instant, and then goes blank into standby mode. If I power cycle the
monitor, it immediately comes back up and stays fine for about another 20
minutes.

I have not opened it up yet since I am still using it, but plan to do so
next week so wanted to ask if anyone has seen this before or has any ideas.
My thought is that it is something in the power supply that is temperature
sensitive, possibly electrolytics. I have no schematic so any advice or
thoughts would be appreciated before I open it up.

Thanks in advance.

Bob

I have seen many times, a failing picture tube (CRT) do this in
monitors. Also, it is possible to have an intermitant fault from
failing components in the bias drive circuits to the CRT.

You will have to have the training, service schematics, and the proper
test tools to accurately determine the exact fault.

Considering the age of the monitor, I certainly would not rule out the
CRT failing. I would seriously consider that it is time to get a new
monitor.


Jerry G.
======

Thanks. I certainly understand there will come a time to replace the
monitor (and it may be very very soon), but not till I've had my shot at
identifying and fixing the problem! As to it being the CRT, this might be
the case, but the picture quality is still like new when it is operating and
it always comes right back when it its turned on. Seems to be something
thermal to me so it is worth opening up, cleaning and then seeing if I can
identify either an aging component or a cracked solder joint.

Hey, I have a 23 year old Zenith 25" console, a 22-year old 19" "portable
TV", a 19 year old VCR, and an assortment of other electronics which I have
kept running without any major expenses incurred along the way. All
considered, although most would consider this time frame adequate service
and dump it into a landfill, I have always tried to be more ecologically
minded and like many others who read this newsgroup, enjoy a good challenge!

I was just hoping someone had seen this problem before and could offer some
advice or ideas.

Bob

"Jerry G." wrote in message
oups.com...
I have seen many times, a failing picture tube (CRT) do this in
monitors. Also, it is possible to have an intermitant fault from
failing components in the bias drive circuits to the CRT.

You will have to have the training, service schematics, and the proper
test tools to accurately determine the exact fault.

Considering the age of the monitor, I certainly would not rule out the
CRT failing. I would seriously consider that it is time to get a new
monitor.


Jerry G.
======