Blizz 1230/IV black screen

[PapaPedro]

Hi all,

I retrive my a12oo from storage and when I plugged in my turbine I get the black screen.

After some browsing I found out, that are 2 reasons for it:

- not correctly inserted into port
- malfunctioned card itself

I did the inspection of the card afterwards and I notice this, what might be the problem (see attachments).

What do you think ?
Is it that problem ?
Is it repairable ?

Thanks.

[Kin Hell]

It looks like that slim can has oozed it's goo onto the PCB, so that'd be a "Yes" from me.

Clean it off with Lemon Juice & then dowse the whole area with Isopropyl....

I'd like to think someone on here can point you in the right direction for a replacement.

[Daedalus]

That doesn't look like battery leakage at all (and leakage from those cells is very rare). That brown goo looks like leftover flux from where the clock crystal was soldered down. I very much doubt that's the problem.

I'm assuming the A1200 itself boots fine without the accelerator? If so, a couple of possibilities and things to check:
- First, try the card without the RAM installed.
- Clean the edge connector on the A1200 motherboard.
- Check that the contacts inside the Blizzard's connector are clean and undamaged.
- When you turn the machine on, does the power LED start dim, then turn bright after a second, or does it stay the same brightness?

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

That doesn't look like battery leakage at all (and leakage from those cells is very rare). That brown goo looks like leftover flux from where the clock crystal was soldered down. I very much doubt that's the problem.

I'm assuming the A1200 itself boots fine without the accelerator? If so, a couple of possibilities and things to check:
- First, try the card without the RAM installed.
- Clean the edge connector on the A1200 motherboard.
- Check that the contacts inside the Blizzard's connector are clean and undamaged.
- When you turn the machine on, does the power LED start dim, then turn bright after a second, or does it stay the same brightness?

Rosin (flux) usually occurs on areas where Soldered through pins are present.
The Blizzard cards are either Silver or Gold as depicted in the photo & these areas do not have soldered pins through them. Consequently, the Silk Screen/solder print on the PCB would not show Rosin (flux)....

As in the ACDC song, was the damp patch on the seat really "Coca Cola"? - Is that really Rosin on a Silk Screened/solder area of the board?

Good call on the dim to bright LED though!

[Daedalus]

Flux is used for all soldering, whether surface mount or through hole. The only reason you might find residue on or around through hole parts is because they have been fitted after the cleaning process, which is usually automated and follows all the automated soldering operations. Some parts can't be put through some cleaning processes or can't be fitted automatically, hence only being fitted afterwards.

The quartz crystal used on the Blizzard 1230 and practically all RTC circuits of the era ticks all these boxes: it's a through-hole part, it can't be easily fitted or soldered by automation due to the design requiring the case of the crystal being soldered to a large ground plane beneath it, and it can't be cleaned with an ultrasonic bath. Thus, it is fitted and soldered by hand post process, with the flux residue remaining.

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by PapaPedro

Hi all,

I retrieved my a12oo from storage and when I plugged in my turbine I get the black screen.

After some browsing I found out, that are 2 reasons for it:

- not correctly inserted into port
- malfunctioned card itself

I did the inspection of the card afterwards and I notice this, what might be the problem (see attachments).

What do you think ?
Is it that problem ?
Is it repairable ?

Thanks.

It is repairable, look at your question/information :

"I retrieved my a12oo from storage"

Your A1200 requires a recapping and maintenance BEFORE using it again.

The problem you have is not due to the Blizzard IV board. you got a black screen because the capacitors have leaked.

[8bitbubsy]

That goo is indeed flux residue from the factory, from soldering down that RTC crystal.

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

That goo is indeed flux residue from the factory, from soldering down that RTC crystal.

@ PapaPedro

Please post pictures of your motherboard Capacitors & the version of Motherboard. (<----along the edge of your Accelerator Slot.)

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

The problem you have is not due to the Blizzard IV board. you got a black screen because the capacitors have leaked.

While capacitors leaking can cause significant enough damage to the motherboard to prevent it from working, there are many reasons that the machine could be unresponsive. And, while I'd like it to be confirmed, to me the OP sounds very much like the black screen only occurs when the accelerator is plugged in, effectively ruling out a motherboard capacitor issue.

Capacitor leakage is a serious problem that will affect all A1200s sooner or later if it hasn't already, but jumping to that conclusion first in cases of a black screen is a little pre-emptive unless the motherboard is also giving a black screen without the accelerator attached.

Given that it's a Blizzard 1230-IV we're talking about, things like motherboard revision, timing fixes etc. are unlikely to be factors. The Blizzard 1230-IV is perhaps the most tolerant A1200 accelerator there is and works with all revisions, timing-fixed or not. Again, looking at the first post it looks like this accelerator already belonged to the owner and so probably worked fine with this machine in the past.

[HomeLate]

My Blizzard 1230 MKIV needs some 'fiddling' before it works. Install it and then gently push it back about 1mm.
Mine won't work if it's fully pushed in on the Amiga 1200 port.