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A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

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Maximilian
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by Maximilian »

If you get a 1MB internal memory expansion(not the 512K one) and add a Pistorm + pi3/4 then you have a very nice machine.

Otherwise I would just get the internal memory expansion and some fastram.

Option three would be:
You can hook up a switch to change the internal memory expansion from chip to slow(ranger) ram, that way you can have 2MB chip or 1MB chip and remap 1MB to slow(ranger) ram.
Some games need slow(ranger) ram.

It all depends on what you want to do with it..
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stephen_usher
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by stephen_usher »

Looks mostly OK. A few iffy traces which went under the battery but otherwise not bad.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by Steve »

Yeah not too bad but I do see green on the two small chips to the left and the resistors underneath (Agnus is it?) the big chip above. Sometimes the corrosion gets inside the socket of the big chip. So to be safe I'd socket the two small chips. Also replace the big chips socket to be safe. Clean and resolder the resistors.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

I've seen a lot worse, but you never know what's lurking, so get as much as you can neutralised and cleaned up.
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800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
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PhilC
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by PhilC »

I'd have a go at repairing it. Ive managed to fix much worse with a steady and logical approach and then if it doesn't work, use the parts as a donor for the new board.
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
HomeLate
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by HomeLate »

Like Maximilian already mentioned, it doesn't look to bad.

Check the traces between Gary and the even CIA and the traces from Gary leading to components below it.

I have an A500+ which looks really bad. Traces are gone between Gary and every component it connects to. I'll be rebuilding it in the future. I already have the ReAmiga 500+ and I will order the components soon.
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Atari 1040STf, 1040STe, Mega ST4 (ST536), Mega STe, TT030, Falcon (DFB1x)...
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Maximilian
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Re: A500+ : do I repair the battery damage or build new...

Post by Maximilian »

Gary is the large dip package above the 74xxx logic, if any of the custom chips get knawed on by acid this is the first one.
Haven't seen anyone of those bad in any of my A500+ acid repairs, those were a lot more difficult then this one.
The second one to possibly have acid damage is the Agnus that is the square one to the left.

Just soak them in a vinegar solution if the are green and the clean with IPA.
If the legs aren't really eaten away they will probably be fine, if the sockets are a bit green then just always replace.

The 74xxx get damaged much easier, so if I see green I just replace them, I do not even bother checking them.
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