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Message |
    
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 03:50 pm: | 
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I've recently aquired a nice Yashica electro 35 GSN, but ut seems to have an electrical problem. I think it maybe happened in transit, because on the pictures on ebay the battery light lit up.
I've inserted a new 4LR44 battery in a cardboard tube with a small conical spring to create contact with the battery door (+), but nothing happens when I press the battery test button. The over/slow lights are dark when pressing the shutter, and the shutter is only firing at one speed. I've also tried aluminium foil to fill the gap between the battery and door, but it's the same.
I've cleaned the battery compartment spring but still there is nothing happening. I've taken off the bottom and top covers, but it looks pretty much like new. No broken wires, no corrotion as far as I can tell.
I don't have much experience in either camera repairs or electronics, but some of you guys might have some pointers for me? I have a multi-meter, but I don't know how or what to check to see if the juice is reaching the vital parts.
The infamous Pad of death is super fine, no damage at all.
Here are some pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/machineboy/2204521388/in/pool-yashicaelectro
http://www.flickr.com/photos/machineboy/2204521378/in/pool-yashicaelectro/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/machineboy/2204521376/in/pool-yashicaelectro/
Any help is very much appreciated, I would really like this baby to work! And yeah, she is really well kept. |
Bomobob
Tinkerer
Username: Bomobob
Post Number: 17
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 07:10 pm: |
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This is like deja vu.
I bought the same model camera from a guy on ebay several months ago, and it had exactly the same problem. I had to drag it through the ebay resolution center to get my money back from the crook, but I did.
If you can get hold of a power supply, or just tape wires to a battery, you can connect the leads with the battery cover off and the camera open, and check that there is actually voltage getting to the circuitry. In my case, there was, but the whole thing was dead anyway. I insisted on a refund rather than paying for a dead camera.
I really hope it's not the same guy. Did it come with the extra lenses by any chance? And a bill of sale from Vietnam? |
Frankl
Tinkerer
Username: Frankl
Post Number: 34
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 08:33 pm: |
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Here is a website with a pdf of a service manual for your camera. It may give you some input on measurements, etc.... Good luck.
http://people.umass.edu/coreya/yashica/tlxsrvtc.html |
Frankl
Tinkerer
Username: Frankl
Post Number: 35
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 08:42 pm: |
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Sorry, I posted the website for the TL Electro-X. This is the one I meant to post.... 
http://www.mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/yashica_shutter_trblsht.pdf |
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 2
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 02:23 am: |
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Bomobob: Hi, it's not the same guy. Just an old couple who got the camera in an estate sale that don't know much about it. It would cost me more to ship it back than it's worth, so I have to keep this thing
I have a voltmeter and a battery, but I don't know which parts I should touch to check if voltage reaches the circuitry. If anyone wants to hold my hand, please do! ;) |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 240
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 03:31 am: |
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Sometimes they are easy to fix, sometimes not. From traces of corrosion on the upper end of the internal spring visible in your photo I guess that the white wire to it has corroded through. It is also a good idea to clean the spring where the battery gets in touch with it, I usually use a bit of contact cleaner on a cotton swab, do not scrape it off. If the camera was so cheap as you say there is nothing to lose, monetarywise. So you can experiment a bit, actions speak louder than words anyway. In all my electros all the problems (apart from rotten pads) they had were caused by defective wires or corrosion on the internal switches, I never found the boards to be out of order. When tracing electricity one usually starts at the battery box and the wires soldered to it.
Bob: just for that Vietnamese sales bill some people pay more than for a fully functional GSN,
W. |
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 03:54 am: |
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Wernerjb: Thank you, I traced the white wire from the circuit board, and what do you know - it was corroded and loose from the where it meets a green wire. Now I have to figure out how to get this wire connected again. Do you recommend getting a new wire and removing the whole viewfinder/rangefinder part (yikes!), or some other way? |
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 4
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 04:21 am: |
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I desoldered the brown wire that goes to the flash side and removed the battery compartment. Does anyone know where the white wire that goes from the internal spring ends up? I'm thinking about soldering a new wire from the spring but I can't see where it should be connected.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/machineboy/2204521376/in/pool-yashicaelectro |
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 05:23 am: |
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Hooray! Got it working! Took out the battery chamber, soldered a new wire from the connection to the spring, and soldered this wire to the broken white wire. Everything seems to be working, battery lights, over/slow lights! My first camera repair, very satisfactory!  |
Bomobob
Tinkerer
Username: Bomobob
Post Number: 18
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 06:18 am: |
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This is great news. The very first one gets you all puffed up with pride, as it should. Well done. |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 241
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 08:23 am: |
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Good job, it is always good to hit the bull's eye, W. |
Machineboy
Tinkerer
Username: Machineboy
Post Number: 6
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 11:02 am: |
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Thanks guys. One small thing, when reattaching the ASA dial, I forgot which order to put the washers. There is one round with a smaller hole that goes at the bottom, and then I'm not sure which part should be next.
These are the parts:
- small washer, round
- small washer, thin and wavy
- the ASA dial with numbers
- The bolt with the two small holes to go on top
Where are the washers supposed to be? I took some pictures when I disassembled the camera, but I can't see this clearly. Now the ASA numbers rotate freely with the dial. |
Frankl
Tinkerer
Username: Frankl
Post Number: 37
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 11:36 am: |
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Put the large round one on first with the recessed side up. make sure the hole to the side of center, lines up with and engages the pin. Next comes the "wavey" washer. The tabs on the "wavey" washer go up. Next comes the indicator dial. You will notice a very small hole near the center. That is to hold the dial in calibration when you put the retaining cap on and tighten down. Start the retaining cap in the end of the shaft. I just turn the knurled ring (first part you put on) fully counter clockwise, line up the highest ASA setting with the red slot, hold the dial in calibration by inserting a toothpick through the small hole in the dial and tighten the retaining cap. That should do it.....
Frank. |
Golfmania
Tinkerer
Username: Golfmania
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 07:08 am: |
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a lithium cr123a plus 2xLR44 would do w/o having to put any spring. |
