Discman capacitor inconsistency

Just removed a leaking surface mount capacitor from a Discman D-34 and as you can see in the photo, it reads what I'm guessing is 4V 33uf. The electrical part number is labeled on the board as C524, however when inspecting the service manual, C524 is referred to as 10V 22uf.

I'm guessing I should probably replace the capacitor with one which matches what the actual capacitor I removed was, but I just thought I'd ask for a second opinion.

Also if someone could validate that I correctly interpreted the values on the surface mount capacitor I removed, I've attached an image of it.

 

Regarding the voltage rating, that indicates the highest voltage the capacitor is designed to withstand.
The problem is that higher voltage capacitors tend to be larger and more expensive. I see the D34 runs off 6V. Therefore a 10V capacitor should be O.K. for any position in the circuit, while 4V would need careful analysis of the maximum voltage the capacitor might receive where it is fitted. As for the value, cheap capacitors tend to have a 20% tolerance as shown in the parts list. So 22uF capacitors from the factory could be anywhere between 17.6 and 26.4uF. Maybe Sony found the design was marginal with capacitors at the lower end of that range so increased the capacitance. You don't say what the capacitor does, but a classic example is for the headphone output where higher capacitance gives more bass. For that I would expect there to be a pair of capacitors of the same value in the circuit though.

I would try a 33uF replacement with a voltage of at least 4V. Make sure you get the polarity right when refitting it.

 

I tend to buy D-33/34/36 for the sake of their KSS-220A lasers to be transplanted onto D-15/D-25 and I just discard the rest... D-34 (same as D-36) has C524 as 33uF/4V SMD on the boards that I found in my 'junk-trash-box' and its SM that I have ALSO marks C524 as 33uF/4V cap. D-33 has 33uF/4V thru-hole cap there. So,... I would concur with @Longman and go for 33uF cap...

 

Thank you both, bought the 33uf cap, made sure it would fit in the space.

I'm curious @Jorge what is special about the KSS-220A laser to justify transplanting it into the d-15/25? Or is it that the laser in the d-15/25 just so happens to be subpar?

 

Early D-90, D-250 and all D-150 have KSS-162A lasers, since around November 1989 these were substituted for KSS-220A lasers. Direct substitute and better specs: better tracking and better CD-R reading. Flexboard has to be resoldered, marked as KSS-222A in later D-250 but laser itself is 220A
Ovrall KSS-220A is one of the best lasers, its a shame that since late Ser No D-250 and D-555 they were partnered with average DACs

 

Update:

Got the capacitor today. Fitted it in alongside a lubrication of the laser assembly. Up and running and works like a charm. I'll link the part on Mouser's website I used, as well as the Mouser part number for anyone who may need it. Though be aware that I bought a through-hole type capacitor as opposed to surface mount for my own convenience.

Link:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Panasonic/ECE-A0GKS330I?qs=rMMd5vBiahpBxb5K6MIb6w==

Part number:
667-ECE-A0GKS330I

 

Hi Jorge,
I wonder, how do you manage to adapt the flexible cables, let say from a d-33 to a d555? I find this to be very difficult to do.
Regs

 

I don't, I just desolder original flexboard from D-250 and then solder it to KSS-220A laser scavenged from D-33. Seeing how the flexboard cable is contorted in D-555 it is probably possible to just bend D-33 cable to fit D-150/D-250 but I thought that exchanging flexboards looks neater

 

and do you have any tips on the desoldering and soldering of the flexboards. my first try I destroyed the cables from the non-working optical unit.

 

clamp laser mech securely with sensor's four solder points facing Up. Use desoldering wick soaked with rosen flux. I use flux and solder by Cardas Audio, also use Hakko micro chisel tip set at 330C

I have white D-150 lined up for repair, will take a few photos then

Also, keep in mind that RF-300 spindle motors used in D-555 are getting bad, resetting the platter onto a new motor might solve the tracking problem. Situation is not as bad as with RF-410CA motors used in D-350 and D-303 but bad enough so that I do not even bother checking them and just reset CD platter onto a fresh motor.

 

thanks a lot for the details. I don't have such equipment but I guess I need a soldering iron where I can regulate temperature.
Regarding the motor I had good experience using silicon grease on the spindle motor. That fixed some tracking problems.
Is the spindle motor of the d-33 also compatible with the dz555?

Looking forward to the pics.

 

yes, D-33 uses the same RF-300 motor but with a longer shaft, easily cut to size with diamond Dremel wheel

KSS-165A laser from D-150 (L) next to KSS-220A laser (R) from D-33:


flexboards leading to focusing coils have different shape, but easily interchangeable. I use plastic box and piece of foam to hold laser in place, desoldering wick to remove four solder joints

desoldered flexboards, D-33 (top) and D-15 (bottom):


you will need wooden toothpick to align and to keep things in place while soldering, here is KSS-220A laser with transplanted flexboard


the end result:


evidently, new laser has to be re-calibrated

 

Thanks a lot for the really detailed pictures I think I am this close as well, I could replace the cables.
No exactly that was going to be my next question. Regarding the calibration, do you use the Sony-test-cd as described in the service manuals? or do you have an own method? furthermore, I am not sure if the laser gets calibrated via the potentiometers on itself or on the discman itself.

 

if you Google this Q, its been answered a few times: any minty Red-Book CD works for calibration. To make sure that CD is "Red-Book" meaning of proper thickness and without any watermarks, buy any CD pressed before mid-nineties. I use Doors CD which I bought in 1990. For calibration follow Service Manual to the letter, do Not touch pot on the laser itself. Tracking Balance must be re-adjusted most of the times, Focus Bias (aka Focus Offset) usually stays the same

TB adjustment for D-150:

 

Hi @Jorge , not to leave the nice tread dead, laser swap works!
It pick ups the tracks super fast and sounds great.
While adjusting everything however I noticed that the TC466 value written on the new laser is below what I measure 471 mm (as described in the manual), So according to the manual the laser unit should be defective!, but well it isn't.

Do you have experience with that?

 

and this is how the wave looks like

 

looks OK to me: SM says that measured value can be 46.6mA +0.6mA/-1.1mA, so you are within the limits allowed by Sony

RF eyepattern over 1V and this is good, usually means that all and any CD-R will be playable without any hiccups

 

Evidently, transfer of working laser mechanism into a damaged D-555 was a wrong move. What I suggested yesterday in our personal comm line was:
<<Transplanting your new motor with new laser into working Discman should narrow down the problem>>
I should have made a point of not taking a risk of transplanting perfectly working laser into a questionable board. What you describe never happened to me with any Sony Discmans, but is a constant threat with Toshibas where one of the electrolytics shorts when going Bad and then burns laser diode. Hopefully someone else can give you more advise since I do not have much experience with D-Z555: these 'Kings' are so ridiculously expensive nowadays that I fixed one for my own collection and moved on to other models. Check the flexboards and connections, if all looks good but still plays dead then transplant laser from working D-33/34 or D-90 (these are dirt-cheap) into your working D-555 and then take a closer look at the dead mainboard

 

I would replace all caps and then try with another "new" old laser and motor assembly. Later D9 models with KSS220 are good candidate donors. Usually quite cheap on e-bay. This "hobby" usually requires some expense to solve problems by buying up lots of spares and ruthlessly using them. Yeah, even sending it into Kaosun, sometimes it's the only way so get issues resolved.

Oh yeah... hi Jorge... I finally signed up at at Stereo2go!

 

Another tip to anyone reading this: There is a 31 minute on youtube on D-555 laser replacement, video is titled "sony discman d555 z555 Replacing the laser head". Same guy also has 25 minute on replacing D-555 gear "Sony discman d555 z555 repair change gear". Might be of help to someone out there.