Tektronix TDS 520A - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: riyadh144
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 05, 2016, 07:02:27 pm
content: Hi, so I have bought this scope for cheap a week ago, I found that the most common problem with it was the capacitors as they leak, I have cleaned both boards, and changed all the caps. But I screwed something up, that it now doesn't boot into the main screen, as it used to do its self test now it doesn't.I have check all the voltages across the caps and they are all fine, check the voltages of the power supply also good, check for any shorts in any of the IC's, it also didn't help.I don't know what I screwed up in but I did badly.this is a video of it startinghttps://www.youtube.com/embed/YRk4606NVnkEdit: I forgot to say I have two caps here and there as I accidently took the pads of but they are working and this is a temp solution tell I fix it.

author: k1mgy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2016, 08:32:19 pm
content: That switch on the upper right of your first image. Is it in the correct position?

author: Armadillo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 12:50:33 am
content: From the photo, don't seem like J39 jumper board is installed?

author: ArcticGeek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 01:46:58 am
content: I don't know if this is the problem or not...but according to your photo the fan is not plugged in to the CPU board. On these TDS5xx/6xx/7xx series of scopes the fan must be plugged in or the power supply will not start up because of the lack of load on the 24V supply.If the fan isn't plugged in, plug it in and then retry.

author: singapol
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 03:30:44 am
content: I applaude evb149 detailed effort in helping riyadh144 but perhaps he suffered the same fate?Anyway what's done is done so don't blame yourself...it happens. Your best frriend would 520A service manualbut be aware that some manual may not have schematics especially this model which I have tried to find.Manage to find schematic and it's broken up to particular sections maybe to shrink filesize however when I try to open them just now adobe says it can't decrypt them..damned what are people who lure people using this tactic trying to do?. So base on service manual as usual I direct you to see the troubleshooting flowchart fig.6-32 pg. 6-67. I know OP said nothing wrong with power supply but it pays to go through again as one may have missed something..overconfidence?If power supply checks out then go on to display flowchart 6-34 pg. 6-70. This will take to some time to do for now. As the saying goes "Slow and steady wins the race."

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 10:12:35 am
content: On the second picture, the IDC cable at the bottom left of the circuit board. It seems to be plugged in at an angle. Maybe a bent pin?

author: Jwalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 10:49:51 am
content: Turn off switch #3 on the DIP switch located on the CPU board. This will make it skip a number of self tests.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 10:59:49 pm
content: Find the 'TDS520B component service manual'. It tells what the number on the LED display on the CPU board means. Another problem may be the interconnect board sitting wrong. IIRC it also fits upside down and could cause this issue. The soldering on the capacitors could be much better as well.@evb149: a few capacitors have reverse orientation compared to the rest so they may be right. Either way a reverse capacitor shouldn't prevent booting unless it is in the oscillator circuit in the acquisition board.

author: StEeLz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2023, 08:06:17 pm
content: Hi all,I had a lot of trouble with my TDS-520A, another one gone because of all the electrolytic juice destroying tracks.I finally made it through by checking thousands and thousands of traces, and fixed about 30 dead traces all over the 2 boards, took me a couple of weeks (I know, why... because why not!).Anyways, because this post is one of the top results in Google and as an EEVBlog afficionado and member, I wanted to help the community and share some of my work for anyone who would want to go through the same repair excise.1) First finding: The original Service Manual sadly does NOT include any schematic, HOWEVER, the Service Manual for the original TDS520 Volume II has them, and it is an almost perfect identical match. Just be careful, some pages have a duplication (RAM for example) where both form factors are in the schematic, just make a note of which module yours has and discard the other half. The Service Manual is also known as "070-8313-00", for your Google search.2) There were SO many ICs over so many pages that I started taking note of which IC corresponded to which section of the Service Manual, and has proven to be very useful, that's what I mainly wanted to share. Helped tremendously identifying and tracing.Hope this will help womeon!Cheers