Recap guide
Recap the GCE Vectrex
A CRT vector display with big analog boards. Cap kits are common, and one forum thread calls recapping easy.
Open the interactive checklist Tick off each capacitor as you replace it. It saves in your browser.
Worth a recap. Reports say it is a common and useful fix on this machine.
Which board do I have?
Boards changed during production. These notes come from the linked sources, and many are only partly documented, so check the board in front of you.
- 2GE logic board (earlier) (Low confidence). How to tell: A poster says the revision can be read from a small sticker on the board; older units use a MC34002 dual op-amp at IC304. Capacitors: A poster says there are two different cap kits so you must know your revision before ordering. Capacitor list differs from other revisions: yes. Source
- 3GE logic board (non-buzz) (Low confidence). How to tell: Sticker on the board; uses two MC34001 single op-amps at IC304 and IC306 instead of one MC34002. Capacitors: Another AtariAge poster says a few caps differ because the CPU board is quite different from the older models, with no part numbers given. Capacitor list differs from other revisions: yes. Source
Where to start
Clues from write-ups and forum threads, not a diagnosis. Low confidence means one thread or one repair; high means several write-ups agree.
- Wobbly vectors and buzz (Low confidence). One thread says the power board is delicate, and that C404 and C411 need solder on both sides of the board to prevent undulating vectors and buzz. Source
- Kit symptoms (Low confidence). A kit seller lists flicker, crackle and no-boot as symptoms and says its kit contains all the electrolytics. It gives no count or table. Source
- Factory glue (Low confidence). A service guide touches caps only briefly, noting that the large filter caps have factory glue. It gives no values. Source
Tips, tales and maybes
Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us. Check part references and values against your own board.
- Story: Burned C404 and stripped through-holes (Low confidence). One Vectrex with wobbling vectors was traced to burned cap C404 and a blown fuse, plus plated through-holes stripped by earlier work. The owner restored contact with jumper wires from the top-side traces to the cap legs because through-hole repair kits were expensive. Source
- Story: Wobble that outlasted a full recap (Low confidence). On a thread about a wobbling Vectrex, a full Console5 recap was applied and wobble persisted, though someone said some wobble is normal. The poster tuned DAC offset, high voltage and a timing pot and suspected mains voltage and a replacement transformer, and the thread is unresolved. Source
- Tip: Missing -13V at cold start (Low confidence). A thread on a Vectrex lacking -13V at cold start lists C120, C121, C122, diodes D106 and D107 and zener DZ102 in the voltage doubler as suspects. One contributor warned that resoldering can leave vias without contact on the component side even when the solder side looks fine, so check both sides. Source
- Tip: Shutting down seconds after power-on (Low confidence). On r/Vectrex (seen via the nyc1.lr.ggtyler.dev mirror) a buyer of a unit that cycled off with buzzing was advised to change the slow-burn fuse, then polystyrene caps, then the secondary-board high-voltage caps, then the rest. After opening it, the buyer found the high-voltage caps leaking. Source
- Watch out: Lifted traces and brittle boards (Low confidence). A Vectrex thread says it is easy to overheat and lift traces when desoldering a cap, the double-sided boards lack proper plated through-holes, and old connector tarnish causes intermittent faults. It recommends pressing gently on chips and caps while powered to find bad contacts, and says the polystyrene caps in the integrator section are frequent culprits. Source
- Tip: Dot only, sound still works (Low confidence). On AtariAge, a Vectrex with sound and only a dot got advice to try the brightness knob and resolder the 4-wire power connector before replacing caps, and a warning that high voltage persists even when unplugged. Source
- Tip: Heatsink caps and the high-water method (Low confidence). The AtariAge recap thread says two power-board caps hide under the large heatsink, and suggests mounting caps slightly raised so both sides of the board can be soldered, applying solder to both sides of each lead, and even relocating the heatsink caps to the back for later access. It says bad grounding shows up as vector undulation, buzzing and overheating. Source
- Watch out: Discharge the CRT first (Low confidence). The same thread says to discharge the tube before working and describes a grounded heavy wire on a screwdriver slid under the anode cap, expecting a large discharge and using insulated gloves. It is one poster's method, not a procedure to copy blindly. Source
Before you start
- Boards changed during production. Check your board number against the guides before you order parts.
- A tube and its high-voltage circuit can hold a lethal charge. Do not open the tube, and leave the analog board to a professional.
Manuals and technical documents
Service manuals, schematics and datasheets for this machine, kept in our own library. Check your own board and part numbers against them.
- Vectrex-Service Manual (Service manual)
- Vectrex-Troubleshooting Guide (Service manual)
All 2 documents for GCE Vectrex in the library
Circuits 1
Circuits we redrew in one plain style, with the parts listed. Our own drawing from the source diagram, so check it against the original before you build anything.
On the CPU board, C323 and R327 meet at a junction just before the volume control. Console5's write-up has you unsolder the common legs of those two parts and put this stage between that junction and the volume control: the junction goes to Input, and Output goes to the negative pad of C323 (or the unused pad of R327). Power comes from +5 V, −5 V and ground, taken from the vias beside J204, and J204 and its wires are left alone. In the drawing the Input meets the op-amp's inverting input (pin 2), which has 33 kΩ feedback from the output (pin 1) and 100 kΩ to ground. Pin 3 goes to ground through 200 kΩ, and each supply has a 0.1 µF capacitor to ground. The last step is a 1 kΩ resistor in parallel with R105 on the back of the power board.
| Qty | Part |
|---|---|
| 1 | TL082, LM358 or another op-amp IC1. Single or dual. The drawing leaves the second half of the TL082 unconnected. |
| 1 | 100 kΩ resistor R1. |
| 1 | 200 kΩ resistor R2. |
| 1 | 33 kΩ resistor R3. |
| 2 | 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor C1 and C2. |
| 1 | 1 kΩ resistor R4. Not in the drawing. It goes in parallel with R105 on the back of the power board. |
Console5 says to do the shielded-wire buzz reduction at the same time if you want the lowest noise.
Original modification by Bill Seiler. Redrawn by us from the drawing on Console5.
Guides we used
This page and the interactive bench are built from these. They have the photos and the full detail, so please read them and support their authors.
- How easy is it to recap a Vectrex? (Forum) by AtariAge forum (thread). Practical hints: via soldering, heatsink caps, discharge the CRT first. Says Console5 sells a kit
- Vectrex Console: Complete Screen Calibration and More (Step-by-step) by Matt Pilz. Best general Vectrex service guide; touches caps only briefly (large filter caps have factory glue). No values
- Vectrex capacitor kit (Kit page) by DragonBox. Says the kit contains all electrolytics; lists flicker, crackle and no-boot as symptoms. No count or table
Vectrex power board, original GCE / MB
Twenty-two capacitors. Console5 says the service manual's parts list is wrong in several places, so go by the board. C507 and C508 were smaller on early builds and are changed to 47 uF 100 V. Kits use 35 V at C513 because the circuit runs near 25 V. C409 and C410 hide under the big heat sink; Console5 moves them to the solder side so they can be reached later. Take care not to pull the plated-through holes out when you desolder the big filter caps. The tube circuit holds a dangerous charge.
| Part | Value | Volts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C109 | 4700 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C113 | 10 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C114 | 220 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C117 | 10000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C118 | 10000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C119 | 4700 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C120 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C121 | 47 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C122 16 V is OK. This is the -13 V output cap. | 220 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C404 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C409 Non-polar. Under the big heat sink. | 0.47 µF | 50 V | check your board |
| C410 Under the big heat sink. | 0.47 µF | 50 V | check your board |
| C411 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C504 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C507 4.7 uF on early builds. Change to 47 uF. | 47 µF | 100 V | check your board |
| C508 15 uF 63 V on early builds. Change to 47 uF 100 V. | 47 µF | 100 V | check your board |
| C511 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C512 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C513 The circuit runs near 25 V. Console5's kits use 35 V. | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C516 | 3.3 µF | 350 V | check your board |
| C521 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C523 | 470 µF | 16 V | check your board |
Vectrex CPU board, original GCE / MB
Five capacitors. C228 may be a tantalum; if so, do not replace it.
| Part | Value | Volts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C211 | 220 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C212 | 100 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C213 | 100 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C228 May be a tantalum. If so, do not replace it. | 10 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C323 | 4.7 µF | 16 V | check your board |
Vectrex power board, low-buzz late model MB
Twenty capacitors; C113 and C114 are empty on this board. Mind the plated-through holes when you desolder the big filter caps.
| Part | Value | Volts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C109 | 4700 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C117 | 10000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C118 | 10000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C119 | 4700 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C120 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C121 | 47 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C122 | 220 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C404 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C409 Non-polar. | 0.47 µF | 50 V | check your board |
| C410 | 0.47 µF | 50 V | check your board |
| C411 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C504 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C507 | 47 µF | 100 V | check your board |
| C508 | 47 µF | 100 V | check your board |
| C511 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C512 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C513 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C516 | 3.3 µF | 350 V | check your board |
| C521 | 47 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C523 | 470 µF | 16 V | check your board |
Vectrex CPU board, low-buzz late model MB
Nine capacitors.
| Part | Value | Volts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C213 | 100 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C227 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C228 | 22 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C231 | 10 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C240 | 10 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C242 | 1000 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C323 | 4.7 µF | 25 V | check your board |
| C332 | 220 µF | 16 V | check your board |
| C335 | 4.7 µF | 25 V | check your board |
Shopping list
56 capacitors in all, grouped by value. Buy a few spares.
- 7 x 1000 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 6 x 22 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 6 x 47 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 4 x 0.47 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 4 x 47 µF, 100 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 4 x 4700 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 4 x 10000 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 3 x 100 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 3 x 220 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 3.3 µF, 350 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 4.7 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 10 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 10 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 47 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 220 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 2 x 470 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
- 1 x 4.7 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
Console5 capacitor kits for this machine
Console5 sells ready-made capacitor kits. Kits come in different versions, so match the board number in the kit name to yours and check the listing before you buy.
Skip the sourcing
While you are in there
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These links only search by name. Disclosure
Step by step
- Photograph both sides of the board before you touch anything. Zoom in on every capacitor. The photo is your map when you are three hours in.
- Unplug it, take out the batteries and let it sit. Old power supplies and CRT parts can hold a charge. If your machine has a tube, leave the tube and its board to a professional.
- Open it up and keep the screws sorted. A muffin tin or an egg carton works. Different screws go in different holes, and the holes never forgive you.
- Look for leaks. Clean any sticky residue off with isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush. A leaked capacitor leaves brown crust and can eat copper traces. Look at the traces under it, not only the part itself.
- Mark the polarity of every capacitor on the photo before it comes off. On an electrolytic, the stripe marks the negative leg. The board usually shows a half-shaded circle or a bar for the same spot.
- Remove the old capacitors one at a time. Surface mount: add fresh solder to both ends and rock the part off, or use flux and a low-melt alloy. Through-hole: heat one leg at a time and clear the hole with wick or a pump.
- Clean the pads and check for lifted pads or damaged traces. Clean flux off with isopropyl. A bad pad needs a jumper wire, not hope.
- Fit and solder the new capacitor, matching polarity. Same capacity, same or higher voltage, and it has to physically fit. Work from the smallest parts up.
- Clean the flux off and look at every joint. A good joint is shiny and shaped like a tiny volcano. A dull blob or a ball is a cold joint: reflow it.
- With a multimeter, check for shorts across the power rails before you power it on. Use the continuity or resistance setting. A reading near zero means stop and look for a solder bridge.
- Power it up and test everything: video, sound, controls, the lot. If something is wrong, check polarity first. It is the most common mistake and the easiest fix.
Tools
- Temperature-controlled soldering station. Steady heat so you do not cook pads. Most recaps are done between 320 and 350 C. Top: Hakko FX-951 · Mid: Hakko FX-888D · Budget: Pinecil
- Good solder. Rosin-core 63/37 flows and looks right. It is cheap and it matters. Kester 44 63/37
- Flux. Flux is what makes old joints let go and new joints flow. MG Chemicals flux pen · Chip Quik flux syringe
- Low-melt alloy (for surface mount). Melts old solder on both ends of a surface mount part at once, so it lifts off cleanly. Chip Quik SMD1
- Desoldering tool. Clears the old solder out of through-hole pads. Top: Hakko FR-301 · Mid: Engineer SS-02 pump · Budget: Solder wick
- Fine tweezers. For holding small surface mount parts exactly where you want them. ESD-safe tweezers
- Board holder. A third hand for the board, so both of yours are free. PanaVise circuit board holder
- Magnification. You cannot fix what you cannot see. Surface mount parts are tiny. Top: Stereo microscope · Mid: Head visor · Budget: Lighted magnifier
- Multimeter. Continuity, shorts and rail voltages. The one test that saves boards. Top: Fluke 117 · Mid: Fluke 101 · Budget: AstroAI
- ESR and capacitor tester. Checks old capacitors and your new ones before they go in. Top: Peak Atlas ESR70 · Budget: LCR-T7
- Isopropyl alcohol (99%) and a brush. For cleaning leaked goo and flux. Use the high-percentage kind. MG Chemicals 99.9% isopropyl
- Brass tip cleaner. A clean tip transfers heat. A dirty one does not. Hakko 599B
- Fume extractor. Pulls the smoke away from your face. Hakko FA-400 · Budget: Small bench fan
- Precision screwdrivers. Most old gear uses a mix of Phillips, Torx and security bits. iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
- Kapton tape. Heat-proof tape to protect parts that sit close to the one you are changing. Kapton tape
Safety
- Good airflow, or a fume fan. Solder smoke is not for breathing.
- Safety glasses on. Solder spits and clipped legs fly.
- Iron in its stand when you are not holding it. Know where the cord is.
- Touch bare metal first, or use a wrist strap. Static kills old chips.
- No tube, no mains power supply. Leave those to a professional.
- Wash your hands after, especially if you used leaded solder.
Values are shown as published in the guides above, and boards changed during production. Check the board in front of you. A recap involves hot tools and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.