Taking apart LS4000

[Guillaume Dargaud]

Hello all,
quite a while ago I posted here about cleaning my LS4000. Thanks to your
help and some web tutorials, I managed to clean the filthy mirror, but the
scans were still exhibiting the same problems to a lesser extend.

Today I sat down and decided to clean the lens... but I can't figure out how
to access it. I particular I cannot figure out how to remove the circuit
board: there's a ribbon in the middle of it that I'd need to disconnect, but
it's totally non accessible.

There are several pages with detailed photos on how to take appart Nikon
Scanners: LS5000, LS2000 and some others but they don't seem to apply to the
4000. Any hint ?

 

[Barry Watzman]

I service LS-2000's and LS-30's, but at this time not the later models.
I have a 4000 and have looked at it, it is more complex than the
2000/30 but does not look impossible by any means. I was under the
impression that the LS-4000 and 5000 mechanisms were similar (as I said,
I have a 4000 but have never seen a 5000).

The flat ribbon cables (these are called "flex cables") goes into a ZIF
(zero insertion force) socket. The socket has an "open" (unlocked) and
"closed" (locked) position ... in the open position, there is NO force
on the cable and it moves in and out freely. The socket MUST be in the
open position to insert or remove the flex cable, if you force the cable
while the socket is locked, you will likely destroy the cable (and
sometimes the socket). There are different styles of these connectors,
so I can't tell you exactly how to open the style that you have, but you
will have to figure that out before you will be able to disassemble it.

 

[Guillaume Dargaud]

Thank Barry for the answer.
I see how the ribbon works, the problem is that one is unaccessible. Maybe
with a long narrow pair of pliers... Actually here's the trick:

The ribbon arriving in the middle of the board goes through a holding collar
just before. This collar is held by a screw which is far inside the scanner
but accessible with a long screwdriver. If you unscrew it, then the ribbon
has enough leeway so that you can move the board 5cm away, put your hand
inside and disconnect it. It works in reverse for reassembling it.

Still, accessing the lens is lots of hard work, and obviously I now have one
(tiny) screw left after reassembling the whole thing. If anybody has an idea
I wrote 'side' next to it !

Cleaned up and reassembled scanner just did its first scan with success...
Darks are now much better.
--
Guillaume Dargaud
http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/
"I was in a shop in Britain, when an American tourist in front of me tried
to pay for something in US dollars. The shop keeper politely told her that
this was Britain, and you can't use U.S. dollars here. The lady replied...
'But I had no problems in other third world countries'." - KJ.

 

[tomm42]

Thank Barry for the answer.
I see how the ribbon works, the problem is that one is unaccessible. Maybe
with a long narrow pair of pliers... Actually here's the trick:

The ribbon arriving in the middle of the board goes through a holding collar
just before. This collar is held by a screw which is far inside the scanner
but accessible with a long screwdriver. If you unscrew it, then the ribbon
has enough leeway so that you can move the board 5cm away, put your hand
inside and disconnect it. It works in reverse for reassembling it.

Still, accessing the lens is lots of hard work, and obviously I now have one
(tiny) screw left after reassembling the whole thing. If anybody has an idea
I wrote 'side' next to it !

Cleaned up and reassembled scanner just did its first scan with success...
Darks are now much better.
--
Guillaume Dargaudhttp://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/
"I was in a shop in Britain, when an American tourist in front of me tried
to pay for something in US dollars. The shop keeper politely told her that
this was Britain, and you can't use U.S. dollars here. The lady replied...
'But I had no problems in other third world countries'." - KJ.

My LS2000 had totally died, Nikon cleaned/repaired it for $300 two
years ago. Seemed like a good deal to me.

Tom

 

[Barry Watzman]

I charge $95 (plus $20 return shipping), and from reports of people who
have used Nikon, I do a more complete job. They apparently do what's
necessary to get the unit working (and at least some of the time no
more). I strip it down to pretty much the last screw, solvent clean all
the moving parts, relubricate, clean the optics & reassemble.

$300 for an LS-2000 is just about if not more than the scanner is worth.

 

[Alan Wrigley]

In message <[email protected]>

I charge $95 (plus $20 return shipping), and from reports of people who
have used Nikon, I do a more complete job.

Anyone know of a good repair service in the UK? I have an LS-4000 that
has stopped working.

Alan

 

[Peter Finney]

In message <[email protected]>


Anyone know of a good repair service in the UK? I have an LS-4000 that
has stopped working.

And mine could do with a good clean!

Peter Finney
Liphook
Hampshire
England

 

[tomm42]

I charge $95 (plus $20 return shipping), and from reports of people who
have used Nikon, I do a more complete job. They apparently do what's
necessary to get the unit working (and at least some of the time no
more). I strip it down to pretty much the last screw, solvent clean all
the moving parts, relubricate, clean the optics & reassemble.

$300 for an LS-2000 is just about if not more than the scanner is worth.

Actually it is not bad working in the environment I do, if I needed a
new LS5000, it is a budgetary item and I'd have to wait for the budget
committee to meet, discus the options. This would happen months in the
future, just having the scanner fixed was a good option. Anyway we
bought an Epson V700 that has much more dynamic range, and equal
sharpness to the LS2000 and the Nikon is now on the shelf.

Tom

 

[Barry Watzman]

First of all, the mirror and the front lens of the LS-4000 can be
cleaned easily. The mirror is at the front of the optical block. It is
held in place by a brass spring clip. The clip can be removed easily
with no further disassembly than removing the covers, and once the clip
is removed, the glass mirror (about the size of a postage stamp) will
simply fall out of the optical block and can then be easily cleaned (you
can use Windex and a VERY SOFT cloth or kleenex (not a paper towel; too
rough), followed by compressed air). While the mirror is out, the front
lens is easily accessible and is easily cleaned also (Q-tip with Windex
on it followed by compressed air). To reassemble, turn the scanner
upside down, place the mirror into the optical block and reinstall the
brass clip. It is VERY RARE for ANY other part of the optics to need
cleaning at all.

Any further disassembly of the LS-4000 is a real bitch, but isn't
necessary for simple cleaning. If you do have to remove the circuit
board OR disassemble the mechanism at all, the next (first) step is to
disconnect and completely remove the entire power supply. This sounds
bad, but it's actually just 5 screws and not really that difficult or
time consuming. Once you have done that, you will be able to access the
ribbon cable in the middle of the circuit board.