Monitor disassemblage

[Chedder]

HI I'm Chedder. I am very new around here and I have a few questions about disassembling a monitor.
I am taking apart a broken monitor in order to crete a fish tank. Has anyone here done this before? I understand there are parts that can still carry a charge - how can I take those out w/out shocking myself? and dispose of them properly? Would a Dremel work on cutting the plastic cleanly? I hope to seal glass or plastic directly to the cuts. That's all I can think of right now- any help would be appriciated.

 

[MikeMike]

welcome.

how long has the monitor been unplugged? they can hold charges for a few months.

MIKE

 

[isekii]

monitor has a lot of toxic material inside of it.
do you think the fish'll survive ?

 

[amdskip]

He should just line the whole thing with glass or whatever. Basically assume all parts are carrying a charge. Many communities have collections for electronic wastes. Call around and see if you can find a place.

 

[episodic]

If you have to ask how to prevent electric discharge in a monitor that can KILL you - I would not do it at all. . . It is not to be taken lightly.

 

[Chedder]

actually I don't know- I got it from a friend, I am glad to know you all care so much hahaha. Is the plastic casing really that toxic?

 

[Whitecloak]

Hi I'm Whitecloak. You should not be disassembling a monitor if you are not competent enough to do so.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I just read up on it. That is a major undertaking. After knowing how to safely discharge the capacitors and release the vacuum(no biggie), then the glass has to be cut with a diamond saw(its thick & tempered). So now there is glass dust to breath and the mildly toxic coating on the inside of the screen. This coating must be clean off, a trace means dead fish. Now it has to be sealed to the rest of the tank. The clincher is, some but not all are frosted on the inner surface.
This maybe OK when first set-up but is impossible to keep clean. Kind of defeats the purpose of seeing the fish.

Welcome to the forums Chedder, now say cheese

I know it's spelled with an A' but I couldn't resist.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: whitecloak
Hi I'm Whitecloak. You should not be disassembling a monitor if you are not competent enough to do so.

Hi, I'm MercenaryForHire, and I agree. Having taken a discharge from a shorted PSU, I can (un)safely say that it's not an experience you should voluntarily undertake.

Take it to someone with both the experience and hardware necessary to do this. Monitors also contain about eight pounds of lead, mercury, and other toxic heavy metals. Just FYI.

- M4H

 

[Howard]

Why don't you pull out the tube and install a conventional water tank in the monitor housing so that it looks like the tube hasn't been touched? Much easier, IMO.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: Chedder
actually I don't know- I got it from a friend, I am glad to know you all care so much hahaha. Is the plastic casing really that toxic?

You need to use something else, not the tube, to hold the fish. You can't use the tube itself to hold the fish, just trust me on that. If it has been disconnected for a while, you should be pretty safe. You may try hitting the power button with it unplugged to drain any excess charge. I've electrocuted myself a few times, no biggie

 

[Chedder]

Originally posted by: Howard
Why don't you pull out the tube and install a conventional water tank in the monitor housing so that it looks like the tube hasn't been touched? Much easier, IMO.

hey thanks for the alternitive- Please forgive me for being a complete moron - is there a site or something you can refer me to with instrucions on how to safely do this?

Thanks for most of the kind words and help some of you have been offering- I really appriciate it.


CHEESE :camera:

Here's an example of someone else's undertaking. I don't exactly like it but I think it's the best I am going to get.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

You persist!! Only because your in the frozen north, I will PM a link to you.
Do you have cabin fever? Going stir crazy?

Howard's idea was a good one, but remember, the inside of the screen could have a frosted surface and that would be a lot of work for a disappointing result. Curved glass would look cool though.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: galvanizedyankee
You persist!! Only because your in the frozen north, I will PM a link to you.
Do you have cabin fever? Going stir crazy?

Howard's idea was a good one, but remember, the inside of the screen could have a frosted surface and that would be a lot of work for a disappointing result. Curved glass would look cool though.

Why would the inside of the glass be frosted?

 

[bmacd]

Hi, i'm bmacd, and i'm also interested in a fish tank monitor...i think it's kinda neat. Not really fair for you guys to bust the guy's balls for trying to do a project...he's getting all the info he can BEFORE he started the project, give him SOME credit.

-=bmacd=-

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: galvanizedyankee
You persist!! Only because your in the frozen north, I will PM a link to you.
Do you have cabin fever? Going stir crazy?

Howard's idea was a good one, but remember, the inside of the screen could have a frosted surface and that would be a lot of work for a disappointing result. Curved glass would look cool though.

Why would the inside of the glass be frosted?

I have no idea Howard. That was stated on the link I sent the OP. You can look for it here..
Text..I've only killed a couple of TVs at the dump with a long gun and never looked at the trophy closely. Like looking at the gut pile and examining it's innards

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: bmacd
Hi, i'm bmacd, and i'm also interested in a fish tank monitor...i think it's kinda neat. Not really fair for you guys to bust the guy's balls for trying to do a project...he's getting all the info he can BEFORE he started the project, give him SOME credit.

-=bmacd=-

Who's ball busting. It's no easy job plus there are hazardous heavy metals present and loaded capacitors.
Cutting tempered glass is best left to those tooled to do it. IF, YES, IF a glass shop will take on the job.

 

[Chedder]

for the record and much clarification - no ball busting - I am a chick but thanks for all your help and the credit for understanding I am researching ahead of time - and I think I am going to replace the glass or basically just replace it with a whole tank as seen in the other pictures

 

[arcenite]

hi, i'm arcenite. geekbabe is my lover.

 

[Xionide]

Originally posted by: Chedder
for the record and much clarification - no ball busting - I am a chick but thanks for all your help and the credit for understanding I am researching ahead of time - and I think I am going to replace the glass or basically just replace it with a whole tank as seen in the other pictures

Hi I am Xionide. :camera:'s? Someone had to say it.

-Xionide

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Xionide

Originally posted by: Chedder
for the record and much clarification - no ball busting - I am a chick but thanks for all your help and the credit for understanding I am researching ahead of time - and I think I am going to replace the glass or basically just replace it with a whole tank as seen in the other pictures

Hi I am Xionide. :camera:'s? Someone had to say it.

-Xionide

And so it begins..

 

[kozman31]

Originally posted by: galvanizedyankee

Originally posted by: bmacd
Hi, i'm bmacd, and i'm also interested in a fish tank monitor...i think it's kinda neat. Not really fair for you guys to bust the guy's balls for trying to do a project...he's getting all the info he can BEFORE he started the project, give him SOME credit.

-=bmacd=-

Who's ball busting. It's no easy job plus there are hazardous heavy metals present and loaded capacitors.
Cutting tempered glass is best left to those tooled to do it. IF, YES, IF a glass shop will take on the job.

It's better that she's asking now then starting it and making a thread later to the effect of "AT medics! I tried to make a fishtank out of my monitor and I electrocuted myself! What should I do?"

 

[Chedder]

Yeah haha. well I think what I might do is just break down and see if a local computer place might have a shell from something they've already done. doubt it but I can try. Other than that I might just have to use an old case from Mighty mouse's or svenn's (whichever he posts around here as, I forget.) "computer graveyard"

 

[Chedder]

well it's all done, with no harm, I have the plastic case that I wanted, exactly how I wanted it. To the few of you who actually offered support THANK YOU , otherwise I am diasspointed in the lack of faith or actual help any of you offered...I'll be over at truextream

 

[Kenazo]

do you have any pics of the tank? I'm curious as to what the finished product looks like!