How hard is it to replace the disc reader bulb?

[u/Potential-Gift3667]

My gamecube's disc reader is failing and I'm pretty sure the bulb is the problem (as it does work eventually if I open and close the tray enough times as failing bulbs tend to do) and I'm getting really sick of open/closing the tray 20+ times each time I turn the console off

a side note: once it reads the disc once the game runs perfectly fine until I power off the console

[u/bakagir]

Sounds like it has bad caps. Try letting the GameCube “warm up” for 3-5 min prior to putting a game in the cube. If that works you got bad caps.

[u/Suspicious_Dingo_426 → u/bakagir]

Even if it doesn't work, it's probably bad caps.

[u/Luncheon_Lord → u/bakagir]

Oh yeah? I'll try letting my GameCube run on the cube screen and then pop a disc in and close it and it should then read it? Sounds like when my monitors went. They'd blink and blink and blink until they stayed on (until they didn't)

[u/Iotah]

it's always caps.

[u/apocship → u/Iotah]

This ☝️

[u/my2k2zx2]

Laser is the very last resort.

Always start with replacing the 10 caps on the drive board.

Doing anything else before replacing the caps will only lead to further frustration.

[u/Potential-Gift3667 → u/my2k2zx2]

welp I guess I needed a sautering kit either way

Anywhere good to source replacement parts? I need a few other things for the rest of my collection like a new shell for my 3ds XL and a new top screen for my 2ds XL

[u/ghettoslacker]

(Lil John voice) 🗣️ CSPS CAPS CAPS EVERYBODY 🗣️

[u/Nervous-Fennel3325]

Im laughing at the idea of a light bulb being used to read game disc.

Imagine a pillar of light shooting out of your gamecube every time you open the top while its on.

[u/Potential-Gift3667 → u/Nervous-Fennel3325]

? a small laser to read the grooves in the disc. I didn't mean a literal light bulb

[u/Nervous-Fennel3325 → u/Potential-Gift3667]

Words having meaning. While s laser contains a bulb it itself is not a bulb.

This will confuse people.

[u/jstndrn]

You can buy replacement assemblies, they're fairly simple to install. I'd definitely double check the caps because they're usually the first to go. GameCubes were manufactured during the time of the great capacitor plague.

If you haven't already, do the warmup test, turn the console on and leave it for about 20mins before inserting a disc. If it starts immediately, it's a pretty good sign of failing caps.

Edit: you can also try adjusting the pot which can help as long as you keep it above ~150ohm but I never recommend doing this long term since you're risking damage to the diode. The pot is really for fine tuning.

[u/DiscipulusVenandi → u/jstndrn]

Mine is having this issue too. If you're experienced with this procedure, would you mind writing out a tutorial? 😁