Colormunki Photo repair

[palombian]

Did someone manage to take apart (and reassemble) a Colormunki Photo ?

It becomes very erratic to select the calibrating position.

Seems to be the position sensor.
There is a strip with reflective targets in the outer cover that broke, and you should be able to glue them in place again.

No warranty anymore.

 

[W. Fisher]

Mine acted up when rotating the dial to calibrate. Finally it wouldn't work right with the software as well as the calibrate part. I called X-rite and they told me "To send it in and they would replace it." It was more than two years old and they sent me a whole new boxed one for free, even included a mini-ColorChecker chart and new zipper case both!

Fwiw, there is a flex cable inside the thing that eventually breaks. It flexes pretty sharply in the large rotating part of the dial inside the thing. Digi-key (and Mouser electronics too) sells the replacement flex piece for $3.90. Here: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/wurth-electronics-inc/687708200002/732-3578-ND/2811300 Biggest hassle is prying it all apart with those large "staples" that hold the cases together, after you unsnap all the outer covers, to get to it and plug each end of the flex into the USB and internal sockets.

Also, I recall there was a seal under the over pop-off covers that alerts them that you've been inside the thing. Just a heads up there if you snoop and want to later try the warranty route.

Good luck with whichever way you go.

W.F.

 

[palombian]

Mine acted up when rotating the dial to calibrate. Finally it wouldn't work right with the software as well as the calibrate part. I called X-rite and they told me "To send it in and they would replace it." It was more than two years old and they sent me a whole new boxed one for free, even included a mini-ColorChecker chart and new zipper case both!

Fwiw, there is a flex cable inside the thing that eventually breaks. It flexes pretty sharply in the large rotating part of the dial inside the thing. Digi-key (and Mouser electronics too) sells the replacement flex piece for $3.90. Here: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/wurth-electronics-inc/687708200002/732-3578-ND/2811300 Biggest hassle is prying it all apart with those large "staples" that hold the cases together, after you unsnap all the outer covers, to get to it and plug each end of the flex into the USB and internal sockets.

Also, I recall there was a seal under the over pop-off covers that alerts them that you've been inside the thing. Just a heads up there if you snoop and want to later try the warranty route.

Good luck with whichever way you go.

W.F.

Unfortunatily in Europe consumer law is different (see the VW diesel case).

Thanks for the link to the cable, as measuring is fine I do not think I need it now, but stocking the item is not a bad idea.

Found where the "staples" are, one covered by a seal.

 

[Feri]

My Colormunki shows the same symptoms as yours. I'd like to open it up, maybe I can fix it. I understand that you have to pry apart the case, but I have no clue where to start the procedure. Can you help me or point me to a guide? My searches on this were futile.

 

[W. Fisher]

I ended up sending mine in not having the flex-circuit strip. They fixed it for free and sent me a new one along with a case and a ColorChecker mini card. Better deal.

 

[Feri]

Unfortunately mine is way out of warranty and in Europe they will not swap it. So either I buy a new one or try to pry open the current one and fix it. If it is only about changing the flex circuit I am sure I can make it, the challenge is the method to open it.

I checked your very useful link to the spare part and it is still working. So if I could open it I could probably fix it.

 

[The Hat]

Maybe @palombian will chip in here with a few more Photos and suggestions..

 

[palombian]

I opened mine about 2 years ago (and was able to close it afterwards ).
You just need to remove some outer plastic covers and then remove the 4 clamps as shown on the photos.
There is a flex strip inside.

But I doubt it is the flex strip, since the error is intermittent (or it could be the strip starting to break).

I found once a repair instruction mentioning a kind of timing or positioning strip with white markers falling apart.
The guy solved it by glueing some pieces of paper.
No evidence of this in my device.

So I guess there were several hardware versions.

Will try to order the flex strip ...

 

[palombian]

It is a standard flex cable, found it at Conrad electronics in Europe, no need to order overseas.
Will see if it helps ...

 

[palombian]

Dear fellows,

I changed the flatcable.
It is only a connection between the USB socket and the electronics who are in the rotating disc.
(Un)fortunatily everything is the same as before.
So the reason for the malfunctioning (= not sensing the correct position of the wheel) must be elsewhere.

May I come back to my original question:

Can the calibration step be avoided in software ?
Does the barebone Argyll uses the calibration step ?

Anybody ?