You're talking about two different kinds of 1084. The later model has the power switch on the back, and these were terribly unreliable. When I worked at a Commodore service shop, we'd get these in all the time for power switch replacements. The regular trick was to stick a matchstick down the side of the button to hold it in, and use the power switch at the wall to turn it on. These days, I just advise people to hardwire them closed and do the same, though I can't remember if the switch is a standard one (might have been like the standard AT power switch in a PC, my memory is terrible). The earlier one with the power button on the front seemed much more reliable (though they had line output transformer issues all the time, I'd opt for the power switch issue over that). Mike On 18/02/2011 5:16 p.m., Brian Lanning wrote:

Incidnetally, if you don;t have switched mains sockets on your workbench (for exmaple if tou live in a country where swtiched wall sockets are uncommon), I recmennd making sa couple (at least) of 'switched mains leads). Just a 3-core cable with an IEC socket on one end, a mains plug on the other, and a double-pole switch, breaking live and neutral, half way along/. Add a neon indicator if you like, Of course the earth wire goes straight throguh (and to the box containing the swtich if it's metal). They are very useful for turning devices under test on/off without using the built0in swithc of said device (which may not isolate lal the circuitry from the amins, or which may be difficult to use safely when the devie is in bits. -tony

The Cheater's Way #3: 1: Remove swithc. 2: Dismantle switch and remove the return spring and locking 'staple 3: Modify the operating buton so you can drip it, not just press it 4: Refit it. 5: Push the switch to turn on, pull it to turn off. I did that with the mains switch in my Philips external CD-ROM drive. I did manage to get a replacemetn in the end (after I'd found which CD player it was based on, so I could order the switch for that. For some unkwn reason the serviec manual for the CD-ROM drive doesn't give a part number for the switch). -tony

The commodore monitors I have seem to use the same switch found on AT PC power supplies. I fixed a 1802 using one, and my 1084 will get fixed that way sooner or later (it is stuck in the on position and I use a surge strip to turn it on and off). ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim MacKenzie" <jim at photojim.ca> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 11:19 AM Subject: Re: Commodore 1084S monitor

Yes, it was a genuine 'big red switch', built into the power supply. I've only ever seen them used on real IBM machines, butI am pretty sure some clone PSUs had casings cut to take such a switch, but with a blanking plte with a grommet for the switch cable fitted where the 'IBM type' switch would have been fitted. I wasn;t aware that IBM PC/AT (or any other IBM PC family) PSUs were in any sense rare or valuable... Most of the ones I've see had a 4 core cabel ending in faston tabs to connect to the switch. the switch being mounted separately in the case. I suspexct it's that type of switch which the OP was suggesting as a spare of the monitor. -tony

As ever, 'any recycler' depends on where you are. I don;t think I could get one that way over here. Yes, every one I've seen was a DPST (double pole, single throw) switch. The cable to the SMPSU had black,white,brown,blue wires in it. 2 wires were the mains (after a filter, normally), the other 2 were ths input to the SMPSU. There are plenty of things that I wished I'd stocked up on years ago too.... -tony