Nikon CoolScan LS-2000 Maintenance Manual

Maintenance Service on Nikon CoolScan Slide Scanner

Summary: Major disassembly of scanner mechanism and controller circuit
board, lubricate and manually actuate slide rails and stepper motors.
Time to perform: about 2 hours

The X-axis scanning runs on three slide rails and a stepper motor. The Z-axis Autofocus runs on 2
slide posts, 2 forked sliders and a stepper motor. Both of these mechanisms require lube until they
move easily and smoothly. Circuit board removal is required as most of the mechanism to be lubed
is on the left side. Only one X-axis slide rail is accessible from the right side, making it an
incomplete job. Clean sensor lens and two front-sided mirrors, as needed.

Statement of Warranty, Limits of Liability agreement, and other WARNINGS is included in
Section IV, near the end of this document.

I. Qualify that the unit is operational, incoming inspection

0) check to see that no data cable is attached and that jacks are not damaged or contact pins are bent
or corroded.

1) make sure that unit turns on with just AC plugged in. See that green light turns on, blinks and
stays steady. Position unit in vertical position with power switch on top.

2) during the blinking phase, the unit is booting up and goes through mechanism qualification
steps, see if you can hear any buzzing where stepper motors are moving the scanner mechanism.
Testing of Autofocus is first and X-axis scan is second.

3) look inside the slide module throat and see if you can see any narrow strip of light from the LED
light module located in the upper case near where the inner edge of the slide mount would be.

Symptoms:

4) if any of the mechanisms doesn't move during the qualification step, the green light changes to a
rapid blink (about every half sec) and then steady green at the end of the boot sequence.

This negative failing rapid blink diagnostic will show up by the NikonScan app not recognizing
that a correctly booted scanner is attached...the infamous "Nikon Scan was unable to find any
active devices" dialog box message.

If yes to all four, then the unit just needs to be lubricated with Teflon and lens and mirrors cleaned
with alcohol and or aqueous lens cleaner.

5) if there is slow blinking (about once per second) during boot for about 15 sec and then a steady
green, then the slide scanner has booted normally and this maintenance and cleaning procedure is
not required at this time.

2

If the NikonScan app can't see a SCSI attached scanner, then usually the Windows computer needs
the Adaptec ASPI driver installed too (in addition to the SCSI board AHA-2940 driver).

II. Tools needed:

1) Set of jewelers screwdrivers, needs both flat bladed and Phillips tips. As a minimum, a set of 6
from Radio Shack $8-10 (Archer Japan) will do. A quality set from Felo Cat# 280-907-06 kit of six
double hex shaft tips plus handle with knurled nut clamping chuck (Germany) $40 is better,
especially their Phillips #0 size (UPC 4007157-507235).

A separate Wiha brand Cat#261 Phillips #1 screwdriver ($7 Germany) is also highly recommended
for its precision tip that fits screw heads perfectly, even under high-torque stress and has a 3" long
round shaft and rigid handle for hard-to-reach mechanism screws. The Wiha tip is machined so
precisely that screws seem to stick on the tip without being magnetic.

May need a medical-type hemostat, forcep or tweezer to pick out dropped and re-position tiny
screws. Available at an unusually complete Ace hardware store, such as Seven Corners Hardware,
St Paul, Minnesota, [phone] 7corners.com, with an upstairs nationally-rated catalog mail­order operation at [phone]

2) DuPont Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant, sets up dry, Cat# D002101, UPC 036121-176232, 2 fl oz,
mfgr & distrib Finish Line, Inc, 1545 5th Industrial Ct, Bay Shore, Long Island NY 11706, (631)
666-4186; a fine particulate teflon carried in a evaporative petrochemical dispersing vehicle, or
equivalent http://www.performancelubricant.dupont.com/dp_products_multi.html

. Popular at REI
and bike shops, Finish Line Teflon Dry Lube $5 2oz squeeze bottle;

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/lubechoices.htm#dry

Fig 1. Jewelers screwdrivers, typical Radio Shack in front, Felo Phillips #0 with hex shaft middle,
and Wiha Phillips #1 in back, with Teflon lubricant

3

Picked up this Teflon lube sample gratis at the National Association of Manufacturers show at
McCormick Place Convention Expo, Chicago. Medical-type syringe and needle may be helpful.
Did use Solder Seal Gunk brand L508 PTFE (generic Teflon) Lubricant in a spray can, available at
an unusually complete auto parts store (noticed that Solder Seal Gunk Liquid Wrench L512 dry
film PTFE Cerflon (Teflon) Lube is listed in their catalog, unevaluated). The lube is sprayed into
the cap and transferred with an end of a screwdriver tip or Q-tip. The DuPont / Finish Line
formulation is better by leaving a thin white coating of Teflon that seems to adhere to metal, yet not
leaving an oily residue that attracts dust.

Do NOT recommend using an oil (sewing machine, 3-in-1), synthetic grease lube (white), silicone
lube or spray, or penetrating solvents like WD-40.

3) Lighted work table with comfortable Herman-Miller Aeron chair, with 50 watt quartz halogen
high intensity lamp. Highly recommend a high intensity flashlight to see black hidden parts of
mechanism. Use a Makita ML902 flashlight 9.6v Ni-Cd with ratcheting right angle head, or
equivalent. Perhaps a Petzl Tikka forehead-strapped LED flashlight will work too.

4) Plastic (pink) antistatic foam pad, 1 ft x 18" x 1/2" thick, preferably grounded with 2 Meg-ohm
resistor.

5) Cheseborough-Ponds cotton Q-tips or TexWipe foam swabs and aqueous lens cleaner, isopropyl
alcohol or Everclear liquor 190 proof ethanol. Kimberly-Clark Chemwipe tissues.

6) Antistatic bag, 12" x 14" to hold circuit board

7) receptacles to conveniently organize and secure tiny screws, recommend a 6-pack of empty vials
(tubs) with intact foil covers. Suggest Kraft Crystal Light diet beverage powder concentrate empty
tubs, UPC 043000-950517, or equivalent. Don't drop screws on the floor as the tiny black ones will
be extremely hard-to-find (and extremely hard-to-buy to replace them).

8) About 2 hours of quality time, known-good test computer with NikonScan v3.1 application (or
equivalent) installed, data interface and data cable, AC power cord for Nikon and grounded power
strip.

9) 8 1/2" x 11" notepad and PaperMate Write Bros pen with cap

III. Disassembly and maintenance service procedure

(this example is for Nikon Coolscan III, model LS-30 which has two MD-50 pin SCSI jacks, 1999
vintage)

0) remove all AC power and signal cables.