After plugging it in and using the b/w composite video and firing it up, I was disappointed but un surprised to find the computer was dead and only displaying jargon. Thanks to research I had been doing on the computer before I got it, I had an idea on what was wrong.

It had to be something wrong with the ULA (Undedicated Logic Array). The rest of the computer looked fine and was built with good components, even the caps looked fine.

The ULA is a chip that Acorn squeezed most of the functionality of a BBC B into. It handles I/O, video, sound etc. I can not remember off the top of my head. Also there's an underused expansion port on the back which would be grate for hacks and interfaces when I learn more of the BASIC.

The computer did not make a sound, all I herd was the relay by the tape drive port clicking. The pattern was the same every time showing that the computer had only got partly through its boot sequence. (So its time to prepare the evil mad lab for another twisted experiment). HA HA HA HA (evil lath).

Ok so you will want to open the machine to reach the parts that need work. Now you can gaze into the magic that made your beloved computer work. 80s tech is so well built, unlike to days crap. Most people may stop here and start using anti static precautions, but to be honest I've never had a static problem, the thought is, that static discharge is built up on. I mean a lot of people make a fuss over nothing and it is only a minor danger. Although it does not hurt to be safe so if you want to take them precautions... then feel free. I'm not going to judge you for it. If you have spent a small fortune then its better to be safe. Once you have the device open you should check the capacitors to see if they have died. If they are bulging then replace them as they have died. If you have an ESR meter then you can check to see if they are still good. You may even want to check all the signal lines and frequency's of the machine just to make sure every thing is ok, but don't forget the ULA chip. All I did was look at the caps to see if they bulged as I do not have an ESR meter (oh how times have changed) and checked the ULA. It was the ULA that was the problem in my machine.

So I removed the ULA to take a look at the chip to give it a good clean when a website alerted me to also look at the connecters pins. I looked at the pins and "shit", two of them were victims of metal fatigue, they did not bend up like the rest of the pins when the chip was removed. They broke off when I tried to bend them back. So I was in for a "fun" repair.

I tried two methods to get the machine working. The first one was to cram silver foil in the gaps, in place of the pins. This worked at first, but as the chip got hot it expanded enough that when you switched the machine off and the chip contracted from the loss of the heat, the electrical connection was lost.

Method too was to put the original pins on top of the silver foil. This turned out to be the best solution and have fixed the fault to a very reliable condition. You only need to remember not to remove the ULA for anything except repair.

Eventualy a few years later I managed to source some of these ULA sockets & I repaired the Electron in this artical properly. I desoldered the socket & replaced the broken pins & soldered it back. Also repaired another Electron as I have five now by replacing the black blob ULA as I somehow found a ceramic one being sold on eBay, bought it, found the correct socket & repaired the Electron. Another electron I had got on eBay just needed new RAM, for it is always RAM. Quite a few Acorn Electrons use the black blob ULA chip.

The black blob ULA chip to the left is the one that failed, it was relapced by a new socket & the ceramic ULA I managed to some how find on eBay. Once I pluged that in & replaced the fulty RAM the machine booted as normal.

Sadly Ferranti is another piece of British industry that has died, it went down the bog in 1993. On the up side the company invented the ULA concept that has lead to the development of PLA (programmable logic arrays and similar devises).