AGE Beanie Zone claw machine power supply died

olePigeon

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The power supply in my AGE Beanie Zone died. Of course it died right before I need to use it. :(

It started to randomly turn off until it wouldn't turn on. Now it blows fuses. I took the power supply out and all the caps were bulged and leaked EVERYWHERE. I did my best to clean it, but a lot of the conformal coating had come off from the electrolytic crap. I recapped the power supply and bypassed some bad traces. It still instantly blows a fuse.

Does anyone have a service manual for this machine? I have an operational manual, but it doesn't have PCB layouts for anything.

I'm wondering if I can buy a generic power supply and just wire it in, but I don't know what the voltages are.

I emailed ICE (I think they bought AGE at some point) to see if they knew, but it's an old machine.

Attached are some pictures. Maybe it's generic enough that someone will be able to identify it and recommend a suitable replacement?

Thank you very much.
IMG_1918.jpgIMG_1919.jpg
 
It looks pretty simple. Why not just do a cap kit and replace the semiconductors?

Check your header pins - I had to reflow one of those and it worked fine.
 
There's not a lot going on with this power supply. It seems like it should be easy to diagnose and fix. :/ Probably why I did so terrible in math class. My brain just isn't wired that way.

@ArcadeTechGW I already recapped it and I did a fairly thorough job at checking all the traces. I mean ... it goes from A/C input through that fuse. That's it. Not a lot there. And the fuse blows. I confirmed live, neutral and ground aren't shorted.

The yellow box is the fuse. To the right are the 3 input pins from the power cable. I'm including a flipped image of the front so it lines up with the back. Makes it easier for me to understand what's going on and where.

I guess I'll start going through and checking everything else. X2 filter cap there, I'm sure. Looks fine, and my room doesn't smell like someone microwaved fish.

IMG_1921.jpgps-front-flip.jpg
 
I believe outputs were 5,12, and 24 volts or 48 volts. Been awhile since we operated age cranes. Used to buy generic supplies from surplus suppliers of jameco might have to rearrange output connector wires.
 
Hmm. I think the diode on the left (as pictured in the flipped image) that's sandwiched between the transformer and the cluster of capacitors is bad. It's shorted open and voltage goes both ways when I set my multimeter into diode mode.

I'll have to wait until I get home to take it out of circuit to know for sure. I'll continue to probe other possibilities.
 
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Hmm. I think the diode on the left (as pictured in the flipped image) that's sandwiched between the transformer and the cluster of capacitors is bad. It's shorted open and voltage goes both ways when I set my multimeter into diode mode.

I'll have to wait until I get home to take it out of circuit to know for sure. I'll continue to probe other possibilities.
You have to test it out of circuit. (the diode) but that could be a problem.

If it isn't, look at what is in parallel with it.
 
Out of curiosity, anyone want to hazard a guess as to the value of this resistor? It measures 335 ohms on my multimeter, so I presume it's OK. It sat next to the voltage regulator, so it's gotten a bit ... crusty. I can't make heads or tales of it even using the resistor chart. Maybe 330 ohm? It's a chonky resistors.

resistor.jpg
 
I believe outputs were 5,12, and 24 volts or 48 volts. Been awhile since we operated age cranes. Used to buy generic supplies from surplus suppliers of jameco might have to rearrange output connector wires.
Honestly, given how bad the capacitors were in this thing, that would be my preferred solution. Generic supplies are so cheap. If you have any leads I would be extremely grateful. I need to get my crane working before Halloween. :( It was working all year until now. Such is my luck.
 
I bought one from electronic goldmine,surplus for aracnid dart game perfect match. Don't remember if it had 24 volt all dart needed was 5 and 12 volt.
 
Diode was fine out of circuit. Voltage regulators appear to be fine (or at least, not shorted.) I don't have a bench power supply. Dang it.
 
The last thing I can do is try replacing the UC3842 PWM controller. Everything else seems fine. So I don't know. Last thing I'll try before trying to source a replacement power supply. I need to get it working before Halloween. :(
 
Can't say for sure, without knowing original specs. For the price worth a try.
 
Replaced the PWM control. It no long blows fuses, but doesn't produce any voltage. So I give up. My problem now is that neither the power supply or the PCB for the game tell me what voltages it needs. So I have no idea what-so-ever what to replace it with or how I'd wire it up even if I did.
 
OK, thank you. Gonna pick up some spade connectors to crimp and wire it into the power supply.
 
Hazzah! It's working again. Crimped the spade connectors. Also a bit of solder just for extra measure. I might go in and replace the rats nest of wire nuts with some Wago connectors. Those things always freak me out.

Thank you everyone for the help, even though I ended up just replacing the whole thing.
 
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