clueless DMM user with a GI issue

beerorkid

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clueless DMM user with a GI issue (solved)

Howdy. New member. Been doing research for a while before I start asking for help with my GI issue I am having. So I will start with the basics and move from there.

Been reading www.pinrepair.com and wow that is a good resource. They say you need a DMM so I headed to the hardware store and got the cheap one they have there. I am thinking that is mistake #1

The DMM I got is a Gardner Bender GDT-311 and it does not seem to have a continuity setting.

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Can I use one of the other settings to test the pins to try to trouble shoot why I am having lower playfield GI issues?
 
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Howdy. New member. Been doing research for a while before I start asking for help with my GI issue I am having. So I will start with the basics and move from there.

Been reading www.pinrepair.com and wow that is a good resource. They say you need a DMM so I headed to the hardware store and got the cheap one they have there. I am thinking that is mistake #1

The DMM I got is a Gardner Bender GDT-311 and it does not seem to have a continuity setting.

Can I use one of the other settings to test the pins to try to trouble shoot why I am having lower playfield GI issues?

Set it for resistance measurements (omega symbol on the right hand side of the selector dial). When the probes aren't touching, it will show a high value, when they are touching, it will show a near-zero value. Start at the lowest range (200 ohms) and see how that works, go higher if it doesn't go to zero when you touch the probes.

The advantage to a better DMM (and a diode check mode) is that you can get it to sound a tone when you touch the probes, thus relieving you of the need to look at the thing while probing.

Just for reference - the V with straight lines over it is DC voltage measurement, and the V with a squiggly line over it is AC voltage.
 
Thanks for the reply I was figuring I would still be able to tell if things are connected with this one, just did not know what setting to use and had a slight fear that I could possibly mess something up even if it is just a 9 volt battery. Just wanted to double check before I did anything to my baby.

It is a Bride of Pinbot and the lower playfield GI is not working. WPC-89 There is no signs of burned wires or burnt connectors. Betting it is a broken trace on the header pins but, figuring the best place to start is checking the fuses and then check the header pins to the fuse holders. I have a good friend who used to work for an amusement company and he was the tech who would go out and fix stuff. He is willing to help me, but figured it would be better to confirm the issue before he assists.

J121

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Really not looking forward to removing the board, but this is the only issue I am having with this pin and it makes it hard to play with the lights off.
 
Welcome fellow Nebraskan....with no burnt/tarnished connectors, checking for cold solder joints on the pins would be the next logical step i would think. If it's only the playfield GI lights and the backbox/coindoor lights work fine, you could probably narrow it down to exactly which plug it should be that's causing the issue.
 
Hello from Lincoln. I have followed the wires to the plug, so I know which one it is. The schematics are confusing as heck ;) Currently home sick and plan on messing with this most of the day. Looks like I will be learning a bunch today.

If it is a bad solder joint any links to pointers on the proper way to go about fixing it? I am guessing I would want to remove the old solder and replace. I will do some more research before I even attempt doing this.
 
Cool...i'm from Omaha. I believe removing the solder and putting new in is the "proper" way to do it. I just fixed a display on my Meteor pin that had cold solder joints on the pins and all I did was just touched the tip of the solder gun to each of the solder points and allowed the existing solder to liquify for a split second to reflow the solder and that seemed to work fine. You just want to make sure you don't accidentally join two pins together with solder when you reflow the solder as some are pretty close to each other. Just test the continuity with each of the pins after you are done and make sure you didn't short any together. I'd test them beforehand too, as i think some are supposed to be shorted together (at least that's how mine were on my display). You might be able to see which pin has the cold solder joint by just looking with the naked eye or using a magnifying glass. You might be able to get away with just touching up one or two 'suspect' looking pins without having to do the whole row.
 
That red connector in your picture looks heat stressed to me....plus, it's not original. Somebody's already added that.....and it looks like they didn't do the best job. The wire look barely punched into the connector housing.

Edward
 
That red connector in your picture looks heat stressed to me....plus, it's not original. Somebody's already added that.....and it looks like they didn't do the best job. The wire look barely punched into the connector housing.

Edward

WOW you have an eagle eye. Seems it was once an 11 pin header / connector and they cut and rigged up that other connector and the header plastic is black and connector red. I grabbed some more pics and circled the bit in yellow. The right most wire you noticed was burnt and the connector metal bits are corroded. I sniped off a bit of wire and punched the wire in there good. That really did not fix anything though.

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larger image http://www.flickr.com/photos/beerorkid/4035095568/sizes/l/

So I busted out the manual and noticed it is connected to J115 somehow. There is not a connector plugged into that header, but one of the pins is burnt and missing. It is not the pin with the * on the manual, but that does not look good. I circled the header I am talking about in red.

Decided to run the light tests and my backglass GI is out as well. This sure is getting a bit more complicated and I am hesitant to continue further. Might have to call in someone more talented than I.

Well maybe the header at J115 is not a problem and if I can get some repair on the 2nd GI connector I initially started with the issues night get fixed.
 
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Well holy crap.

There is one fuse that looks fine, but blown. I know I really should of checked that first. Only spent a bit of time messing this morning to grab pics and stuff. Sorry if I wasted some of your guys time.

Headed to hardware store now and going to get a few in case they start blowing.

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And that did it. Lights all blinking. I saw you can replace bulbs with LEDs Might do that to lessen the power. Will search around the forums for that info.

Thanks so much for all the help today. Sorry it was just a fuse. Should of checked that before I posted. Did not know how to use my meter though. Thanks again.
 
If you're going to go the LED route ALOT of people really like doing LED's for just underneath the playfield to make the inserts extra bright but leaving them out of the equation for GI (not good light distribution from LED's)

~Justin
 
WOW you have an eagle eye. Seems it was once an 11 pin header / connector and they cut and rigged up that other connector and the header plastic is black and connector red. I grabbed some more pics and circled the bit in yellow. The right most wire you noticed was burnt and the connector metal bits are corroded. I sniped off a bit of wire and punched the wire in there good. That really did not fix anything though.

4035095568_a04a9c307b.jpg


larger image http://www.flickr.com/photos/beerorkid/4035095568/sizes/l/

So I busted out the manual and noticed it is connected to J115 somehow. There is not a connector plugged into that header, but one of the pins is burnt and missing. It is not the pin with the * on the manual, but that does not look good. I circled the header I am talking about in red.

Decided to run the light tests and my backglass GI is out as well. This sure is getting a bit more complicated and I am hesitant to continue further. Might have to call in someone more talented than I.

Well maybe the header at J115 is not a problem and if I can get some repair on the 2nd GI connector I initially started with the issues night get fixed.

That red connector really needs to be cut off and replaced. It's only going to lead to more problems...and possibly greater damage. The header it plugs into, also, should be replaced. It's kinda a pain, but fix it right...and never have to worry about it again. If you don't fix it...it will continue to burn and build up heat. With more burn, comes more heat...eventually, it will burn up traces/solder pads. Then the repair gets substantially more difficult....and ugly.

Edward
 
I am not really sure what the red connector and the header do on the game, it does not seem to be for GI. You are probably right, if it burned once, it prob will again. Will try to understand the manual and see what those headers are for. I figure I will be back with more questions. What makes you think I would have to do the header pins as well? I am guessing you think they might be damaged from the obvious heat that caused the connector and wire to burn up. I played on the machine for a hour or so last night and the connector and wire did not feel warm.

One a side note it looks like I will be getting an escape from the planet of the robot monsters arcade game here in the next few days. At one hell of a good price. Guy just wants it gone. I played the machine a couple of years ago and can't remember what shape it is in, but it played good.
 
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