Curse you, Asteroids!

[JuanUp]

Thanks, guys. OK. I hooked up my Rigol to the X-Y test leads on he PCB and it displays the game on the screen, (as tons of dots). I reflowed all the solder on the deflection board, popped it in again and watched the 2 fuses glow white hot and fail.

I'm really at a loss. I'm debating swapping boards individually into my Lunar Lander and seeing what explodes.

Pissed,
Juan

Edit: I retested the power supply and ARII board. 8, 9 has changed to 2.6VAC!

 

[Dokert]

8 & 9 provide power for the coin door lamps

 

[JuanUp]

Progress!

I swapped the regulator board with the one in my Lunar Lander and POW! the fuses blew so there's no doubt it's that board that's failing. I decided to check everything include the stuff I didn't test, (the coil and capacitors). The coil was fine... it's a coil. The caps I never thought in a million years would be bad because I bought them fresh. Turns out one of them was drier than a bone. No capacitance at all. I re-flowed EVERYTHING changed the caps and plugged it in. I got so used to the fuses blowing that I had my hand on the panel switch but it powered up, the fuses didn't blow and now I got the spot killer LED on. Woohoo! I'll check the transistors on the big heat sink mounted on the chassis next.

By the way, I attached a pic of the o-scope Asteroids.

Juan

 

[JuanUp]

Here's an update if anyone cares. I tested the 4 transistors on the big heat sink and most of the components on the deflection amplifier board. Nothing. I then noticed the guns in the neck of the monitor weren't glowing! Jeezus H. Christ on a pogo stick! Anyway, I pulled the EHT assembly out of there and checked the usual suspects. The two Varo VG2X diodes seem to be dead. Might as well replace the two MPSA06s and the MCR106-2 while I'm at it. They look like they've already been replaced at some point.

Juan

 

[dbpbandit]

So did that do the trick? Is it working again?

-Dave

 

[JuanUp]

So did that do the trick? Is it working again?

-Dave

heh... I think I just ordered the last 4 VG2X's on the planet. I'll plug them and the transistors in and we'll find out.

 

[JuanUp]

Update!

After some severe testing and tinkering, I've gotten the regulator and the main deflection board to play nice. The spot killer is off, I hear monitor chatter but still no neck glow. Any tips would be appreciative.

Juan

 

[JuanUp]

I see Asteroids!

WOW... what a pain in the ass that was. The low voltage from J5 pins 8, 9 was from fuse F6 on the power brick that was badly seated and wasn't sending enough juice to P100 pins 3, 6 then to P101 pins 7, 8 to the CRT heater.

Of course, I played a few rounds before heading to work.

Thanks for all the help,
Juan

 

[Dokert]

good job

Dok

 

[Sinistar]

Nice going Juan. That looked tough.

 

[dbpbandit]

Sweet! I know some of these can be a big pain to fix but in the end it's all good.... Plus, you get to learn so much in the process.

-Dave