Defender power supply upgrade options .. help please!

nanoryan

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Defender power supply upgrade options .. help please!

Hey guys,

I finally have a keeper Defender that I am going to be restoring. It has the original PS in it now and it's a bit flaky (game constantly resets itself). I was going to rebuild the original PS but recently read about it not having overvoltage protection so that is out of the question. Then, I was going to install a new switcher but read that it can cause issues with high score corruption so now that is out of the question too.

Can anybody point me to a tutorial on how to convert a Robo/Joust PS to work in a Defender? Can it be done plug and play or is an adapter harness required? Also, where do you typically mount the huge heat sink?

Better yet, if anybody has one already converted to sell to me that would be great!

Thanks! Ryan
 
Ken did a nice job of explaining how to put the newer PS in Defender in this thread:
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=125813
I'm running such a setup now in my Defender. I used the same standoffs/mounts as the original PS used, but relocated the LH one. Electrically, the change is simple, the hardest part was just finding the right spot to put the board and heat sink.
 
Hey guys,

I finally have a keeper Defender that I am going to be restoring. It has the original PS in it now and it's a bit flaky (game constantly resets itself). I was going to rebuild the original PS but recently read about it not having overvoltage protection so that is out of the question. Then, I was going to install a new switcher but read that it can cause issues with high score corruption so now that is out of the question too.

Can anybody point me to a tutorial on how to convert a Robo/Joust PS to work in a Defender? Can it be done plug and play or is an adapter harness required? Also, where do you typically mount the huge heat sink?

Better yet, if anybody has one already converted to sell to me that would be great!

Thanks! Ryan

The conversion simply requires adding 2 jumpers just above the fuse block on a newer power supply (cofiguring it as a "cocktail" power supply) adding the heat sink with the 2 transistors and you are set. I don't remember if the ps board and heat sink line up with the standoffs on a Defender (I suspect that they don't) so some metal standoffs will probably be necessary as well.

I don't currently have any to sell right now, but they come up on EBay quite often and I can rebuild the if they need repairs (and they usually do from EBay).

ken
 
Ken did a nice job of explaining how to put the newer PS in Defender in this thread:
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=125813
I'm running such a setup now in my Defender. I used the same standoffs/mounts as the original PS used, but relocated the LH one. Electrically, the change is simple, the hardest part was just finding the right spot to put the board and heat sink.

D*mn! Forgot about that thread.

ken
 
Here's a quick picture of my current setup. I made an extension harness for the heat sink to get enough wire length to mount it there.
 

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On Moon Patrols, there is a short metal plate where the heat sink sits between the transformer and the ps board. There is usually enough wiring in that configuration.

ken
 
Does Moon Patrol use the same PS as Joust/Robotron?

On Moon Patrols, there is a short metal plate where the heat sink sits between the transformer and the ps board. There is usually enough wiring in that configuration.

ken
 
Here's a quick picture of my current setup. I made an extension harness for the heat sink to get enough wire length to mount it there.

Awesome! Tanks for the pic! That helps a lot.
 
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