EM Expo spinner board arcing

wildwest3163

Active member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
1,538
Reaction score
11
Location
Lake City, Florida
I cleaned the spinner board on the Expo I just picked up, and noticed that at one point the bakelight was burnt from apparent arcing between the two contact rows. I cleaned out between them, theres nothing there to act as a jumper, but when I plugged it back in the constant arc lit up like a light bulb! My question is, what would be the best thing to use to put in the gap between these and stop the current from jumping

350847643_o.jpg


350847660_o.jpg
 
thats what I was thinking, also thinking about filing/filling the gap with some type of insulating epoxy/filler? just dont know what to use:confused:
 
This is a common problem on Williams electromechanical pinballs including Jive Time.

Here is what I do to fix it (power off naturally):

Get a nice sharp pointed tip x-acto knife and carefully dig out/scrape the burnt area.

Scrub the affected area with a toothbrush moistened with 99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Now force dry the area with a hair dryer.

Mix up some epoxy glue, fiberglass resin, or Bondo and carefully force it down into the affected area. Don't overfill because once it's set up and cured, you'll be sanding the area down.

Now with some fine grit sandpaper very carefully sand the filled-in area flush with the foil traces.

Use a clean, dry paint brush to clean off the dust from sanding.

The above procedure is best done with the spinner circuit board removed from the machine and laying face up on your bench. The material you use for a filler should be non-conductive when dry.
 
This is a common problem on Williams electromechanical pinballs including Jive Time.

Here is what I do to fix it (power off naturally):

Get a nice sharp pointed tip x-acto knife and carefully dig out/scrape the burnt area.

Scrub the affected area with a toothbrush moistened with 99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Now force dry the area with a hair dryer.

Mix up some epoxy glue, fiberglass resin, or Bondo and carefully force it down into the affected area. Don't overfill because once it's set up and cured, you'll be sanding the area down.

Now with some fine grit sandpaper very carefully sand the filled-in area flush with the foil traces.

Use a clean, dry paint brush to clean off the dust from sanding.

The above procedure is best done with the spinner circuit board removed from the machine and laying face up on your bench. The material you use for a filler should be non-conductive when dry.
This is some very good info Ken
 
Of course if worst comes to worst, you can always unsolder the spinner board and take it to a pc board fabricator and have a brand new board made with modern glass-epoxy materials.
 
Back
Top Bottom