Galaxian CT WTH?

Jr. Pac

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I had my Galaxian CT on for about an hour today (no cooling fan FYI) and touched the coin door to play a game. Randomly, I got odd shocks coming from any metal part of the coin door!?! Anyone have ideas? It's making me a bit nervous.
 
And, it should (make you nervous, not shock you).

First and foremost, does the power cord have a 3-prong plug? Is the 3rd pin intact?

There should be a ground strap connected to the coin door. I'm not familiar with Galaxian, but they're often a flat copper strip or a braided metal strip. Make sure it's connected and not broken.

With the game unplugged, you should be able to use a multi-meter and get a continuity reading from the coin door to the ground pin on the power cord.

-Jim
 
No, the power cord has a two prong plug. Why?

What does the ground strap look like? Yellow flat thing?
 
Yup yellow flat thing is the ground conection, it should connect the coin door, both control panels, monitor chassis and the frame of the power brick on the bottom

all to that missing third prong

you need a new power cord with that third prong ultimately, ask your dad to explain what grounding does
 
My dad doesn't believe any of this in the slightest. According to him the 3rd prong is only used for emergency power during a surge...

I've never seen any of those yellow wires in the Galaxian, I've only ever seen round green wires with cog-like ends to be bolted down. I haven't ever seen them in my Jr. Pac-Man....
 
It could be braided steel wire (in a flat "ribbon") if not yellow, i can check mine and see what they used but it doesnt matter as long as they are grounded

Your dad is mistaken, that is not the only reason... Example: If the power line to the monitor came loose during a move, and shorted to your coin door, but your coin door isnt grounded, the the person touching it becomes the ground...

There could be something else going on (coin door lights or coin lockout solenoid shorted) but once its grounded properly, you wont feel the shock anymore, and a short in the wiring may pop fuses the way it should
 
The classic example of the ground prong being used is this... Buy an electric hand drill now and it only has two prongs... But if you find one made when they used die-cast metal for the casing, before plastics were in high use, it had three prongs...

any short circuit inside can make the metal case "hot" with electricity, and without a ground its trapped there until there is a path to ground (the next to touch it)

Nowadays, the short circuit is insulated from the user by the plastic
 
It could be braided steel wire (in a flat "ribbon") if not yellow, i can check mine and see what they used but it doesnt matter as long as they are grounded

Your dad is mistaken, that is not the only reason... Example: If the power line to the monitor came loose during a move, and shorted to your coin door, but your coin door isnt grounded, the the person touching it becomes the ground...

There could be something else going on (coin door lights or coin lockout solenoid shorted) but once its grounded properly, you wont feel the shock anymore, and a short in the wiring may pop fuses the way it should

I do have an LED wired to the 25c bulb and a button soldered to the credit switch if that would make a difference.


Does anyone know all the types used? I don't see any yellow cables going to the coin door on the Ms. Pac-Man or any yellow cables in the Jr. Pac-Man period.
 
A detailed list of what I should do would be appreciated with what exactly I need.
Apparently I misunderstood my dad, but blah etc. it's confusing.
 
Also I've never seen those wires in my Jr. Pac-Man but it has a 3 prong plug. Should I be worried? No shock can be found after having it on for the whole day. I've never seen any kind of ground in any Midway game I've seen, whether it be from an OP or my own (ironically mine all are Midway).

Additionally, there is no slam reset switch nor a test switch in the Jr. Pac-Man. The Galaxian doesn't have a coin counter. Please excuse this if it's stupid, I have no clue how power goes through a cab.
 
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Here is a link to bob's page. It is relevant for the earth ground for you:
http://www.therealbobroberts.net/acwiring.html

If I were to out line it for you here is what I would say:
Get a new power cord with 3 prongs. This is the only thing that matters right now.
Get a new power cord with 3 prongs.
next
Get off the internet and get a new power cord with 3 prongs
after that
Make sure your new power cord has 3 prongs.

Now, hook up the power cord. follow the logical flow (in bob's page the green wire) and get everything connected to the earth ground circuit that has metal.

GET A NEW POWER CORD WITH 3 PRONGS
 
I understand THAT. What kind I mean! What type of connector (on the OTHER end of the 3 prongs)?!?! Any specific links to where I can buy exactly what I need?
 
I understand THAT. What kind I mean! What type of connector (on the OTHER end of the 3 prongs)?!?! Any specific links to where I can buy exactly what I need?

when I order from bob I usually order some extra 2 and 3 prong molex that typically would connect to midway cabs or atari cabs for the power cord.

I generally just go in and start clipping wires and adding my own new connectors.

If you look at your power brick, you should be able to see a 3 prong molex (or maybe a 2) that your power cord would disconnect from. If I have one I can mail it to you. Take a picture of what your connector looks like if you can.
 
1CD6270A-80C7-4AA4-BBAB-2A43F84DF86F-397-0000005940DE9A2B.jpg

It's a 3 wire molex connector.
 
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