Game storage advice needed

Scramble1981

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Today I went out to my garage to check in on 10 or so of my games that have been sitting for a little less than a year. They were volunteered to the NW Pinball & Gameroom show and were all still carefully wrapped in shrink wrap all summer-winter with a packing blanket draped over each one. I thought they'd all fire right up with no problem, but was I ever wrong.
The garage is unheated and a little on the damp side. but all of the games seemed normal. (today is 45F & raining)
I plugged in a few and here's the symptoms without checking power supplies, etc...(although most are either re-built or on a new switcher. All monitors are capped or new Happs).
Anyways-
Tron had no sound

Rally X had a mirror image picture with invisible sprites.

Blaster has screwy sounds and intermittent jailbars on a newish Happs monitor.

Tempest and Galaxian both seemed fine, but I just stopped plugging them in after that.
I'm hoping a few days unwrapped might help.

Anyone care to comment if I should be as freaked out as I am or just chill out & wait.
I had thought I had made an effort to "bullet proof" these things.
 
Chill out and wait 'til it is warmer and dryer. I waited until it was into the 50s before I turned on the Pole Position that was in my garage.
 
Always check the voltages on switching power supplies as they tend to drift even when stored. I recently had the same experience. I fired up the Xybots in my garage and it didn't come up. Checked the power supply and +5V was reading +3.5V. Went in the house for a minute to grab a flashlight and when I came back the voltage was 5.1V. So I powered it down, reconnected power leads for the game and it came back up.

ken
 
First Drink a beer, then get the games into a "room temp" area, grab another beer. Let them sit for about 4 to 5 hours and have a few beers. Then meter the power supply, while having a beer. Turn on the game and play it, grab a snack and a beer. Figure out which games need some repair work. At this point I would not suggest discharging the monitor or doing a cap kit, this DOES NOT require a couple of beers. Do this stuff tomorrow, and once complete grab a beer and celebrate by playing.
 
First Drink a beer, then get the games into a "room temp" area, grab another beer. Let them sit for about 4 to 5 hours and have a few beers. Then meter the power supply, while having a beer. Turn on the game and play it, grab a snack and a beer. Figure out which games need some repair work. At this point I would not suggest discharging the monitor or doing a cap kit, this DOES NOT require a couple of beers. Do this stuff tomorrow, and once complete grab a beer and celebrate by playing.

Thanks. I needed that. I DO feel better now. Tomorrow, we'll see...
 
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