Jawhn's 'new' Asteroids Cocktail - Broken PCB

jawhn

Well-known member

Donor 3 years: 2011, 2015, 2018
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Messages
19,904
Reaction score
11,996
Location
Arizona
Got a screaming good deal on a nonworking Asteroids cocktail this past Sunday. It appears to be in really good shape, but has a broken PCB near the monitor. (Please don't point and laugh just because I don't know the name of the PCB yet, it's probably the monitor board, but I am not that technically inclined.)

The part where it mounts was broken at the legs, attached are a few pics. I'm assuming and hoping I can just solder some simple traces to the spots where the PCB broke, to complete those traces. I downloaded the manual, and there's a picture that looks reeeeeeaaaaaaly close to the board I need to fix. Calls it the "Deflection Amplifier." Some traces are slightly different, but I am somewhat confident I can use it to base what trace needs what despite the differences.
  • Question 1: Is it safe to assume I just need to repair one trace at each broken corner? It looks very straightforward.
  • Question 2: How big / what gauge of a wire will I need for these 2 'hacks'?
  • Question 3: Best way to remove the dielectric from the traces so that I can solder them? Pencil eraser? Dremel wire brush?
I'm proud I was able to remove the board without frying myself, and am hoping that after I fix the traces, it will magically boot once reinstalled. :D (Dare to dream, right?)

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help guide me through this. The schematic is backwards from this picture / schematic is drawn from component side.
 

Attachments

  • P1010007.jpg
    P1010007.jpg
    96.4 KB · Views: 42
  • P1010008.jpg
    P1010008.jpg
    97.2 KB · Views: 43
  • Schematic.jpg
    Schematic.jpg
    87 KB · Views: 31
Got a screaming good deal on a nonworking Asteroids cocktail this past Sunday. It appears to be in really good shape, but has a broken PCB near the monitor. (Please don't point and laugh just because I don't know the name of the PCB yet, it's probably the monitor board, but I am not that technically inclined.)

The part where it mounts was broken at the legs, attached are a few pics. I'm assuming and hoping I can just solder some simple traces to the spots where the PCB broke, to complete those traces. I downloaded the manual, and there's a picture that looks reeeeeeaaaaaaly close to the board I need to fix. Calls it the "Deflection Amplifier." Some traces are slightly different, but I am somewhat confident I can use it to base what trace needs what despite the differences.
  • Question 1: Is it safe to assume I just need to repair one trace at each broken corner? It looks very straightforward.
  • Question 2: How big / what gauge of a wire will I need for these 2 'hacks'?
  • Question 3: Best way to remove the dielectric from the traces so that I can solder them? Pencil eraser? Dremel wire brush?
I'm proud I was able to remove the board without frying myself, and am hoping that after I fix the traces, it will magically boot once reinstalled. :D (Dare to dream, right?)

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help guide me through this. The schematic is backwards from this picture / schematic is drawn from component side.

Go read your FB page :D

18 Gauge should fix it. If you're ultra paranoid you can run multiple wires :)

For scrapping off, you could use a screwdriver or something similar. Or you could just bypass the trace all together and just jumper from one pin to the other.
 
Go read your FB page :D ...

Uh oh. :D

I know you mentioned an arcade fix-it night... Did that get planned?

This looks 'easy enough' to try beforehand, I think. Lord knows, after I fix this, it still might not work. :rolleyes:

Pin to pin makes more sense. I would not have thought of that. D'oh! Thanks Brien!
 
Yes that's a monitor board, the Deflection Board to be specific.

You might consider just getting another from a member here. You will have to (or should) do a cap kit on it anyway, so I would just get one cheap that does not need repair. You should also reflow all the solder to the male pins on it. I had to replace all the pots on my Asteroids def board, due to the pic jumping at times, so again you may just want to get a better used and rebuild it right off the bat.
 
Last edited:
Yes that's a monitor board, the Deflection Board to be specific.

You might consider just getting another from a member here. You will have to (or should) do a cap kit on it anyway, so I would just get one cheap that does not need repair. You should also reflow all the solder to the male pins on it. I had to replace all the pots on my Asteroids def board, due to the pic jumping at times, so again you may just want to get a better used and rebuild it right off the bat.

Not a bad suggestion... That will be my backup if I fry this one...

Well, I soldered my traces last night, but it was too late to throw back into the machine and fire it up. I'll find out tonight if I effed it up... :D
 
You should be fine!

Might not look pretty but that's the way to fix stuff like that for sure!
 
Ok, update. Got home, all excited to test this thing out.

Reinstalled Deflection Board, making sure not to fry myself. Used some zip ties and nonconductive foam to secure it/make it safe.

Plugged in.

Nothing.

Got real sad.

Checked interlock switch. It's locked in a closed position.

Hunted for on/off switch. Found it. Flipped it.

Woohoo! Heard the thing sorta spring to life with a 'hummmMMmmmmm.' Good news. Well, kinda good news. That's really as far as it gets. :( I do have neck glow, however... I know that's good. And a Red LED lights up on the motherboard. And on the deflection board. Player 1 and 2 LED cone lights are on, and stay solid. And when I turn it on, there's a visible spark at the interconnect switch.

Flipped Self Test Switch the other way. Nothing. Checked all fuses. All seem to be just fine.

Any other dumb things I should be checking? (I just realized I should probably go check and see if it plays blind... Will do so right now...)
 
Ok, ignore what I said about the interconnect switch. It's definitely bad. :) That's why it was locked, it was all split apart badly.

It has 2 Whites and 2 Blacks going to it... Safe to assume they can just be jumpered to each other? (White/White, Black/Black)
 
Ok, ignore what I said about the interconnect switch. It's definitely bad. :) That's why it was locked, it was all split apart badly.

It has 2 Whites and 2 Blacks going to it... Safe to assume they can just be jumpered to each other? (White/White, Black/Black)

Well, if you are getting lights and stuff, the interlock switch is working so you don't need to jumper anything.

Sounds like your Spot Killer is on. If you need to, you can bring your board over here and test it in my Asteroids.
 
Well, if you are getting lights and stuff, the interlock switch is working so you don't need to jumper anything.

Sounds like your Spot Killer is on. ...

Oh. Well, I am in the middle of bypassing the interconnect right now. Since it was falling apart, anyway, I soldered some tabs together so I can connect White/White and Black/Black.

Is the Spot Killer something I can try turning off over here? :confused: Or a safety mechanism to keep me from frying something?

If you need to, you can bring your board over here and test it in my Asteroids.

Did you mean tonight?
 
Oh. Well, I am in the middle of bypassing the interconnect right now. Since it was falling apart, anyway, I soldered some tabs together so I can connect White/White and Black/Black.

Is the Spot Killer something I can try turning off over here? :confused: Or a safety mechanism to keep me from frying something?

It's supposed to prevent the game from burning a hole in the center of the monitor.

Did you mean tonight?

No time tonight, but I should have time on Saturday (after 5pm)
 
It's supposed to prevent the game from burning a hole in the center of the monitor.

No time tonight, but I should have time on Saturday (after 5pm)

Aight, cool. Thanks, Brien. So I just need to bring over the main PCB? The giant board attached to the fold-down drawer?
 
Back
Top Bottom