Joust Issues

JODY

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Have had this Joust about a month. Have had some issues during that time and they have gotten worse. It may be more than one issue so I'll list everything I've noticed in hopes it can help trouble shoot it.

About once a week the high scores are lost. A couple of times, I've seen the error saying there was an adjustment problem and that I would need to open and close the coin door and reset it. The other couple of times the scores have all come up the same (think it was 4000 and without any initials). After that I would reset the high score table.

I removed the main board and resoldered the battery holder as the connections looked suspect. The same issues have occurred just as often as before. It has a lithium 3 V battery & holder. It checks as 3 volts. These games originally held 3 1.5 V batteries for 4.5 volts total. I guess it is supposed to work OK on 3 volts?

For the first few weeks I noticed it not coming on OK a couple of times. 131, 135, or similar errors but they always went away before I could really check on them. RAM, CMOS, etc. tests would come out OK.

A few days ago was playing a game when the machine reset and it would not come back on without some sort of 13X error. Tried checking the power supply and some things the last few days and no luck. Then today it powers up with a 0 and works except the high scores were all 4000.

Seems like there must be a bad connection or solder point(s) around the power supply is my guess but would that impact the high score saves? Do I have multiple issues?
 
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I took out the power supply board and reflowed all the connectors and a few other things. Previous solder job was not good and a lot of rosin had been left on there. Tried to clean a lot of it off.

Cleaned the connectors.

Game booted up but said adjustment error so I opened the coin door and powered it off and back on. Leaving the lower back door open played a game and it seemed fine. Closed the lower back door and it went into a 131 error.

Three times in a row found that opening the door and resetting the main board it went to 0 and game worked but when shutting the door it went immediately to a 131 error. Last time shut the door very easy and it stayed OK. Assume there is a bad connection or something loose somewhere that results in failure when the game get jarred (e.g. closing the door).
 
When it works there is 5 V to the RAM. When I attempt to close the back door and it goes into the 131 error the voltage to the RAM drops to almost 0.
 
When it works there is 5 V to the RAM. When I attempt to close the back door and it goes into the 131 error the voltage to the RAM drops to almost 0.

Sounds like a faulty safety switch. Remount the switch so the door doesn't push on it and and pull it out so the power is always on.
 
Sounds like a faulty safety switch. Remount the switch so the door doesn't push on it and and pull it out so the power is always on.

I assume you are talking about the safety switch on the top door. Throughout all of the above I've had the top door off and the safety switch pulled out. I'm closing the lower door only.
 
I assume you are talking about the safety switch on the top door. Throughout all of the above I've had the top door off and the safety switch pulled out. I'm closing the lower door only.

Alrighty then...Ok well the boardset is hanging on that door....Check and make sure no wires are being pinched or pulled when the door shuts.
 
I think I've isolated it to connector 1J1 POWER INPUT pins 2 and or 3. These are both ground and when I was trying to get readings on them found that I would get the 131 error or go from a 131 error to a 0 by slightly touching those points.

I'll try to get the wires out and reset them into the connector tomorrow but it may need to be replaced. What kind of connector is that? One website said a 9 pin molex but so far in my Google search the pics don't match.

Also, of the two 5 V wires from the power supply to 1J1 I'm reading 5 V on one but 4.7 V on the other. The ground issue seems to be causing the major issues but not sure if the 4.7 V is another issue or is OK.
 
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I usually replace all of the original Williams connectors with Molex connectors.
For the 9 pin, if I cannot find it - I'll trim down a 10-pin connector to a 9-pin, easy to do with a utility knife and a sharp blade.
You'll need to also buy the new pins and crimp them on freshly stripped wire.
If you're not familiar with the wiring, just do one wire at a time until you have rebuilt the connector completely.

I had a monitor that would display the red color intermittently, I replaced the Williams 6-pin connector with a Molex 6-pin connector (and pins) on the RGB wires and the problem was solved.

Good luck!
 
The old connectors were Molex IDC connectors. These are the kind where the wire end of the connector pin looks like a Y and the wire slips into the notch. This is where the sharpened inside edges of the Y slice through the insulation and connect to the wire (IDC stands for Insulation Displacement Connector). The problem is that over time the wire can slide back up the Y and begin to make intermittent connections. This is especially true with Williams connectors since everybody tugs on the wires to pull the plugs loose.

GPE (www.greatplainselectronics.com) has all the Molex pins, crimping tools and connector shells you will need to replace those old POS IDC connectors. This should clear up the vibration issues you are having.

One other source of problems can be corrosion on the header pins, which can cause voltage drops due to the slightly elevated resistance. Cleaning the header pins and replacing the old connectors should take care of that as well.

ken
 
I suppose this kit from Bob Roberts would have worked:

Wms wiring harness Molex IL connectors' kit
Revamped-exact sizes-no cutting necessary $15.00

and this one for my Sinistar:

Sinistar wiring harness Molex IL connectors' kit $18.00

Dang...I just ordered from him a few days ago and still waiting on the order. Did not notice these and put 2 and 2 together until now. Still wondering what sizes I need...
 
Is your Joust juiced by a switching PSU or the original linear PSU? If you are using a switching, that could cause the occasional POST bookkeping reset you described.
 
I see there are several sizes. What size should be used? Does the size refer only to the pin width or is there other considerations? I'm assuming it would be the 0.1" (2.54 mm) as on this page: http://www.greatplainselectronics.com/Category-68.asp

You need the 0.156 connectors on this page: http://www.greatplainselectronics.com/category-86.asp

You need the following if you are going to replace all of them:
1 - 9 pin to replace 1P1 (MPU power connector)
1 - 4 pin to replace 1P2 (memory protect)
1 - 7 pin to replace 1P3 (video connector)

1 - 6 pin to replace 2P2 (power to ROM card)
1 - 10 pin to replace 2P3 (ROM connector to coin door)
1 - 9 pin to replace 2P4 (ROM connector to sound card)

2 - 10 pin to replace 3P2 & 3P3 (I/O connectors to control panel)

1 - 15 pin to replace 4P1 (AC power connector from transformer)
1 - 15 pin to replace 4P2 (DC power connector to boards)
1 - 6 pin to replace 4P3 (connector to coin door)
1 - 7 pin to replace 4P4 (connector to heat sink)

1 - 9 pin to replace 10P1 (connector to DC power)
1 - 4 pin to replace 10P2 (connector to speakers)
1 - 9 pin to replace 10P3 (connector to ROM board)
1 - 4 pin to replace 10P4 (connector to volume control)

You also need crimp pins (I use Product ID: 08-52-0113) and keying pins (Product ID: 15-04-0297 for Molex and Product ID: 15-04-0219 for Keltron connectors). Keying pins are very important. It is very easy to mix up the connectors and plug a power connector where it doesn't belong. Especially on the sound card.

ken
 
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