monitor doesn't always power up on first try - waddup??

vintagegamer

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monitor doesn't always power up on first try - waddup??

In my Chase HQ game, there is a WG monitor. It's been in there since I got the game. Once it powers up, it looks great. But sometimes, it takes 2 or 3x of powering up the game via the top power switch on the cab to get the monitor to come on (the game boards will power up every time though- I know because I can hear the attract mode sounds and music). I checked the black and white AC wires for the monitor connection, and there is a molex connector between the wires coming off of the monitor, and the wire harness (as there normally is with these games). Originally there was another splice in between the molex connector and the monitor chassis that had those blue wire splicer-connector thingys, so I removed those, connected the wiring directly, and soldered there to eliminate that as a possible fault point, but the issue continues.

There is a green wire running for the ground from (I think) the orig wire harness to another green wire which is bolted to the monitor surround (the aluminum framing piece).

Does my issue sound like I just need to run a ground strap from the monitor surround down to the power supply? Or is it maybe something that's starting to fail on the monitor chassis? Once the monitor powers up, it looks great! I just don't want to destroy the power switch for the game (or the PCB boot circuit) powering the game off and on more than 1x to get everything going.

Thanks!
 
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Well, I had the EXACT same issue on my 13" WG K7000 on my test bench. It would take 2-3 times of powering up before it would actually turn on. I received the same advice, but never got around to re-capping the monitor because the picture was gorgeous and didn't really need it. After a while, the issue went away on it's own. I've powered it up about 25 times or so in the last couple weeks and it's fired up first time, every time.

Strange. Just wanted to share.
 
I agree with Ken, recap the monitor you've got something that affects the high voltage, so what's probably going on is when it doesn't 'come up' it's because the high voltage is so high that the monitor is in high voltage shutdown. While you're at it, look for cold solder joints, especially around the large resistors near the center of the monitor board.
 
My site4 i just got had the monitor wigging out. Had some solder issues i fixed but intermittently it would shutdown. I was intermittently dropping 5-15vac from the switch!!

The supply would kep running but ac was ow enough to mess with my monitor. I finally found it oneday when i barely touched the switch while on and the marquee flickered. I said SOB... and bypassed that damn thing. It was worn out from years of bring flipped on and off.

Next time the monitor doesent come on meter the plug and make sure you have full power.


If its a k7000 replace the two caps next to the shutdown pot first if you want to try a quick fix.
 
My site4 i just got had the monitor wigging out. Had some solder issues i fixed but intermittently it would shutdown. I was intermittently dropping 5-15vac from the switch!!

The supply would kep running but ac was ow enough to mess with my monitor. I finally found it oneday when i barely touched the switch while on and the marquee flickered. I said SOB... and bypassed that damn thing. It was worn out from years of bring flipped on and off.

Next time the monitor doesent come on meter the plug and make sure you have full power.


If its a k7000 replace the two caps next to the shutdown pot first if you want to try a quick fix.


Thanks- I'm pretty sure it's one of those WG25Kblahblahblah monitors (I need to write down the actual number).
 
Upright Chase HQ machines should have come with a Wells-Gardner 19" K7000 monitor in them.

I know better than to challenge Ken's wisdom on this topic. I will get some pics when I get home.

Are there still public stonings for people who test Ken's level of expertise? Or has that been done away with :p
 
When this happens, it could be caps, it could also be crappy solder joints. Powering it up a few times, the joints expand, a better connection is made, and *presto* it suddenly works. Personally, if the caps are original, I'd recap it, but if you're not looking to do that, I'd start hitting all the solder joints, particularly in the power supply section. I bet, if you look, you're going to find a lot of awful joints.
 
When this happens, it could be caps, it could also be crappy solder joints. Powering it up a few times, the joints expand, a better connection is made, and *presto* it suddenly works. Personally, if the caps are original, I'd recap it, but if you're not looking to do that, I'd start hitting all the solder joints, particularly in the power supply section. I bet, if you look, you're going to find a lot of awful joints.

Thank you. My wife decided to tell me that she was going to be 'at work late' last night when I was planning to check the monitor # and also install my new gas pedal switch so, all that went right out the window!

I have a 3-day weekend this wknd though so I hope to provide more details on this soon.
 
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