My first game went down today. MAN DOWN!!!

Broodwich

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Well i was troubleshooting a Rampage World Tour board tonight and was just about done when i decided to power up my dedicated machine to check some things in the test menu (board i was working on wouldn't output clear video).

Upon turning it on it went through the normal boot test, then black screen then reboot.... Hmm voltage issue, ok, no problem. Go to the back open her up and found the voltage adjustment knob, moved it just a hair and POW "OH F*CK NO!!" jump up and power down, start looking frantically for a blown cap or other component. (as i smelled the Foul odor of fresh ozone)

enter this face:
rage-guy-sentenciador-version-5plVi5.jpg



Do my dismay i found U45 FPGA Game Instruction chip blown wide open. The label on it was nice enough to catch the center of the chip which attempted liftoff and almost succeeded. FML

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Lucky for me i keep stock in spare boards and have a complete Parts board for this game which I secured a replacement U45 FPGA which i actually believed to be bad. I was thankfully wrong and the board is 100% right now running. (attached is a pic in my test cab)

Unfortunately I didn't figure out the problem with the board i was troubleshooting as i called it quits quickly after reviving the freshly damaged board.

Rather than even messing around with the old Peter Chu ATX style power supply i'm just going to order a replacement Happ 20amp Power Pro ASAP. Very glad I had that parts PCB right now.
 

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Impressive the you have the hardware and ability to remove and resolder surface mount components.

Also, I've come to the conclusion, much like Todd @ TNT ... if the board is worth significantly more than the power supply, I'm popping in a new switcher and tossing the old one in the box for sale. Too much to risk on an old dirty abused supply.
 
Impressive the you have the hardware and ability to remove and resolder surface mount components.

Also, I've come to the conclusion, much like Todd @ TNT ... if the board is worth significantly more than the power supply, I'm popping in a new switcher and tossing the old one in the box for sale. Too much to risk on an old dirty abused supply.

I wish i could take credit for some surface mount soldering but i'm decent with thru-hole. That chip there is in a PLC style socket and is pulled with a chip puller (you can see it above the chip in the photo up there actually lol). I did have the hardware and tools tho :D

I'm starting to agree with both of you. Normally I only replace the power supply if there's a noticeable issue with it (noise, resetting, no 5v adjustment, really bad corrosion, ect.) I won't think twice now. Funny i was eyeball'n that peter chu there w/ it's rust patch thinking i should change it out just a few days ago.
 
I wish i could take credit for some surface mount soldering but i'm decent with thru-hole. That chip there is in a PLC style socket and is pulled with a chip puller (you can see it above the chip in the photo up there actually lol). I did have the hardware and tools tho :D

I'm starting to agree with both of you. Normally I only replace the power supply if there's a noticeable issue with it (noise, resetting, no 5v adjustment, really bad corrosion, ect.) I won't think twice now. Funny i was eyeball'n that peter chu there w/ it's rust patch thinking i should change it out just a few days ago.

Knock on wood... I have yet to replace a power supply in any of machines... Which has got me thinking I know zero about them because of this :) can you use that happ power pro in any cab? I might pick one up and change it out on a couple of the machines just to be safe.
 
Good catch and problem solving. I probably wouldn't have even noticed that chip. As a rule, I always replace the power supplies in my games, or rebuild them (in the case of ROTJ). Not worth trying to save $20-30.
 
yeah, you're F-ed. ;)

I wonder if those things have special programming in them, cause the ones I've bought that aren't off Wolf boards never seem to work.
 
I've never experienced one dying... but I have several boards (MK3 IIRC) that have that exact same chunk of chip hanging by the label. :p

DogP
 
I don't see why you think the power supply caused this problem?

well, because it did, game was fine earlier in the week, no resetting. adjusted psu and as soon as i did fireworks :D
 
What if the chip caused the problems?
It was fine earlier in the week as well.

This all being said I always try to rebuild my power supplies for all my games.
 
What if the chip caused the problems?
It was fine earlier in the week as well.

This all being said I always try to rebuild my power supplies for all my games.

I see what your saying, i suppose it could be, but i've had the game running for almost a year with no issues. wasn't until the power supply was adjusted did anything go kapow

I rebuilt my robotron one and a spare (well a buddy helped me)

This has been a sobering experience with a well learned lesson.
 
The last thing you did is always the problem.

What were you thinking leaving that old psu in that valuable game anyways?

A wide sage told me to not leave the original psu in my free Area 51, when I complained about the cost of a new HAPP psu he directed me to eBay where I got a nice HAPP for $30,

Then he rode off into the sunset.

 
I don't see why you think the power supply caused this problem?

I think he's saying that there were no fireworks until he touched the voltage adjustment pot, and the instant he moved it, the chip exploded.

So, I'm guessing the pot was dirty, and the output went to max adjustment and blew up that chip. That actually makes sense why I've seen so many like that, if the chip is that sensitive to over voltage.

DogP
 
I think he's saying that there were no fireworks until he touched the voltage adjustment pot, and the instant he moved it, the chip exploded.

So, I'm guessing the pot was dirty, and the output went to max adjustment and blew up that chip. That actually makes sense why I've seen so many like that, if the chip is that sensitive to over voltage.

DogP

True, but the board was acting up before he touched the pot. Lot of ifs and maybes which we will never find the answer for. The important thing is that hopefully a lesson has been learned and hopefully the lesson isn't to replace your used power supply with the cheapest one you can find.
 
Sorry your board took an eletrical surge. I hope it is just one part. Sometime those surged pcb boards are like a house of cards. The pcb become unreliable..
 
The last thing you did is always the problem.

What were you thinking leaving that old psu in that valuable game anyways?

A wide sage told me to not leave the original psu in my free Area 51, when I complained about the cost of a new HAPP psu he directed me to eBay where I got a nice HAPP for $30,

Then he rode off into the sunset.

I was being silly thinking it was just F I N E Fine.

I think I know that girl.

I think he's saying that there were no fireworks until he touched the voltage adjustment pot, and the instant he moved it, the chip exploded.

So, I'm guessing the pot was dirty, and the output went to max adjustment and blew up that chip. That actually makes sense why I've seen so many like that, if the chip is that sensitive to over voltage.

DogP

Correct, no fireworks/explosions/POWs until i decided to mess with an old dirty dirty pot. I'm glad for that lil sticker as i might have had a shard of silicon lodged somewhere in my torso.

True, but the board was acting up before he touched the pot. Lot of ifs and maybes which we will never find the answer for. The important thing is that hopefully a lesson has been learned and hopefully the lesson isn't to replace your used power supply with the cheapest one you can find.

Lesson definitely learned, but it looks like some others might be bringing theirs back so it's not a complete loss. I stay away from the el cheap-o PSUs personally (i've had a couple)

Sorry your board took an eletrical surge. I hope it is just one part. Sometime those surged pcb boards are like a house of cards. The pcb become unreliable..

No house of cards luckily, wonder if U45 is actually there as kinda a fail safe?


Woot! thanks for making a vid, glad it worked out for you! hopefully you can get a couple more boards running!
 
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