Constellation
Well-known member
I would have sent boards to AndrewB. He is the best!
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You really don't need to cap the AR IMO, unless the caps have been physically stepped on (and even then they often still work, LOL). Atari used really good caps on them, and it's not really worth the cost or work (or risk of messing something up) to replace them, as they don't really go bad.
The only things that typically go on the AR's are the 2N3055 bottlecap transistor (the one in the middle in the big heatsink). You can also replace the 5V adjustment pot if you want, which is a 1K. Best to keep the rest of it original. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.) Also, reflow all of the other components' solder joints, as they like to loosen up on the Asteroids AR's.
Also, if it's an AR-I-01 (i.e., the normal one for Asteroids), note you will measure around 6.0-6.4V on the 5V test point, if you measure it without the game board connected. This is normal, and it will come down to 5V once you plug the game board in. Atari changed the designs of the AR's so the later AR-II's don't do this, but the Asteroids ones do.
For the frame transistors, they're 3716 and 3792. Two of each. But you should only replace them if they are bad (in which case your delfection board probably also has issues.) Look up how to test them. (Or download my 6100 PDF guide, as you can test them the same way in the b/w vector monitors, and the guide explains how
https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=404600
If you replace them, you should use new silicone (silpad) insulators, instead of mica and thermal grease. The silpads are easier to use, less messy, and don't use grease. You want ones like these:
https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=SP400-0.009-00-03
Security0001 should have everything you need.
I'm mostly just afraid of the AR or something having dirty power and frying all the ram again. Unless they were fried from a power surge in the first place. I'll probably just order everything anyways just in case and that way I'll have it on hand.
Security is the man, I already have $100 in my cart for various stuff I'm working on. I'm just waiting on a few sales to be picked up so I can pull the trigger.
What happens is the 2N3055 shorts, and sends 12V directly to the game board, and kills the RAM. It's not the caps. The RAM can also fail for other reasons, even just from being old.
It's generally a good idea not to shotgun parts on these boards, as you're more likely to create new problems, versus fixing ones that may not even exist. Most issues with these are known and can be troubleshot pretty easily, with basic tools saving you time, money, and headaches.
I'm happy to walk you through the steps to get your game running here, if you want to take it step by step. All you need is a DMM.
That makes sense, all my voltages are good so that must mean the transistor is good. The ram probably just went bad from age, it spent at least 10 years sitting in a hot ass South Carolina barn before I got it so that didn't help matters either. What about the big blue?
I'm most likely going to order everything anyways just to keep on hand, it'll get used sooner or later