power supply question: warning newbi questions

[wickedbass]

I have a spy hunter and a tron id like to start trouble shooting(i belive they are the same PS board). i guess the first step is the power supply? can someone explain in detail how to test these boards to a newbi. i have removed the on board batteries. cleaned them up. also from the goggleing i have been doing what does "MCR" stand for and why is there a I II III. just trying to better understand these games...
Thanks for any help i can get.

 

[Scucci]

I always go here for my MCR questions: MCR FAQ

The best way to test the board would be to find out which board you have. I only work with MCR II stuffs for now, so I don't really know if there is a huge (if any) difference in the PS used for the different systems. I know that MCR I boards seem to work just fine on my "MCR II" PS in my Tron. I used the Tron manual to test the power supply. I got my manual in PDF format from CrazyKong and the information you'll need to check the PS starts on page 96. Granted, some of the colors are wrong in the manual... best example would be that the manual says the +5 lines are Red... mine are actually Blue. But everything else in there is more or less right. That's for the PS board... as far and the boat anchor in the bottom of the cabinet... if that thing is broke, well... I guess it COULD be fixed... but thank God I've never had to check into it.

 

[wickedbass]

thanks for replying and the links...
how do i figure out what board i have from the manual?

 

[wickedbass]

is there anyone local that has the time and would be willing to show me some basics..maybe help me test these board so i can see how its done?? anyone around me at all?? ive been reading alot of the manuals and links people have been giving me and i appericate it alot..but id like to get some real basic hands on..il bring beer..or what ever i can to repay you for your time...

 

[Scucci]

If you were local, I'd be more than happy to teach a little. I'm sure there's someone local that will do the same.

 

[wickedbass]

Thanks Succi, i appreciate it...i hope to find a local guy around here willing to share some time, plus id really like to get to know some of the other collectors in the area. i think it would be fun to hang out i with other addicts..
Anyone in the New England area that could spare some time, or knowledge? anytime or place..

 

[splattergatz]

what i do, is i start with my 120VAC input. i make sure thats right and i follow it...up to the on/off switch and back through the fuse and into the filter and out...
then i might jump to the outputs. i check the +5 Volts, then the +12 and the -5. if i dont have the outputs and the inputs are right then i know theres a problem. time to go to the schematic and start taking PS apart. replacing components like the transistors or capacitors, testing resistors etc. that stuff you can get out of a book or online. thats the basics i follow. some call me a shotgunner, meaning i just replace parts till it works. others have nice equipment like an oscilliscope so they can test the test points and see if the wave is right and replace components based on the wave. all depends on $ i like to get it done. maybe id save time by using expensive equipment but most of the time i can fix things. sometimes i pull my hair out but thank goodness it grows back!

 

[Dokert]

Spaeth is in the Cambridge area, but strangely enough he is not chiming in. Must be too far away.

 

[wickedbass]

hey Dave, figures Dorket is on the complete opposite side of the country from me...he has offerd to help and has already gone out of his way with many PMs with great deal on how to work on my joust...he is also taking his time to fix a board for me...id just like to say that people like Dokert is the reason we come to forums...its awesome how helpful people are on these forums..My goal is to learn as much as I can and hopefully give back by helping others x10…..Thanks again Dave
if there is anyone is the New England area that i could come and maybe just watch you work on your own games pick up a few tips id be much appreciative….

ps Mark has sent me a pm and is willing to help me.Right now he is real busy i hope to meet up with him this spring

 

[mattosborn]

Brian, you're welcome to come over. Especially if you're bringing beer.

I wish I had an MCR game here so I could be of more help with your current projects....
I try to host a "Game Night" party ever couple of months (honestly, it's turned into maybe twice a year now

) where the local collectors and friends of mine come over to play games, fix stuff, and drink beer (typically more of the latter). Spaeth and Appolo are regulars. If I can get my gameroom cleaned up (need to finish a couple projects) I'll probably do another one soon (within a week or two I hope). I think I'll invite the NE Collectors group on CoinOpSpace, so if you're on there you'll get the notice.

 

[wickedbass]

Awesome Matt thanks alot, id be more than happy to help you on your current projects(if drinking beer over your shoulder watching you is consider helping)i currently have lots of free time but that wont last to long so trying to learn as much as i can..game night sounds like fun

 

[wickedbass]

hell if you got room, and dont mind a tron hanging around till its running ill bring Tron over there

just an idea

 

[armis2000]

what i do, is i start with my 120VAC input. i make sure thats right and i follow it...up to the on/off switch and back through the fuse and into the filter and out...
then i might jump to the outputs. i check the +5 Volts, then the +12 and the -5. if i dont have the outputs and the inputs are right then i know theres a problem. time to go to the schematic and start taking PS apart. replacing components like the transistors or capacitors, testing resistors etc. that stuff you can get out of a book or online. thats the basics i follow. some call me a shotgunner, meaning i just replace parts till it works. others have nice equipment like an oscilliscope so they can test the test points and see if the wave is right and replace components based on the wave. all depends on $ i like to get it done. maybe id save time by using expensive equipment but most of the time i can fix things. sometimes i pull my hair out but thank goodness it grows back!

Seems like alot of testing that could be accomplished by working backwards; I mean, if you have 5v, chances are good you have 120v, right?

 

[mattosborn]

hell if you got room, and dont mind a tron hanging around till its running ill bring Tron over there

just an idea

I don't have room right now... that's why I have to finish these two projects (one is already sold) and get them outta here before I can have another party. Once that's done I think I can rearrange the layout to make room for 2 more classic vids and another pinball. There won't be much room for people at that point though....

 

[Scucci]

Here's a quick run down.

This is just what I do... there are probably better ways of doing it... and I'm sure someone will chime in with a better way, but this is what works for me.

First, with the machine turned off... I wedge my ground probe from my DMM (I call him Mr. Fluke) into the ground socket. I use the Yellow/White wire because, well... it's ground. You CAN use the Yellow/Black wires, but you're readings will be off by a few tenths of a volt... So why bother.

With that wedged in, I turn the machine on and then start to check the +5V lines, on my machine they're blue, according to the manual, they're supposed to be red. No idea... I didn't make the thing. You can see here they're a little low... I turned it down on purpose so I could show you how to adjust it... but I figured that would be self explanatory after the a few pictures down, so I decided to skip that.

I check each of the blue wires at the board... if you don't trust your PS, then don't plug the boards in, check it on the back of the board connector. Where each wire is attached to the connector, there will be a little area just below that which is bare metal... pretty much meant to be used for checking voltage.

After that, I check at the +12V line, It's orange on my machine, and orange according to the manual. But just in case, it's the connection pictured here.

You're going to want at least +5V and +12 on those lines. +5 on the blues, +12 on the orange. A little over doesn't hurt, but a lot over can. So... between 5 and 5.2'sh on the blues, and 12 and 12.2 on the orange...

Turning the potentiometers on the PS will adjust the +5 and +12. I do it while the machine is on, mainly because I'm dumb and a glutton for punishment... I'd recommend turning the machine off each time you do an adjustment. After you turn in a little, something in the neighborhood of 1/20 a revolution, check again and go from there.

And ignore that resistor in the first picture. That's the resistor that had to be replaced when I did the battery conversion... I didn't want to lose it or have to look it up again later if I decided to do anything else, so I just tacked it onto the board on an unused pad just to save it.

 

[mspaeth]

Don't test the PS w/ the board hooked up... if the voltages are bad, it'll blow the board... but chances are it's been powered up with as is already, and has already blown the board, so at this point it doesn't matter...

 

[wickedbass]

Scucci, thanks alot for the info perfect for a newb like me.
im gonna test it out tonight thanks again..
mark, i havent actually turned the game on yet..i pulled the board as soon as i got it..pervious owner might have who knows..but thanks for the tip..
Question? how will i know if the board is alrady blown?
any visiuals or just ill find out when it doesnt work..

 

[Scucci]

Don't test the PS w/ the board hooked up... if the voltages are bad, it'll blow the board... but chances are it's been powered up with as is already, and has already blown the board, so at this point it doesn't matter...

Yeah, that's up there. Said that if you don't trust the board, then don't have it plugged up while testing. I have mine hooked up because it's easier for me because I know my PS is good. When you first get a game, DO NOT hook the boards up without testing the power supply.

As for visuals, it's pretty hard to tell. Just look for broken legs on components, broken components (diodes and ceramic capacitors LOVE to break). Also, check the fuses. When I got this machine I was told it was dead because there was no power... replaced the blown fuse and she fired right up.