Space Duel trouble shooting

Gov

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Space Duel trouble shooting *update* IT WORKS!!!!

I just picked up a non working Space Duel that is in great cosmetic shape, but dead to the world functionally. I don't think anything has ever been replaced on this thing as all of the boards and parts have matching serial numbers.

You can catch up on what has been discussed so far here:

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=256094

I decided the rest of the discussion would be better suited for this sub forum. So here is where I am today and please know that I am completely new to all of this and to even using a multimeter (ducks). I know it is a tall order and will probably end up being way more than I can do with my ignorance, but I though I might be able to do some basic tests in order to rule out some various things.


Well I just got home and checked some stuff with my multimeter. I am still new to using this thing so bear with me. If numbers don't sound right I may have had my meter set wrong.

On the AR2 board, everything tests out ok.

+10.6 = 11.1 DC
+22 = +23.8 DC
-22 = -23.8 DC
and the other one on the end between the plugs read +18.1 AC, the board looked like it said 36V but I couldn't really get my head in there to read it.

The main board however is not looking good. All of the 5v test ports were either flat 0 or fluctuating between 1.8 and 0. The 26v test port was 0 as well.

On the monitor I only checked at the fuses F100 and F101 and they were both 25v

I don't think I had my meter set on the power supply as I was only reading between 1.6v and 18.2v on the different fuses. What should the meter be set on for those?

Thanks for the help and for being patient with me. Now I am going to head to 1984 Arcade for the evening and play some stuff that actually works!
 
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At the fuse block you are looking at AC. Also, that +18.1AC you have...that's measured across 4 and 5. 18x2=36 =)

Biggest issue right now is your 5v DC line. You can check the AR board plug J7 pins 5 and 6 to see if you have 5v there. If you don't, something is bad on the AR board. If it's 5v at the plug, you probably have a wiring or edge connector fault.

I may have missed something, someone will chime in if so.
 
pins 5 and 6 on J7 are showing 0v.

It was suggested in the other thread to replace the transistor on the heat sink. v2N3055
 
Unless you are prepared to test everything on the board, you probably are best served with something like Bob's "repair kit" that has the caps & some other stuff like Q2 (that 3055), etc.

Study up and do some practice soldering if you aren't experienced with that, and it's a pretty straight forward job. I highly recommend the series on you tube by Pace. There's a great thread on the topic in this forum as well. I'll link if I find it.
 
Ok, I replaced the v2N3055 and still nothing. I am still getting nothing from pins 5 and 6 on J7. One thing I thought was weird is that I was my buddy and I were testing the harness at the board pinout and were getting sparks when we tried to test the +5v spots on the harness. We also got some smoke from something on the AR2 at one point but could never isolate where it came from as nothing looked black.

So, another day and no closer. I have an offer to buy a working and tested AR2 so I might go with that for now to at least try and get it to where we have some power to the PCB as we have a hole lot of nothing right now.

I will buy a repair kit eventually and repair my AR2, but for the time saved I will probably buy the working one for now.

Oh I also replaced the big blue cap as I had a spare one.
 
A known working AR will probably be a good investment, since they are pretty cheap. Having that to help you repair (via comparison) the old one is nice, too.

Sparks and smoke? I don't like the sounds of that. I think I, and others, may be able to help more with a clearer idea of what you have. Pics of the PCB, AR2, edge connector area would be a good idea. MAke sure they are in focus because fuzzy pics of that stuff = useless. :)
 
I will take some nice pictures tonight when I get a chance. The AR2 I was offered isn't exactly as cheap as I have seen in the past ($55 shipped) but is the only one I have come across since I bought the cab.
 
Ok, still no luck here. I have tried 3 AR II boards and no change in anything. One of them I bought rebuilt and tested the other one was donated. I also was given a spare PCB that a fellow klover pulled out of a working Space Duel some years back when the monitor died. Put it in, still nothing. Behaving exactly the same. I am starting to wonder if it is the power supply. Could somebody kind of explain the best way to test the output on the PS? I guess it could be the wiring harness as well.

I have a spare power supply out of a Pole Position, but the molex connector on the power supply has some of the pins reversed so I am assuming it isn't compatible.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Go back to the original A/R II and replace R29 & R30 with either zero ohm resistors or a piece of wire. Then retest the +5vdc at P7 as follows.
Meter set for 20vdc
Red lead to pin 5
Black lead to pin 1

If still 0vdc, test all fuses for continuity.
 
Ok, just check my fuses which were all fine last time I worked on this and now the F4 and F5 fuses are blown. I do remember the speakers squalling for a split second when I put the donated PCB in.
 
The reason that you have blown fuses, may be that you may have plugged the wrong revision of A/R II into your game.

Space Duel requires a A/R II -04

There are 5 versions of the A/R II, and they are not interchangable for the most part. There are a few exceptions.
 
Ok, that makes more sense. So do I unplug it and test the pins or do I test the pins from the back side of the plug where the wires are going in? Thanks for being patient, just trying to figure this all out as it is quite new.
 
The reason that you have blown fuses, may be that you may have plugged the wrong revision of A/R II into your game.

Space Duel requires a A/R II -04

There are 5 versions of the A/R II, and they are not interchangable for the most part. There are a few exceptions.

They are all A/R II -04, I made sure of that.
 
Ok, that makes more sense. So do I unplug it and test the pins or do I test the pins from the back side of the plug where the wires are going in? Thanks for being patient, just trying to figure this all out as it is quite new.

from the back side with it plugged in
 
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