SaminVA
Well-known member
I need some help with my Star Wars Amplifone monitor.Here's a little background.
http://members.cox.net/sverlander/Star_Wars_project_page.html
Back in 2001 I got my Star Wars working. I found a working board set, rebuilt the Amplifone deflection board and HV board and installed a new Wintron HV transformer. I had no problems with the game, only used it a couple times a year so it hasn't had much time on it sense the rebuild. Two years ago during a 4th of July party, I coined up a game and put the cross hairs on easy game and pulled the fire button and the game died, just went completely dead. I checked it over and found the main fuse F1 a 7 amp slow blow fuse had blown. I didn't have a 7 amp so I put a 6 amp slow blow in expecting it to blow but it didn't. The game came to life but it appeared it was watch dogging as the monitor was blinking on and off but it was displaying game graphics and spiting out some sounds. I turned the game off and put it in storage where it's been for the last 2 years. At the time I didn't think to put it in test mode and see what would happen.
With the new Vector Labs SW/ESB kit due to hit the market I decided it was time to get my Star Wars up and running. First thing I did was check the voltages on the A/R board and at the main board set. when I turned it on the game was dead. The led on the deflection board was on so I figured the board was dead. All the voltages were their but the 5 volt was low, 4.75volts so I decided to go though the power block check all the fuses, connectors and replace Big Blue because it still had the original because at the time Bob Roberts was sold out but I had ordered one not to long ago anticipating fixing my game. I installed the new Big Blue which is now black and tested all the fuses and fuse holders and made sure they had the correct values. Put it all back in and adjusted the 5 volts but the game was still dead. I then pulled the board set, pulled, cleaned and reinserted all the IC chips and cleaned all the edge connections and tried it again this time I was greeted with 16 hi pitched beeps wile in test mode but nothing on the screen. The led on the deflection board was now off and it sounds like I have deflection chatter but no hi voltage. I put the game back in game mode and it plays blind. I noticed the HV heat sink BU406D and the wintron transformer were getting hot so I cut the game off. I pulled the HV board and put it on the work bench and pulled the BU406D and tested it with my DVM and it checked out good. I even compared it to a new one and it had almost the exact same readings. With the BU406D removed from the board I hooked it back up to the deflection board so I could make the voltage checks as listed in the amplifone FAQ. I had both the + and - 30 volts coming into the HV board from the deflection board. I then checked the +24 and -24 regulators and got +27 and -24 volts so I decided to install a new BU406D and give it another try. I did check pin 3 of the 555 chip with my logic probe and had a pulse so that appears to be working. Fired it back up and still no HV. I rechecked the voltages now that I had the BU406D installed and my + and - 30 volts was OK but when I checked the + and - 24 volt regulators the - 24 volts was fine but I only have + 12 volts on the + 24 volt line. Could this be the problem? I guess it's time to replace the regulators and test everything listed in the FAQ. I also noticed I have no neck glow. Please dont tell me my Wintron is dead.
Anyone else got any ideas
Thanks for any help.
http://members.cox.net/sverlander/Star_Wars_project_page.html
Back in 2001 I got my Star Wars working. I found a working board set, rebuilt the Amplifone deflection board and HV board and installed a new Wintron HV transformer. I had no problems with the game, only used it a couple times a year so it hasn't had much time on it sense the rebuild. Two years ago during a 4th of July party, I coined up a game and put the cross hairs on easy game and pulled the fire button and the game died, just went completely dead. I checked it over and found the main fuse F1 a 7 amp slow blow fuse had blown. I didn't have a 7 amp so I put a 6 amp slow blow in expecting it to blow but it didn't. The game came to life but it appeared it was watch dogging as the monitor was blinking on and off but it was displaying game graphics and spiting out some sounds. I turned the game off and put it in storage where it's been for the last 2 years. At the time I didn't think to put it in test mode and see what would happen.
With the new Vector Labs SW/ESB kit due to hit the market I decided it was time to get my Star Wars up and running. First thing I did was check the voltages on the A/R board and at the main board set. when I turned it on the game was dead. The led on the deflection board was on so I figured the board was dead. All the voltages were their but the 5 volt was low, 4.75volts so I decided to go though the power block check all the fuses, connectors and replace Big Blue because it still had the original because at the time Bob Roberts was sold out but I had ordered one not to long ago anticipating fixing my game. I installed the new Big Blue which is now black and tested all the fuses and fuse holders and made sure they had the correct values. Put it all back in and adjusted the 5 volts but the game was still dead. I then pulled the board set, pulled, cleaned and reinserted all the IC chips and cleaned all the edge connections and tried it again this time I was greeted with 16 hi pitched beeps wile in test mode but nothing on the screen. The led on the deflection board was now off and it sounds like I have deflection chatter but no hi voltage. I put the game back in game mode and it plays blind. I noticed the HV heat sink BU406D and the wintron transformer were getting hot so I cut the game off. I pulled the HV board and put it on the work bench and pulled the BU406D and tested it with my DVM and it checked out good. I even compared it to a new one and it had almost the exact same readings. With the BU406D removed from the board I hooked it back up to the deflection board so I could make the voltage checks as listed in the amplifone FAQ. I had both the + and - 30 volts coming into the HV board from the deflection board. I then checked the +24 and -24 regulators and got +27 and -24 volts so I decided to install a new BU406D and give it another try. I did check pin 3 of the 555 chip with my logic probe and had a pulse so that appears to be working. Fired it back up and still no HV. I rechecked the voltages now that I had the BU406D installed and my + and - 30 volts was OK but when I checked the + and - 24 volt regulators the - 24 volts was fine but I only have + 12 volts on the + 24 volt line. Could this be the problem? I guess it's time to replace the regulators and test everything listed in the FAQ. I also noticed I have no neck glow. Please dont tell me my Wintron is dead.
Anyone else got any ideas
Thanks for any help.


