Untouched Tempest, replacement parts?

[ifkz]

I was able to finally purchase a very nice Tempest for a very fair price. I opened the machine and found that it looks to be untouched by a tech ever since it rolled off of the assembly lines in 1981 (or so). I am very familiar with Atari cabs from this time period, but not so much with the WG 6100 color vector monitor. I've talked to one expert here, I'd like to get some more free advice before I order replacement parts. The monitor has two visibly bad parts: R100 and R102. This may or may not be all that is keeping it down. My plan:

LV2000
K6100 19" color X-Y capkit
K6100 Additional parts - NO Q604/704
Atari A/R II-02 to -06 Repair Kit (Caps+Q2/3/8/9+R30)
Atari "Big Blue" Capacitor - (Transformer assembly)

Moderators: if this is not the perfect section, feel free to move the thread.

 

[joeycuda]

Check for cold solder joints on the header pins for the board interconnect. If you're bulletproofing/shotgunning it, you might as well resolder those joints.

Add a fan to the monitor? I added one to mine, attached to the monitor frame with zip ties so it's removable, and it's a DC fan jumped off of the AR2 test points.

May need to replace the bushing in the spinner.

Bulb/starter/ballast?

 

[ifkz]

Parts from Bob came in today. I replaced the big blue and removed the ARII for a rebuild. I also replaced the starter in the light fixture only to turn it on and see that the original bulb was still good! Amazing! I usually have to replace the bulb or ballast, great news. I also gave the cab a good blow out and re-stapled the back door sheet. I should be able to do the ARII rebuild either this weekend or Monday.

I also found that the leaf switch for the super zapper button was physically broken. I have no idea how long it was in this state, but playing it well couldn't have been easy. I'm glad I had a spare part. One odd thing, One of the token mechs (I hope to swap them out with quarter mechs soon) was jam packed with pennies, maybe 50 cents. They blocked the opening of the coin reject area and the top entrance slide. The coins were dated in the 2000s so it must have been the prior owner. I had to take the door apart to get them all. It was kind of a pain.

 

[ifkz]

I just finished getting the power section rebuilt and all voltages meter just fine. While I was working, I pulled the boardset and reflowed all of the interconnect points between the two boards. I also cleaned both fingerboards and removed that awful foam spacer. So far, so good. Next up is the monitor when the LV2000 gets here.

 

[OregonPacman]

Does the game actually do anything other than have the marquee light come on? Sounds, anything?

 

[ifkz]

Sure, it plays blind. Next up is getting the monitor serviced.

 

[vintagegamer]

You and I are running neck and neck on our Tempests... I have video but no vectors yet, so I'm only ahead by inches...

 

[ifkz]

Yes, we seem to have gotten ours at the same time, nice to have two active restoration threads on this great game. If my LV2000 gets here today I'll get to work on the monitor. If not, I can prepare by pulling the boards. This monitor will take a ton of work before I'm ready to test. Frame mounted transistors, a complete cap kit, extra parts, and an LV2000. Deep breath....

 

[vintagegamer]

Yes, we seem to have gotten ours at the same time, nice to have two active restoration threads on this great game. If my LV2000 gets here today I'll get to work on the monitor. If not, I can prepare by pulling the boards. This monitor will take a ton of work before I'm ready to test. Frame mounted transistors, a complete cap kit, extra parts, and an LV2000. Deep breath....

Once I get it to play a few successful games I'll go back and revamp the monitor. I can't stand owning a game I've never gotten to play at least once before tearing it apart again.

 

[ifkz]

Work dragged on today, I was more than happy to dive into this 6100 when I got home.

I installed the LV2000 according to the PDF on the website. It went really well, and I learned I won't need to meter and adjust voltages because it is pre-built. I guess the PDF is a little old now because that's all he sells.

Installed all of the deflection board parts from the cap kit and the extra parts kit. I do have a question for the 6100 owners out there. Bob's MR751 diodes are labeled differently. One set says V12 6A2 and the other says V09 6A2. Are they the same? Will this cause problems? Beefy little suckers.

I also noticed the original 4700uF 50V caps have three legs, I assume one was for pure stabilization because the caps are so large. Correct? I just matched up the polarity for the replacements.

I fought the urge to power it up at this point and I turned to the neckboard. Good thing, I found a pad and trace had lifted up and severed a connection with a pin on the tube's neck. I jumpered two wires to the appropriate components. Glad I found this, probably caused problems in the past. While I was at it, I went over all board connector points on both boards. Some had obvious cold solder.

Found that to get to the frame mounted transistors and the HV cage, I'm going to need to pull the monitor. I'll see how much energy I have tomorrow.

 

[ifkz]

Answered my own questions by looking at the doc here (if anyone finds this thread through the search function in the future):
http://therealbobroberts.net/k6100xlyot.html

 

[vintagegamer]

Found that to get to the frame mounted transistors and the HV cage, I'm going to need to pull the monitor. I'll see how much energy I have tomorrow.

And that in a nutshell is why I'm going to be playing a few games on mine before I do upgrades, if at all possible. It's during events like pulling the monitor that the Dark Side enters when I'm working on something.. If mine were to break while doing that upgrade, after I just drove 2 hours 1-way to get mine, and I hadn't even gotten to play it at all yet, it would be sitting out at the curb shortly after!

 

[vintagegamer]

And another question: can you provide the specs on those transistors for the monitor? We have a Radio Shack right next door to my work, and it would be really nice to be able to walk in there and just say "I'll take 6 of those please, yep those right there..." and walk out with them, than have to order via mail! But I just hate mail so, that's just me..

 

[kstillin]

Sure, it plays blind. Next up is getting the monitor serviced.

oh- a word of warning:
Just because it is playing blind doesn't mean that you have a monitor problem. My Space Duel wigged out recently, no picture, but still playing blind.

You could have a problem with the X and/or Y output circuitry on the game board. You can measure the AC voltage at the X output and Y output lugs. You should be getting around 2.0 to 2.5V on the AC scale there.

An oscilloscope is a better test, but the AC meter reading will at least show that you have varying signal at the outputs.

I was missing the X side of the signal and replacing the MC1495 at C11 fixed it. No messing with the monitor at all.

Also, the Tempest boards are notorious for having broken pins on the adjustment pots for Xsize, Xcenter, etc. You should be able to get a visual check or ohm out the traces underneath to see that the resistance varies with adjustment of the pots.

Kerry

 

[ifkz]

I would suggest just ordering them from Bob, you'll save a ton of money over RatShack and you can be sure the parts are correct. I don't think they stock the transistors, maybe Fry's, but you'll be paying a premium for the NTE equivalents.

I've found that if I get a game up and running, I simply won't do the needed upgrades (I'm looking at you Star Castle)...and I can't have that attitude with Tempest. I've read too many horror stories about this game. Since it's a keeper, I've got to get it right the 1st time.

 

[bungy]

And another question: can you provide the specs on those transistors for the monitor? We have a Radio Shack right next door to my work, and it would be really nice to be able to walk in there and just say "I'll take 6 of those please, yep those right there..." and walk out with them, than have to order via mail! But I just hate mail so, that's just me..

Radio Shack employee: "Trans-what? How about a phone instead?"

 

[vintagegamer]

Radio Shack employee: "Trans-what? How about a phone instead?"

"But before I can sell you that phone, I need your name, address, home number, cell number, SSN, and at what point in my questioning you first felt like you wanted to kill me".

 

[Robran68]

Radio Shack employee: "Trans-what? How about a phone instead?"

LOL...So true....

 

[modessitt]

Found that to get to the frame mounted transistors and the HV cage, I'm going to need to pull the monitor. I'll see how much energy I have tomorrow.

Technically, you don't have to pull the monitor to get everything out, but it does take a little cab modification.

All the frame transistors can come out without pulling the monitor, as the two "side" ones are mounted on the bottom. You just need a snub-nose phillips to get them out.

As for the HV cage, it's awkward but you can get all but one of the bolts out if you use a small ratchet with a quarter-inch socket and get your arm up there. The last one can't be gotten easily because it's right up almost against the wood of the back. You can loosen it, but it hits the wood before you get it all the way out. Since I often use my Tempest for troubleshooting other 6100 setups, and don't like pulling my monitor out every time I need to swap the HV cage, I drilled a hole in the cab right at that screw so I can get a nut-driver in there and take it out. Now before you have a conniption about having a hole in the back of your cab, the hole actually goes in the slot where the back door fits in, so when the back door is on, it's not seen.

Of course, if you pull the monitor to do it, you could just not put that screw in when you put it back. The other screws are more than enough to hold it in place...

 

[ifkz]

Thanks for the tip Modessitt, I happen to have two wingnuts in my parts box that fit the bolts.

I had to resist the urge to power up after I finished with the deflection board, and I am glad I did. When I pulled the HV cage to work on that I found a bulged capacitor, lots of cold solder joints, and a loose screw from the frame kicking around in the cage.

I've been rebuilding the monitor for a week and I do have some results, but no picture. Most every other symptom of a working monitor though. I've started a thread in the monitor repair section.

Another round of thanks go to Modessitt for telling me to toss the cap "chicklet" boxes from the deflection board. One was visibly bad and I found it just as I was about to power up for the first time. I am so happy for the tip to "just chunk 'em!"