What’s wrong with my PP?

[ArcadeKid_Ma]

I'm at a complete loss with this game and am ready to sell it, I've had the AR2s serviced and it was working fine with original boards, had it on location for a little bit before it broke again and I swapped in a different AR2 and it worked again. Now it's not again I get this on the screen, I've swapped the AR2s with two different ones and the same, I bought the newer pp AJ board and I get the same. It's not the monitor I had the chassis serviced aswell, plus I would think I would hear the game. Also have a PP2 board and when plugged in I get a solid red screen. I would prefer not to sell it because I like it and spent a bunch of money on it but at the same time I would like space.

 

[Mattspad]

YOUR PP IS BROKEN!!! Can you test the voltages with it running? Pole position pcbs are notorious for breaking, you may want to consider the arcadeshop pi position as a drop in replacement for more reliability. I'm amazed you were able to have this on location at all!

 

[VectorCollector]

Gone into LIMP mode? LOL

Assuming boards that were serviced are still 100% is not a good assumption. IMHO
Seems like a power or wiring issue? If no logic board solution (OG or PI) works, then maybe the edge connector?

 

[ArcadeKid_Ma]

YOUR PP IS BROKEN!!! Can you test the voltages with it running? Pole position pcbs are notorious for breaking, you may want to consider the arcadeshop pi position as a drop in replacement for more reliability. I'm amazed you were able to have this on location at all!
View attachment 856184

Yes I bought the plug and play and I still get red lines like the picture above.

 

[Mattspad]

Yes I bought the plug and play and I still get red lines like the picture above.

Love your hen in your profile pic! If you have the arcade shop pcb and all of the different pole position original pcbs and they're not booting it sounds like you're not getting power to the pcbs or way too much. Do you own a multimeter and know how to test voltages? That'd tell you real quick if voltage is an issue. Also has the wiring harness in the machine been modified in any way?

 

[sfspanky]

My money is that you have a problem on the brick. Are the LEDs on the game boards lit up? I'm guessing they are not. The 10v power that get's converted to 5v on the ARII boards comes off of the bridge rectifier that is mounted on the underside of the brick case/housing right below the fuse block. I have seen 3 instances this year alone of the original rectifiers going buns up and/or burnt connectors to the rectifier. Pull the brick and pull F3 and test for continuity. It may be blown. Then test the bridge rectifier. You might not have to test the rectifier if the connectors are all burned up, which I'm guessing they are. If everything is good on your brick, you have some ARII boards to rebuild.

 

[Olexo2424]

i think a urologist may be able to help. You have my sympathies.

 

[Griffin]

Came here for the PP jokes. Not disappointed

 

[mecha]

those lines probably suggest your monitor is sick

if you look at the power assembly what I believe is the 2nd fuse down from the top will be the 20A fuse. the right quick disconnect gets barbecued. also test it, if it's blown you'll have other issues.

as has been mentioned, if you have no LEDs lit on the CPU and video boards that means there's no power getting into them. also mentioned is the bridge rectifier which is under the power assembly that you have to unscrew out. those wires get nuked also.

need more information

 

[sfspanky]

I'm amazed you were able to have this on location at all!

I've had one of my PPs on location for 10 years. In that time, it has gone down 3 times. Once was the brick bridge rectifier and twice were ARII board bottle cap transistors going buns up. One of the ARII instances took out some chips on the PCB as the voltage spiked to 6.7, but all in all, my PP has been working well. I clean the edge connectors every year and I have run extra GND and +5v spade connections on the pcb test points for extra insurance.

 

[andrewb]

Instead of randomly buying things and replacing boards, why don't you try troubleshooting.

What's the first rule of arcade troubleshooting? Check voltages.

Do you know what voltages to test, and where? This is essential info for any game. Start there.

Here's one post to get you started:

Well I bought game #2 yesterday A Missile Command buried in a tool shed.

Well I bought game #2 yesterday A Missile Command buried in a tool shed. I bought my first machine last October, a Donkey Kong that was working. #2 is an Atari Missile Command. It was buried under some junk in a outdoor shed. Cabinet was dry. Everything seems to be there. Back door was coming...

forums.arcade-museum.com

And here are a bunch of others:

https://forums.arcade-museum.com/search/4010398/?q=5V+on+the+AR+10.3&t=post&c[users]=andrewb&o=date

The process for checking power is basically the same on every Atari game with an AR. The only difference for PP is that it has two AR's (and two big blues) that operate independently, where each AR powers one of the game boards in the PP stack. But you test each one of them the same as any other game.

 

[ArcadeJason]

as others have said check your voltages. this way you know where to even look for the issue.
p4position only uses one of the ar2s so if wanted after checking voltages you could try swapping places of your ar2s as a temp fix if one is bad.
the p4 does have a solder pad that connects both ar2s together but this is really just a bandaid for those with hacked harnesses who insist on using a switcher (you should never connect both ar2s together *cough* Johns arcade)
another temp solution is you can power the p4 position directly off of a cell phone charger.

 

[KaBoom1701]

Rebuild the power brick

 

[Mattspad]

Rebuild the power brick

He's gotta get bricked up for sure. Sounds like he's already had them rebuilt. Not sure if you're using the p4 position like Jason suggested maybe use an alternative power supply.

 

[Olexo2424]

The brick itself though. The power brick (penis) I don't think has been re-"Big Blued" and such. Two new Big Blue (balls) definitely need down there. The ARII's (testicles) seem to have been rebuilt and that's why power has flowed (semen and urine) on multiple sets of ARII's (testicles). If he can get bricked up again and rebuild the fuse holders, Big Blue, maybe wiring, at least you rule out everything from power from the wall to the cabinet.

 

[ArcadeJason]

 

[KaBoom1701]

Big Blues
Bridge Rectifier
F3 Fuse holder upgrade( directly soldered)
Replace burnt wires
Ect

 

[ArcadeKid_Ma]

I forgot to mention in my rant that I have replaced both big blues, my dad and I did test the voltages but I forgot where we left off. I know we tested the bridge rectifier on the brick and it was supposedly good but will try again when I am home.

 

[andrewb]

Do NOT ever replace anything until and unless you can MEASURE (or visually see) that it's bad.

People run out and waste a ton of money on parts that do not need to be replaced.

Measure. Find problems. Then replace parts.

Replacing parts blindly is not troubleshooting.

 

[lilypad19]

I like the phrase "Start at the power cord and work your way in.. " Validate and check each part on the way..