My first Rebuild - I am totally screwed!

[randywhatson]

I am assuming I put the black on the chassis... but where do I put the red?

[iankellogg]

Just take a peak at the monitor.  Find the wires that go down from the monitor to the transformer at the bottom of the cab. 

[randywhatson]

then I put the red on where the wires meet the monitor? I am a bit scared, I don't want to get zapped!

[iankellogg]

Just don't touch the monitor with your hands.  Stay away from the red Wire that goes to the tube

[randywhatson]

OK...

There are two wires running to the monitor, with a clip about halfway up. The warning tag says somwthing about making sure these wires are  running through an isolation something or other. Then, after it goes through what looks like a plug in, there are two soldered joints. I touched the red to the bottom one.... nothing. Then I touched the red to the top one and got a big friggin spark. Looks like there is power, but now I am even more leary about doing it again. Is there a better location to check???

[iankellogg]

you should never be able to spark using your multi meter. im not sure what you did but it sounds like you have power to the monitor, which i kind of expected.

Time to prepare repairing the monitor. Start with finding the fuse, you mentioned it was a g07.
take a look at the flow chart and see what you can find.
http://lawnmowerman.rotheblog.com/rgvac/G07_Flowchart.jpg

[randywhatson]

I see two fuses. They appear to be soldered in? How can I tell if they are blown or not? Is there a way without pulling the monitor? Or should I do that anyway?

[iankellogg]

use your multimeter to test it. either continuity mode or resistance mode. a good fuse will have a low resistance or will beep when in contunuity

[offset]

Maybe this is a good time to insert general disclaimer regarding personal safety and such, .

Seriously though, if you dont know what you are doing, maybe time to find some local help.  Maybe there are some other local collectors near you.

OK...

There are two wires running to the monitor, with a clip about halfway up. The warning tag says somwthing about making sure these wires are  running through an isolation something or other. Then, after it goes through what looks like a plug in, there are two soldered joints. I touched the red to the bottom one.... nothing. Then I touched the red to the top one and got a big friggin spark. Looks like there is power, but now I am even more leary about doing it again. Is there a better location to check???

[randywhatson]

Thanks for your concern... I should be ok.

There is a local collector in my neighborhood. I took my daughter over to a birthday party. When I walked in the front door, I ran into a Scramble in the living room. They had two more in the Kitchen (A Ivan Stewarts Off roader and a golden axe rip-off). He had 6 pins in the living room and then he took me downstairs. WOW. Two red barons (one cockpit) two Q-Berts (he wouldn't sell me either) and like 30 others.

I should ask him, but heres the thing...

Hardly any of his OWN games were working. He seemed really lazy. I don't think he would lend a hand.

It's OK. I like the whole learning process. I want to learn how to solder. I want to fix this with my own hands (and home help from you guys, who are just downright awesome, by the way).

I'm about to check the fuses. Just don't touch the big friggin red wire, and make sure the game is turned off, right?

[thegleek]

It's OK. I like the whole learning process. I want to learn how to solder. I want to fix this with my own hands (and home help from you guys, who are just downright awesome, by the way).

Plenty of ways to learn how to solder... I got two0 for ya, one is free, the other is a book from amazon:

1. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-guide-excellent-soldering/common-problems

2. http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Soldering-Circuit-Board-Repair/dp/1111642664/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430070882&sr=1-2

[tombutler]

Thanks for your concern... I should be ok.

There is a local collector in my neighborhood. I took my daughter over to a birthday party. When I walked in the front door, I ran into a Scramble in the living room. They had two more in the Kitchen (A Ivan Stewarts Off roader and a golden axe rip-off). He had 6 pins in the living room and then he took me downstairs. WOW. Two red barons (one cockpit) two Q-Berts (he wouldn't sell me either) and like 30 others.

I should ask him, but heres the thing...

Hardly any of his OWN games were working. He seemed really lazy. I don't think he would lend a hand.

It's OK. I like the whole learning process. I want to learn how to solder. I want to fix this with my own hands (and home help from you guys, who are just downright awesome, by the way).

I'm about to check the fuses. Just don't touch the big friggin red wire, and make sure the game is turned off, right?

A good way to learn to de solder things is to buy old broken electronics from thrift stores and use them to practice on.  You can sometimes get really good replacement components as well.

[randywhatson]

thanks for the tip man. I am looking to buy the necessary tools now. Then I'll order the cap kit for the monitor.

[iankellogg]

you need a good soldering iron.
desoldering sucker of some kind.
get flush cutters and needle nose plyers.

go watch videos, lots of videos, on electronics and stuff. john's channel is pretty good.

I recommend either a hakko 888D $80 or a metcal PS900 soldering iron $250.
solder sucker can be just about anything.

[VertexGuy]

After watching the "Johns Arcade" video on fixing a dead game, I decided to buy one myself.
So I found a dead Ikari Warriors conversion in an old Centipede cabinet. It was $50, so I bought it.
OK...
The guy said he replaced the power supply but it still didn't work (and said he probably hooked up the switching power supply incorrectly.)
It was so cheap, I didn't look at anything, I just gave him the money and loaded it up.
Got it home, looked inside, and realized I have no idea what I'm doing.
It wouldn't power up. Then I noticed there was TWO interlocking mechs... one by the back panel and another by the coin door.
Now I have power. The light is red on the power supply... and I have 2 "LED's" on the board itself which light up.
However, the monitor is doing absolutely nothing. The neck has NO GLOW. It is an Electrohome G07. I am getting nothing.
I can hear that the speaker is hissing (making some static noise) and I can turn up the noise with the POT on the board. But no game sounds. Just static. The marquee would light up (I'm pretty sure its getting power) but there is no bulb. Simple fix.
The thing I am wondering...
On the switching power supply, there is nothing going to the FG (that is called the Floor Ground, right). Is that necessary?
Also, what is all that crap on the bottom of the cabinet. A bunch of wires... like 6 fuses... some big blue looking capacitor. I have no idea if that crap works, or if it is necessary for it to work. I took out the fuses and the ends are corroded. So corroded, I had a hard time testing them. All of them seem to be in tact. I quickly sanded the ends... tried (but did a piss poor job) to sand the contacts on the equipment in the game, and put them back in.

Then, there are all kinds of connectors that are haning free. I am thinking they are off of the original centipede and not needed. The ikari warriors looks to be a Jamma... with a strance connection at the top of the board (it is dark blue, but not labeled jamma).

Anyway, where should I start?

Again, it seems to have power to the board, but I am not getting any sound. The monitor appears to be dead... but I'm wondering if it is the monitor itself, or a bad connection with the fuses in the bottom of the cabinet (or something else down there).

Any help would be great.

Scott

Well ,, is the power supply a HAPP Pro by any chance and if it is,, that light shouldn't be red.
FG is field ground .
START at the fuses . and the fuse on the monitor chassis.
If its a G07 monitor .. really look at that flyback . then look at it again.. also look for cracks on the monitor chassis board.
if you watch a lot of john's videos make sure you check out the one where he has to have scoots fix his monitor for him.
Then find a dude here named ian.  he knows monitors and sells parts.
if you don't have a working monitor , you cant see what you are troubleshooting next.