TECH: ST:TNG switched lamps are dim

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

The switched lamps on my ST:TNG are dim. I started digging around and found
that my LED3 on the driver board is always on. I took voltage readings from
the test points and nothing appears to be out of the ordinary:

TP1 (12V) 14.2
TP2 (5V) 5.1
TP3 (12V) 11.8
TP6 (50VR) 73.5
TP7 (20V) 22
TP8 (18V) 18

My line in voltage is 119V, so I really don't know why the driver board is
saying the line voltage is low.

What else should I check?
Thanks!
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

check the voltage on the lamps themselves. You might have a connector
problem causing a voltage drop. All of the lamps are dim?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

TP8 looks good on voltage, but voltage can test good and there still be
a current-limiting problem in a connection, like seymour suggests.
After each step, turn the game on and see if the problem is resolved.
Please report back if you discover the problem. Any discolored (tan or
brown) or burnt (black and crispy) pins should have both header pins
and connector pins replaced.

1) In the cabinet, reseat connectors on transformer (particularly the
one with blue/white wires), checking for discolored or burnt pins.

2) On the power driver board, reseat and inspect J101, pins 4&5 and
6&7. Each pair will loop back to the other. Make sure the wires are
securely pressed into the pinchers on the SureFail IDC connector. Check
the underside of that connector for cracks around the solder points and
resolder if necessary.

3) Replace F114. When you do this make sure the fuse clips are tight
and springy and clean. No rust or corrosion or cracks in the bends
allowed.

4) Reseat J137 and J133 on the driver board, lower right corner. Check
for discolored or burnt pins. Check back of connectors for solder
cracks.

5) Carefully reseat ribbon cable J113 on left side of board to WPC.
Reseat or press down on all ribbon cable connectors while you are
there.

Let us know if one of these steps eliminates your problem.

-cody
CARGPB#4


Paul King wrote:
> <seymour-shabow@excite.com> wrote in message
> news:1127017282.589967.29520@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> > check the voltage on the lamps themselves. You might have a connector
> > problem causing a voltage drop. All of the lamps are dim?
> >
>
> One by one, the lamps are fine. The more that are on, the worse the problem
> gets. No single lamp appears to be any worse off than the others stepping
> through the singl lamp tests.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

You might have a bad bridge rectifier BR1 (one of the 2 under the
shared heatsink) BR2 is for the +5vdc and BR1 is the lamps. I don't
suppose you have an extra WPC power board to try in the machine? If
it's still the original bridge, that might be it. (It's OK for small
loads like one lamp, but when loaded down is starting to fail)

It could still be connectors and pins though.... same thing, more
current flowing through a failing connection=less voltage

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

<seymour-shabow@excite.com> wrote in message
news:1127017282.589967.29520@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> check the voltage on the lamps themselves. You might have a connector
> problem causing a voltage drop. All of the lamps are dim?
>

One by one, the lamps are fine. The more that are on, the worse the problem
gets. No single lamp appears to be any worse off than the others stepping
through the singl lamp tests.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

<cchunn3@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1127052577.933128.191660@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> TP8 looks good on voltage, but voltage can test good and there still be
> a current-limiting problem in a connection, like seymour suggests.
> After each step, turn the game on and see if the problem is resolved.
> Please report back if you discover the problem. Any discolored (tan or
> brown) or burnt (black and crispy) pins should have both header pins
> and connector pins replaced.
>
> 1) In the cabinet, reseat connectors on transformer (particularly the
> one with blue/white wires), checking for discolored or burnt pins.
>
> 2) On the power driver board, reseat and inspect J101, pins 4&5 and
> 6&7. Each pair will loop back to the other. Make sure the wires are
> securely pressed into the pinchers on the SureFail IDC connector. Check
> the underside of that connector for cracks around the solder points and
> resolder if necessary.
>
> 3) Replace F114. When you do this make sure the fuse clips are tight
> and springy and clean. No rust or corrosion or cracks in the bends
> allowed.
>
> 4) Reseat J137 and J133 on the driver board, lower right corner. Check
> for discolored or burnt pins. Check back of connectors for solder
> cracks.
>
> 5) Carefully reseat ribbon cable J113 on left side of board to WPC.
> Reseat or press down on all ribbon cable connectors while you are
> there.
>
> Let us know if one of these steps eliminates your problem.
>
> -cody
> CARGPB#4
>

I'll run through this and see what happens - thanks for the help.
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

<seymour-shabow@excite.com> wrote in message
news:1127052949.231429.182300@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> You might have a bad bridge rectifier BR1 (one of the 2 under the
> shared heatsink) BR2 is for the +5vdc and BR1 is the lamps. I don't
> suppose you have an extra WPC power board to try in the machine? If
> it's still the original bridge, that might be it. (It's OK for small
> loads like one lamp, but when loaded down is starting to fail)
>
> It could still be connectors and pins though.... same thing, more
> current flowing through a failing connection=less voltage
>

I'll check the connectors that Cody mentioned. Also, is there a way to test
the BR's or should I just replace them?

No additional board to check with - unfortunately.
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I just looked at an IJ manual, and LED3 is one of the High/Low line
filter LEDs, and yes, it should normally be off with LED2 on.

Check the transformer in the lower cabinet and make sure it's
jumpered/strapped/configured properly for the wall voltage you have
present.

I really don't know if LED3 being on indicates a problem or not, and if
so if it is related to the feature lamps. Sorry.

What I was asking you to do with the connectors is reseat them, then
power up and see if the lamps are full intensity. That would have
indicated a connector problem. If you have reseated all connectors and
they all look good not much more to do. Try gently flexing the
mentioned connectors with the game running in attract (or ALL Lamp
test) and see if they brighten up when one is flexed. This is if the
transformer is jumpered properly.

-cody
CARGPB#4



Paul King wrote:
> Still looking at this. I've pulled the connectors one by one and powered up
> the machine. Each time LED3 is still lit. It really doesn't look like a
> connector problem. Anything else I should be doing to eliminate connector
> problems?
> Thanks!
> Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

> 1) In the cabinet, reseat connectors on transformer (particularly the
> one with blue/white wires), checking for discolored or burnt pins.

Looks fine - reseated

> 2) On the power driver board, reseat and inspect J101, pins 4&5 and
> 6&7. Each pair will loop back to the other. Make sure the wires are
> securely pressed into the pinchers on the SureFail IDC connector. Check
> the underside of that connector for cracks around the solder points and
> resolder if necessary.

Looks fine - reseated

> 3) Replace F114. When you do this make sure the fuse clips are tight
> and springy and clean. No rust or corrosion or cracks in the bends
> allowed.

I'll have to get another one of these - the clips are ok

> 4) Reseat J137 and J133 on the driver board, lower right corner. Check
> for discolored or burnt pins. Check back of connectors for solder
> cracks.

My J137 and J133 have nothing connected to them. I did reseat J136, J138,
J134 and J135.
They all look fine

> 5) Carefully reseat ribbon cable J113 on left side of board to WPC.
> Reseat or press down on all ribbon cable connectors while you are
> there.

Did that - still having issues. Also, I'm getting the occasional reset,
once during final frontier, once in test mode.
I've only had the machine for about a week so I'm not sure how often this is
really happening.

 

[otto]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

What is the wall voltage? Is the game on a line that has a frig or A/c on
it?

With the power on and the game booted up, does pressing on the cpu board
cause it to reset?

Also give J101/J102 and J114 a good look for signs of burning.

http://www.aros.net/~rayj/action/tech/reset.htm

http://www.marvin3m.com/wpc/index2.htm#reset

Hth.


Otto

CARGPB11

My web page: http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-Ottoslanding

"Paul King" <pking1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
news:CLCXe.81477$EX.74288@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> Did that - still having issues. Also, I'm getting the occasional reset,
> once during final frontier, once in test mode.
> I've only had the machine for about a week so I'm not sure how often this
> is really happening.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Still looking at this. I've pulled the connectors one by one and powered up
the machine. Each time LED3 is still lit. It really doesn't look like a
connector problem. Anything else I should be doing to eliminate connector
problems?
Thanks!
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Another update:

When I took readings, I was in test mode. Readings in Attract mode are:

TP1 - 13
TP2 - 4.8
TP3 - varies 10.2 - 11.6
TP6 - 71
TP7 - 21.1
TP8 - steady at 15.1, varies 13-17

I've sent this info to Clive and a local person as well. Still not sure
what to make of this.
Thanks!
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Have you checked the voltage leaving the solenoid driver board ? I'd start
there, if it's right, you have a problem from the connector out into the
game, if it's low, you have a board problem. If board problem I'd suspect a
weak trace or poor solder joint - not letting enough current through. LTG

"Paul King" <pking1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
news:WL%We.64691$PM3.37332@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> The switched lamps on my ST:TNG are dim. I started digging around and
found
> that my LED3 on the driver board is always on. I took voltage readings
from
> the test points and nothing appears to be out of the ordinary:
>
> TP1 (12V) 14.2
> TP2 (5V) 5.1
> TP3 (12V) 11.8
> TP6 (50VR) 73.5
> TP7 (20V) 22
> TP8 (18V) 18
>
> My line in voltage is 119V, so I really don't know why the driver board is
> saying the line voltage is low.
>
> What else should I check?
> Thanks!
> Paul
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Well, it doesn't look like the driver board. Bruce Nightingale stopped out
with a driver board rebuilt recently by Clive from Bill Fugle - thanks to
all three of them. Anyway, we swapped Bill's board into my machine and it
performed the same way - test voltages were very close and switched lamps
were still dim. We even pulled most of the switched lamp connectors from
the playfield and we were still getting the same low readings. Bruce and I
are going to go through the schematic tomorrow night and work through it for
anything that may pull from the 18v line as well as check the transformer.



We're curious about the display board because both Bruce and I saw it go out
during game play tonight. My son said that happened once to him as well.
We had pulled the power line from the DMD but we didn't see any real change
in voltages on the check points. Perhaps the display board is pulling
something from the driver board?



Anyway, I wanted to post back to the group and Clive to see if anyone had
any other ideas. Right now we're stumped.



Thanks for your help,

Paul