The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Handy hints and tips => Topic started by: Marty Machine on March 28, 2009, 02:42:06 PM
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For all the Newby/Techno-Challenged people who need technical help on these forums......
Here's a VERY simple signal tester that uses just 1 LED, a resistor & Alligator clip!
This is a quick & easy tool to build, and throw in your pinball toolbox.
Best of all, it costs $2-$3 at the retail stores listed below....(Australia Wide).
Handy for newbies who don't have a MultiMeter available.
You may want to build this simple tester, so the Tech's online can help you easier.
If you can tell us (with this tester) certain signals and voltages that are (or not) present, then we can then point you towards
the fault easier! (handy for interstators when we simply can't visit to help out).
This tester is designed to display the presence of +5V or +12V signals on your Electronic Boards (PCB's) and wiring connectors etc.
This tester will confirm 5v signals going into and out of various chips as well as 12v signals on many tranistor/switching circuits etc.
You could adapt this to 24v by using a 1k2 resistor, or upto 50v for flipper-coils by using a 2k7 resistor.....upto you.
ALL you do is clip the Alligator clip (BLACK) onto a GROUND connection (aka GND or 0v), and use the RED wire as your
probe to check various connections you want to test.....
Mount the LED & Resistor at the Alligator-Clip end, so the LED stays with the Alligator clip in a stable viewing position, while your probe wire can navigate anywhere around your PCB connections.....
NOTE:
Make sure you wire the LED the correct way around as there is a POSITIVE (Anode) & NEGATIVE (Cathode) connection on LED's.
On a standard LED, the NEGATIVE (Cathode) it typically the shorter of the 2 legs....
The following diagram is all you need to build this tester......
(http://www.retro-riders.com/tech/pinball/led_tester.jpg)
and here it is finally built up, (the 560R Resistor is hiding inside the black rubber sleeve), nothing to it......
(http://www.retro-riders.com/tech/pinball/ledtesterbuilt.jpg)
ALL parts are available from . . . .
DICK SMITH
Alligator Clips :
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/P6402 (http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/P6402)
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/P6400 (http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/P6400)
LED's :
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/49cd757f0d368bb8273fc0a87e010715/Product/View/Z4085 (http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/49cd757f0d368bb8273fc0a87e010715/Product/View/Z4085)
560R (560ohm) Resistor :
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/49cd76460de3fdb8273fc0a87e010712/Product/View/R0568 (http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/49cd76460de3fdb8273fc0a87e010712/Product/View/R0568)
ALTRONICS
Alligator Clips :
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=P0101 (http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=P0101)
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=P0110 (http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=P0110)
LED's :
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=Z0800 (http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=Z0800)
560R (560ohm) Resistor :
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=R7043 (http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=R7043)
JAYCAR
Alligator Clips :
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HM3020&keywords=clip&form=KEYWORD (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HM3020&keywords=clip&form=KEYWORD)
LED's :
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZD0150&CATID=33&form=CAT&SUBCATID=573 (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZD0150&CATID=33&form=CAT&SUBCATID=573)
560R (560ohm) Resistor :
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=RR0566&keywords=560&form=KEYWORD (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=RR0566&keywords=560&form=KEYWORD)
(the LED's shown are regular......you can also get Hi-Intensity if needed. (much brighter)...
I've done ALL the homework for you, now YOU have to go and build it %$%
Hope this helps out, in future fault-finding discussion....
MM.
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Well done marty a great tip for the newbies and pros alike very quick and easy to see tool
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Nice one, if you need one made up then PM me.
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Excellent tip. Thanks for putting the time and effort into the idea, Marty.
Great offer to make them up, Andrew.
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Fanatastic stuff guys. Very impressive Marty and great offer Andrew.
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Thanx Guys,
Just doing what i can to help struggling newbies along, which in turn, will help 'us' out when trying to establish some faults and things to try in the "help me" threads %$%.
MM.