Author Topic: POWER SUPPLY BOARD - SEGA/DATA EAST  (Read 2748 times)

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Offline beaky

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Re: POWER SUPPLY BOARD - SEGA/DATA EAST
« on: April 05, 2011, 12:03:29 AM »
There is one thing I do not like about the replacement power supply pictured above (the blue pcb) is that alot of the components are surface mount. I myself can repair surface mount pcb's but to me in most cases surface mount pcb's mean disposable pcb's. I can understand in the modern world of electronics surface mount is needed for a smaller size and ease of assembly for wave soldering but in this case its not needed, in a modern tv repair workshop that repairs LCD and Plasma tv's in most cases they do not repair a pcb they just unplug it and replace the whole board. 10 years ago when i was designing pcb's even when we only needed a 5 amp bridge rectifier I would use a 35 amp bridge instead. The reason why I did this was because the price difference between a 10 amp and 35 amp bridge was only a few cents but this part of the circuit would run cool and was virtually indestructible. Also the circuit was quite simple (like the power supply in question) and I had enough room on the board. I have seen a pcb designed by another member on this site and he has not used surface mount components (can't remember if it was a replacement cpu or driver board). The reason why i assume is so the board is easily repairable if something does go wrong. I am so disappointed in the designers when i see those replacement pinball driver boards covered in surface mount transistors (or mosfets, I haven't checked the component specs on these boards). If they haven't included some sort or current regulation on those circuits when a coil dies (which will all know happens from time to time) and the surface mount transistor gets so hot that it burns the pad that it is soldered to off the pcb what do you solder the replacement surface mount transistor to? Lets face it it is a lot easier to desolder and replace a solder through component than a surface mount component. I appreciate that a company has invested the time and money to develop a replacement power supply board but maybe the should have conferred with an old school designer.
Once again i apologise for the technical mumbo jumbo but I thought I would post my personal opinion.  ^^^                
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