Help Please - Gtb Close Encounters DEAD

[Pintoxicated]

Any assistance or ides would be greatly appreciate.....I am having a few people over tomorrow night and really wanted this machine up and running.

Background - The machine was working perfectly last night.  I replaced the outer skin on the coin door and all was still good.  This morning I changed the door frame attached to the cabinet and re-assembled the door.  Turned the machine on and it was completely dead, not even any GI.

The slam switch on the coin door appears closed, no loose wires that I can see anywhere.  All fuses checked and all are OK.  There is power getting to the machine, 243V seen at the line filter.  The on/off switch is relatively new - no loose wires there either.

Could it be sheer co-incidence that the on/off switch has failed or is there something I am missing somewhere that I have stuffed up whilst replacing the door.  The machine wasn't on when I was doing this so nothing should have shorted out anywhere.  The only wires that came loose were the left hand flipper wires - the spade connectors came off the switch.

Any ideas?????

[studley67]

check the insulators on the credit and slam switches are insulating from the metal door.

[studley67]

looking at my cleopatra,you can un plug the door from behind the plumb bob tilt assembly.as to isolate the door from the rest of the machine.then try powering up.

[Boots]

looking at my cleopatra,you can un plug the door from behind the plumb bob tilt assembly.as to isolate the door from the rest of the machine.then try powering up.

Good idea.

Are you getting power at your transformer?

[Pintoxicated]

I have tried disconnecting the coin door, no difference unfortunately.

Tested power at transformer as well, there was power at the 230v input.

[Strangeways]

Check the outputs at the transformer

Check the 5VDC and 60VDC on the power supply in the headbox.

Could be that the fuses are good, but the fuse clips have lost their tension ?

[Pintoxicated]

I have a bad feeling the small transformer may have died...just a thought at the moment, I haven't tested it yet.  I replaced the on/off switch for the hell of it and no change.

Are transformers sensitive to vibration?

The fuse clips are nice and tight.  I even changed the line fuse despite it testing good...no change. 

Really disappointed at the timing of this one, mini meet tonight and I had spent many many hours on this machine cleaning it up, replacing things like drop targets, replacing coin door etc etc only to have it die a day before the meet. 

[Homepin]

Transformers very rarely give trouble - so rarely to almost dismiss that thought.

Your problem is far more likely to me fuse/ fuse clip/ power supply/ connector related.

Grab the circuit diagram and start measuring voltages and work your way through (or BACK) and make sure ALL the voltages are correct.

You can't guess this and you can't tell by looking - measure, that's what meters are made for!!!

[Pintoxicated]

Transformers very rarely give trouble - so rarely to almost dismiss that thought.

Your problem is far more likely to me fuse/ fuse clip/ power supply/ connector related.

Grab the circuit diagram and start measuring voltages and work your way through (or BACK) and make sure ALL the voltages are correct.

You can't guess this and you can't tell by looking - measure, that's what meters are made for!!!

I have heard the large transformer is almost bullet proof whereas the smaller transformer can have issues?????????

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

Check that the coin rollover contacts are not shorted to earth

[Boots]

I have a bad feeling the small transformer may have died...just a thought at the moment, I haven't tested it yet.  I replaced the on/off switch for the hell of it and no change.

Are transformers sensitive to vibration?

The fuse clips are nice and tight.  I even changed the line fuse despite it testing good...no change. 

Really disappointed at the timing of this one, mini meet tonight and I had spent many many hours on this machine cleaning it up, replacing things like drop targets, replacing coin door etc etc only to have it die a day before the meet. 

You need to eliminate the transformers once and for all, get your meter out, check for voltage on the primary side then check for voltage on the secondary side, this is the only way to eliminate the transformer as the source of your problems.
The best way to find the TRUE answer is to work on one possibility, eliminate and then move on to the next.
However unlikely it is that the transformers are faulty it IS a possibilty and therfore you need to eliminate it.
The transformers are at the start of the power supply chain so why not start there?

[Strangeways]

Blair - you need to start at the transformer to see it the outputs are correct. Do you have schematics to read the output AC voltages ?

I've seen SYS1 machines that looked like they floated over, with corrosion and fur basically growing on them and they still worked. I cannot recall ever seeing a dead transformer - but the bridge rectifiers may be open. If they were shorted you would be blowing a fuse.

The other thing to quickly check are all the connectors - especially the door and the main connectors off the transformer. Refit the door connector - look for any pins that are bent.

[Pintoxicated]

Thanks guys.  Another busy day today with Peter and his young fella at my place, we are off to Delarge's place for a meet at Wagga this afternoon so I will look at all this tomorrow hopefully.

Nino, I don't have any schematics handy to check the output voltages.  If you have any soft copies handy that would be appreciated??

[pinnies4me]

  If you have any soft copies handy that would be appreciated??

You have mail Blair.

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

Is the Tilt light on