Transformer fried!

[delarge]

I'm amazed you could destroy two TXs this way actually???

My plan to put a 1A fuse in the primary did the trick - with no load on the secondary it shouldn't blow but it did telling us there was an excessive load. You really shouldn't have put larger ones in at this point.

You should use fast blow types for these tests by the way.

There is still going to be an issue with a load on the secondary that has started all of this....................

Just humoured myself and unplugged the input into the transformer and put a 1A fuse in the machine and then powered it on. The fuse didn't blow.

Anyone want a project X-Files going cheap?
 

[Pintoxicated]

how much for cash?

[Retropin]

Agreed.. sounds like the last cook deteriorated the laminations.
You really do need to check your line filter and you need to check your bridges.. Once you are sure these are OK you can add a transformer to the line. What are the outputs required?? If 24V is one, then its possible to get a 240V-24V transformer and attach etc etc.. last thing you want to be doing is cooking more game transformers.. we need to get this fixed. The smaller transformers are pretty cheap and you can afford to experiment a bit to source the fault.
See how you go with the tranny unplugged and we can go from there.
Basically, you shouldnt blow any fuse with no outputs on the transformer, theres no load and so the only current flow would be from the internal resistance of the windings, unless of course you have a shorted line filter or delaminated windings... the current draw on the primary side of the transformer is small when the game is on.. transformers are brilliant at converting AC extremely efficiently and then fanning out the power.. a 2A primary draw on a transformer is 480W or thereabouts.. thats a lot of 12V.. or 6V power.. in fact will give you 80 Amps at 6V.. so you see that the primary current need only be small... 1A would be too small.. 3A may be too much.
Need the results of the line filter!

[delarge]

Pm sent :-)

Thanks, Peter. You always know how to make a guy feel better. Sometimes when everything seems lost, I always look to Flash Gordon for inspiration. "ok, cool...." (Crashramp, that one was for you).

[GORGAR 1]

Flash to the rescue "how can I help"



I'm still laughing after your place

Peter

[delarge]

Agreed.. sounds like the last cook deteriorated the laminations.
You really do need to check your line filter and you need to check your bridges.. Once you are sure these are OK you can add a transformer to the line. What are the outputs required?? If 24V is one, then its possible to get a 240V-24V transformer and attach etc etc.. last thing you want to be doing is cooking more game transformers.. we need to get this fixed. The smaller transformers are pretty cheap and you can afford to experiment a bit to source the fault.
See how you go with the tranny unplugged and we can go from there.
Basically, you shouldnt blow any fuse with no outputs on the transformer, theres no load and so the only current flow would be from the internal resistance of the windings, unless of course you have a shorted line filter or delaminated windings... the current draw on the primary side of the transformer is small when the game is on.. transformers are brilliant at converting AC extremely efficiently and then fanning out the power.. a 2A primary draw on a transformer is 480W or thereabouts.. thats a lot of 12V.. or 6V power.. in fact will give you 80 Amps at 6V.. so you see that the primary current need only be small... 1A would be too small.. 3A may be too much.
Need the results of the line filter!

Thank you kindly for the perseverance with me and helping out, as well as everyone else that has helped out with advice. I'm going to call it a night now. It's getting late and it's cold out in the garage (winter is coming....). I'm going to test the bridge rectifiers tomorrow night as my next port of call. As for the line filter, how do you test a line filter?

Cheers!
Adam.

[delarge]

Flash to the rescue "how can I help"

I'm still laughing after your place

Peter

I'm imagining Flash saying "how can I help" and due to no question mark, he's just shrugging his shoulders at me as we all know he doesn't care much for us pinball fans. haha yes, always brings a smile to my face.....even now.

Time to close the door on the pinball machines for the night....can't even play South Park now. ugh....I might have to bite the bullet and buy the brand new transformer for South Park so I can at least play that and maybe it will spur me on to fix X-Files.

[Crashramp]

Pm sent :-)

Thanks, Peter. You always know how to make a guy feel better. Sometimes when everything seems lost, I always look to Flash Gordon for inspiration. "ok, cool...." (Crashramp, that one was for you).

Well my Flash Gordon and your X files are playing equally well at the moment.

Flash to the rescue "how can I help"



I'm still laughing after your place

Peter

Pinball hey.......Errr ok

[delarge]

Well my Flash Gordon and your X files are playing equally well at the moment.

Pinball hey.......Errr ok

Sorry to hear, Adam. This is our hobby......
 

[Pintoxicated]

Help us Flash!  Help us.

[riverinapinball]

Adam, sounds like your having a few dramas.
First thing stop!

Do not connect power!

Disconnect transformer.

Sounds like you have somesort of short circuit, probably a dead short or near dead(very little resistance)

Put your multimeter on continuity test.
Follow cables and test each pair of wires coming out of the transformer. And follow there path, away from the transformer, until you find a short or near short value.
Take pictures of anything you disconnect , so you can put it back together the right way.
I think you should be able to find the problem, without powering it up. If it is a failed device thats shorted.

Good luck.

[Freiherr]

Adam, sounds like your having a few dramas.
First thing stop!

Do not connect power!

Disconnect transformer.

Sounds like you have somesort of short circuit, probably a dead short or near dead(very little resistance)

Put your multimeter on continuity test.
Follow cables and test each pair of wires coming out of the transformer. And follow there path, away from the transformer, until you find a short or near short value.
Take pictures of anything you disconnect , so you can put it back together the right way.
I think you should be able to find the problem, without powering it up. If it is a failed device thats shorted.

Good luck.

Aleluiah,  best explanation and solution by far.  

[delarge]

Hi all,
the transformer saga continues....

I got my I/O power board back from Beaky today and he has fixed various issues. He did a great job as always. Here's a list of what was repaired on the I/O power board:

Had a whole heap of transistors changed and most look like they have been running hot.
The reason for this is they have been changed with the wrong type of transistor. They have been replaced with IRF540 instead of IRL540,
The I C that controls these only runs on 5 volts which is not enough to switch the IRF540 on properly.
Plus there a several incorrect value fuses on the same board.

I put the board back in X-Files, so it is all complete bar a new transformer.

Also of note, this machine has a small transformer sitting up the back of the machine. My South Park machine doesn't have this. A small blue cable is running out of the main transformer and connects to this mini transformer. There are wires that run up the back and seem to connect to the fluoro. The blue cable on South Park is just sitting in the cabinet not connected to anything and no extra transformer in this machine.

For interest sake, I left the blue cable disconnected on X-Files and quickly fired it up. The machine sounds played and the DMD turned on like everything was working as normal. Then there was the usual crackle and smoke from the transformer. Turned everything straight off. Time to find out the cause of all problems before I purchase a new transformer for this machine.

Thanks,
Adam.

[pinnies4me]

Is that small transformer the ballast for the fluro?

[delarge]

Is that small transformer the ballast for the fluro?

I'm not too sure....there's also a box that says 'balasto' up near the fluoro as well?