game reset

[boxingkoala]

Hi Guys

Trying to get my Data East Star Trek 25th going again. Power board was not working so put a new pinscore board in which has got the game up and going.  However whener I go to press start for a game, the ball comes out and then game resets.  Have run the coil tests and no issues.

Replaced some diodes on start button and one that was broken on a ball trough switch, but diodes on flippers read fine with DMM.  Do people think it is a diode? The reset is on every time you start a game.

[beaky]

i would suggest fixing the original board (I will be more than happy to do this for you) and then trying it again to see if it resets.

also check the diode on the coil that shoots the ball out.

then do a switch test and make sure that each switch works individually and doesn't trigger more than one item

check the slam tilt switch also

[boxingkoala]

thanks for that.  I thought the pinscore power boards would be alright???  game was not firing up at all, got no lights on so thought i would replace the whole power board due to age. It has got the game going as far as attract mode and doing tests etc. first game i played after new board got to 3rd ball and that is when it reset, since then the game resets every time a ball comes out into the torugh and fires. game resets, ball drains back down.

I did change the diode on the ball plunger coil for just in case, found a broke diode on a switch in the ball trough and replaced, but other dioes seem fine, but maybe i should just change them all.

slam tilt, what is this? is the related to the tilt plumb thingy and knocker?????

did a switch test this arvo and switches seemed fine but might re look at that also.

What are the chances I have not seated a cable back onto the new power board causing this issue?

Will see have i go this week then if no luck might pm beaky re kind offer to repair board. Must admit I am scratching my head a little at where to go now.

[Skybeaux]

If you put a new power supply board into the machine  then i doubt it's going to be the problem , i've heard the Pinscore ones are ok
Also if you have a multi meter just check the voltages coming out of the new power supply board to make sure it has a good 5 volts.

Check all the connector plugs going to the power supply to be sure they are good , especially the large 12 pin square one as it sometimes burns.
Also check that the CN17 connector on the Cpu board is on properly , wouldn't hurt to check all connectors.
You could also have a good visual check of all the switches on the machine for any broken diodes or that the switch isn't shorting against something it shouldn't be.

[MartyJ]

If you put a new power supply board into the machine  then i doubt it's going to be the problem , i've heard the Pinscore ones are ok
Also if you have a multi meter just check the voltages coming out of the new power supply board to make sure it has a good 5 volts.

Check all the connector plugs going to the power supply to be sure they are good , especially the large 12 pin square one as it sometimes burns.
Also check that the CN17 connector on the Cpu board is on properly , wouldn't hurt to check all connectors.
You could also have a good visual check of all the switches on the machine for any broken diodes or that the switch isn't shorting against something it shouldn't be.

+1

The Pinscore's I've seen and used have been great.  Unless we can isolate your new PSU as being faulty I don't see any value in paying to have the faulty one repaired.

As I suggested on AA, you need to check the diodes on the COILS.  Switch diodes can cause wacky behavior on the switch matrix, but generally not a reset.
If its the shooter lane coil which causes the reset, then I'd look there first.  Check to make sure the diode has not cracked or broken away from the coil.  Next test the actual Ohms of the coil too.

As Ken (the board guru) suggested have a good look at CN1 & CN2 connectors and the pins.  If the pins or connectors look burnt, then these can cause resets too.

Also check the fuse holders on the PPB board.  Unlikely but check it for cold solder joints as well.  On my D.E games I generally push the fuse gently.  If the fuse clip gives way, its well past its bedtime!

See how you go with these first.  I reckon we should be able to help you through it without having to pay more money for repairs.

[boxingkoala]

Thanks for the advice guys. Will get into it on the weekend and see if i can track it down.  I did replace the diode on the coil that kicks the ball out of the trough and also fire the ball, though the reset is before the ball is kicked onto the playfield. no success.

Now it has just occurred to me also, doh, that on the old power board I changed the GI connector and switched it to a .156 trifurcon molex connector.  Now I am wondering if this connector is not suitable for the male pins on the new pinscore which is probably for the old connector????

If you agree, I might have to take off the male pins on the new pinscore board and put the new male pins i still have which match the trifurcon molex connector.  But the GI connector does seem to fit the pinscore, but as I said I am sure the male pins on the new board are not for this type of connector!!!  If this is the case, maybe this is the issue. Would that GI connector affect resets????

Anyway, will start with your advice and see how i go.

Thanks for the help

[Caveoftreasures]

I disagree with some of the advice given here, respectfully.

Everytime someone has a issue with a machine, purchasing and throwing new boards at a machine without first diagnosing the issue seems to be a very expensive way to end up quickly having damaged new boards. If u have a undiagnosed problem that may have caused a problem with the original powerboard, wouldnt it make sense to first see what, and if something is wrong with the original power board and why. Was it age, or was it blown in a certain area and perhaps it may explain where the prob came from. Isit damaged at all. ?

If you throw a new board in only to have it also damaged 5 mins later. The cost to have a ORIGINAL board overhauled and checked is peanuts. The cost to buy new boards and have them shipped is 5 times higher, and u end up with a non original board, which matters alot to alot of collectors. The parts cost to overhaul the original is maybe $10 to $20, with labour also being apx 1 hrs work. It would also be educational if the orig board was recieved and tested and found to be fine, then to end up determining that it was only a connector or ill fitting plug that may be reseated and all probs gone.

I have always believed you start at the end of the circuit, and u work your way backwards to the boards. Not start at the board by throwing in a new one. Someone will obviously tell me I am wrong, and that they are the expert, but the main important question remains, has anyone proved there is a problem yet with the original board, and no-one will know why or if until it is tested on a bench by someone who knows how to rebuild and test boards.

I also note, that alot of these new boards are cheap and have been shown of late to be half assed in both construction and design. The original boards are dramatically better built and are much more robust, even if of old design. I am not saying boxingkoala did the wrong thing by buying a new board, but i am saying advice not to test n rebuild the old board may be a mistake, given the peanuts $ involved. Thats my 2 cents worth which i am entitled to. Until the orig board is tested, its all just hypothetical really. 

[MartyJ]

Brett,

I am simply offering some tips on how to fix the problem at hand without commercial interests

I disagree with some of the advice given here, respectfully.

Everytime someone has a issue with a machine, purchasing and throwing new boards at a machine without first diagnosing the issue seems to be a very expensive way to end up quickly having damaged new boards. If u have a undiagnosed problem that may have caused a problem with the original powerboard, wouldnt it make sense to first see what, and if something is wrong with the original power board and why. Was it age, or was it blown in a certain area and perhaps it may explain where the prob came from. Isit damaged at all. ?

If you throw a new board in only to have it also damaged 5 mins later. The cost to have a ORIGINAL board overhauled and checked is peanuts. The cost to buy new boards and have them shipped is 5 times higher, and u end up with a non original board, which matters alot to alot of collectors. The parts cost to overhaul the original is maybe $10 to $20, with labour also being apx 1 hrs work. It would also be educational if the orig board was recieved and tested and found to be fine, then to end up determining that it was only a connector or ill fitting plug that may be reseated and all probs gone.

I have always believed you start at the end of the circuit, and u work your way backwards to the boards. Not start at the board by throwing in a new one. Someone will obviously tell me I am wrong, and that they are the expert, but the main important question remains, has anyone proved there is a problem yet with the original board, and no-one will know why or if until it is tested on a bench by someone who knows how to rebuild and test boards.

I also note, that alot of these new boards are cheap and have been shown of late to be half assed in both construction and design. The original boards are dramatically better built and are much more robust, even if of old design. I am not saying boxingkoala did the wrong thing by buying a new board, but i am saying advice not to test n rebuild the old board may be a mistake, given the peanuts $ involved. Thats my 2 cents worth which i am entitled to. Until the orig board is tested, its all just hypothetical really.  

[Caveoftreasures]

good point marty. i wasnt having a go at you. u have ten times the knowledge i have.
its frustrating to me when new boards are used instead of refurbing the old one if avail/able to.

its even more frustrating if the problem exists/continues if the new board still doesnt fix the problem. If the old board gets checked/rebuilt, then he can sell that refurbed board on ebay in 5 mins if he wants to and it will recoup the cost maybe towards the new board if he stays with that. Beaky has fixed a few power boards for me and the cost in parts was peanuts. if i replaced any boards in any of my collection with a aftermarket board, he would kick my ass.

i think this fellow is nearby at toowoomba if i am correct. beaky would be happy to check his old board at no cost, just to at least check it out n go from there.
I have 2 x star trek 25ths, so testing will be easy as well.

[Skybeaux]

good point marty. i wasnt having a go at you. u have ten times the knowledge i have.
its frustrating to me when new boards are used instead of refurbing the old one if avail/able to.

So you must be having a go at me then , and i'm sure that's only because i'm in competition against your mate.

I didn't tell the guy to go out and buy a new board , i just didn't see the point of him wasting more money getting his old one fixed when he already had a new one.
If he checks the voltages coming out of the new board and they're fine then his problems are elsewhere.
I'm not a fan of aftermarket boards either , i prefer to fix originals too , and i wasn't looking to try and fix this guys old board either.

[Caveoftreasures]

Never met you Ken (skybeau) so I wasnt having ago at you. I was having a go at anyone if u read the post correctly. Thats why the post starts of with the
saying "I disagree etc etc etc respectfully". The respectfully part makes it clear that my comment is only a friendly opinion for the sake of having a post with differing opinions.

And respectfully, u are not in competition with my mate Beaky at all. Andrew (Beaky) has more board work from all over the country than he can handle, and 90 percent of it comes from outside the forum. Andrew (Beaky) also gives people free advice on boards when he inspects them, and he offered to check this power board for free.
Andy's been fixing boards for 20 years, and has probably only known about you for 6 months, so there is no competition in his already thriving pin repair business.

Sorry if u read the post incorrectly leading u to think anyone was having a go at you. 


 

[boxingkoala]

Seems this post has got off topic a little.

Look, I am in Tassie now and whilst not a noob, and no way an expert either. So my best efforts said power board and was happy to spend the $100 on the board.  Now the machine did not boot up at all.  Nothing, No lights on the CPU board. The new board has got that all working fine, but the game reset has my skills a little baffled where to go looking after i tested the coil diodes, replaced a few i was unsure of, plus one that was broken in the ball trough switch.

But I still have game resets. Being in Tas, I opted for the new board without knowing the claim they are a little dodgy. Had some good opinions from others on the pinscore boards so went with it. I do think having my old board overhauled and put back in to see if the problem is removed is not a bad option also.  Will try some of the advice on the weekend and if no luck will go the old board rebuild option.  There are just so many things that could be causing the game reset it feels like it is getting outside of my skill set and being in Tas I don't know anyone whom could pop round to help out. Was not an issue when living in SEQ. Any Tasmanians on here????

Thanks for the advice. I tend to think everyone is right. Refurb old board is probably best bet, but did think the new power board which claims to reduce heat etc etc might have been a good option so went with it. But the laugh may have been on my bank balance but I put that down to lack of having the necessary skills and knowledge.

[Strangeways]

The OP had already purchased the replacement power board prior to the coil issue being discovered. That's my understanding.

I'm interested to know if the game "resets" - as in boots up again, or "re starts" as in starts a new game. This is the clue here. If the problem lies in the switch matrix, and the "start" button is in the same row or column as the switch in the plunger lane, then either the diode across the start button, or the plunger coil might be wired in the wrong way around. Coils will still work in the coil test as they are being fired - not via the logic in the switch matrix.

The comments on the thread that don't belong here will be removed if they continue. A member comes here for FREE help and advise (the whole reason this forum exists), and has to put up with a sales pitch. If the OP decides to buy a replacement board, that's his decision. If he wants it repaired, I'm sure he will PM either of the board repairers.

[Caveoftreasures]

Nino, there was no sales pitch. I was only suggesting the original board be inspected and checked for FREE. You mentioned a member comes here for FREE advice, thats what was offered, a FREE inspection of the board, with the hope it was fine. He can send it to anyone of 10 different people on the forum. I thought the fellow lived at Toowoomba, 90 mins from us, which would be cheap postage.

It doesnt matter who he sends his boards to, as long as he knows what the original board is or isnt doing, and he can then look at selling it to recoup money.
A win for boxingkoala. Anyway, as long as he gets the machine going, thats all that maters.

[Homepin]

Now now boys - play nice 

I agree that original boards are always best if you have one in good condition or are able to buy a good used one.

I also caution against believing some of the 'sales hype' surrounding SOME (not all) of the aftermarket boards out there.