18 replies to this topic

[carry on driver]

Hi all!
I picked up my first ever fruit machine yesterday - a rauher splendid barcrest super blackjack club. I was assured it was working, so0me and the good lady duely stuffed it into my elderly vauxhall and gingerly drove home. After installing it (by which I mean plugging it in) I tried to start it up, but was greeted with a sound like a helecopter, and "£0" strobing on the "reserve" display.
I deceided this probably meant it was hungry, so I've manually (I don't have a refill key) filled it with £1s and 20ps. Now when I turn it on, there's several more strobing lights, and the cash drop solenoids are chattering in a rather alarming fashion. Also, the power led on the mpu4 unit is strobing at the same rate as everything else.
I know nothing about these machines, but I'm fairly electronically minded, so if anyone could please shed some light on the possible cause and best course of action, I'm fairly confident I could get the beast going.
Thanks in advance!

[fruitman69]

Hi all!
I picked up my first ever fruit machine yesterday - a rauher splendid barcrest super blackjack club. I was assured it was working, so0me and the good lady duely stuffed it into my elderly vauxhall and gingerly drove home. After installing it (by which I mean plugging it in) I tried to start it up, but was greeted with a sound like a helecopter, and "£0" strobing on the "reserve" display.
I deceided this probably meant it was hungry, so I've manually (I don't have a refill key) filled it with £1s and 20ps. Now when I turn it on, there's several more strobing lights, and the cash drop solenoids are chattering in a rather alarming fashion. Also, the power led on the mpu4 unit is strobing at the same rate as everything else.
I know nothing about these machines, but I'm fairly electronically minded, so if anyone could please shed some light on the possible cause and best course of action, I'm fairly confident I could get the beast going.
Thanks in advance!

Sounds like battery damage on the MPU4.

[stanmarsh14]

Pretty sure this means battery damage, so open up the black box where all the wires and games cartage go to, and look for a green / blue 3 pin battery (Often has Varta Mempac 2.4v stamped on it), and check if there is any green fuzzy stuff coming off it.

If it has leaked, remove this battery ASAP, plus get an old tooth brush, and clean up the surrounding area with a few drops of Vinegar, to neutralise any leaks.

Afterwards, rinse off with cold tap water, and sit the board upside down, somewhere warm to dry off for around 24 hours, and then test, but there is a 50 / 50 chance you will need to replace some components near the battery area, but fortunately I do have some new spares.

For more help repairing MPU4 boards, pop over to MPU Mecca, and check threads relating to Battery / MPU4 damage.

BTW, this machine is not bad for a clubber at all, and did have one myself 2 years back.

Edited by stanmarsh14, 03 June 2011 - 06:58 AM.

[dangerousdave]

Make sure the program card is plugged into the mpu4 unit too

[carry on driver]

Thanks so much for the swift replies guys!
the battery was slightly furry, but the acid seemed to only be on the battery itself, which I suppose is good news for the surrounding components! I've de-soldered it and treated the area with vinegar as per stanmarsh14's instructions, and put everything (including the program card) back together tightly. I then plugged it into the mains and..... same flickering lights and display, but now with no annoying helicopter sound or chattering coin solenoids. At least it's a slight improvement - I can now work on it through the night without waking the missus!!

So, I was wondering if a new battery would cure it? I've found them on ebay, but the 150mAh version of my 100mAh, 2.4v battery is half the price, so would it be a good idea to try a 150mAh one, and indeed, is a fresh battery required anyway, or will it run okay without?

[DJDONKEY]

In a word, no. The battery is only there to hold the memory.
Just below the battery, there are 8 transistors (BC338) and 8 capacitors(1000pF).
Replacing at least the first 4 nearest the battery will nearly always cure the "chattering" Components cheap to get off e-bay

The other issue could be the PSU. Check the voltages on each of the pins and check if the 2 large capacitors are blown (bulging on the top)
Lack of smoothing from these caps will cause the lights to flicker.

Try all that and see how it goes.

[stanmarsh14]

Same issue I had with an MPU4 board some months back.

With a poss battery fault, almost always, some of the capacitors will be damaged (Marked on the board with c and 1 / 2 numbers, next to where the battery sites, there are 8 of them), and is the one thing MPU4 wise I do still have spares of. The Zener Diodes which are in the same area as these caps, don't fail as often with battery damage, but if you have a multi-meter, it's worth running the diode check on them to be sure.

However, before replacing any components, check to see if you have any track damage on the board, as you may have to fly wire / bridge any track damage, and this will be hard to see, if you replace the battery / caps now.

Once you are sure there is no visible damage, drop me a PM, and I will send some of these caps in the post to you.

For a new battery, contact aaamusements, either via PM on this site, at the Mecca, or via his e-bay store, and ask for a 3 pin 2.4v Vatra Mempac battery: http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item3f09bc0c72

The 150mha battery will work just as good as a 110 version, just make sure that it's green, as the blue version, is the old ni-cad version, and is a bastard for leaking.

Guy is as honest as they come, and a fellow FME member too, so though you may pay a few pence more than from other sellers, you know who you are dealing with.

Edited by stanmarsh14, 03 June 2011 - 09:03 PM.

[carry on driver]

oookie I've tested all the diodes near the battery site and all seem okay, haven't had chance to bell out the PCB tracks near there yet though, so that could still be part of the problem. I've also dismantled the PSU to reveal... fat caps!! They look like they might burst, so the plan is to replace those if I can find a supplier (I've found the 1000uf/16v on ebay, but the 4700uf/63v and 15000uf/25v only seem to be availiable with 2 solder tags rather than the 4 pins they need for the PSU board). Once that's done I'll be ordering a new battery (mine was an evil blue ni-cad) from aaamusements, and crossing my fingers!
cheers

Ps - Thanks Stan, I'll PM you tomorrow if I get chance and get the PCB belled out

[stanmarsh14]

Yep, the 25v and 63v caps in mpu4 psu's are a bastard to find (Certainly with the 25v one it can be a problem), but I do know one place in Sheffield, that maybe able to help (They often have mpu4 psu spares)

http://home.btconnec...inection-sales/

They also do other stuff, and prices are very reasonable too.

Be warned, that the pdf stock list they have on the site, is close to 15MB, and may take a while to download, but worth having a look through it all for any bits you may want.

Also, you could try some audio amplifier based sites, as both those caps, are quite common, especially in older kit.

Edited by stanmarsh14, 08 June 2011 - 12:27 PM.

[dangerousdave]

we always used Maggi and Maggi for psu repairs, may be worth a call

http://www.maggimaggi.co.uk/

[carry on driver]

I got psu caps from ebay. They we're the right value and voltage but they were suprisingly small compared to the ones I removed. They were also only 2 pin versions rather than 4 pin, so I used booze.net's guide and the markings on the old caps to make sure the contacts were in the right place and soldered them in. Once everything was back together I tested it and... Nothing. On closer inspection the 63v fuse has blown so iv either done something wrong, the caps are the wrong ones, or the fuse had already gone and its just chance that iv spotted it now.

Ho hum, I'll check my work (I was very tired when I did it!) try a new fuse, then if that doesn't work I'll get the proper 4 pin caps from one of the suppliers reccomended above.
We'll fix it yet!

[stanmarsh14]

Yes, some of the original caps are 4 pin, but 2 pin will work just as well (It's what I have used in mine).

Also as they are more new parts, they may appear slightly smaller in size, but long as the 2 pins can reach the PCB, it will be fine.

Edited by stanmarsh14, 09 June 2011 - 03:42 PM.

[carry on driver]

Psu now works fine, the machine still won't start up properly, despite me repairing the broken tracks. Still got the same problem as when I started (buzzing and a few lights strobing, although the cash solenoids don't chatter anymore), so I guess its more undiagnosed battery damage. I'm gona have to start replacing things next I think...but where to start?!

[stanmarsh14]

Psu now works fine, the machine still won't start up properly, despite me repairing the broken tracks. Still got the same problem as when I started (buzzing and a few lights strobing, although the cash solenoids don't chatter anymore), so I guess its more undiagnosed battery damage. I'm gona have to start replacing things next I think...but where to start?!

My first bet, will be those caps I mentioned previously.

Give me a PM with yah postal details, and i'll get some sent trough the post.

Check the attachment as to where they are located (Pic is of a MOD4 version, but applied to all MPU4 boards).

Attached Files

•  BETTER001.jpg   136.35KB   30 downloads

Edited by stanmarsh14, 11 June 2011 - 11:39 AM.

[carry on driver]

Cheers for the caps - on closer inspection the old ones were fooked so cheers!
Unfortunately its still not behaving though, so does anyone have any suggestions for what to replace next?

[fuzion]

Cheers for the caps - on closer inspection the old ones were fooked so cheers!
Unfortunately its still not behaving though, so does anyone have any suggestions for what to replace next?

Could the game software roms be corrupted?

I have an MPU4 (mod4) in excellent condition, battery was replaced last July.. PM me if interested.

J

[Guitar]

Im pretty sure the multiplexer lines run near the battery on these, which would control the lamp strobe, I would recheck the lines of the mpu under the battery, if not those, then it might be a line under one of the nearby chips that need attention. Have attached the MPU4 schematics, hope it helps.

Ok its not the strobes that go under the battery its the 3 alpha display lines. Are you getting any data on the alpha display?

Attached Files

•  MPU4 Circuit.jpg   1.01MB   11 downloads

[Guitar]

Edit: Is the Red LED on the board still strobing on and off? It should be static on in normal use.

[carry on driver]

The led is on constantly and it seems to be just one light from each section of the light panel that strobes. Alphe display is blank, but the credit display shows "0".
I'm not sure if the roms are corrupted, the game card seems to have escaped the battery acid but I don't suppose I can find out without trying a different one can i? Iv been working away for 2wks and I come back tomorrow night so I'll have a tinker if I can find something to tinker with! Any suggestions welcomeg