LAI cabinet refurbishment

[gsuttor]

Hey all you experienced peeps, especially those that have this cabinet (I've seen some on here) as this is my first cabinet refurbishment attempt I would like to ask some questions before I start at it with a crowbar to get it open.

I went to take the back panel off like you usually would to gain full access inside. But... no access screws!
I removed what appear to be some wooden 'slider rails', for transporting in the back of a ute/truck on it's back I assume, hoping to find hidden screws, but they are just rails fixed to the back panel.
It seems to be attached from the inside with no indication of external access.



I also unscrewed to top panel hoping to lift it off but again it would not budge with considerable lifting force (by hand)


So the next thing was could I get in from the front to see if there are any internal latches.
There is a lock for the front panel access door but no key! You can see someone has attempted to gain access in the past at the front. Maybe I have to pick it through that cut or something?

The control panel was not latched so at least I could look down inside. It seems to have a PCB already installed and all the necessary cabling and power but I don't want to fire it up until I can gain access to clean and check everything.



I'm going to have another go tomorrow morning at being nice with it, then I'm gonna get hard and heavy with that front lock.

EDIT: Been informed the back doesn't come off it's all form the front. Considering the space in there that sounds.... tight!

[Womble]

Those locks are very easy to pick, you just need a bent pin and a needle and about 10 minutes. You can drill them out but that makes a mess of hot metal shards.

I suspect the main access for this cab is through the front, the roof looks like the other way in if you need to get to the monitor, not sure why it is stuck though.

[wiredoug]

also dont see the back of that opening.. reach in from control panel the back of the lock if you cant open the front door

[Autosteve]

Hand down inside through the control panel hole and undo nut that holds the lock tab in place on the lock. Remove the nut, lock washer and lastly the tab and the front door will open.
Back doesn't open. That is why the monitor adjustment pots are on a board with a cable connected.

[gsuttor]

Bingo, I'm in. It wasn't even locked, just there was no way to grip it easily from the outside, I just tapped it open from the inside. These things are build like tanks!
I can't believe this has no rear access though, it's so crowded up front. The only way I'm gonna clean the dust is an air compressor blowing it everywhere, if there was rear access I could at least direct it. Anyway...

So my initial mission with this cabinet is to clean, safety check, power on to confirm functionality of components and if all looks good, plug in my working Rygar PCB and close it up until I want to do more. I.e. Replace joysticks and buttons.

So my next question is mainly around power safety issues. This thing has been sitting in a container for possibly 25+ years (considering the board is Pit Fighter ~1990).
So I have no idea of the condition of the PSU, transformer and whatever this long metal casing is? (seems to have multiple power outputs so maybe a power board?).
I'm not even going to consider plugging it into the wall and powering up until I'm certain it's safe.
Can you see any potential issue here?

What steps should I take prior to powering up, and what steps after to test.
Here is my current thoughts.

1. Disconnect PCB JAMMA harness to ensure the board, even if I don't care for it, is not damaged.
2. Lightly tug on all wire connections to ensure they are firmly attached.
3. Test for earthing continuity? I.e. neutral connection points to long metal powerboard cover where all those earths are connected?
4. Visually inspect and test fuse for continuity.
5. Unplug mains (bottom of picture) and test continuity on active/neutral/earth to plug contact)

Am I being to paranoid? If at any point I don't get a good test result I'll probably have a sparky look at it.
All going well...

5. Power on at wall socket and check for smell/smoke (burny bits! 😰)
6. Visually inspect for power to CRT, PSU (don't even know if it has a power light)
7. If no power maybe replace fuse and repeat otherwise get a sparky in.
8. If power turn off and plug in PCB.
9. Check out control panel functionality etc.
10. Turn off and throw in the Rygar PCB.
11. Close up and play my friend play! 😁

Am I missing any crucial steps? Obviously at any point if I get a bad test result I'll probably get a sparky in. $$$ 😢

A few more pics of the CRT/Chassis, I think up top it seems to be in pretty good condition.

[gsuttor]

Using a multimeter I get continuity form the AC connectors in the PSU to the prongs on the power plug.
I then plugged it in and tested the +5v, -5v, +12v and got readings but they were all under by almost a volt so I turned it up slightly then got nothing.
Turning off power and back on got my readings back again but as soon as I turn the power up (little red knob) it failed again. I did this a few times to verify.
Can I assume the PSU is faulty?

The power to the CRT chassis comes straight out of the transformer I believe (pink wires), but also there is no power to the CRT so how do I test this better?
There is also purples wires coming directly off mains up to the fluorescent tube in the marquee. The tube is blown.
So I'm thinking if I replace the fluorescent tube in the marquee and it comes on then the mains power is fine, and it's the PSU or transformer that is cactus.

Do these assumptions sound correct?



Also am I to assume these ceramic (?) insulators are to somehow regulate heat?


Off to Bunnings to get a new tube for the marquee.

[gsuttor]

Ok got a new $7.70 fluro and watched a couple of videos. I get now that those white thing down below next to the transformer is the Electrical Ballast for the fluro and the starter next to it, so I'm assuming it's hooked up correctly and I just need to replace the fluro.

Since the wiring was already installed, I'm assuming it was done correctly.
Brown (active) and Purple (neutral from starter?) on the left, and two Purple on the right.



Upon replacing and powering up my fluro is super dim at both ends.

Is there a very specific way to hook these up? I tried the active at the top and bottom on the right hand side with the same result.
Haven't tried switching the purples on the other side yet though.

My gut feeling is that it's just not getting the juice it needs, so does this point to the power board down below do you think?
I think the fluro is not hooked up to the PSU or transformer, it comes straight out of the metal power box.

[toads]

Ok got a new $7.70 fluro and watched a couple of videos. I get now that those white thing down below next to the transformer is the Electrical Ballast for the fluro and the starter next to it, so I'm assuming it's hooked up correctly and I just need to replace the fluro.

Since the wiring was already installed, I'm assuming it was done correctly.
Brown (active) and Purple (neutral from starter?) on the left, and two Purple on the right.



Upon replacing and powering up my fluro is super dim at both ends.

Is there a very specific way to hook these up? I tried the active at the top and bottom on the right hand side with the same result.
Haven't tried switching the purples on the other side yet though.

My gut feeling is that it's just not getting the juice it needs, so does this point to the power board down below do you think?
I think the fluro is not hooked up to the PSU or transformer, it comes straight out of the metal power box.

Replace the starter.

[Autosteve]

Yep, starter I would say too. Put a load on the 5vDC, an old car tail light bulb and socket is idea as you can put it either way around. It matters naught the bulb is 12volt and the power supply output your loading is 5vDC. All you want is a decent load and that will fully power up the power supply and allow you to adjust it. Don't go over board getting dead on 5vDC as this is just testing the power supply, you'll "tune" the 5vDC properly when the game board is in place.

[Kool65]

Yeah always replace the starter and tube at the same time.

[gsuttor]

I’ll put the board that came with the cab back in and test the +5v and +12v again as have no spare car light and don’t care much for the PCB. The fact multiple components feel like they aren’t getting power troubles me.

Any thoughts on the pink wires out of the transformer going the the CRT chassis?

I hear the high pitch of the power going on in the cab (or is it the CRT?) but the CRT display doesn’t seem to power up, like not even a blank glow.

[gsuttor]

Yay for the small wins.


Now for the CRT, obviously I get 240V and my internal power box it working, so gonna plug the board back in to test the PSU.

But that bloody CRT.... I have no idea.

[gsuttor]

Put the PCB back and tested voltages.

+12v reading as +12.05
+5v reading as +5.02
-5v reading as approx. -4.8 (Not sure why it's low, probably because not being used by the PCB right?)

These are good right?

There are lights on the PCB but no sound on speakers (tested continuity) or image/glow at all on the CRT.

So the last part is the damn CRT.
I definitely hear some kind of low level hum, but I think that's the speakers. No glow on the neck like they show on YouTube videos so.....

Any suggestions?

I was thinking maybe my next step is get one of these and attach to an LCD to see if the game board is working?
But that's $40 and a trip to Springwood on Monday just to see if the board is working and then what do I do with it? Unless I put in an LCD.

But I want the CRT working!

[gsuttor]

This Joey (JOMAC) guy I'm reading about all over the forum that fixes CRT's, he is in Perth.
How much is it to send a CRT to Perth and back? Are there any local repairers in Brisbane that will work on them (house calls?).

I'm at the point if this thing cannot be fixed I just want someone to take it off my hands so I can go in another direction.

[namastepat]

You don't send the entire monitor, just the chassis that powers the tube. If the tube is fine (90% of the time they are) the chassis is the only thing that needs repairing. If the neck of the tube is intact and there is no obvious damage that would mean the tube is stuffed, I would pull the chassis and send it to Joey.

The tube not getting neck glow could be because the chassis has blown the main fuse. There will be no power going to the tube if that is the case.