Jump to content
Due to a large amount of spamers, accounts will now have to be approved by the Admins so please be patient. ×
  • 0
IGNORED

Fishtales dead after possibly plugging in sound board incorrectly


Claude

Question

As mentioned in another thread, I had an issue with no sound on my FT after having it sitting unused for ~4 years.

 

Anyway, as part of the diagnosis of the issue I decided to try and get a line level audio out following the instructions on the pinrepair guide which was going well. To cut a long story short, after re-installing the sound board to test line level out and switching the pin back on the machine is dead and my power circuit is tripping at the switch board.

 

I am not 100% certain, but I suspect I may have plugged the data cable that loops from J601 (Dot Matrix), J903 (fliptronic), J202 (CPU) & J506 (Sound Board) incorrectly on J506 so that I missed the left column of pins and plugged the left column of pins on the cable to the right column of pins on the board. So all odd pins on the cable connected to even pins on the board. Very embarrassed to actually admit this especially given I've used these types of cables and connectors on all sorts of devices for over 20 years and don't think I've ever done this before. I should have had better lighting when working on the machine and I was standing on the right of the machine and visibility of the connector behind the cable wasn't great.

 

Not too sure this caused the problem but can't think of anything else that may have.

 

The main fuse in the line filter box was blown (was only a 3A S.B. instead of 5A S.B. as stated on the box) as well as F902 (3A S.B) on the Fliptronic board. Have replaced both of these with 5A and 3A respectively.

 

Haven't tested much else but just wondering if anyone has heard of someone else being as stupid as me and if so, what is likely to be damaged?

 

Also, when I opened the line filter box I found a 2 inch length of loose grounding braid which was a worry as it could have easily shorted across the 240v terminals. Don't know how it got there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

Does it keep blowing the fuse when you switch it on now.. ??

If not with the ribbon cables unplugged from the sound board and flipper board does the machine boot.. ??

Generally if you connected the ribbons incorrectly it will just blow fuses but depending on how far out you had them there is a chance you have destroyed boards but would doubt it would cause a high volatge issue.. sounds like something else has given way that has nothing to do with your ribbon cable... :unsure

Generally if it is going to destroy boards smoke and all sorts of crap will fly out of either sound board or display board..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

It's not blowing fuses after being replaced, but power is just being tripped at the switch board. I'm guessing the varistor in the filter box is shot but not sure if this will cause tripping.

 

Did try powering on with the sound board totally unplugged but didn't disconnect the data cable from the fliptronic board.

 

Might not get a chance to try anything until the morning or maybe tomorrow night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Tripping the mains fuse/breaker is almost certainly going to be the varistor - well, 80% anyway. Also be VERY careful about the mains fuse value. From memory 5A is used for 110V supply and 3A for 220V - you had better check on that.

 

It is very likely that the two events are unrelated and that being in storage has brought this on.

 

As a test you can simply cut one leg of the varistor away as it is used to help contain power surges and is not really needed to run the machine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Thanks guys. Will check all this out later today. Will also check if the filter is OK.

 

I think you might be right about some unrelated events happening during testing, but don't think my sloppy plugging back in of data cable helped :redface

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

6+ years on and I was inspired to try and get this going again for a possible sale or trade-in on a TAG after catching up with Mike @Homepin and Tony @Pinball Warehouse on Sunday. Or might keep it :unsure

 

Then my little Mr 1 1/2 decided to get hand foot and mouth late monday so I was assigned daddy duty for a few days. And then this morning at 3am Mr 3 1/2 woke up struggling to breath showing signs of croup, so mum is now home too to look after him.

 

Was shocked that 6 years has flashed by but sometimes life events take over and the fun stuff gets parked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
6+ years on and I was inspired to try and get this going again for a possible sale or trade-in on a TAG after catching up with Mike @Homepin and Tony @Pinball Warehouse on Sunday. Or might keep it :unsure

 

Then my little Mr 1 1/2 decided to get hand foot and mouth late monday so I was assigned daddy duty for a few days. And then this morning at 3am Mr 3 1/2 woke up struggling to breath showing signs of croup, so mum is now home too to look after him.

 

Was shocked that 6 years has flashed by but sometimes life events take over and the fun stuff gets parked.

 

Although it may not always seem like it, the life events are usually more fun than the fun stuff is.

 

If this FT has sat for 6 years without being turned on already, I'm sure a few more days won't hurt! Good luck with sorting out the issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

OK, so it's only taken a little over 6 years but it's alive! Well sort of :) Ended up finally replacing the EMI Filter, Varistor (MOV) and Thermistor (NTC) with Homepin parts from Johns Arcade (before and after pics shown before I screwed the new filter down). New filter was a little smaller and I think the NTC legs were a little shorter so I drilled new holes to screw it down.

 

Back to having no sound and now the flippers aren't working too. But at least I have it powered up and I can start fixing it.

 

I noticed a connector on the bottom edge of the Power Driver Board looked a little cooked so I suspect that is where to start looking for the flipper problem. More details to follow once I get back to taking some pics and investigating further.

 

But in the mean time, any suggestions on what might be the problem with the sound board. I found a shopping list from 6 years ago which included a new LM1875T amp and 2 x 35v 4700uf Caps so I suspect I found some info somewhere back then on how to fix or at least start fixing the issue.

 

953846431_IMG_5951(Medium)(2).thumb.JPG.89545d014b16abd158afb6445fc717ce.JPG1733730328_IMG_5949(Medium).thumb.JPG.202c51294dd2ff36a78e57f92bd7ab4e.JPG1623353569_IMG_5950(Medium).thumb.JPG.ff9907f0a5755ae7596232cf60ddbede.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

The burnt plug will be the GI plug/ plugs bottom left hand side of the driver board?.

 

Work on that after. Lets get it working first. Do you have a display working?.

 

On the CPU board, do you have the two lower LEDs on the board working?.

 

Top and bottom LEDs should light briefly followed by the top going off and the middle flashing fast with the lower on solid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
The burnt plug will be the GI plug/ plugs bottom left hand side of the driver board?.

 

Work on that after. Lets get it working first. Do you have a display working?.

 

On the CPU board, do you have the two lower LEDs on the board working?.

 

Top and bottom LEDs should light briefly followed by the top going off and the middle flashing fast with the lower on solid.

 

Everything appears to be working on the machine, inc display, except for the sound and flippers as mentioned in previous post after replacing the EMI Filter, MOV & NTC

 

The last pin of J121 and first pin of J120 are the ones looking slightly cooked

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Everything appears to be working on the machine, inc display, except for the sound and flippers as mentioned in previous post after replacing the EMI Filter, MOV & NTC

 

The last pin of J121 and first pin of J120 are the ones looking slightly cooked

 

Yep, they are GI related. They won't stop the machine working.

 

Put 3 balls in the machine, hit the start button and tell me what happens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Shooter works and so does everything else except flippers and sound don't work. So pretty boring :D

 

Can play a whole game. Even managed to get a Match and knocker worked.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

By the way, LED's on CPU seem to be behaving as you said.

 

And sounds wise, I appear to be getting very faint sound in beat with the lights or basically what it should be but hard to make out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Shooter works and so does everything else except flippers and sound don't work. So pretty boring :D

 

Can play a whole game. Even managed to get a Match and knocker worked.

 

OK, sweet. know I know where you are up to.

 

Put the machine into "switch test" and hit the left flipper button and make sure it is seeing the switch.

 

It should show up as F4 on the display when you push the left flipper button.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

OK, so rather than rushing through the startup I decided to read the Test Report which says to check flipper switches F1 to F4.

 

Did I forget to plug something back in after removing the power box near the right flipper??

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

OK, sweet. know I know where you are up to.

 

Put the machine into "switch test" and hit the left flipper button and make sure it is seeing the switch.

 

It should show up as F4 on the display when you push the left flipper button.

 

They don’t show up

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
OK, so rather than rushing through the startup I decided to read the Test Report which says to check flipper switches F1 to F4.

 

Did I forget to plug something back in after removing the power box near the right flipper??

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

 

 

They don’t show up

 

Check and see plugs J905 J906 J907 are plugged in.

 

They are on the Fliptronics board...Top left of the head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Check and see plugs J905 J906 J907 are plugged in.

 

They are on the Fliptronics board...Top left of the head.

 

They seem to be plugged in OK. Board wasn't fully screwed in so not sure if I had to replace the fuses after the power issue 6 years ago.

 

Will have a closer look but need to sort out dinner so will either get back to it tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks for all your help so far :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Cool. Just a tip. If you go to "single switch test" and using the + - buttons to navigate to the effected switch, in this case, either of the cabinet switches then you hit the "credit button" it will scroll through on the display all the connectors fuses etc used in this circuit.

 

It makes for easy " checking the obvious" but that is usually what everyone misses.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Your a real value to AA Steve, now doubt. Great response to this after six years.

 

Thanks @Gemini2544. A little bit of help can go a long way saving others a lot of pain.

 

If my help keeps another pin going, it is one I don't need to fix.

 

I'm real pissed. I had a Fish Tales here until this morning I could have checked everything on. Now it is a World Cup 94 which while similar, isn't a Fish tales.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Cool. Just a tip. If you go to "single switch test" and using the + - buttons to navigate to the effected switch, in this case, either of the cabinet switches then you hit the "credit button" it will scroll through on the display all the connectors fuses etc used in this circuit.

 

It makes for easy " checking the obvious" but that is usually what everyone misses.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

 

 

Thanks @Gemini2544. A little bit of help can go a long way saving others a lot of pain.

 

If my help keeps another pin going, it is one I don't need to fix.

 

I'm real pissed. I had a Fish Tales here until this morning I could have checked everything on. Now it is a World Cup 94 which while similar, isn't a Fish tales.

 

Yep, very much appreciated. Will try not to let it drag on this time around.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Great tip by the way :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Yep, very much appreciated. Will try not to let it drag on this time around.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Great tip by the way :D

 

You may want to check the cabinet flipper switches are plugged in as well.

 

I would do the switch test to try and find an answer by scrolling through because the machine has detected the problem and will try to help as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Looking forward to it, but also having a bit of fun trying to fix it. From the day I got it, it just worked so I didn't get to try and fault find it. Helps a heap when you are being directed by someone who knows these machines pretty well.

 

So I just went back and checked the connections and they all seemed OK. So I decided to disconnect the Fliptronics board all together and on powering up I get the same errors and everything else seems to be working the same. So I'm guessing the board isn't doing too much at the moment but might be jumping the gun a bit.

 

I'll do a bit of reading up on it and get back to it tomorrow.

 

Thanks heaps for your help @Autosteve. You're a champ!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

You may want to look at this PDF...

 

http://mirror2.ipdb.org/files/861/Williams_1992_Fish_Tales_English_Manual.pdf

 

Scroll down to page 3-15 and it has the entire flipper wiring. Check to make sure all your plugs are in the right locations on the fliptronics board using the wire colours written on the diagram as a reference.

 

If everything is in the right place and the flippers still aren't working we need to check what is common to both flippers causing both not to work.

 

You may also want to check the ribbon cable from the CPU board, (bottom left corner), is plugged into the fliptronics board correctly. If this ribbon isn't connected or not connected correctly, you will have no flippers and the machine will see this problem as yours is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...