WPC 5V reset workaround.

no there are now three options

I use the kahr ones and am happy with them.

 

I also get the boards done always, so more insurance for mods on the game loading it up.

Edited February 17, 2020 by KJS

Ok cool, I have only used Kahr so far and all has been great. Recommended.

My wcs has started resetting after years of running fine , haven’t had a look in the back box for answers , have seen your boards on pinside for a while but the aus dollar always tells me not to pull the trigger ,

 

I've searched long and hard for ways to help in this realm. And now I'm happy to report I've found a couple of ways to lessen the burden - check it out at my Australia-specific ordering page: https://www.kahr.us/AU.html

 

- First, you'll see pricing available in Australian dollars - cutting Paypal out of the transaction makes the processing measurably less expensive. Simply put, Paypal charges more for international transactions plus they use "spread rates" when converting currencies - We can cut them out by using my Australian dollar account for payment.

- Second, I've found a way to ship one board to Australia economically. The AU$ pricing on my Australia page INCLUDE this shipping cost.

- Third, the Daughterboard is now available as a self-assembly kit on the page. If you can solder a couple of headers to the board you can now employ those skills to for some additional savings. The core Daughterboard PCB in the kit already has all the surface-mount components installed and functionality has been tested. You only need to do the final header assembly and keying.

 

I appreciate all the positive responses in this and other threads concerning the two lower quality knock-off boards that others are having assembled in China.

 

-Rob

-visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my Pinball 2000 H+V Video Sync Combiner kit

I prefer the Homepin board. It displays the actual voltage on the digital display and is in no way low quality and a great price. No need to put Mike's product down just because he came up with a more elegant solution.

one of the easiest ways to judge someones sales skills is look how quickly they denigrate their competition. Most techs fail at it.

 

i really prefer just fixing things properly also.

 

Nice to see someone from the US make it easier and cheaper for us Aussies to get their product, thanks Rob.

one of the easiest ways to judge someones sales skills is look how quickly they denigrate their competition. Most techs fail at it.

 

i really prefer just fixing things properly also.

 

Is it really that hard to replace a couple of capacitors?

Also none of it will work if the incoming and outgoing connectors are not re-pinned, in itself a much bigger job than replacing two (maybe four) capacitors.

 

Is it really that hard to replace a couple of capacitors?

Also none of it will work if the incoming and outgoing connectors are not re-pinned, in itself a much bigger job than replacing two (maybe four) capacitors.

 

It is not advisable for most pinball owners who aren't skilled with a soldering iron to replace capacitors on a board. If they try they'll likely damage the through hole and potentially worsen the problem. These little boards are inexpensive and are useful to have on hand for that time your game starts resetting just when you've invited people over. I did that five years ago on my Flintstones and have been too lazy to get it repaired.

In my opinion they certainly have their place - probably proven by the fact that the person who called them a 'bodge' and a 'patch' is now producing copies of them!

Interesting how so many people seem to think it's always capacitors that cause resets and the shotgun approach at replacing them. Also I remember Homepin bagging the product and users of them, has now reverse engineered it and now manufacturing it trying to grab a slice of the market

I was thinking the same thing. In my expirience its very rarely capasitors or bridges. A lot of the time its connectors, headers or tired regulators and surrounding componants.

I still think the above products are good in a jam.

 

So very true. Problem is the original way the 5VDc was achieved was poor to start with. May have been cheap in the US at the time to make the circuit but certainly not the most efficient way to create a stable 5vDC supply.

The regulator, the LM323k Texas Instruments OEM one, not the Chinese copy some may find if they look hard enough but be quite surprised at the asking price of this rare and limited part. Here it is here...

http://https://au.element14.com/texas-instruments/lm323k-steel-nopb/ic-v-reg-5-0v-to-3-2-323/dp/1197405

If you find one much cheaper, it is a cheap copy and probably not made to the same specs as the OEM device.

Even with this part, it is still a linear regulator and the downside of these regulator is heat. These days you would simply install a switch mode power supply to get the 5vDC. It will do exactly the same job with no heat generated.

 

So very true. Problem is the original way the 5VDc was achieved was poor to start with. May have been cheap in the US at the time to make the circuit but certainly not the most efficient way to create a stable 5vDC supply.

The regulator, the LM323k Texas Instruments OEM one, not the Chinese copy some may find if they look hard enough but be quite surprised at the asking price of this rare and limited part. Here it is here...

http://https://au.element14.com/texas-instruments/lm323k-steel-nopb/ic-v-reg-5-0v-to-3-2-323/dp/1197405

If you find one much cheaper, it is a cheap copy and probably not made to the same specs as the OEM device.

Even with this part, it is still a linear regulator and the downside of these regulator is heat. These days you would simply install a switch mode power supply to get the 5vDC. It will do exactly the same job with no heat generated.

 

Fixed your link:

https://au.element14.com/texas-instruments/lm323k-steel-nopb/ic-v-reg-5-0v-to-3-2-323/dp/1197405