Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Arcade & Retro Repairs & Mods, all new recipe, with no added MSG...

12467106

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Thought you would would have a FLUKE multi meter being the master :cool:

    You'd be surprised at some things, my workbench being a breakfast tray and all that :D

    The trusty generic multimeter has never let me down, and in most cases I'm not working with very finite measurements so el cheapo will suffice :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    In much the same vein as the PAL carts, it's quite simple to replace the battery in the NTSC ones also.

    The cart, with a gamebit poised for action

    1441o3.jpg

    The original battery in place

    21mw61j.jpg

    Original battery holder desoldered

    w2k083.jpg

    Seeing as the new holder isn't a direct replacement, I needed to extend the battery points on the cart.

    5xis68.jpg

    vfb4li.jpg

    Extension wiring cut to lenght, & new holder installed

    29e6eew.jpg

    16lbm68.jpg

    Perfect fit

    egeqrn.jpg

    That's all folks!


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Beautiful!

    Although I'm wincing at the sight of seeing my Chrono Trigger cart in pieces...but still, beautiful! :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Much the same as the previous SNES cart battery logs, only the MD carts have much less room for positioning the new holder.

    As always, a cart with a gamebit poised for action. The MD carts use the larger gamebit, so it's well worth investing in a pair.

    1zl3a6a.jpg

    Under the hood, the original battery.

    5e8v9x.jpg

    Old battery & holder desoldered & removed.

    2mfditw.jpg

    As with the previous carts, these new holders aren't direct replacements. Therefore the terminals on the cart need to be extended for positioning the new holder.

    98rpz9.jpg

    Extension wiring cut to lenght, & new holder in place

    6egozt.jpg

    The battery just clips into place from now on

    2w71xg2.jpg

    Very very little room to spare, maybe other positions would yield more room but for all intents & purposes, this fits, bearly.

    292bp0o.jpg

    Check for 3.3v at the cart before reassembly, & all done.

    zufleo.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Feckin hell man, you're a machine! Those photos must be taking you longer than the battery replacements themselves.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Feckin hell man, you're a machine! Those photos must be taking you longer than the battery replacements themselves.

    I'm at them on & off since 12 today :D Mostly off :o

    That's it though, all carts done & accounted for. Except Sonic 3 due to that fram method, but your happy enough that's working away so all good. Onto the consoles next :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Quick & easy repair. The ac input jack was loose, and obviously the solder had cracked where it's soldered to the mainboard. Strip the console, flip the mobo over & desolder the old solder. Apply new solder, test, enjoy :)

    nfg1dw.jpg

    a27y4o.jpg

    65ygs3.jpg

    av0oqo.jpg


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    Stupid question on the cart batterys, can you not just slide out the old and slide back in the new to the clip thing?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    keithgeo wrote: »
    Stupid question on the cart batterys, can you not just slide out the old and slide back in the new to the clip thing?

    You can prise the old battery out, but you'll never get a secure connection then to a new battery. It's like the connectors are dot punched onto the battery, & once you break te connection, you'll have to use tape etc to secure a new one. Try it if you have an old one, you'll see what I mean.

    With the new holders, it's just a matter of sliding out the old battery & replacing it.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    I bought another gamegear to wreck! the screen works on this one no sound though.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Are you gonna do the full cap kit then, or just the sound board? I had a problem with a sound board that the fluid had eaten away traces, and even after the cap was replaced, because a trace was gone there was still no sound. I had to bypass the trace altogether to restore sound.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    Sounds complicated! I seen you can buy entire sound boards on ebay? The sound does work, through ear phones only though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    keithgeo wrote: »
    Sounds complicated! I seen you can buy entire sound boards on ebay? The sound does work, through ear phones only though.

    Ah the traces should be fine if the headphone is still working, so try the repair, & if all else fails just buy the new board.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Far from complicated to bypass the trace, I just got the schematics for the chip and figured out what needed to go where. After checking the sound amp with a multimeter, I seen it wasn't getting a voltage. Checked the trace, no continuity. So bypassed it with a small piece of wire & brought voltage to the chip this way. Sound was then perfect

    5caplz.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    keithgeo wrote: »
    The sound does work, through ear phones only though.

    That's widly regarded as step 1 in the Gamegear's inevitable road to death. First only sound through the ear phones, then the sound in the ear phones starts to go...and while that's happening the screen gets harder and harder to see.

    I got one on ebay that was in the condition yours is and within a week all of the above had happened!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Ok chaps, this will be brief as I already detailed the 1200 cap replacement earlier in the thread. I just wanted to show this one as it had a slight difference to the last one, in that one cap had signs of leakage & sure enough when removed the solder pad came with it.

    You can see it here, it should be a nice silver colour, but the electrolytic fluid has seeped out & eaten into the solder.

    2a4vjti.jpg

    When the cap was removed, it ook the solder pad with it :( This means there's nothing to solder the new cap to & there will be a broken circuit (the Amiga more than likely wouldn't work properly, if at all).

    2dmgpyx.jpg

    Luckily, I was able to source some schematics, which showed me where the now gone pad was also connected to. This meant I could bypass the missing pad, & bring current to the cap by means of another method. Lucky escape that one!

    2n662s.jpg

    Moment of truth, thank god :cool:

    6716c8.jpg

    A game running from the internal CF drive

    rm20x1.jpg

    Now, when Andrew got this Amiga, the previous owner had modified an ATX power connector into it in order to power an external drive. The trouble was he didn't seem to care about routing it properly, & it was left dangling out of the case with no proper exit (which meant the case cas screwed tight, over the cable). Tbh it looked like @rse, & I couldn't hand it back like that.

    So I found a better path for the cable inside the Amiga, & a proper exit for it. This means it can hide away when not in use, & simply popped out when needed. This way however took up most of the lenght of the cable, meaning you'll need to pop on a little ATX adapter when you want to use it. I've loads spare anyway I can give to you, it's just like a little extension piece.

    292205f.jpg

    And hidden away (poor lighting)

    2j1sl6s.jpg

    So there you go, another Amiga given a new lease of life. A real labour of love working on these things, giving them back is tough! Now, a one two Uniflu for me as I'm stricken down with nasty flu bug dudes :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Just goes to show, a preemptive cap change really can be a good idea even if you don't have any symptoms.

    Looks like you just about caught that one! Is it much hassle to clean up that electrolytic fluid?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    o1s1n wrote: »
    Just goes to show, a preemptive cap change really can be a good idea even if you don't have any symptoms.

    Looks like you just about caught that one! Is it much hassle to clean up that electrolytic fluid?

    Not really, as it was all stuck to the pad (luckily, in a weird way). It simply meant I was left with a void on the motherboard, & only 1 solder point instead of two. Was a real "oh god no, no!" moment. Finding the common point was a godsend!


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 10,036 Mod ✭✭✭✭Andrew76


    :eek: :eek: reading that!
    Massive thanks EnterNow. Maybe a question for tomorrow but can this cap change be done for the 500 & 600 models too? Might have to send them for servicing too. ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Andrew76 wrote: »
    :eek: :eek: reading that!
    Massive thanks EnterNow. Maybe a question for tomorrow but can this cap change be done for the 500 & 600 models too? Might have to send them for servicing too. ;)

    Yep I've already asked CosMos about the 600 kits, I presume he does the 500's too. Yeah if you wanna drop them out while collecting your other stuff that's no probs :)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 362 ✭✭ Aiden Cuddly Tariff


    Erm i had said before look for discolourment/residue on cap legs..


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Erm i had said before look for discolourment/residue on cap legs..

    And in the case it's present, how do you get the cap up without lifting the pad?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 362 ✭✭ Aiden Cuddly Tariff


    You can twist them off with pliers,clean and effective

    *now hit that thanks button.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    You can twist them off with pliers,clean and effective

    *now hit that thanks button.

    But you still have to remove the corroded solder surely, or else when soldering in the new cap the corroded solder will still be in place & will continue to eat away?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 362 ✭✭ Aiden Cuddly Tariff


    Yes of course do the clean down and removal and renewal.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Yes of course do the clean down and removal and renewal.

    But the way this solder was, it was very weak & looked like it was waiting to fall off. Like one I seen on a GG, where the whole cap practically fell off, taking the pad with it. It's like the cap gets bonded to the pad, & the pad then becomes the weak point.

    So if I managed to twist off the capm & the pad did indeed remain but was weak...is there a way to clean it up & remove the solder without stressing the pad any more?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 362 ✭✭ Aiden Cuddly Tariff


    EnterNow wrote: »
    So if I managed to twist off the capm & the pad did indeed remain but was weak...is there a way to clean it up & remove the solder without stressing the pad any more?

    Just renew it that's all i say,as someone made a good point elseware,they are less delicate than repairing something like wafer thin like mobile phone.

    Heres how one guy did caps- http://amiga.serveftp.net/Replace_capacitor.html


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Just renew it that's all i say,as someone made a good point elseware,they are less delicate than repairing something like wafer thin like mobile phone.

    Heres how one guy did caps- http://amiga.serveftp.net/Replace_capacitor.html

    So by renew, is that just apply some new solder straight into the older stuff? I guess it would definately strenghten things, is the corrosion then not a concern once I do that?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 362 ✭✭ Aiden Cuddly Tariff


    EnterNow wrote: »
    So by renew, is that just apply some new solder straight into the older stuff? I guess it would definately strenghten things, is the corrosion then not a concern once I do that?

    Everyone has their own methods,would be best of course to remove the old soaked solder,stick to what you believe in to the best of your knowledge,surely you would threat it like another game gear job :).


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Everyone has their own methods,would be best of course to remove the old soaked solder,stick to what you believe in to the best of your knowledge,surely you would threat it like another game gear job :).

    Well in both cases, the pads lifted. But by what your saying, if I twist off those corroded caps then it leaves the pad in place & I could then just add fresh solder on? I'll certainly try it next time, thanks for your help.


Advertisement