New Life Games Tech Forums

 Hi

 File this under "I shoulda left well enough alone"

 When I put my IDOJ topper back together I didn't put all the nuts on when I attached the faceplate. It was working perfectly. This morning I decided to complete things by putting all five nuts on. I snugged them down and dropped it in place on the machine and the Spectrum lite up, the main light lit up and the chaser lights didn't

I pulled it apart and checked the connector to make certain it was seated. It was. Then I noticed the bracket at the bottom lip of the topper. One of the screws goes through there. The other 2 metal clips on the machine are covered with black electrical tape, this one isn't.

I think that I tightened the nut for this clip and shorted the chaser lights out against the clip. :(

I covered it with tape (after the horse was out of the barn), checked the seating of the plugs turned on IDOJ and no chaser lights.

I fear the I killed it, but am hoping that someone on NLG might have a solution that I over looked. If I killed it is it even possible to buy a replacement?

I need to go cry now.

 - Dorothy

Please post a high res close up pic of the area that you think may have damaged and maybe we can recesutate it! (sp?)
CH :95-

The oval LED rings have a 1A surface mount fuse on them, yours probably does too.  Got a multimeter?  If so, flip it over and look closely at the components.  One will probably be labeled F1 and have a rating by it as well, 1A or 2A most likely.  Use your multimeter and measure across it, you should read a short (0 ohms).  If not, that's your problem.

As a quick test you can jumper the fuse with a small wire as test as well.

You may also damaged the voltage regulator and a couple of the LED's

The voltage regulater is Surface mount device between the 2 capacitors labeled C1 and C2 it only has 5 connectors.
If you can solder you can replace it with a 7805
You cant place the 7805 on the board it is larger device but works just fine.
It is best to solder 3-4" wire to each lead of the 7805 then solder the wires to the proper solder pads for C1 and C2 they are filter caps
No need to remove original one.
The LED's you wont know until it working.

 Capt, Tilt and Foster - et

I bought a multi meter a while ago and had never used one before this. But since it seemed to be Bunker's favorite thing I got one 'just in case'.

iDesign had me check the voltage at the plug and I got 13.1v, so there is power to the plug. Then he had me do a continuity check across F1 and the multi meter did nothing. It would give me a value if I touched the probes together so I assume that I am using the correct setting.

So it seems that I murdered the fuse. It looks to be soldered in place. I think I might had soldered twice in my life, so I am highly intimidated by the next step.

I guess the next step is to find a piece of wire and go around the fuse while the chaser unit is plugged into the topper?

[LATER] -- I took Foster's suggestion and jumped around the fuse and lights started a blinkin'. R.I.P. fuse.
 
There were 2 LEDs that were out when it was working before.

 - Dorothy

I love that people here cannot reFUSE to help out, now we need someone to help you to reFUSE your chaser/LED board! :5- :200- :200- Maybe there is a soldering member close to you that can do it for you? :103- :99-

CH :95-

Dorothy,

Once you replace the fuse make you a template out of cardboard and place around the inside of the topper to prevent the solder joints on the back side of the chaser lights from touching the metal brackets. I have had this same problem once before. Most of the toppers come with a plastic template on the backside but are often broken, lost, or just not put back in. The fuse can easily be soldered out and replaced with a 1 amp solder in fuse which is available from mouser.com Here is a mouser link.  http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/0460001ER/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuMS2dUaCDnDNF%252bcvxGP2iY
Mouser part number is 576-0460001.er. Take a look and see if this is the same type you have. This is what was in my topper and what I used to replace it with. Hope this helps.

I would be glad to solder it for you. You just have to ship it to me and pay return shipping. No charge for the work.  :88-

WOW !!

 Thanks everybody. I used to be amazed by the breadth of knowledge and the willingness to share that knowledge. Now I am just thankful for it.

 The problem was diagnosed in just a couple hours and offers of help in installing the pieces came along with the diagnosis.

 I hope you guys know how much you are all appreciated by me and I'm sure other newer owners of these complex machines.

 Thanks again - Dorothy

 Hi Everyone

 Kudos, Thanks, Merci, Gracias, Arigato ... and on and on - Coorslight !!!

 I got the chaser lights on Wednesday but due to the Thanksgiving Tizzy I couldn't find the time to install them until today.

 They look great and I put double electrical tape over the exposed metal parts. :)

 Thanks again - Dorothy

Glad I could help out a fellow member!

 :3- :3- :3-

Excellent work, coorslight -- K+ to you.