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Primal Rage PCB Restoration

SmokeMonster

SmokeMonster

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I was lucky to find a Primal Rage PCB with the updated v2.3 roms at a stellar price and want to give it the attention that it deserves before entering in into my line-up. I'll keep this thread logged with my progress on it.

Plans:
Replace the caps with long-life 105C rated caps.
Convert the edge filter into an adapter for a Jamma-standard 4-button layout. I'll also add +5V and +12V green LEDs to the filter.
Add stereo RCAs for my supergun from the line-level stereo pins on the sound board.

The board arrived today and although it tests fine, it's caked in grime so first up is a cleaning.

Here are the seller's photos for before shots:
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Here are the boards drying after I cleaned them today.
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I cleaned the boards with hot water and then sprayed on Simple Green. After brushing them well and rinsing, I dried them with compressed air. Now they'll dry in front of a fan for 48 hours, sitting on anti-static wrap. To protect stickers I taped plastic wrap over them during the wet cleaning.
 

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Today I got the sound board working by wiring connections between it and the main board. I just used JST connectors that I had on hand. Primal Rage originally came with a big harness to accomplish this. Without this connection the sound board won't power on.

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I soldered a 4-pin JST-HX connector directly under the sound board's stereo audio output pins and made an RCA cable for it. I also soldered a lead to the sub-woofer line-out pins in case it's ever needed. I replaced a few caps on the sound board and upgraded the thermal compound on its heat sink with Arctic Silver.

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There was only one axial 100uF cap on the main board, so I swapped it. I'll replace the remaining caps when the parts arrive.

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Next thing is to rewire the edge filter PCB into a standard Jamma+ adapter.
 
I have to build the cable for the sound board so I can run it through the JAMMA edge, is this cabling installed in the dedicated cab/stays with the cab or does it just go missing? Seems these PCBs never have it.

Mine is the earlier revision as well, might install the later revision ROMs and upgrade it.
 
I'm not sure why the cabling goes missing, but I noticed that on a lot of boards for sale too. The cable's only purpose is to connect the two PCBs, and I wonder why they even designed it this way, instead of using another pin connector or a smaller cable?
 
stop running it with 5.6v - turn down the psu voltages!
5.1v at most.
 
That is 5.6v measured from the source, not the Jamma edge. I make sure the HAS measures a solid 5.0V at the edge for everything.
 
then you should run an extra wire down the loom so your meter is fed from the edge connector.

but you shouldnt see a voltdrop on a pc psu driving about 7a anyway - check your wires and connectors are decent.
 
stj said:
then you should run an extra wire down the loom so your meter is fed from the edge connector.

but you shouldnt see a voltdrop on a pc psu driving about 7a anyway - check your wires and connectors are decent.
Click to expand...
It's not a PC PSU, it's a Happ Power Pro Ultimate. Yeah, it's 15A and doesn't blink at boards, but I had my test harness attached for those pictures, which has thin cables and is about 15 feet long. My normal power cable is 12 gauge copper with XLR disconnects.

I have an accurate v-meter on the HAS, so I don't even use those LEDs on the PSU. I only realized how pointless they were after installing them and then comparing to jamma edge readings. Running a wire back down the loom wouldn't give you an accurate reading anyways, since you'd lose voltage on the way back.
 
you wouldnt lose much power on the way back, because to get voltdrop you need a noticeable load.
 
I'm ordering some connectors to make some kick harnesses and other stuff and want to order a cable to make up the sound cable for my Primal Rage board. Anyone know which connector is used? I'd like to make both a cable to support sound via the JAMMA output and also an adapter for stereo sound via the RCAs.


Any ideas @SmokeMonster ?
 
xodaraP said:
I'm ordering some connectors to make some kick harnesses and other stuff and want to order a cable to make up the sound cable for my Primal Rage board. Anyone know which connector is used? I'd like to make both a cable to support sound via the JAMMA output and also an adapter for stereo sound via the RCAs.


Any ideas @SmokeMonster ?
Click to expand...
Which cable do you need to make? There is one for power, mine was missing when I got my board as well so had to make one of those. The other connector from the sound board to the main board will give you the signal to jamma.
Rage.png
 
I need to make both of those cables, looking at the manual it looks like they're both 0.156" Molex, 9 way for power and 6 way for data - if you could confirm that would be good or better yet if you have the part numbers you used :)

Also hoping to make up a stereo cable for external sound when connecting to Supergun (mono sound for the cab) would prefer to use the proper connector and wire up some RCA connectors rather than directly soldering to the pins if possible
 
The power connector was a .156 molex. The audio cable I'm not sure but the connector on the sound board is smaller. I just dug around my box o' wires for that
 
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