New Astro City Help (First Time Candy Cab Owner)

[d00mdrew]

I just got a New Astro City shipped to me and it’s doesn’t seem to be powering up correctly. I’ve made sure everything is plugged in and secure (molex plugs). When I switch on the PSU I can hear the monitor fire up and there’s a humming. Worth noting, the marquee bulb is flickering like it’s not drawing enough current. I’ve tried powering it on with a board connected and not. There’s nothing displaying on the monitor and no sound from the speakers.

I honestly don’t know where to start as this is my first cab. Could it be a PSU issue? I’m thinking so due to the marquee light flicker and no sound from the game (in addition to picture) when the JAMMA board is connected.

I can take pictures or video if someone knows where I should start. Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[ekorz]

I hope you have a cheap test pcb that outputs a 15khz video signal on the jamma edge. What are you using?

Grab a multimeter. Set it to DC. Then turn on the cab/psu and measure pins 1 (gnd) and 4 (+5V) on the jamma edge. (https://www.adamzwakk.com/projects/arcade1up-jamma/img/pinout.png)

You want to adjust your psu so it’s outputting somewhere in the 4.95-5.05v range but basically we’re just making sure the level is safe for a test pcb. There’s probably a hole called V ADJ and you’ll have to get a thin screwdriver in there to adjust it. Then turn the cab off.

Then you can connect your test pcb. Turn the cab back on and measure the same pins. The voltage will have dropped a bit, so adjust until that multimeter reading is 5.00v while the pcb is connected. Adjust slowly. It might not increase voltage the direction you are expecting. You can adjust it while the power is on little by little and watch your multimeter’s reading as it changes.

 

[dos]

I noticed you imported it from China. They tend to add transformers because they have 240V power. Is there a big transformer somewhere in the cab?

 

[d00mdrew]

I hope you have a cheap test pcb that outputs a 15khz video signal on the jamma edge. What are you using?

Grab a multimeter. Set it to DC. Then turn on the cab/psu and measure pins 1 (gnd) and 4 (+5V) on the jamma edge. (https://www.adamzwakk.com/projects/arcade1up-jamma/img/pinout.png)

You want to adjust your psu so it’s outputting somewhere in the 4.95-5.05v range but basically we’re just making sure the level is safe for a test pcb. There’s probably a hole called V ADJ and you’ll have to get a thin screwdriver in there to adjust it. Then turn the cab off.

Then you can connect your test pcb. Turn the cab back on and measure the same pins. The voltage will have dropped a bit, so adjust until that multimeter reading is 5.00v while the pcb is connected. Adjust slowly. It might not increase voltage the direction you are expecting. You can adjust it while the power is on little by little and watch your multimeter’s reading as it changes.

I noticed you imported it from China. They tend to add transformers because they have 240V power. Is there a big transformer somewhere in the cab?

Thank you both. I do have 15hz PCBs to test with. I will also pick up multimeter on my way home from work today and try what you suggested.

Interesting about the transformer. I will check tonight. Thanks!

 

[dos]

If you do find a transformer, remove it and wire what was going to the input directly to where its output was going.

 

[d00mdrew]

My wife took some pics of the inside of the cab and texted them to me at work (what a gal lol). Does any of this look odd/incorrect?

 

[Metal Slug]

My wife took some pics of the inside of the cab and texted them to me at work (what a gal lol). Does any of this look odd/incorrect?

It looks connected correctly from what I can tell in the pics.

The first thing I would check is your test PCB. Does it work connected to another device like a supergun? What are you using to test it with?

Yes, once you have verified the pcb you are using works, test your voltages with a multimeter.

 

[dos]

Would be interested in seeing where the red/black wires lead behind that wooden board (it sides out). Could be a transformer lurking back there

 

[rewrite]

Worth noting, the marquee bulb is flickering like it’s not drawing enough current.

Sometimes you see this sort of thing happen when sending your wall levels to a fixture expecting 100v. A step-down is an easy fix, or just change out the marquee lighting fixture.

I'd follow @ekorz advice and go from there, but as @Metal Slug said it's important to know that your PCB works before you're hoping to see if the cab does.

 

[d00mdrew]

Thank you for the input everyone and the quick responses. My game PCBs are good, they all work fine on my supergun. I’m starting to think it’s an installed transformer. I shot the guy I got it from an email to see if he has any ideas or can confirm. I’ll do the diagnostics later tonight. Again thank you guys and thank god this forum exists.

 

[d00mdrew]

Uh could this be the culprit? I unscrewed it from the base of the cab but haven’t detached any wires.

 

[TodoRojo]

Uh could this be the culprit? I unscrewed it from the base of the cab but haven’t detached any wires.

Yep

 

[BuddyC]

Uh could this be the culprit? I unscrewed it from the base of the cab but haven’t detached any wires.

Yup.
Most likely it’s a 220V to 100V stepdown. Most cabs from China comes with one installed.
Best to remove it like @dos said.

 

[dos]

Uh could this be the culprit? I unscrewed it from the base of the cab but haven’t detached any wires.

Yeah that's the ever present china cab transformer. Rip it out and attach the input wires directly to the output.

 

[d00mdrew]

Yeah that's the ever present china cab transformer. Rip it out and attach the input wires directly to the output.

Excuse my complete lack of knowledge, but I would need to disconnect all four wires and connect to the output which is where/what?

 

[Mrhide]

2 wires come in the transformer, 2 wires comes out of it.

1- Unplug the machine from the wall

2- Take the two ins, remove the transformer, connect the ins to the outs.

 

[dos]

Yeah it requires some way to solder or crimp butt splices (well). If you're not confident in either one, have someone who is do it for you, don't use mains lines as a learning project.

 

[d00mdrew]

Soldering isn’t really a great option at the moment but I’m pretty solid at crimping wires, been working on arcade sticks and CPs awhile and have made plenty of daisy chains and quick disconnect harnesses as well as my own Ethernet cables for some time. I have good crimpers and a full kit of splices/connectors. That said, I don’t want to F this up as you mentioned it is quite a critical part. Would something like these work and be safer?

Nextronics Tool-Free Wire Connectors 25 Pieces - Quick Splice Terminal Blocks - No Crimp Tool Needed
https://a.co/d/jdU9YwH

 

[dos]

I've never worked with those but if your kit has butt splices, I would use them instead. Just do some tests on similar wire (or even better, a cut off section of the actual wires). What you want to do is a "pull test". Crimp them together and pull on each end with a reasonable amount of force. They should not slip or pull out at all. Don't do this on the final "real" crimps.

 

[rewrite]

There's no real reason to not just run two new wires end to end.

Butt connectors/splicing/wire nuts/etc are all just kinda jury-rigging things. Run 2 new wires, never worry about it again in your lifetime.