.
STAR*TECH . Journal
May 1986 (4)
on Gauntlet between the control panel and
game cabinet. This is the rost irrp:>rtant
part of the game, at least from a
technicians view. The panels are shipped
in a separate box, so sometirres this seal
is already hanging down, or after the
first service call, it is ripped off the
game.
and wash it separately. You nust get the
coke off the board regardless if it is
working or not, leaving it there it will
eventually eat the traces right off the
board! Use the hottest water and take your
tirre. Let it run until you're sure there
is no coke left. 5 to 15 minutes depending
on the severity.
The right way to install the panel is to
slide the panel up to this seal, then
you'll have to hit the edge of the panel
above the coin doors and it will fall in
place and the seal will be tight. If you
put the panel straight down, it will push
the seal off. In fact, by now their
probably aren't too many GAUNl'LEI's with
this seal still there!
Now, when you're done, take a firm grip on
the opposite end of the board and swing it
a few tirres to get nost of the water off.
Now the board will be very hot from the
hot water. Inmadiately use a heat gun, or
a hair dryer. These work best. Dry the
board using heat. The water will
evaporate. If you use a heat gun, be
caref~l not to get the board too hot.
Water will evaporate quickly.
The players may try to set a coke on top
of the game. The coke spills and guess
where it goes? All over the game inside.
You see, there is a 1/4" crack between the
panel and the game where this seal should
be. Because the logic board is on such an
mconventional angle, the coke first runs
across the logic board connectors coming
from the panel, then the coke continues on
at a 45 degree angle across the logic
board.
Although the coke may not reach the
connector where the coin door connector is
on the logic board, it will cause the game
not to coin in the test node. The switches
from the joysticks may read all 0 (closed
or no reading at all) , but nost of all and
rost confusing is the fact is that it will
not coin.
There is only one thing you can do. I know
you will say "that's crazy", but this is
what you must do if soft drinks have
gotten on your logic board:
Renove the board, take it to the sink,
hot water over the area where the coke
The hotter the better. Angle the board
the hot water is running off the board
not conpletely submerging the board.
That's right, run super hot water over
board.
en
run
is.
so
and
the
the sockets, you don't have to renove
the chips on sockets, and usually the
68000 Mpu is not in line with the coke.If
the 68000 Mpu does get coked, renove it
You will have to take the whole control
panel to the sink and do the same with the
connectors that plug on the logic board.
Do the same hot water and blow dry
routine.
Do not use fingernail polish renover on
the logic board or the connectors that
come from the control panel. Do not use
any contact cleaner that claims it
displaces water, especially ZEP electronic
contact cleaner. Do not use ZEP contact
cleaner in the presence of coke or water.
Use only hot water, no soap, and while the
board is still hot, blow dry it.
Do not use conpressed air. We are relying
on heat to evaporate the water. I
guarantee this will work and is safe on
GAUNI'LEI' and any other Atari logic board.
To show you how confident I am that it is
safe to run hot water on Atari GAUNI'LEI'
logic boards, if after you have done this
and you've gotten the coke off before it
eats traces or blows a chip, then if you
feel that Il'!Y advice has damaged your
board,
I will repair it free of charge ... !!!
I?Cl'lER SUPPLYs
Here is another thing you must do. q;>en
the back of the game and renove the four
screws. Hold the power supply assenbly and
the screws that hold the wires and nove
the whole assenbly to the back of the game
turning it 90 degrees. sometirres coke gets
spilled right on the tube or right through