Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1989-September - Vol 11 Issue 7

Sega Hang-On
Cables Fraying
Hollywood Monster,~
Crane Switch Short
Rick Boese
The Silver Cue
Chula Vista, California
Mark K. McAcy
Fun Factory
Kennesaw, Georgia
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Accelerator cables fraying. Replacing them
every 2-3 months.
We have a Monster Crane from Hollywood
Crane Merchandisers, Inc. A problem arose
that is described as follows: When the crane
was powered up everything was working
fine. The lights would come on, the claw
would return to its home position. You could
put money in and it would give you credits.
But as soon as you hit the start button the
claw would go to back of the cabinet and at
the same time blow the +12 volt fuse.
SOLUTION
I took out both cables, brackets and gear
assembly to the accelerator and brake. I
then drilled two holes in the handle bars, one
near each grip. In each hole I put an ordinary
momentary switch button, using five minute
epoxy to hold them in, and wired them to two
5k fixed resistors. Thus, the machine is at
low speed automatically and pushing the
button produces full speed.
NOTE
Most of the customers don't mind the
change at all and some like it better. The
weekly count is just about the same as with
the cables, and I have not had one problem
with the machine in six months!
English Mark Darts
Monitor Probleni
Ken Layton
Capitol Amusement and Vending
Olympia, Washington
PROBLEM
Model 600 series games. On monitors made
by Kristel Corporation, the picture is poor,
wavy and has vertical foldover at the top.
SOLUTION
Replace C208 (luf@ 50vdc), radial cap.
CAUSE
I found that on the joystick, the microswitch
that is used to get the claw to go backwards
was shorted to the voltage line, and after
replacing the switch had no more problems.
Capconi Bowl Static
Reset Problenis
Kerry Messana
Betson Advance Dist.
Syracuse, New York
PROBLEM
On early versions of Capcom Bowl (w / cap for
RAM backup), you will find that the board is
easily susceptible to static charges intro-
duced into the game. This will cause the
game to reset or go into test.
CURE
Replace the 4. 7k resistor at R2 with a 4 70
ohm to 750 ohm, 1 / 4 watt resistor. Solder a
0.1 @ 100v cap across the resistor also.
(
~ Happ
Spring Action
Joystick
Willianis Jokerz
Lanip Bus Failures
Tom Happ
Happ Controls, Inc.
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Mario Van Cleave
Pinball Doctors
Salinas, California
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Several Jokerz pinballs are beginning to
The spring action joystick had failings in the
field due to the white switch protectors
breaking at their insert point.
SOLUTION
Happ Controls is pleased to announce an
improvement in their spring action joystick.
This has now been taken care of by using a
tougher plastic material. Previously these
were made out of nylon, now they are made
out of black super though nylon. This new
~,material will solve these breakage problems.
Happ Controls will exchange any of the old
type of switch protectors for the new ones.
Bally Blasted
Non-JAMMA
Bill Johnston
Johnston's General Store Video
Buffalo, New York
PROBLEM
Prepare to smoke your power supply if you
plug a Bally Blasted into your JAMMA-ready
cabinet. JAMMA it's not. G'bye -5 volts.
SOLUTION
Rewire the interface board to JAMMA very
carefully and you can then rotate the Pcb
~throughout your route safely. Bally took
dangerous liberties when they cooked up
this version of a JAMMA compatible edge
connector! This game was out 1-1/2 years
ago but some kits are still around.
appear with only half a lit playfield and
backbox.
SOLUTION
The General Illumination Fuses are located
in the backbox on the "Backbox Intercon-
nect Board."
F2 (5 amp) handles the left side of the
playfield while F4 (5 amp) supports the right
side. If 6VAC is not present at these fuses the
most common problem is an intermittent
connection at connector 7P3/7J3.
This plug/jack is located in the bottom of
cabinet about 6 inches from the Trans-
former. It is a white 4 pin-in-line connector.
The General Illumination 6V AC is fed from
the Main Power Transformer through this
connector to 2P6/2J6 on the Interconnect
Board. During normal operation this 4 pin-
in-line connector can get hot enough to
expand the mating contacts.
Replacement of both mating pins has solved
the problem. NOTE: Taxi may also experi-
ence the same problem.

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