Star Tech Journal

STAR*TECH Journal
Black Modules Used On
Models R81 To R83
Rowe/Ami Jukes
By
Erwin Boot
Automatic Music Coopany
li>bart, Tasnania, Australia
Oler the past 8 or so years since Rowe-AMI
developed their first "solid-state" jukes
with the 5 black JOOdules, many modules
have been swapped between machines and
with natural vibration, heat and time,
classic dry--joints may appear at the
connector pins.
Usually a "good" dry joint will manifest
• itself in a very visible, non-destructive
way, however on the Mech. Control Unit, a
dr:y joint on pin 18 (the grollll the magazine IIDtor) will cause R801, an 18
ohm, 1/ 4 watt resistor, to bum up in
spectacular fashion as it atteirpts,
IIDIIBltarily, to pass the current which the
magazine motor is drawing!
(Triac iQ801 will not noIInally be affected
by the flame-out.)
The resistor is easily replaced so it is a
good idea to have 2 or 3 of the 18 ohm,
1/4 watt resistors in your kit1 do not use
a value higher than the 1/4 watt!
The best preventative neasure is to
resolder all connector pins in every board
of every module, because if you check with
a magnifying glass, you are sure to find
quite some joints which are already
"cracked" and ready to becone a total
dry-joint/open circuit1 (The same applies
to many pinball connector pins, especially
Bally & Stem display connector pins.)
well as reworking all connector pins on
all 5 black IOOdules, resolder the 6 pins
on the plug on the power supply board and
the transforner's secondary feeds to that
board. While you're at it, it wouldn't
hurt to open up th>se 6 male pins of the
plug on the power board - a little - to
·ensure that there is good contact between
them and ·the female pins of the harness
plug.
August 1987 (4)
Taito DOUBLE DRAGON
Disposable Cabinet
By
Todd Erickson
SUnlllit Arwsenent
St. Paul, Minnesota
This is the first of what I consider to be
a throw-away cabinet. I certainly oope
this is not a trend. This game is an all
press-board wonder!
The part that scares ne the most, though,
is the m\lllting of the CRT. This is done
with eight wood screws. I will repeat
iqyself, eight wood screws! If the monitor
falls out, the CRT will inplode and glass
may go through the side of the cabinet
and/or anyone standing by the game.
'!he top marquee is too thin. Hitting it
breaks the bulb. Another fifty cents spent
here would have been great. The glass has
enough clearance on the sides for a person~
to cut themself on. (JJALI'IY?
I strongly reconmend bolting the mnitor
in with bolts and/or netal brackets. I
feel this is a MUSI'.
Also, Taito has admitted that they may
have a problem with the painted control
pmel wearing prematurely. It may be a
good idea to experiment with a clear
coating of protection paint or plasticize
the panel.
My game has not worked since I have owned
it. Taito has no schnatics so they can't
help ne, (but they did agreed to send ne
another board when I send mine in to
them).
As
I would never dare kit this thing. Is this
the manufacturers answer to kits? With
this game they could have spent another
twenty dollars and done a better job.
This is one of the best games on the
street. ( So I am told, mine is going bac~
to the distributor.)