24 replies to this topic

[cardie]

My machines started giving a weird problem with the lights during gameplay only?

 

http://www.youtube.c...eature=youtu.be

 

As you can see in the video they are flashing double quick and irratic with no actual sequence.

 

Any light that is on in a solid state is fine, the ones that are supposed to be flashing are the problem, so its mainly buttons.

 

No other problems with the machine and it is fine in attract mode, lamp dimming, its fine, just when its being played?

 

Checked the usual, wires and did all the lamp tests and everything seems normal. The only thing ive noticed is the 4 reel blasts bulb has blown, it was always slightly brighter than any others but I dont really think it would cause a problem.

 

Checked the 12v points with a multimeter 12.3v solid, doesnt move!

[impact]

Lamp/OI driver pcb . Speak to stan he knows where to get a good deal on these.

[cardie]

Sure this would be the problem? Everything else is fine, even refill and menu mode it only seems to be in gameplay mode it does it?

[impact]

hmmm check all z-diodes on that line and do a chase back to the lamp/IO pcb. 8 or 16 could be a strobe on the lamp matrix mite be a pull down/ open circuit on one of them diodes

 

Report back fella

[No1Stoney]

I've seen this strange thing happen on my Simpson machine twice now. Flashing lights flash double the speed such as Simpsons logo, buttons and board position. Swapped over the psu fixed the problem but the suspect psu worked fine in another machine. Swapped psus back again and problem didn't come back. The 2nd time this happened was a long time after the first. I unplugged plugs from psu, left it a few mins, plugged it up again and it was fine again. Only thing I could think of is that the psu was on its way out as I've had other problems with the psu in the past. Sorry I can't shed any more light on it but your certainly not alone with that problem.

Edited by No1Stoney, 21 January 2014 - 05:26 AM.

[cardie]

Ok thanks for the replys! It only seems to do it about half an hour in, seems spot on for the first 30 mins, just weird how it only seems to do it when its being played, attract mode is fine, menus are fine. Also if I open the door when I have a hold, as with all epoch machines the Lamp board doesnt reset straight away they start flashing normal for about 3 - 4 second until the machine resarts, I thought it was more of a CPU problem?

 

Il check the Grounds around the machine and on the PSU. The 24v lamp is looking a little dim aswell.

 

And youll have to go into a little more detail impact, im a checking for resistance or voltage on the z-diodes?

[impact]

Sorry diodes (Z-diodes are different I was on the phone to someone about them while replying to your post. That's why I put that) I ment to say diode. Your just checking for open circuit on them the old way we use to do it was remember what way the wires went and move that lamp holder onto a working area of the lamp matrix i.e trail hold was supernova bright even after replacing the bulb but 99nudges had 3bulds just take one of them and swap it over to see if the problem is still there. If it is then you know its the strobe line which is made up of 8 or 16 lamps on that line.  

 

8 lamps that use the same one wire i.e white with blue line which would be a com for that strobe line and the other wires are all different. If you chase that wire back to the lamp output sinks plug you mite find its the transistor on that pcb the base or collector has gone for a walk and cant switch right making over pulse`s to them lamps.

 

Look to see if its 8/16 lamps in a row are playing fookers. 

 

The starts then stop after an hour or what ever time could be just to where the pcb had warmed up. Check for dry joints on the pcb and the back on the sinks plug thats the black plug the pins on the back at the back your look at the bottom glass , Also where the top and bottom glass loom is try resitting this also and make sure there is no short circuits

[cardie]

Sorry diodes (Z-diodes are different I was on the phone to someone about them while replying to your post. That's why I put that) I ment to say diode. Your just checking for open circuit on them the old way we use to do it was remember what way the wires went and move that lamp holder onto a working area of the lamp matrix i.e trail hold was supernova bright even after replacing the bulb but 99nudges had 3bulds just take one of them and swap it over to see if the problem is still there. If it is then you know its the strobe line which is made up of 8 or 16 lamps on that line.  

 

8 lamps that use the same one wire i.e white with blue line which would be a com for that strobe line and the other wires are all different. If you chase that wire back to the lamp output sinks plug you mite find its the transistor on that pcb the base or collector has gone for a walk and cant switch right making over pulse`s to them lamps.

 

Look to see if its 8/16 lamps in a row are playing fookers. 

 

The starts then stop after an hour or what ever time could be just to where the pcb had warmed up. Check for dry joints on the pcb and the back on the sinks plug thats the black plug the pins on the back at the back your look at the bottom glass , Also where the top and bottom glass loom is try resitting this also and make sure there is no short circuits

Before I have a look into detail ive played the machine in every possible way, it only seems to be any lamp that flashes, whether its £1 on the cash ladder or £4 or 1 reel blast or 9 it seems to be every lamp that flashes during game play, in attract mode they are all fine and flash properly? Ive taken most features and they all seem to be fine with the lamps aswell? I will see if I can borrow a lamping board and try that to see if it is any differnt, ive check all the ground and wires to the PSU they are fine, did an auto lamp test and that came back fine just with the 4 or 5 bulbs that are out :/ Im not doubting you impact Just saying they seem fine in every way apart from on the main feature!

[impact]

Its all good mate. What about when you do normal flash lamp test are they supernova any of them. hmmmm would of said software then or epoch mpu ( click click click rusty cogs turn slow in the logic room). No problems with switch line inputs hopper dump and test refill and topup. Also when in door close mode and playing it with cash dose it still go mental. Check this one mite sound crackers replace your pop key or %. Even in button test it could be telling porkys

[cardie]

Thats what happend with that Gladiators I had 8 bulbs went super bright, but non of them are bright and no diodes are hot, went through the test menu everything is fine, payout/meters/acceptor even all 600051 sound channels the board has work. Lamp flash mode is fine, all come on and go off in time no flickers or anything

[impact]

Diodes wont get hot I`m on about the one with in the lamp holders. They are little but they are there. All fruits have them to stop the return current coming back blowing the life out of the lamp driver circuit. its apart of the lamp matrix makeup the machine can fire across 256 lamps and just have one lamp lit only. They are there

Edited by impact, 21 January 2014 - 05:46 PM.

[cardie]

Swapped them around, seem to be exactly the same The other day it also booted up with the reels completley out of line? I put a £1 in and pressed start, about 5 spins later they all went on a reel long spin and lined up, hasnt done it since but I think thats just a one off, my Addams Family used to do that every now and them.

[impact]

Whats you place like for power cuts and trips. If it the same then the fault is the buld holder the diodes gone. The reel long spin could be from where the machines power was on and you've knock the reels. It wont alarm unless it could not see the opto. Hmmmmm if not reel driver pcb. Just keep an eye on it. worst case is rip them out and replace all. Its like the link chain is being a bugger sending data from board to board. Never trust them poxy leds on them boards. If you put it on a standard lamp test not auto what happen?.

[skabaz]

i had this problem a good few years back and it turned out to be the power supply.

 

The reels would start to do some weird movements and the bulbs would flicker every now and then.

 

baz

[impact]

Well done baz

[cardie]

Whats you place like for power cuts and trips. If it the same then the fault is the buld holder the diodes gone. The reel long spin could be from where the machines power was on and you've knock the reels. It wont alarm unless it could not see the opto. Hmmmmm if not reel driver pcb. Just keep an eye on it. worst case is rip them out and replace all. Its like the link chain is being a bugger sending data from board to board. Never trust them poxy leds on them boards. If you put it on a standard lamp test not auto what happen?.

I think the reel thing was just a bit of a glitch, it booted up fine with no alarm just all the reels were out, the long spin put them all back in line so it must of realised then done an extra spin to check before it alarms, I know barcrests do this, if a reel catches they do a full cycle to line it back up.

 

In the normal flash test where all the bulbs come on, they all light up at the same time and go off at the same time, all the same brightness no funny noises or flickers. Just like its supposed to. I would of just said the PSU or Lamp board but because it only seems to do it in Gameplay im wondering if its somthing else!

 

Il check the power voltages going to each board and report back

 

Also nothing like the lights dim when the hopper pays out or anything.

[cardie]

Right so there is 3 Power feeds to the Lamping board directly from the PSU.

 

They SHOULD be : 5v 12v and 36v

 

Im GETTING         :  5.09v 12.01v and 39.5v

 

They were all solid during attact mode maybe going up and down .2v at the most but the 36v feed was going up and down by nearly a vault when not in attract mode.

 

Ive noticed, (dont know if it was happening before) sometimes the first spin after a feature or after 'somthing' happens, the name and the 2 indians and the vulture wink ever ever ever so slightly, somthing thats common in other machines.

 

Im fine with the 5v and 12v but the 36v feed seems to high to me? What exactly is the 36v feed for? I know the Board takes 5v to run (like any board/ecu) 12v is for the lamps but not too sure what the 36v feed is for, I know also that the PSU voltage can be adjusted (so Ive heard)

[impact]

Dose do this in money mode, or demo or both

[Mavroz]

36v is for the lamps. They are multiplexed.

 

12v will be to drive such as the refill meter and the alpha display that are fed from this board..

Edited by fevernova, 26 January 2014 - 07:21 AM.

[Mavroz]

Ps doesn't seem to be a problem with the voltages you have measured to me, possible main mpu or probable lamp board damaged or both ...... change them (start with lamp board) and start again.

 

Maybe worth while looking around to see if anything has damaged the lampboard.... such as shorted wiring, open cct diode etc etc..