(Topic ID: 104961)

Bally Centaur & Embryon Memory Capacitor Issues

By Collin

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 12 posts
  • 6 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by Hellfire
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 9 years ago

Hey guys, I just installed memory caps in my Centaur and Embryon in the past few days, and they don't seem to be charging. I used these memory caps:
https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=2162599

I installed the caps properly, gave them about 6 hours to build up an initial charge, and they're not holding charge for any noteworthy amount of time.

I have used those caps before, including in my Eight Ball Deluxe, with no issues. The previous batch (in EBD, worked fine) shipped in an anti-static bag, and were pushed into anti-static foam to secure them. This batch (Centaur and Embryon) were loose in a normal plastic bag. Is it possible that static or the leads making contact with other caps in the bag would've caused these to fail? Or is it conceivable I got a bad batch of caps this time?

#2 9 years ago

What is the farad rating of the mem cap? What is the imprint on the 5101 ram?

Measure battery voltage. Check with power on and off. R12 is a good place to clip a meter to. The ram loses memory around 2v.

Capacitors are generally not ESD sensitive. Maybe caps with very small values and voltage ratings.

#3 9 years ago

1.5 Farad 5.5 Volt. Exact same cap I used in EBD successfully.

I know the RAM is an SCM5101E-3 in Embryon; I can't recall whether Centaur is the same.

If the leads of a cap could've touched in shipping, could that cause it to fail?

#4 9 years ago

After the game has been on for a couple of hours, turn off and measure across the cap leads. What do you read?

#5 9 years ago
Quoted from dothedoo:

After the game has been on for a couple of hours, turn off and measure across the cap leads. What do you read?

To expand on this: Take a reading of the source power and then take a couple more readings over intervals of time after shutting off the game. Try a 1/2 hour between readings to determine how much/quickly the backup voltage is dropping.

#6 9 years ago
Quoted from Collin:

1.5 Farad 5.5 Volt. Exact same cap I used in EBD successfully.
I know the RAM is an SCM5101E-3 in Embryon; I can't recall whether Centaur is the same.
If the leads of a cap could've touched in shipping, could that cause it to fail?

That is good part numbers, so it should work.

Pin22, top left pin, is where the battery voltage should be. R12 is between your mem cap and ram.

Edit... I meant to quote collin

#7 9 years ago
Quoted from barakandl:

Edit... I meant to quote collin

1. Click Quote on Collin's post
2. Highlight and copy the quote including the HTML tags
3. Click on Edit in your post
4. Highlight my goober and paste Collin's over it
5. Click Edit Post to save changes
6. Done

#8 9 years ago

ah, i could have fixed it. i was just on my phone at the time.

#9 9 years ago

Oh, haha. Ya it's difficult to do that from your phone.

#10 9 years ago

Thanks for the advice, guys! I'm hoping to get to test this later today, and will report back.

#11 9 years ago

Make sure cr5 hasn't failed. If it's shorted, the cap will try to power the entire board.

#12 9 years ago
Quoted from Collin:

Hey guys, I just installed memory caps in my Centaur and Embryon in the past few days, and they don't seem to be charging. I used these memory caps:

Yeah make sure CR5 is good and not shorted or open or the cap might not charge, also make sure the cap polarity is correct you cant always trust the shrink wrap line on the outside of the cap. also depending on you work area conditions the 5101 might have gotten cooked esp with a radio shit soldering or a cheap non EST iron.
And least likely you could just have a bad batch of supercaps.
I see nobody has asked yet but does the board have any acid damage from the old battery?

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