Quoted from practicalsteve:So don't do it myself?
It's the same as installing a regular duplex, with one additional step to protect other, downstream outlets on the same circuit:
http://www.homedepot.com/c/installing_electrical_outlets_gfci_HT_PG_EL
Might also be a place to note that swapping your 2-prog outlet with a 3-prong outlet does not provide you with a ground to earth unless you run one to that receptacle and connect it to the new outlet. Always use the outlet tester to verify before plugging in your pinball machine.
Quoted from BrianZ:Don't you love it when i add work for you?
Yeah, that's nice.
Quoted from BrianZ:Vid, since many are importing from Europe back to the US, can we discuss some of the changes that are needed? And what about swapping the MOV?
That is a big answer as different generations of pins need different procedures. Some you resolder wires to different lugs on the transformers, and others you move jumper pins around on a Molex.
The MOV is easier.
For North America replace the MOV with a 130V unit.
For Europe replace the MOV with a 275V unit.
The MOV goes across the mains line. Should the MOV see a surge, it will clamp down almost instantly, suppressing the voltage spike. It can do this many times without failing, but each spike probably damages the MOV a little.
Should it see a huge spike, the MOV will self destruct, often tripping the circuit breaker.
Once in a while, a MOV will fail open, and although it will not trip the circuit breaker, it is not protecting the circuit either. If you see discoloration of the MOV (like a brown or black dot on it), replace it.
blown mov.pngQuoted from BrianZ:On the Mov front, if you have a re-import with 275V MOV. It techincally will still protect from spikes. Any real benefit to change it out for the 130V MOV (Assuming the game is converted to 110V for US)?
Yes, the 130V would be well worth the $1.
The lower the clamping voltage, the better the protection.
At my job, when we have MOVs that fail yearly in a certain location, we install a few MOVs in parallel in the same holes of the circuit board.
This allows them to "share the load".
Our engineers say that 2 MOV in parallel will survive 5x longer than a single in the same situation. 3 MOVs will last 20x longer....
Im going to preface this by saying I am a *tremendous* idiot.
I got it into my head that I should upgrade my completely functional reimport Hot Shot to a 3 prong plug. First step is to cut the old cord out, so I clip it and hear a pop as the lights go out. I CUT INTO A LIVE WIRE STILL PLUGGED IN. Told you I was an idiot.
After resetting the breaker I unplug the damn thing and wire in the new cord. Plugged it back in, nothing. OK, well maybe I got the hot/neutral wires backwards. Switch the wires, still nothing. Why did I mess with something that had no problems? See first line.
So I need help. Is it possible I smoked the PSU? I dont have a DMM but I'm going to go get one tonight. What should my first steps be?
Well Ive confirmed with a DMM that the wires are straight now and the 5A sloblow on the main is good. I dont know what else to look for.
OK! I figured it out. Turns out I had the negative lead in the wrong place. I'm feeling very sheepish and humble but I suppose as a newbie it's all part of learning.
Thanks Vid for the amazing work you do here and everyone for not making fun of me lol.
Just never understood that on a polarized plug the hot wasn't the bigger spade. Make sense right, bigger spade means better current capacity.
Quoted from nitrojcrawf:Just never understood that on a polarized plug the hot wasn't the bigger spade. Make sense right, bigger spade means better current capacity.
It's the smaller one so it is harder for kids to stick a safety pin into.
Good thread vid... Info not in schematics so it's good to have reference somewhere. It's kind of a pain in the ass adding a whole new cord and I did my first plug only today... 3 bucks versus maybe 10 for whole cord... I'll take it... Going from dollar menu to a meal deal tomorrow for lunch!!!
I know 16-3 cords would work fine as a replacement pinball machine power cord when wired in 110v service. How about 18-3 cords? I have many of them from computer applications. I read somewhere that 16 gauge wire is rated for 13A and 18 gauge wire is rated for 10A at 110v. A single pinball machine shouldn't pull anywhere near 10A.
Quoted from RoyF:A single pinball machine shouldn't pull anywhere near 10A.
Usually less than 2.5A
Quoted from RoyF:I read somewhere that 16 gauge wire is rated for 13A and 18 gauge wire is rated for 10A at 110v.
18 gauge is probably closer to 6A allowable, but even that's plenty for a pinball machine.
But since a brand new 16g extension cord is $4 at Menards, I gotta just recommend that because the jacket is probably more durable.
These questions were probably already answered, but as I have no desire to electrocute myself or burn the house down, I will ask again to make certain:
I have several 18AWG cords just arrived from GSE that will be going into a DE Simpsons, a Firepower, and an Earthshaker, all of which have had their ground prongs removed; no problem with that gauge, right?
Here's a pic of the underside of the power box inside the Simpsons cabinet, the new GSE cord is the stripped one at top. Since the colors are the same, I would just run the new wires to where the old wires go, correct? Would it be safe to cut the old wires a few inches down and solder the new ones to them, then cover with heatshrink tubing? I don't trust my soldering skills enough yet to desolder the old wires from the lugs and resolder the new ones along with the auxiliary socket wires, but splicing/soldering them together would be no problem.
100_6191.JPGQuoted from jibmums:I have several 18AWG cords just arrived from GSE that will be going into a DE Simpsons, a Firepower, and an Earthshaker, all of which have had their ground prongs removed; no problem with that gauge, right?
They should be fine, but next time, get some heavier duty cables for $4.
Quoted from jibmums:Since the colors are the same, I would just run the new wires to where the old wires go, correct?
Yes.
Quoted from jibmums:Would it be safe to cut the old wires a few inches down and solder the new ones to them, then cover with heatshrink tubing?
No.
Splices are frowned upon with power cords.
Unsolder the old and replace with the new.
You can't really mess it up like a circuit board, so "tin" your new wires and learn how to solder. You will need to solder stranded wires for every coil that burns out - so now is the time.
Here is nice cooked MOV.
I would have thought post the MOV being burned up (and also disconnected), the machine would not work. But in this case the machine was working.
Vid, Is this normal? I'm assuming so, since the MOV is just crossing the lugs of the EMI filter.
The silver disk, assuming this is a thermistor?
Quoted from BrianZ:I would have thought post the MOV being burned up (and also disconnected), the machine would not work. But in this case the machine was working.
Vid, Is this normal? I'm assuming so, since the MOV is just crossing the lugs of the EMI filter.
The MOV sacrificed itself to save the game from an overvoltage. Right now you are unprotected, so you need to replace it.
Some hack snipped one leg to allow the game to function again, but should have replaced it.
Get a new 130v one:
https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/products.asp?cat=76
Quoted from BrianZ:The silver disk, assuming this is a thermistor?
Yep, it helps control the inrush current when you first turn the game on. Makes the bridge rectifiers last longer.
Quoted from vid1900:Place the copper conductors between the clamp plates and tighten the clamp screws. DO NOT put the wire directly under the screw heads for this style plug.
Tight means 20 inch pounds if you have a torque wrench- tight means very tight, but don't strip the screw heads for the rest of us.
Note also that there is no extra bare copper showing above the clamp plates, nor is there any stray strands of copper. If you somehow screw up, just cut all the conductors back and start with a fresh section of cord.
Screw heads need proper conductor colors:
GREEN = GROUND
SILVER = WHITE, NEUTRAL or RIBBED
BRASS = BLACK OR HOT
INSTALL-1.jpg (Click image to enlarge)
INSTALL-2.jpg (Click image to enlarge)
Excellent guide VID - very helpful and informative.
One little hint:
At least in germany (maybe in the whole EU) it is forbidden by law regulations, to connect the wires in the way, shown in your photos. You have to use so called "Aderendhülsen". I do not know the english word, maybe end sleeve or ferrule. There are good safety reasons, to do it this way. See attached photo.
Yep, we use them at work for those super fine stranded, super flexible, CNC motor wires.
They give a gas-tight crimp, so the wires don't fray and can be repeatedly inserted into the servodrives, without stripping a new section of wire.
The term used here in the States is: Wire-End Ferrule
Quoted from solarvalue:Do older games need a MOV? I can't see one on my Gottlieb System 80.
Good question. Some older games (e.g. WMS Sys11) have one and others do not (e.g. GTB Sys80).
The Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) is there, to protect the game from powerspikes. So it is not necessary, but it does not hurt. Games in the EU use a 275V MOV and in the US a 130V MOV (e.g. this one: https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=V130LA20AP)
I personally have added a MOV to all my games.
If you are interested, here is an interesting document:
http://www.littelfuse.com/~/media/electronics/product_catalogs/littelfuse_varistor_catalog.pdf.pdf
Quoted from vid1900:NEW POWER CORD FOR EM TYPE MACHINES
Finally, run a Ground Braid to the metal Legs, Coin Door, Lock Down Bar and Rails of the machine. This will protect the user by making those parts a better path to ground than the player himself is.
Hi Vid -
I've got an old ungrounded wood rail EM - wood legs, rails, front door. I read your recommendation to another poster to run the ground wire from a replacement cord to the transformer leg. Fair enough, but how about the ground braid? I assume I can skip installing it because I don't have metal legs, rails, or a lockdown bar. If you still recommend the ground braid, to which component should it be attached?
Thanks for your help.
Well, there are metal pieces on the player end of the cabinet. There's a coin drop plate on the wooden front rail, a replay button on the cabinet front, the manual coin return push rod to release coins stuck in the slug rejector, a plate around the coin return, and the ball shooter rod and housing. Would you recommend running a ground braid to any of those?
Thanks.
I switched out the power chord on my Gilligan's Island because it had no ground prong. While I was at it I found there was no thermistor and the MOV had shorted open, so I changed both as well. Finally I removed the auxiliary outlet to make my soldering easier and since I never use it anyway.
Now the game won't turn on. I've checked the inline fuse (okay) and the AC voltages all the way to the RFI filter and get 123V, but I get nothing out the other end of the filter. Is that enough to confirm the filter needs to be replaced?
Vid, Need some help on my re-import WH20. I have just noticed that when i touch the lock down bar and at same time touch another game, I feel a small steady electrical shock.
After reading your thread, I checked to see if grounding pin is at outlet plug. It is (pics below). I noticed that the ground braid that runs up along the "box" to the coin door and lock down bar receiver was not connected, so I screwed it down to the box through the existing hex screw (pic). But this did not solve the electrical shock.
I notice my line cord does not have the black insulation inside of the cab, only from the contact point where the cord exits the cab. Could this be the culprit? Have not opened up the little box yet, but assuming that will be next step. Here are pics. Thanks for the help.
Quoted from Hammerhead:I've checked the inline fuse (okay) and the AC voltages all the way to the RFI filter and get 123V, but I get nothing out the other end of the filter. Is that enough to confirm the filter needs to be replaced?
Let's see some clear pictures of your wiring
Quoted from Elicash:After reading your thread, I checked to see if grounding pin is at outlet plug. It is (pics below). I noticed that the ground braid that runs up along the "box" to the coin door and lock down bar receiver was not connected, so I screwed it down to the box through the existing hex screw (pic). But this did not solve the electrical shock.
First check if the ground is good at the wall socket (check the actual sockets that both games are plugged into):
Then check that the male ground pin of the plug actually has continuity to the green wire where it is soldered to the filter module
Quoted from vid1900:Let's see some clear pictures of your wiring
Excellent picture.
Put your meter on AC, keep one lead on the neutral terminal of the output side of the filter module.
Put the other lead on the hot (black) conductor: After the fuse, then at the input of the filter, and then on the output of the filter.
Power at the input, but not the output?
Quoted from vid1900:Excellent picture.
Put your meter on AC, keep one lead on the neutral terminal of the output side of the filter module.
Put the other lead on the hot (black) conductor: After the fuse, then at the input of the filter, and then on the output of the filter.
Power at the input, but not the output?
Odd.
123V after the fuse, 0V after the thermistor, 0V at the filter output. Also no continuity across the thermistor. The thermistor is brand new.
Vid thanks for your help. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit I didn't think to check the extension cord I was using.
The plug and ground from the game's line cord was fine. The extension cord inexplicably didn't have a ground plug. So I am using a new extension cord and the problem is solved.
Thanks again for our help. Even though this was a simple fix, it is another joy of the hobby learning to diagnose these things.
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Sana'a
Syracuse, NY
Melbourne, ON