Eight Ball Deluxe
Bally, 1981I am hoping to get your more experienced opinion on the possibility that this Bally transformer might still be good. My limited understanding of these basic devices says the "puke" at the bottom of the transformer and on the heat sink/base plate is the insulation that was formerly in the transformer's windings.
Bally Tranny Puke.jpg
More Bally Tranny Puke.jpgI've seen a little bit of transformer goo ooze out, but that's kind of ridiculous. Have you tested it with your meter for opens or shorts?
This is a basket case project I'm just digging into. I haven't tested it with a meter as the power cord was cut off before I got it. I'm waiting for a new RFI, power cord, MOV to arrive, among other things, so I won't test it until they get here. I don't know its history, although there is no discernible evidence of fire, just of lots of heat. Here's a picture of the complete assembly as it was just after I removed it from the pin:
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Yeh that rectifier board has seen better days. I see some connector pins have been bypassed and it looks like evidence of having been over-fused and maybe has some bad diodes or bridge rectifiers.
I would buy a reproduction rectifier board and try it with your transformer.
As part of my prep for this rehab, I picked up a "condition unknown" $10 rectifier board, stripped it, and then repopulated it with new parts. Once the MOV and EMI/RFI get here, I'll fire it up. Mostly just curious if the loss of so much of the insulation is a guarantee of failure. I'm hoping not to undo good work with bad power.
My thanks for the replies.
That transformer probably saw a shorted rectifier and the fuse didnt blow. Someone probably way overfused it and cooked the transformer. If it melted wax out of it, i would bet it has a bad winding.
Thanks, Barakandl. I may just start the search for a replacement transformer. I see the parts companies want $125-$198 for one, when they are in stock... Let's hope the private route is more favorable! Maybe it's time to research the possibility of a shop rewinding it for me. Thanks again, one and all.
Steve
That transformer is toast. I work in an electric motor rewind/repair shop. It will 100% be shorted. Maybe not completely a dead ground. But some of the turns in the windings will be shorted together. = bad power to your game if it doesnt immediatly trip the breaker in your house.
A shop will not wind it for you. The price of a new or used one is cheaper than the labour to wind it.
If they already have the transformer data 8hrs+
Our best shop price $65-hr. You would be lucky if a shop would do it for under $600.
Throw it away. Buy a new one.
If I needed a new transformer, I'd keep an eye out for a cheap parts machine. For $100 you can pick something up and have plenty of spare parts to sell or whatever. Transformers outlast the majority of machines they're installed in.
Quoted from barakandl:That transformer probably saw a shorted rectifier and the fuse didnt blow. Someone probably way overfused it and cooked the transformer. If it melted wax out of it, i would bet it has a bad winding.
I had the same thing happen in a Vector I picked up off Ebay a while back. when I first switched it on it had a shorted HV diode and was way overfused (yes I know I should have checked the fuses) 
. Luckily I caught it in time as I heard the transformer windings starting to bubble! It never got as far as the state of that transformer fortunately!
Your transformer will be toast with shorted windings. It may not blow the main fuse immediately, but I certainly wouldn't like to leave the game unattended with that transformer taking power. As radium said, pick up a cheap parts machine and use the tranny out of that, or put up a wanted ad.
You may be able to use one out of an older machine that had the original style rectifier board in it (the transformers may be the same, or at least have the same voltages)... they'd be easier to find, tons of parted out ballys out there and the transformer usually doesn't go bad.
Quoted from LyonsRonnie1:........ the transformer usually doesn't go bad.
^^^ What he said. ^^^
Yeah, you should be able to find a transformer. Every AC voltage is fused on a Bally and there is a line fuse. The transformer is well protected and doesn't go bad unless someone over fuses or hacks around. You have to assume lots of blown out games have been parted with good transformers. Try making a WTB post in the market place here and on rec games pinball newsgroup.
Andrew
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Claremont, CA
It cleans up nice.
Grimsby, ON