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Author Topic: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?  (Read 3867 times)

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vanwatson

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Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« on: December 08, 2014, 09:57:19 pm »
Arcade games have blinking lights for the control panel buttons or rollings

If I put in another lamp or bulb it will stop blinking, why is that?

If the lamp has a higher wattage or draws more current it will cause the lights to stop blinking why is that?
 
What circuits cause the Blinking? it is a counter or just a 555 timer?
or what blinking circuits have you seen in arcade games

Is the Blinking voltages for Arcade games mostly just +5 volts or +12 volts?


vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2014, 11:06:54 pm »
when I put a different lamp wattage into where the blinking light was , the lamp/light was just light but not blink, any reason why?

The Lamp/light must draw more current but when I measure the wire to the lamp/light it is pulsating but the light is not pulsating but just on shining bright

I don't get how a different lamp/light or lamps wattage can cause a pulsating voltage to be steady

The Lamps wattage causes a pulsating voltage to be at a steady DC voltage

lilshawn

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2014, 11:54:07 pm »
without knowing specifically what we game are talking about, you aren't going to get a proper answer.

likely a specific lamp MUST be used... for instance a "flashing lamp" has a bimetalic circuit breaker built into it (like a red tip christmas tree bulb) that causes the light to flash. (popular with 1960's pinball)


vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2014, 12:29:09 am »
Atari Major Havoc has blinking Buttons and a Blinking Roller Controller

The Major Havoc Roller has what kind of special lamp/light to make it blink and pulsate?


vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2014, 12:30:42 am »
The Player select buttons have red pulsating lights on them , check them out


vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2014, 12:40:25 am »
Most arcade games are +5 volts, -5 volts , +12 volts, -12 volts

But the Lights/lamps on Arcade can take a Steady DC voltage and it causes the light to Flash

These must be some special type of lights/lamps for arcade games


yotsuya

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2014, 01:05:27 am »
If you're talking about the P1/P2 start buttons, they flash because of pulses from the board. There's nothing special about the LEDs.
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vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2014, 01:28:15 am »
Quote
If you're talking about the P1/P2 start buttons, they flash because of pulses from the board. There's nothing special about the LEDs
.

Are they LEDS or  incandescent lamps bulbs? for the Major Havoc Roller lamp

If i use a 12 volt bulb into a 5 volt pulsating circuit, the 12 volt bulb won't flash why is that?

If I use a 5 volt bulb into the 5 volt pulsating circuit, the 5 volt bulb won't flash either

Is the Major Havoc Roller pulsating circuit, pulsating at +5 or +10 volts unregulated?

Ken Layton

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2014, 01:32:00 am »
Many Atari games such as Asteroids and Missile Command used special microswitch pushbutton assemblies that had a red LED built inside the switch. Then the game board sent out pulsed voltage to the LED to make it blink.

vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2014, 01:43:29 am »
Quote
Many Atari games such as Asteroids and Missile Command used special microswitch pushbutton assemblies that had a red LED built inside the switch. Then the game board sent out pulsed voltage to the LED to make it blink.

yes true

What kind of circuits in arcade games are the pulsing circuits? is it a 555 timer or the CPU?
what are come common pulsating arcade circuits that you have seen

jennifer

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2014, 01:52:59 am »
Many Atari games such as Asteroids and Missile Command used special microswitch pushbutton assemblies that had a red LED built inside the switch. Then the game board sent out pulsed voltage to the LED to make it blink.
   **Jennifer looks over her glasses with amused look....Dude your awesome. ;D

Ken Layton

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2014, 01:54:07 am »
I don't normally repair video arcade game boards.

I do, however, repair pinball machine boards.

vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #12 on: December 09, 2014, 02:00:05 am »
Quote
I do, however, repair pinball machine boards.

Does pinball machines use Lamps/bulbs that flash using steady DC voltage?

what circuits do they use in pinball machines that cause a pulsating voltage?

vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #13 on: December 09, 2014, 02:04:27 am »
I know micrcontrollers can have a Pulse width modulation PWM output pin that can flash LED or lamps

 

jennifer

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #14 on: December 09, 2014, 02:09:54 am »
    You should pick up a cheap analog scope and check it out for yourself, Its actually quite interesting.

lilshawn

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #15 on: December 09, 2014, 10:37:25 am »
if the original circuit had LED's in the buttons that flashed, in that case the output from the board is a very low current (in the 10's of milliamps range) as LED don't require much power to turn on.

replacing them with a standard incandescent bulb likely won't work because the bulbs probably draw in the 100's of milliamps range and the circuit isn't designed to switch that high of a current load.

vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #16 on: December 09, 2014, 11:38:45 am »
Quote
replacing them with a standard incandescent bulb likely won't work because the bulbs probably draw in the 100's of milliamps range and the circuit isn't designed to switch that high of a current load.

Yes true, so the incandescent bulb its a "higher current load" causing the pulsating circuit to get stuck/switch High and doesn't toggle or pulsate

When you put a high current load on a pulsating circuit it gets stuck in the high state over loading it? it become a steady DC voltage not pulsating anymore

Do arcade logic circuit use a PWM signal or clock signal to output pulsating to cause LED or Incandescent bulbs to flash?

yotsuya

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #17 on: December 09, 2014, 11:47:36 am »
Quote
If you're talking about the P1/P2 start buttons, they flash because of pulses from the board. There's nothing special about the LEDs
.

Are they LEDS or  incandescent lamps bulbs? for the Major Havoc Roller lamp

If i use a 12 volt bulb into a 5 volt pulsating circuit, the 12 volt bulb won't flash why is that?

If I use a 5 volt bulb into the 5 volt pulsating circuit, the 5 volt bulb won't flash either

Is the Major Havoc Roller pulsating circuit, pulsating at +5 or +10 volts unregulated?

Dunno, don't have a Major Havok roller.

I DO have a Missile Command, Asteroids, and Centipede, and all the coin LEDs flash from board pulses. I've used them on MAME cabs as well, and on those, I wire them to 5v with a resistor inline. LEDBlinky or LEDUTIL handles the blinks.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

vanwatson

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #18 on: December 09, 2014, 02:03:59 pm »
Quote
and all the coin LEDs flash from board pulses.

Do you know what circuits names is cause the pulses? or where the pulses are coming from on the logic board


yotsuya

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #19 on: December 09, 2014, 02:19:51 pm »
That I do not know. I'm sure if you looked at the schematic for Centipede and traced the harness lines from the LED back to the board, it would lead you to the circuit.

Based on all your posts, it sounds like you are getting started on game repair. What gives?  :cheers:
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

yotsuya

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #20 on: December 09, 2014, 02:27:04 pm »
Quote
and all the coin LEDs flash from board pulses.

Do you know what circuits names is cause the pulses? or where the pulses are coming from on the logic board



Download the Centipede schematics from here: http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/manuals.html

The second one listed shows the circuits and the connections to the LEDs.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

lilshawn

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #21 on: December 09, 2014, 02:30:44 pm »
Quote
and all the coin LEDs flash from board pulses.

Do you know what circuits names is cause the pulses? or where the pulses are coming from on the logic board



Download the Centipede schematics from here: http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/manuals.html

The second one listed shows the circuits and the connections to the LEDs.

wow, that is a great schematic package with some great theory in it. I know what i'm printing out and taking to the bathroom!  :cheers:

yotsuya

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #22 on: December 09, 2014, 03:26:27 pm »
Quote
and all the coin LEDs flash from board pulses.

Do you know what circuits names is cause the pulses? or where the pulses are coming from on the logic board



Download the Centipede schematics from here: http://www.mikesarcade.com/arcade/manuals.html

The second one listed shows the circuits and the connections to the LEDs.

wow, that is a great schematic package with some great theory in it. I know what i'm printing out and taking to the bathroom!  :cheers:

Hey, it helped me build a new wiring harness for my coin door and add two coin meters.  :cheers:
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #23 on: December 09, 2014, 03:53:55 pm »
Does "Mike" disable downloading often? I think this is the first time I was ever able to download anything from there.

lilshawn

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Re: Blinking Arcade light won't blink with a different Lamp why?
« Reply #24 on: December 09, 2014, 04:06:17 pm »
Does "Mike" disable downloading often? I think this is the first time I was ever able to download anything from there.