Encoder wheels , cleaning leaf switches

[vanwatson]

To clean the Leaf switches you use a piece of cardboard or a business card my arcade manuals say. what do you guys use to clean leaf switches. It says not to use sandpaper or emery paper

How do you test encoder wheels? most roller wheels have an encoder on them

The encoder wheel or roller's header pins has a cable that goes to the logic board. The logic board has a Decoder chip? to decode the encoders wheel/rollers data?

How do you test if the encoding and decoding is working or not?

[lilshawn]

the contact has a layer of metal (often silver or gold) plated onto it to reduce arcing and lower oxidation of the contact surface.

if the contact is sanded, you remove the plating and expose the copper beneath. The switch will work great for a few days, but will quickly become oxidized and become inoperable again.

[vanwatson]

if the contact is sanded, you remove the plating and expose the copper beneath. The switch will work great for a few days, but will quickly become oxidized and become inoperable again.

What do you use to clean it with? besides using cardboard or a business card

Do you use steel wool to clean IC pins? or what do u use to clean IC pins

[yotsuya]

Fiberglass Pencil

[lilshawn]

Fiberglass Pencil

this is the best to use.


next best is a simple pink pencil eraser. be sure not to leave any stray eraser rubbings on the connector.

[vanwatson]

Thanks guys about the fiber glass pencil trick

The Encoder has a disc wheel with little windows , I think the Encoder has an opto coupler and an LED

The Encoder IC chip is tested using an Oscilloscope or can I use a Logic probe?

[lilshawn]

opto encoders don't usually go bad....just dirty.

but you should be able to use either a scope or a logic probe. basically you want to see pulses when the wheel is turned.

if not, it may have gone bad. usually it's the emitter LED that goes. It's replaceable as a unit. (not seperate parts) the old opto should have a part number on it. be sure to exchange it with the same part #.

[PL1]

You can use a cell phone or digital camera to check the IR LEDs in the optos.


Scott

[vanwatson]

opto encoders don't usually go bad....just dirty.

What can I use to clean the opto encoder with, what do you guys use please?

but you should be able to use either a scope or a logic probe. basically you want to see pulses when the wheel is turned.

So I can put my scope probe on the output pin of the encoder IC chip?

how about checking the decoder chip on the Logic board? cause the encoded signal goes to the decoder chip right?

[PL1]

Other related info:

The trackball works like a mechanical mouse.

Further details and better pictures here and there's an explanation of quadrature waveforms here.

. . .

There are 4 wires per axis leading to the encoder:
1. 5v - operating voltage for the LED
2. Data A
3. Data B
4. Ground (Sometimes jumpered inside the trackball case, leaving one axis with only 3 wires)

By swapping Data A for Data B, you are swapping quadrature waveform A for waveform B which the encoder translates as turning the other way.

Scott

[vanwatson]

2 axis would have data A and data B
1 axis would just have data A? no data B

I would need to use a two channel Oscope to display both encoded waveforms
You move the trackball both ways to view both waveforms on the Oscilloscope
The waveforms are just normal square waveform or pulse trains logic signals? nothing special

To check the encoding and measure the encoding is the time relationships of Data A and Data B. Just make sure that data A and Data B are phase shifted/time offset/time interval from each other. 

[PL1]

2 axis would have data A and data B
1 axis would just have data A? no data B

I would need to use a two channel Oscope to display both encoded waveforms
You move the trackball both ways to view both waveforms on the Oscilloscope
The waveforms are just normal square waveform or pulse trains logic signals? nothing special

To check the encoding and measure the encoding is the time relationships of Data A and Data B. Just make sure that data A and Data B are phase shifted/time offset/time interval from each other. 

In one word: NO.        

Did you even bother reading the part about "4 wires per axis" or searching for related threads/info?   

The waveform shown assumes that the axis in question is turning clockwise at a constant rate.

You can test the waveform on each data line using a simple volt-meter if you turn the encoder wheel slowly -- logic low when the teeth block the LED light, logic high when the LED light hits the photo-diode.

PROTIP: You may want to seriously consider the suggestions here.


Scott

[ed12]

dam straight pl1

ed

[lilshawn]

if you wish to clean them a soft bristle brush or a blast of air for simple dust.

contact cleaner and a brush to really get in there for liquid spilled in there.

sometimes it's a lost cause and far easier to just swap it out for a new one.

[vanwatson]

The Firing button on arcade games are leaf switches

Some Firing buttons you have to push to trigger the fire and keep pressing over and over to get firing

Other Arcade games you can HOLD down the firing button and it will repeating the firing

What is setting the firing button from continuous repeating or not repeating?

[SavannahLion]

The Firing button on arcade games are leaf switches

Some Firing buttons you have to push to trigger the fire and keep pressing over and over to get firing

Other Arcade games you can HOLD down the firing button and it will repeating the firing

What is setting the firing button from continuous repeating or not repeating?

You have done nothing to indicate you are capable of your own research or, if you do research, capable of understanding what is before you.

The answer you seek is specific to each game. There are several general techniques that are very well documented all over the internet. It is one of these techniques that is fine tuned into each games as chosen by the developer.

[vanwatson]

What is this type of modification called when you modify the firing button like this so I can look it up google?

Do you know what in general they are going to the logic board to make the firing button trigger repeating?

[SavannahLion]

What is this type of modification called when you modify the firing button like this so I can look it up google?

No. You must learn how to do it on your own. Every poster who has responded to you has given you enough information for you to Google it on your own. Use Yahoo, Bing!, whatever. No one cares what search site you use, but you need to learn how to search for things on your own.

Do you know what in general they are going to the logic board to make the firing button trigger repeating?

I do...

[lilshawn]

What is this type of modification called when you modify the firing button like this so I can look it up google?

Do you know what in general they are going to the logic board to make the firing button trigger repeating?

oy vey.

if it has a rapid fire, it's programmed into the game. (could be enabled and disabled by game settings)

if you have to mash the button constantly and you wish not to, a simple timer circuit could be implemented and wired to the input.

[vanwatson]

Yes you hold down the firing button and it is a repeated automatic firing. You don't have to keep pressing the fire button over and over

They have these modifications on some arcade boards, but I don't know what the name of this type of modification is called

Do you know the name of this type of modification?

[SavannahLion]

Google it.

[lilshawn]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=rapid+fire+circuit

[SavannahLion]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=rapid+fire+circuit

I'm kicking myself for not thinking of that.

[vanwatson]

Rapid firing circuits, i thought you guys knew some links to some webpages that arcade techs modified to arcade logic boards

Rapid Fire ( automatic Fire ) daughter board

I have seen them for Galaxian
Scroll down Littlejohn and ED and take a look please
http://www.arcadeshop.com/galaga/galaga.htm

Do you guys know of any others please?

[lilshawn]

same ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, different pile.

hell, with a relay and a properly chosen capacitor you can make a rapid fire circuit. or a delay circuit...or a soft on switch... or a latching circuit. The list goes on.

if a game has no auto or rapid fire option, it's  because the game would be ridiculously easy.


BRRRAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTT YOU WIN!

[SavannahLion]

Rapid firing circuits, i thought you guys knew some links to some webpages that arcade techs modified to arcade logic boards

Rapid Fire ( automatic Fire ) daughter board

I have seen them for Galaxian
Scroll down Littlejohn and ED and take a look please
http://www.arcadeshop.com/galaga/galaga.htm

Do you guys know of any others please?

Stop asking for fish and learn how to Google it.