Can anyone help troubleshooting my Atari Transformer?

[BazookaJo]

I am currently trying to repair an Atari Starwars cockipt.  My electronics knowledge is practically non-existent, but with help from the internet I thought I'd narrowed it down to the transformer on the power block.

Basically, AC seems to be getting to my AR board, but only 0.6VDC.  on the power block I get no voltage across the bridge rectifier or the Big Blue capcitor yet all fuses seem to pass the continuity test.

I inquired about getting a new transformer from Bob Roberts, but he doesn't sell them as apparently, short of physical damage, they should just keep going.

So the question is, where do I go now?

Many thanks in advance.

Paul.

[Samstag]

You need to switch your meter to AC mode and look at the board input again.  It's perfectly normal to see near zero DC on an AC line.  As Bob said, that transformer is probably not going to be the problem.  If you see good AC across the input legs of the bridge rectifier, and no DC on the other two legs, it's a bad bridge (which is very common).

[D_Zoot]

Connection problems in those power bricks are not very uncommon.

[RayB]

I'd like to point out a couple things, since I've had to trouble-shoot my power parts in a Missile Command cocktail table:

1. As far as I could tell, you cannot get accurate readings off the Audio/Regulator board without the game PCB plugged in. I think they designed their circuits such that the power just doesn't "run through" unless the PCB is hooked up. This makes taking readings difficult (and risky too, since your board has to be connected). If you have a dead PCB, it helps...

2. There are two things you can do without even having much knowledge about these things (like me!). Three things if you count step A which is checking all connections.
Step B: Replace the "big blue" capacitor.
Step C: Rebuild the AR-II board.

Usually this will solve the problem, even though you may not know which specific part was failing.

~Ray B.

[D_Zoot]

Bazooka,

Check your PM..

I also sent you a schem of the power brick...

[RayB]

The jumper wires should be yellow if you are 120v (where are you anyway?) or blue for 220v.

[D_Zoot]

BEWARE! The color codes for the jumpers were not always the same, game to game... Download and check the manual for StarWars Cockpit first. It will be listed there which color was for which voltage.

Those were the correct wire colors for a Star Wars as equipped from the factory.  Unless somebody make up another jumper, it would be correct.

If in doubt, just compare pin connections to the schem I sent you...


D