Unresponsive Microswitches

[Marq1418]

Hello everyone.  I have recently completed my control panel and finished wiring it up.  I got joysticks and buttons from Dreamarcades and am using an IPAC VE to interface the components with the computer.  While all of the buttons work, if the button is pressed quickly, only about half of the presses register in the games.  I can hear the microswitch click, but there is not always a corresponding response in the games or notepad.

The joysticks are even worse.  If I start from the center and push out hard in any one direction, it works.  However, when I change direction it does not register most of the time.  I would estimate that when I load up notepad, about 50% of the time i press a joystick direction the corresponding letter shows up.  Again, I can hear the microswitch click, but nothing results on the screen.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what could be causing this problem?  I have tried searching the forum but did not find any similar question (I apologize if this is redundant).  Could it be a software issue with the PC?  I tried a second PC and got similar results.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[SirPeale]

Loose connections?

[madk]

I'll try to help you a little bit more here...

Microswitches don't go bad that often.  They are designed to last a long long time.  So if you hear your switch working I would rule out the switches being the problem.  It could be loose connections...but that would be doubtful as well being that you are having the problem with multiple switches and not just one button.  You've also ruled out software as a problem by testing in notepad.  It honestly seems to me like something is wrong with you IPAC.  I've had nothing but good luck with IPACs but others have experiences problems before.

My suggestion would be to rewire a few of your buttons.  Use a higher gauge wire and test a few at a time, making sure that you have solid connections thru and thru.

Good luck,
matt

[horseboy]

Use a higher gauge wire and test a few at a time, making sure that you have solid connections thru and thru.

Do you mean lower gauge?

[Xam]

If you really think it is the switches, try using a multimeter with a continuity test setting.

Xam

[CheffoJeffo]

If you really think it is the switches, try using a multimeter with a continuity test setting.

Yep.

Cheers.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Mike, I am having the EXACT same problem. It is driving me crazy. A game like Pengo, where you have to change directions quickly, is impossible to play.

Here's my setup:

IPAC-4 / Happ Super Joystick (the one with the microswitches) / USB Mode (no keyboard passthrough) 7 buttons and 4 microswitches on the Joystick.

I am wondering if the way I connect the wires to the buttons is the problem. I am basically poking the wire through the hole on the connector and then revolving the wire around the rest of the connector. I am daisychaining all the ground.

The wire I am using is from the Real Bob Roberts. "Bag of 20GA 10' x 10 colors (100' total)".

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (this is my first control panel).

[hypernova]

If you want, check out my thread here.  I was having the same problem as well.  If you don't want to, long story short:  The wiring was bad somewhere.  I think it was the grounding.  Possibly something to do with my particular setup.  You'll need to look at my site for furthur explanation on how it was previously configured.

Are you having problems with all your buttons?  So exactly how do you guys have your grounding set up?

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Are you having problems with all your buttons?  So exactly how do you guys have your grounding set up?

Yeah, all the buttons and all the microswitches on the joystick, too. If I go too quickly it really only registered maybe 3 out of 5 times. If I press a button slowly and deliberately, with a second's wait before I press another button it usually works pretty well.

I have the grounding setup by daisy chaining. I am going from one button to the next and then hopping over to the joystick. I put the first ground wire (the one that ends up in the IPAC) through the hole on the bottom of the first microswitch. I loop it around. To go to the next button, I take a length of wire and 1) wrap it around the contact as well 2) I then feed the other end of that wire into the bottom contact's hole.

I am using a KVM switch on my system, so the keyboard (an IBM Model M) goes into that, and then the KVM cable goes into my PC. I am going to try putting the KVM keyboard cable into the IPAC's passthru spot just to see if it has any effect.

[DreamArcades]

If it turns out your switches are bad we will replace them free of charge.
Just let us know,
Mike

[Kremmit]

Yeah, all the buttons and all the microswitches on the joystick, too. If I go too quickly it really only registered maybe 3 out of 5 times. If I press a button slowly and deliberately, with a second's wait before I press another button it usually works pretty well.

That's exactly the behavior you get from old switches in an arcade that have maybe had too many soda baths.  But you wouldn't expect it to be happening to ALL your switches, at the same time, and with them being brand new.

[BobA]

I am wondering if the way I connect the wires to the buttons is the problem. I am basically poking the wire through the hole on the connector and then revolving the wire around the rest of the connector. I am daisychaining all the ground.

This is usually not a good way to wire a switch.  You should be either soldering or preferably using quick connects.  A connection made in this manner is very loose and will get worse as time passes and the switches shake and corrode.

[miles2912]

Start simple.  Make a simple ground test wire and then connect a few buttons and see if it is having problems.  Sounds like a wiring issue but if the simple tests fail then I would look at the IPAC.

What OS and what connection is the IPAC BTW?

D-

[SirPeale]

I have the grounding setup by daisy chaining. I am going from one button to the next and then hopping over to the joystick. I put the first ground wire (the one that ends up in the IPAC) through the hole on the bottom of the first microswitch. I loop it around. To go to the next button, I take a length of wire and 1) wrap it around the contact as well 2) I then feed the other end of that wire into the bottom contact's hole.

Yeah, that could explain a lot of problems.  Since you have it like that, you might as well solder it together, as 1/2 the work is already done.

[Xiaou2]

 Just FYI,   Micros do go bad.   I used to manage an arcade, and had to change them
often in games which were played often such as the popular fighters.

 Now, this took some time..   but it did happen.

 The micros still often clicked.. but there was no responce - or - an intermittent one.
Usually, you could see wear on the switch itself, as well as the click not sounding
very pronounced at all.  (very quiet)

 This may be the actual spring inside going bad - and or it may be the internal contacts
also wearing out - or are corroded.

 

[shbon]

I think this thread did actually refer to an isolated IPAC issue... Read this thread over at the Ultimarc Board :
http://www.mameworld.info/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=76627&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

Shaun

[hanelyp]

My initial thought was that if a button is pressed and released fast enough the signal could fall between samples on that input and be missed, or maybe too brief a press with enough switch and wire resistance might not pull the signal far enough to register.  The latter might be fixed by double checking all contacts and cleaning the switch.