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Arcade Collecting => Restorations & repair => Topic started by: slammin on August 06, 2021, 11:13:29 pm

Title: Arcade In-line fuse
Post by: slammin on August 06, 2021, 11:13:29 pm

Hi everyone,

I picked up an old cabinet and am going to put a PC in it.  I just want to know if it's ok to remove the in-line fuse attached directly to the AC input.  Or does that help protect the monitor? I'm keeping the original monitor, so I just want to make sure.

Title: Re: Arcade In-line fuse
Post by: bobbyb13 on August 07, 2021, 03:29:08 am

It would depend on how you wire it up, but everything in there should have a fuse or breaker feeding it.

I prefer to use an integrated fused/switched power inlet myself.
Route that to a distribution block and go from there.

But you need to consider also...
What type of monitor is it and does it need an isolation transformer?

What else will there be to power up?

Marquee and/or coin door lights?
Sound amp?
Cooling fans?

Whatever it is/was, please honor the 'Don't maim for MAME" mantra.

Title: Re: Arcade In-line fuse
Post by: Zebidee on August 07, 2021, 06:25:40 am

You don't have to change much.

For now, you can leave the original power intake and ditribution as is, and utilise it. I expect you're planning to run your PC & speakers from a power strip? You can just run the power strip to a normal socket to get yourself up and running fast, or....

You could hack (probably need to cut wires) the power strip cable end to a spare AC outlet from the internal power distribution board instead, assuming there actually is a spare spot. If there is no spare, you can disconnect the DC PSU and use that AC access point.

You should probably disconnect the DC PSU regardless if using a PC. DC PSU has nothing to do with the monitor, and most other things that require 5v/12v can be powered from a PC PSU.

The marquee is probably tapped into the AC power distribution already so may as well leave that there. You might eventually want to replace the tube/starter, or even replace the whole lot with an LED unit.

This is all assuming your original cab power intake/distribution etc is already setup well, up to the task (of taking a PC load) and not significantly degraded (e.g. by rats gnawing on cables or something).