Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: chiLLbiLLy on July 23, 2011, 12:02:24 am
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Ok, I think I've got a short in my wiring, somewhere near the power supply, or else these just aren't wired properly.
Button and trackball lights are fluctuating in intensity...sometimes they're fully bright...sometimes dimmer...then sometimes super dim to almost off. If I physically move wires 'L/F' and 'M/C' around, near the power supply connector, I can literally change the intensity manually. :-\
Here's my legend for the photos further below and my question is....have I got these wired right and/or is this probably just a short in the wiring to the power supply?
A - To led power terminal on volcano button #2
B - To screw terminal for other always-on led buttons (power)
C - To power supply (power - same wire as M)
D - To screw terminal for other RGB led buttons (same terminal as H)
E - To ground terminal of LED-Wiz #2 (same wire as K)
F - To power supply (ground - same wire as L)
G - To screw terminal for other always-on led buttons (resistors)
H - To screw terminal for other RGB led buttons (same terminal as D)
I - To led power terminal on volcano button #1
J - To trackball lighting board
K - To ground terminal of LED-Wiz #1 (same wire as E)
L - To ground terminal of LED-Wiz #1 (same wire as F)
M - To power terminal of LED-Wiz #1 (same wire as C)
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Sounds like a loose wire. Use an electrical marrette to connect all your wires that go to one terminal and use a pigtail (single wire) to connect the rest to the terminal strip. Then you will have a solid connection. I think you have too many wires stuffed into the terminal strip.
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Those marrettes are also called "wire nuts".
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There are definitely too many wires under those little terminals. But I also wonder if its too much of a current draw, that could definitely cause the bright--dimmness issue.
maybe you can troubleshoot by disconnecting some leds and see if problems clears up
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Ok, I'll go back and doublecheck for loose wires. As for too many wires per terminal, I'm not sure which terminal(s) you mean...on the LED-Wiz boards? There's only 4 and 3 on board #1, versus 3 and 1 on board #2...is that really too many?
Now, as for potential excessive power draw...hmmmm. Here's what I currently have lit:
1 trackball
1 always-on led for the coin door light
9 always-on led buttons
19 rgb led buttons
2 volcano buttons
This configuration leaves 1 open port on each of the two 32-port LED-Wiz boards. I wouldn't think I'm over-maxing the power draw here, but then again, I wouldn't be here asking questions, if I really knew what I was doing. ;)
So...check for loose wires first and I guess, since the act of physically moving the power & ground wires that are next to the connector that's attached to the power supply in photo #3, produces profound intensity shifts, I might want to try replacing those 2 wires altogether, along with checking their positioning inside the connector itself. I suppose it could have come loose inside there or have become crimped or something along the way.
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You can easily check for overdraw by disconnecting some (like say half) and then see if the problem persists. If it doesn't, keep adding them back in until it does.
What are you using for power?
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It's a Happ Power Pro 200w power supply.
I'll disconnect LED-Wiz board #2 from board #1, as that will cut everything in half basically and then check accordingly.
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Finally had a chance to work on this...disconnected LED-Wiz board #2 altogether and still the same behavior, so I don't think it's an overdraw issue. All other wires seem tightly connected, too, so, ruling out the possibility my wiring is just flat-out wrong somewhere, I've narrowed it down to the main power and ground line coming from LED-Wiz board #1 to the Happ power supply (labelled as wires "C/M" and "F/L" in my photos).
I'm thinking there's just got to be a bad connection in that connector, right at the power supply, because that's how I can basically get everything to light up fully for now...just move those wires around, right at that connection. The intensity level will basically stay put, after I move those 2 wires at the connector. As for why it sometimes changes intensity between different sessions...has to be because when I open my control panel, I'm probably ever-so-slightly pulling on those wires, just enough to move things at the connector.
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Redo the connectors on your PS wires and you should be fine.