How to rebuild/replace a power supply (Zaxxon)

[dpdelcollo]

In one of the many long steps that it is going to take to restore/rebuild a dedicated original Zaxxon, I have to find a way to overcome this little power supply problem that popped up.  

Whoever owned this cab before me (it wasnt me honest) didnt secure the powersupply inside the cab, so during one of its many moves, it basically rattled the powersupply to death inside the cab, taking the CPU board with it.  While I think I can get a replacement CPU or repair the damaged components (maybe) the power supply is most certainly dead, and I am at a loss about what to do about it.

From the pics:
http://www.delcollo.us/videogames/zaxpower/DSCN1302.JPG
http://www.delcollo.us/videogames/zaxpower/DSCN1303.JPG

You can see that what got damaged was the power regulator.  First I thought Id try to just bridge the breaks and rebuild it that way, but there are a couple of missing chunks and Im not sure what happens on the missing parts.  I thought about looking up the schematic for it, but in all the drawings, the regulator unit is refered to as a whole, and doesnt appear in any of the wiring diagrams that show its components or wiring.

So what should I do?  I thought about just buying a new complete power supply, but they dont seem to come up on ebay much, just the switching power supply, which probably still works.  plus it is so damned heavy that even if I found one, the shipping alone would probably make it too expensive to bother with.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?  

[paigeoliver]

email Todd from TNTamusements. He often has working original power supplies for classic games dirt cheap. That is because he installs new power supplys in everything he sells.

www.tntamusements.com

[Ken Layton]

Yup, Todd sure has some great deals on power supplies, often for less than $10.

Your original "Power supply assembly" was similar to Frogger in that it consists of several component assemblies mounted to a piece of wood. Those units are: 1) a big power transformer. 2) a 5 volt only switching regulator power supply. 3) a 12 volt only seperate power supply cicuit board (which is what is smashed in your game). 4) a fuse block.

My opinion would be to yard out the 5 volt only switching regulator supply and the busted up 12 volt power supply board altogether and replace them both with a single, modern "Peter Chou" 11 amp (or greater) screw terminal style switching power supply. Naturally the large power transfomer must remain because it's also your isolation transformer for the monitor.

[PacManFan]

Looking at that board, I'd say that you might have some luck super-glueing the thing together, and re-flowing some solder on those traces. It might work, you've got nothing to lose...

-PMF

[dpdelcollo]

I will try it, I do have nothing to loose, but its the missing chunks that Im worried about.

Would I be able to just reroute the wiring around the power regulator unit to get my 100volts out of the transformer to the monitor and use the switching power supply separate?  isnt this how a lot of games do it?

<desperate sigh>

[Ken Layton]

You won't have to touch the monitor wiring. A new Peter Chou power supply will replace the existing 5 volt only (metal cased) power supply. Then you chop off and tape up the low voltage AC wires from the transformer that went to the broken circuit board (won't be used with the new supply). The 12volt DC output wires from the broken circuit board connect to the 12 volt & ground terminals on the Peter Chou supply. Transfer the original +5 volt and ground wires from the old 5 volt only supply to the proper terminals on the new supply. Same goes for the AC power wires.

[dpdelcollo]

just so Im sure, even if I get a new switching power supply to replace the +12 +5 and -5 voltages, I still need to keep the transformer in order to get my 100volts for the monitor right?  I wish there was an easier way to power the monitor.

[Ken Layton]

Yes, you need to keep the transformer to power the monitor you already have in the game. If you have some money you could buy a brand new monitor of the type that does not need an isolation transformer.