Monitor DOA, requesting sage advice

[J-Rod]

     I recently acquired a free dead Aero Fighters cab from a friend. The board seems to be dead for sure, and there's no monitor activity either. The power supply appears to be ok, the marquee lights up, and there's a system hum, and a faint crackle from the speakers. I don't plan on trying to save the board (aero fighters? c'mon...) but I would really like to see if i can tackle the monitor, as if I plan to resell this cab before x-mas I'd like to be able to save on that cost.

    I have no idea what kind of monitor it *is* though, so I haven't gotten to the point of being able to look at flowcharts and what to check to determine problem. I snapped some pics, maybe someone here can help me out? I am thinking it's a WG, just not sure how to identify what model. There's a Phillips sticker on the tube. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[grantspain]

looks like a k7000 series to me,why do you think the monitor is faulty?power up the cab and look for a orange glow from the base of the neck,also you can turn up the screen volts on the flyback to see if your monitor is operating,btw how do you know your psu is ok-have you metered the outputs?

[J-Rod]

Well, I assumed the monitor was bad because even with a bad board, I should get *something* on the monitor? I am a n00b at this, forgive me, but I am proficient enough to know how to use a multimeter and the like, from my PC field experience. Where would I find some information on stuff like the flyback, and where are the points I should measure for voltage? Maybe I need a website to read to bone up on at least the essentials and vocab?

I'll go plug it back in right now and see if I can see any orange glow at the base. Thanks for the reply.

[J-Rod]

Just checked, there is no glow at the base of the tube where you can see inside the glass, and the appendage plugs in. (I apologize for the lack of terminology, I'll be learning soon enough)

[Lutus]

Discharge the monitor and remove the chassis (making note of what plugs into where) and then use a multimeter to carefully check any fuses you find.

Also, while you have it out take a look at the flyback, if there is a crack then it should be replaced.  Also while you have it out I would suggest doing a capkit.

There you go.

[Ken Layton]

It's a Wells-Gardner k7000 series and it definitely still has original capacitors in it. You need a capkit for sure.

[J-Rod]

Great, now we're cooking. If I am going to need a cap kit, I'll go ahead and order one now, and get on taking it all out and starting to test fuses and whatnot.

http://homearcade.org/BBBB/k7000.html

Do I need the K7000 kit then?

[SirPeale]

Aero Fighters is a good game, are you kidding?  Still earns good money, is lots of fun.

And yes, that's a K7000.  Likely needs caps, yes, but if you're still getting nothing, pull the chassis and check for cracked solder joints.  I bet you find a bunch.  Particularly around the flyback.

Check all your wiring *carefully* something may have come disconnected.

Check your power supply with a MULTIMETER. 

[Lutus]

There are also test points on most monitors.  This fact helped me fix my Electrohome G07 just two weeks ago.  (That and the monitor guru's around here.  )

After you get the cap kit and check/replace fuses and the flyback, don't be immediately discouraged if it doesn't come on.  Start using your test points to back track the flow of the current (what voltage you get at each point).

[J-Rod]

Well guys, I managed to get some extra time today, and whilst I haven't had time to get on ordering the cap kit, I did manage to get the machine downstairs to the basement, and begin to start the process of getting the chassis out. I can still check for stuff like cracked solder joints and the like without having the kit today. I noticed there's a molex connector that was never hooked up since I recieved this cab, and to be honest I don't know what it does, it looks like it is some sort of power though, judging by the thickness and color of the wire. Anyone know what it is? I can't find a matching molex connector or I would have just hooked it up and gave it a shot.

**edit**

I seem to have found another set of stray wires coming from the power supply, no molex on it though. I would hook it up myself to test, but as I don't really know where they are supposed to go, I'd rather not blow anything up. Here's a shot of what I am talking about.

[grantspain]

those two loose wires in the last photo,do thay go to that transformer behind the power supply.if so have you metered those wires to see if they are 110v a/c(check a fuse ain't blown as they seem to be touching),i am sure they are the monitor power wires-to me it looks like someone has changed the monitor on that cab and never wired it up correctly-if those wires are 110 then they should go to the black and white wire on your monitor power input plug--which would explain why you ain't got a picture

[J-Rod]

Thanks for the reply, yeah they do indeed go to that transformer, that's why I drew the connecting lines, to show that was the origination of the ends. I wasn't totally sure what the deal was, because the gauges are different, the ones coming off the transformer are smaller than the ones connected to the molex that was never hooked up. Maybe I should just make another set that are heavier and wire it up to that lonely connector. I'll test for voltage right now.

[grantspain]

the current of that monitor is very low,maybe 2amps,so the cable gauge looks o.k-but if you feel safer upgrading it then fine but one thing i have noticed on this forum is there is a case of overkill(you should see some of the lash ups we used to do in the 80's and are still going)-but if people want to do a total professional job then good on ya-good luck and let us know the outcome.

[J-Rod]

Well that was fun. Not really sure what happened, but it looks like that might not have been a happy wire combination. I checked voltage from the transformer wires, the ones hanging loose with no connector, they were 110. I attached them to the lonely black and white molex from the pic, and powered up. Got a pretty interesting sound, and a pop.



 

Looks like I'll need to replace that as well when I get the cap kit. I learned some more about the cab talking to it's previous owner today as well. The original chassis wasn't a WG7000, but something much worse. They were trying to fix it, and gave up and just ordered a whole new chassis. They never got that to work either, hence how I ended up with this beast. Still have to figure out how to get power properly to that monitor, even after a flyback and cap replacement.

[grantspain]

yeah just replace that cap,its certainly not power related-trouble is if you start by not knowing whether your fault lie's in one specific area then you end up going in circles because you don't know if your psu,game board or monitor are o.k-but stick with this one,i think you will sort it

[J-Rod]

It sucks because that one blew when I hooked up the stray power lines from the transformer to apparently the power from the monitor. Maybe I shouldn't try to tackle one so far gone on my first try. I'd really like to get it alive, more because my friend said it couldn't be done, but also to make a cab for sale before xmas. Thanks for the help, I'll see what other resources I can dig up. It would be really nice to see the guts of an aero fighter cab that is working properly.