Fixing Happs Optical boards

[fredster]

I have more that a couple of trackballs that won't track on one axis or another.  They have these black detector transistors.

Any Idea if anybody has ever made a schematic of the trackball optical boards with the ECG numbers for these little beasties?

[Kevin Mullins]

Can you make out any numbers on the ones you have ?

[fredster]

I'm not sure.  I'm talking about the optical boards themselves.  Happs has a board and the Wico's have a board.  Like the ones on the centipede 2 1/4" ball and the happs or wico 3" ball.

Each of them has a optical board.  I have a couple of OLD 2 1/4" trackballs that won't come up and talk to me when I plug them in.  One has it bad on one side and the other is dead altogether.

All I see on this board is that black optical transistor.  So I'm betting that all I have to do is fix that board with a new transistor and baby goes into overdrive for the Fredster.

I asked this question a few times on arcade.collecting and they told me I was cheap.

Like I didn't know that?!? I knew that.

So what I'm really looking for is a schematic with the ECG part numbers of the Wico and Happs trackballs so I can order the parts to even make one from scratch.

Any clues on if anybody has done this?

[Level42]

Someone on this forum was offering replacement optical boards he made himself, can't find the thread anymore though.....

[2600]

Sometimes all you need is to clean the optic (the black transistors).  Use a little alcohol on the end of a qtip and clean the insides.

Otherwise, you will need to post a picture of which board or boards you are talking about.  There were a few revisions and we need to make sure to pick the correct one.  Digikey or Mouser should have the parts if they are still available if you want to flip through the catalog.

[Hoopz]

Someone on this forum was offering replacement optical boards he made himself, can't find the thread anymore though.....

It was fixumdude and here's the thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=48855.0

[fredster]

Thanks for the tip.

These need more than cleaning.  I did all that.   They are as dead as Elvis.  Wico has just a resistor and this optical transistor on it.  Older Happs boards are about the same.  New ones have a chip and a resistor, and this optical transistor.

[SirPeale]

It's not a transistor.  It's a infrared LED and a receiver. 

Try touching up the solder joints.  I've "fixed" more boards that way.

[fredster]

Peale,

You work at the arcade shop still don't you?  What do they do? Just buy new boards?

I did all the easy no brainer stuff on these already.  They are dead.  I did contact that fixumguy that was selling them via pm.

Obviously someone makes these parts.  They have to be like a buck or two somewhere because they sell the boards for $8.  I was looking for the source and part number for them, and it looks like I have!

Thanks to you guys I have found enough information from the fixuguy's site.  He had a very cool link, that goes into a lot of detail!!!

Everything you always wanted to know about optical arcade controls...

I found ONE in a box I got from an arcade closeout sale ! I wondered what it was for. I think it's for a spinner according to this read!

[SirPeale]

In April it will be two years since I worked there.  Long story short: I got fed up with bologna and quit.

Usually we'd just repair the board.  They're about as simple as it gets.   First an attempt on touching up the solder joints (it's funny how many times this works).   Cleaning the optic/receiver.  Replacing the optic/receiver. 

The good news is they don't go bad often.  I think I only replaced one board in the two years I worked there, and we had a TON of trackball games on the street.

[Level42]

It's not a transistor.  It's a infrared LED and a receiver. 

Define "receiver" ?

Actually it is a transistor.
It's a photo transistor.

The only difference is that instead of a small electrical current, it is now light that triggers the thing to conduct. Look at the symbol, it's really half a transistor

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opto-isolator

Ahh, that was my PITA moment for today. I really needed that

[Kevin Mullins]

Gettin' all technical on us and stuff........