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Pinball Electrical 101


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Ok, removed the coil from the strobe relay and played 4 games of cirqus voltaire without the led-wiz buggering up. So what could the problem be a possible faulty relay?

On to the 2nd problem with the interference on the dmd display, i unplug the 12v 150 watt PSU and removed all the wires that were attached the positive terminals on the PSU, turned the PSU back on and the interference was back!! I even try plugging the PSU into another outlet rather than my multi IntelliPlug strip, still the same problem. How can 2 different PSU give me the same interference problems?? Would still having the negative wires attached to the PSU terminal from all my components still cause interferance?

When your strobe is active, did you put the timers in your ini file ? For example S7 300.

It's important you do, because if you don't the LedWiz wil try to do the strobing (rom controlled) for you by switching the relais very fast.

The switching of the relais could be the issue of your LedWiz reacting funny.

A solution could be to put the timers in place or use an optocoupler.

Perhaps a diode could to the trick as well. Maybe maxxsinner could shed some light on this issue. Probably a better light too lol.

The monitor issues are most likely because of the bad shielding from the PSU and the monitor (or cable) being sensitive about it.

What are the exact specifications on your PSU ? (and the previous one)

If possible, try to move the PSU to another section of your cab, that would most likely solve it.

It would mess up all the decent wiring you did so far, but it could be worth it.

2cts

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thanks almost got it just need to know how to connect the lit button daisy chain into a computer psu now.

It depends on the voltage of your leds or bulbs Bladex.

If you use 12v, then use the yellow(+) and black(-).

If you plan on using the 5v rail, you could use the red wire instead of the yellow.

When you're using a seperate computer PSU (recommended), you need to short pin 13(black) to pin 14(green) to start the PSU, otherwise it will stay off when power is applied. Here you can see how : http://tech-reviews.co.uk/articles/boot-your-psu-without-a-motherboard/

Edited by Numiah
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40 bucks a piece ??:heeeelllllooooo:

|Edit : Nevermind, I was blind, it's 40 bucks for 5 pieces lol

They are only 3 watt, that means 1 watt per color. So don't expect too bright, but they will work.

Watch out, they are common cathode, while you'd want common anode ! (unless you use -12v or -5v)

Edited by Numiah
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I have two strobes just above the playfield glass, see my vid. There are no issues with reflection at al.

There is someone who placed the flashers just above the playfield, but I forgot who....

I saw that someone did this too and liked it. Dont think I have enough room, but I am considering mounting LED's on the bottom of my backbox(through from the inside) pointing down, and cutting a mirror to place as a bezel over the PF under the glass. Thus, hopefully creating the illusion of more lights, without having them. I am not sure yet if this is going to give the desired effect or if it will cause an overload of reflections, but we shall see!

Edited by Zablon
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40 bucks a piece ??:heeeelllllooooo:

|Edit : Nevermind, I was blind, it's 40 bucks for 5 pieces lol

They are only 3 watt, that means 1 watt per color. So don't expect too bright, but they will work.

Watch out, they are common cathode, while you'd want common anode ! (unless you use -12v or -5v)

Argh! Well, back to the hunt for LEDs!

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I saw that someone did this too and liked it. Dont think I have enough room, but I am considering mounting LED's on the bottom of my backbox(through from the inside) pointing down, and cutting a mirror to place as a bezel over the PF under the glass. Thus, hopefully creating the illusion of more lights, without having them. I am not sure yet if this is going to give the desired effect or if it will cause an overload of reflections, but we shall see!

Here's the link to that 'someone' :Dhttp://www.hyperspin-fe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10492&page=15

It's the wonderful cab of gstav :adore:

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Looks nice and the price is quite reasonable too. I'd say go for it !

However any PC powersupply would do the job as well, and they can be bought 2nd hand much cheaper. Unless you plan on running gears and shakers, then you need more oomph.

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Ok, removed the coil from the strobe relay and played 4 games of cirqus voltaire without the led-wiz buggering up. So what could the problem be a possible faulty relay?

On to the 2nd problem with the interference on the dmd display, i unplug the 12v 150 watt PSU and removed all the wires that were attached the positive terminals on the PSU, turned the PSU back on and the interference was back!! I even try plugging the PSU into another outlet rather than my multi IntelliPlug strip, still the same problem. How can 2 different PSU give me the same interference problems?? Would still having the negative wires attached to the PSU terminal from all my components still cause interferance?

Can you upload a photo of you connections for your stobe lettuce. My be able to diagnose a little easier for you.

As for problem 2, disconnect the negatives just to confirm but I think Numiah is spot on about the PSU causing the interference. Can you give us your make and model of power supply and where it is located in your cabinet?

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One question on figuring out resistor loads. In the (awesome) guide here, the implication is that you grabbed a "good enough" resistor, rather than specific resistors for each of the forward-voltage specifications for each of the four emiters on the Cree LED? Should I be punching in the lowest of the four forward voltages and just using that? The highest?

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Can you upload a photo of you connections for your stobe lettuce. My be able to diagnose a little easier for you.

As for problem 2, disconnect the negatives just to confirm but I think Numiah is spot on about the PSU causing the interference. Can you give us your make and model of power supply and where it is located in your cabinet?

Here a pic of how i have the stobe wired up, it has just a single power cable, which i cut into as you suggested and placed th relay inbetween the live wire then the red wire going off to my 12v PSU and the yellow off to the led-wiz

dscf6013c.jpg

dscf6005y.jpg

Ok this is a overhead pic of the inside of my cab, as you can see the psu is on the left and side near the sub, its a fair way away from the acutally dmd display.

dscf5892c.jpg

This is the PSU i have now (the link includes specs) its a Heng Fu....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320662684163&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

The one i had before which was just 100watt was a Mean Well PSU the same as chris, and that also caused interfrance, the Heng Fu and mean well PSU looked idetical from what i could see of inside the PSU!!

Edited by lettuce
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One question on figuring out resistor loads. In the (awesome) guide here, the implication is that you grabbed a "good enough" resistor, rather than specific resistors for each of the forward-voltage specifications for each of the four emiters on the Cree LED? Should I be punching in the lowest of the four forward voltages and just using that? The highest?

If you enter each on the forward bias voltages into the LED calcultor, it often ends up with the same value resistor as resistors come in only set sizes. If it comes back with different sizes, by all means using each of the given values for each of the LED's on the chip. The guide just shows the values that I was given for my Cree's.

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Here a pic of how i have the stobe wired up, it has just a single power cable, which i cut into as you suggested and placed th relay inbetween the live wire then the red wire going off to my 12v PSU and the yellow off to the led-wiz

Ok this is a overhead pic of the inside of my cab, as you can see the psu is on the left and side near the sub, its a fair way away from the acutally dmd display.

This is the PSU i have now (the link includes specs) its a Heng Fu....

The one i had before which was just 100watt was a Mean Well PSU the same as chris, and that also caused interfrance, the Heng Fu and mean well PSU looked idetical from what i could see of inside the PSU!!

Everything looks fine there Lettuce. Does the power cable for your power supply, or for anything mains voltage go past the back of your pc where your monitors connect to your motherboard? If the do, try and reroute them away as much as possible and the same behind your DMD monitor.

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Everything looks fine there Lettuce. Does the power cable for your power supply, or for anything mains voltage go past the back of your pc where your monitors connect to your motherboard? If the do, try and reroute them away as much as possible and the same behind your DMD monitor.

No, all the power cables are on the right hand side of the cab where the power strip is, they only way they come in any sort of contact with each other is the power cable from the monitor is plugged into the powerstip and so is the PSU, i might try tomorrow plugging the monitor into a wall socket and sell if that changes anything

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This one has me stumped lettuce. There should be no interference from the PSU as it is so far a way from your monitor and there is no high frequency switching from any of the gear anywhere in your cabinet that I can see. The PSU should not be backfeeding any harmonics into the power board as its pratically isolated from the output side so the only other suggestion I have is to connect another monitor into the video card that is feeding your DMD to see if that is the cause. If the fault appears on another monitor, we know the video card is getting the interference otherwise it must be the DMD monitor. I assume that its not interfering with any other monitors in your pinball?

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This one has me stumped lettuce. There should be no interference from the PSU as it is so far a way from your monitor and there is no high frequency switching from any of the gear anywhere in your cabinet that I can see. The PSU should not be backfeeding any harmonics into the power board as its pratically isolated from the output side so the only other suggestion I have is to connect another monitor into the video card that is feeding your DMD to see if that is the cause. If the fault appears on another monitor, we know the video card is getting the interference otherwise it must be the DMD monitor. I assume that its not interfering with any other monitors in your pinball?

Nah i think it has to be the 12v PSU, because as soon as i unplug the PSU the interferance stops :hmmmm:

I also have my Backglass montior plugged into the same graphics card as the DMD monitor and that doesnt show any interferance what so ever, but i am using a HDMI to DVI cable for that display though

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Just as Maxx said the PSU is far enough from your monitor to interfere with it.

However some signal is getting pooped on, thats for sure.

Do you have another monitor laying around you could put in front of your cabinet and connect to your motherboard ?

You did try another cable am I right ? I think I saw you mention it somewhere, but I'm to lazy to look :P

Another thing to test could be to hook your DMD monitor (still in cab) to another computer or laptop and see what happens.

It's just about excluding one thing after another to pinpoint the problem.

Fingers are crossed over here.

BTW, is your cab grounded ? I've seen computers do some weird things when connected to an ungrounded wall socket.

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Nah i think it has to be the 12v PSU, because as soon as i unplug the PSU the interference stops :hmmmm:

I also have my Backglass monitor plugged into the same graphics card as the DMD monitor and that doesn't show any interference what so ever, but i am using a HDMI to DVI cable for that display though

Yeah I understand that the PSU is causing the stray signal, but I wanted you to test with another monitor on the VGA cable to see if it is that particular monitor and the PSU causing the fault or is it any monitor. As you said, the other monitor is on a HDMI cable meaning it wont show interference because an analogue signal wont affect a digital one.

If its just that monitor, it may need extra grounding, shielding, to be dipped in lead, something. If its not just that monitor, it may be the video card is picking up the stray signal and injecting it into the VGA signal and the video card needs shielding.

You may swap out that PSU only to find the new one it causes the same problem again.

This is one of the reasons I will be putting my pc into a case.

Just as Maxx said the PSU is far enough from your monitor to interfere with it.

However some signal is getting pooped on, thats for sure.

Do you have another monitor laying around you could put in front of your cabinet and connect to your motherboard ?

You did try another cable am I right ? I think I saw you mention it somewhere, but I'm to lazy to look :P

Another thing to test could be to hook your DMD monitor (still in cab) to another computer or laptop and see what happens.

It's just about excluding one thing after another to pinpoint the problem.

Fingers are crossed over here.

BTW, is your cab grounded ? I've seen computers do some weird things when connected to an ungrounded wall socket.

Numiah is spot on. Fault finding is a process of elemination and he has some good suggestions here lettuce. Give our suggestions a go if you can and see if we can pinpoint the cause for you. Maybe as easy as putting a gounded sheet of tin over your pc. Might not be too.... lol

Edited by maxxsinner
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Guest bladex

having trouble understanding the power on button. i just want to wire it to a button so when i push it the m/b turns on and all the monitors/tv connected to it as well?

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Not sure how you mean bladex as the picture shows every connection except for the connections for PC start button which is just spliced into the wires between the push button on your pc case to your motherboard. If your not using a case and dont have an old one laying around that you can cut the power button wires out of, you can use female pin headers and solder your own wires on then plug that into your motherboard pinout.

Edited by maxxsinner
Another idea.
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Guest bladex

picture isn't very clear or too complicated do you have a pic of just a power switch connected to a m/b or something similar?

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