Author Topic: Dreaded Netplex Link Is down........again (Read 11613 times)

br549autosales · « **on:** April 06, 2014, 08:47:39 PM »

Tuned on my Evel Knievel machine last night and got the Netplex Link Is Down blinking message. At first I thought the green battery was bad but I checked and it is reading 3.6v. I then suspected it may be the power supply going out so I tried the MPU (enhanced version) in another working machine in my game room and got the same message so it must be related to the MPU. I did check for any bent pins where it slides into the motherboard and they are all fine. Could the problem possibly be in the daughter board that holds the SB and the SG chips or perhaps one of the big square INTEL chips on the main board?

Thanks,

David

777sizzler · « **Reply #1 on:** April 06, 2014, 09:03:47 PM »

David, I read your post. How long since you turned the game on. Also Have you been removing mpu as you call it and testing other?. The 3.6 reading on the dvom of the green batt. does not mean it is transfering to proper places on the board. The expansion board Does have issues, Most of the time it is No sound but a good canidate since you transferred/checked them both in a pair with both same fail result. --Late here-excuss the spelling.

foster · « **Reply #2 on:** April 06, 2014, 09:48:58 PM »

Make sure the MPU is well seated into the motherboard.
I have seen reel tilts, and other I/O issues involving the MPU being not fully seated
It moved about a millimeter when I pushed in on MPU's in machines that had various tilts and the mpu being a out that millimeter is what caused the tilts/errors.
Make sure the Upper board is well seated on a 1270 enhanced MPU
Also check wiring between door and machine make sure you are not pinching any wires when the door is closed.
also check the 3 or 4 netplex connectors lower section of motherboard.

br549autosales · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2014, 09:56:05 PM »

I did make sure it was fully seated as well. It really can't be a wiring issue since the problem stayed with the board when I put into another working machine. I think I have a few extra upper boards that I can give a try to see if that remedies the problem.

Thanks

foster · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2014, 06:42:43 AM »

Definitely re-install the Legacy or R board on the MPU, you may have to swap MPU's temporarily

Swapping MPU's may force to you to key chip the machine due to lost settings after a mpu swap if the machine gives you a EEPROM error

RB · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2014, 09:39:10 AM »

David,
I've seen this too many times. More often than not it is related to the green battery. Put the MPU in & turn it on. Leave it for 30 mins - 2 hrs to put a trickle in the battery. Then turrn it off & back on again. Maybe reseat the board one more time. If it boots up then, replace that battery. If that fails check the power supply for bad caps or simply swap a power supply from another machine. Sounds like it is definitely board related in this case though. Good luck !

br549autosales · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2014, 10:42:35 PM »

I tried another piggy back board and still have the same problem. Left the machine on for a few hours, turned off and back on again, battery is still reading 3.6 volts, no change. Any other suggestions? Any other parts, mainly chips I can replace on the main board that may be the issue?

Thanks,

David

CVslots · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2014, 10:57:29 PM »

Well...just a thought, but how about the power supply?

That's the what we would see/conclude with a "non" Enhanced Board?

Retro tech repair · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2014, 11:30:13 PM »

check your power supply first, but every time i have seen this problem the only way i was able to fix it was to replace the mpu. i tryed the green battery and known working legacy board on every one not one was fixed that way. i think im getting close to finding exactly what causes it but it looks like its one of the spartan chips goes bad.

br549autosales · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2014, 07:27:23 AM »

It can't be the power supply because the problem follows the board to my other working machines.

CVslots · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2014, 07:59:57 AM »

Oh shoot. I didn't read that, or it didnt sink in if i did. Sorry.

eferry · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2014, 11:34:11 AM »

I have had this problem before and it is usually a short some where and this causes a power surge that the machine needs to be reset to continue. try checking the wires from the light in your belly glass to the ballast these often short out or are burnt at the connector.

br549autosales · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2014, 01:57:29 PM »

Has nothing to do with wiring, the problem follows the board to another working machine.

Buzz · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2014, 04:01:28 PM »

No where in this thread have I read that you have tried a different set of software on that MPU

777sizzler · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2014, 06:49:42 PM »

Quote from: Buzz on April 11, 2014, 04:01:28 PM

No where in this thread have I read that you have tried a different set of software on that MPU

I agree and a good valid point Buzz. Would not hurt to throw some other software in there and try. The chips do fail also, Why we keep back-ups--Good point out again--

.

bobthegameguy · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2014, 11:23:36 PM »

I hate the enhanced system, don't know why they changed, About the only good thing about it is you don't have to solider in the battery. I have run into this problem many times, spent hours trying to figure out what the heck goes wrong. I have tried just about everything that everyone else suggested and had no luck. So now I keep in stock a few older system mpu's and mother boards. Takes me about 20 minuets to swap systems and the problem is gone forever. I have a whole stack of enhanced systems in my junk pile in the back of my shop. I don't know why I hold on to them. Maybe some day someone will find out what fails on those boards and I can put them back in service.

SlotMechanic · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2014, 08:09:56 AM »

I have the same on going problem on my s2000 board....This is what my trial and error has come to.

For weeks in a row my s2000 will but up with no problem...then I curtain weeks it won't....everytime I turn it on, it will give the flashing netplex is down and keep blinking it......

now, when this happens I find my green battery at 3.6v....what the heck right?!

The kicker is, when my machine is booting up everytime, I pull the board out and check them battery...its below 1v!!!!! WTH!

I have done multiple tests on this....everytime it will not boot up when the battery is at the 3.6v....but it will with a battery voltage of 1v or less....I've also notices, when its just above the 1volt...it still wont boot...only when its below the 1 volt.....

Now, you ask, what do I do to get my machine going? I'll tell you...

When I run into the booting problem, I take the board out, take a spare candle light with the wires striped...black and red, and put the leads to the battery for about 30 seconds....it drains the battery down below the 1v threshold.....I pop the board back in...and wala...the machine boots up normally. I've done this tons of times and it has worked everytime. I think it has to do with the voltage sensing circuit....or the lack of it...

I havn't been able to test this quick fix on any other boards...but heck, its worth a try right?

CVslots · « **Reply #17 on:** April 29, 2014, 09:17:26 AM »

That's a heck of a fix, but hey, I gotta hand it to you, that was one helluva investigation!

Way to stick with it and get some facts, even though the resolve is kinda crazy!

Retro tech repair · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2014, 06:15:55 PM »

the enhanced boards do have a voltage sensing circuit, good find tho i will test it out next time i have a bad enhanced board.

bobthegameguy · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2014, 07:09:02 PM »

I don't know. I have removed the green battery entirely when it showed signs of crossion and it did not seem to make a difference. The best bet with a sure fix is change the system to the old style system. You can get the entire set up with the mother board for about $30.00 bucks at rudysdeals.com

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Author Topic: Dreaded Netplex Link Is down........again (Read 11613 times)