Yet another "Display's NETPLEX link is down"

[Crrispy]

Hello,
My Denver Duck has this common error, and at the end of the PC Boot displays "Machine has a problem, Call attendant" on the touch screen. It already happened last year after I moved to a new house, then disappeared, don't know how. And last time we switched it on last week, we could make a few spins, then it stopped with this error which is now permanent. Machine is only switched on maybe 5-6 times a year for a few hours.

1) I checked my power supply and it's a "3Y Power" CP-9826.  Does not seem to be the most commonly failing PSU from what I've already read. Should I change all the caps anyway? After a few minutes when the PC has finished booting, the reels spin so the CPU basic operations seems to work properly. Machine is from 2006 so OK, caps are 12 years old, but I have 12 to 25 years old pinball machines that work fine with the original caps, too :-)

2) I have a 1270 enhanced mpu, can I safely remove the Varta battery before it causes more problems? I read in another post that it's possible if removing U16 too? Or is it risky on a Reel Touch?

Thanks.

[qbert]

Yes you should remove the green battery and the U16 on your enhanced board. You must remove U16 when you do this.
 Because you rarely operate this machine that may indeed be your problem. If the green battery goes dead you will get the netplex error. Sometimes you could leave the machine on for a few hours then reboot and sometimes it will work. Best just to remove the U16 and green battery.
Is the top box booting normally? If it is the top power supply is good.
What does the VFD say on it. Netplex down....

[The laneman]

When I was getting that error it was my bottom power supply.It can be what qbert said also.

[Crrispy]

Yes you should remove the green battery and the U16 on your enhanced board. You must remove U16 when you do this.
 Because you rarely operate this machine that may indeed be your problem. If the green battery goes dead you will get the netplex error. Sometimes you could leave the machine on for a few hours then reboot and sometimes it will work. Best just to remove the U16 and green battery.
Is the top box booting normally? If it is the top power supply is good.
What does the VFD say on it. Netplex down....

Hello,


OK, I will remove the battery and U16, but meanwhile will try to power it on a few hours.
The top box is booting normally, yes, up to the blue screen "call attendant".
VFD says "Display's NETPLEX link is down" as soon as the machine is powered on, and the message stays there. But when it has finished booting the wheels spin as usual.


Thanks.

[Crrispy]

Well, I reseated the BV, the reels, the MPU daughterboard and the MPU and... it works  .... not sure why, though. Next step will be to remove battery and U16 anyway before it leaks. At least I know it's not the power supply.


Edit: was too nice of course.. 2 hours and a few spins later, boom! crash! during a spin, displays netplex down again, call attendant, wheels spinning non stop, powered it down. 

[qbert]

Wheels spinning, turn jackpot key with the door open wheels should stop.

Try reseating most of the plugs going to the mother board and the multi colored ribbon cable going to the motherboard on both ends. Have you removed the green battery and U16?
What is the voltage of the coin battery in the MPU?
( turn the jackpot key a few times to reset the ram error after you replace or check the coin battery )
There is also a coin battery in the top box.
You will need an old computer keyboard with the small ps2 plug to get into the bios after a battery change up top.
Set the time and date then load optimized defaults and save.
I would start with the plugs first the move on down my list.

[Crrispy]

Thanks. Not had much time for this in the last weeks, but next on my list is the battery and U16

[Crrispy]

Hello,

I'm digging this up, I can't believe 5 years are gone already, but I stopped exactly where this post was left. Now I've decided to seriously try to fix it if I can, otherwise dismantle it and sell parts, because something like 99% must be OK. I'd rather fix it, it's still a beautiful machine and in excellent condition.

Now of course I've another error saying "Call Attendant" on the bottom display and the top computer was waiting in initialization phase. I opened the door  then used the jackpot key and it said "battery low", then asked me to press the mpu button, close the door.  At this point the top computer finished booting but the battery error remains on the lower display and the top computer also says call attendant on the blue background screen.

I have ordered a CR2354 battery that I should get tomorrow, and meanwhile I finally removed the green battery and U16.

Also, is there a way to stop the bi-tone super loud alarm when you open the door? It's very annoying and nothing seems to be able to stop it except power off?

Thanks.

[Stayouttadabunker]

Post good photos of your MPU board...especially around that green Varta battery area.
I'm glad you've taken that Varta battery off finally, but if you didn't remove that battery & U16 five years ago, the MPU might be finished from battery acid leaking all over?

It's pretty easy to stop the bi-tome alarm....unplug the speaker connecters on the harnesses...lol
There's two speakers with Molex connectors up top, and one down behind the coin tray.
Of course, for the time being, you will not have ANY sound until you learn when that alarm goes off and hook it back up.

"Battery Low" is the other battery on the MPU board.
Without any power to the MPU for last 5 years, it's most likely dead, and needs replacement.

Qbert is the best guy on NLG for help with your machine model.

[Crrispy]

Thanks. Hopefully, no battery leak, I was lucky. I was indeed pretty stupid to leave it there 5 more years...   
We'll see how it behaves as soon as I get the new 2354 battery. I think it will be back to the initial netplex down issue.

[qbert]

Put in the new coin battery, it is going to ring you can't stop it. Open the main door and turn the jackpot key three or four times. The VFD should say press button for three seconds (press it for at least five) the VFD should now say close main door. After closing the main door it should eventually say waiting for video display. Since you were having issues tell me how far you get in the above process and we will go from there.

[Crrispy]

Hi,

So I got the new battery today, I had already removed the green Varta battery and U16. I've installed the new main battery, replugged/reseated everything, did the init procedure and... it works!! 

Thanks for your support! Quite happy to see it live again.