Alpha Quickhit dead

[davei]

My Bally Alpha was working and then one morning I discover it is just blinking. See this video (too large to upload): https://youtu.be/dZX8CK1zey0


I am assuming a power supply. If you agree can you guide me to which one?


Thanks!

[davei]

No one has a suggestion?

[Yoeddy1]

So a few basics about the environment...


Did anything change?  Power outages?  Power cord running into a surge protector?  Power cord seated all the way?


Did you remove and reseat both of the power supplies?  Did you try reseating the MPU? 


Just a few things to get started. 

Thanks,
Jason

[davei]

Thanks Jason. I have 5 machines all on surge suppressors. I don’t think there was a surge. I reseated the power supplies and it started to boot but went back to these symptoms before it could finish booting.

[Yoeddy1]

Thanks Jason. I have 5 machines all on surge suppressors. I don’t think there was a surge. I reseated the power supplies and it started to boot but went back to these symptoms before it could finish booting.

When you say "machines", do you have more than one Alpha in the mix?  I ask to see if you could swap power supplies from another Alpha.


Also, try reseating your MPU as well.  Make sure the reels are seated tight as well. 


Somewhat of a last resort, but can you clear the software and reload it?  Just in case we're dealing with any kind of corruption.

Thanks,
Jason

[davei]

Jason,


This is the only Alpha. I’ve tried to clear and re-install but the machine won’t load. Just does this flashing thing. I’m really thinking power supply but not sure which one.


Thanks for your insight so far.

[Yoeddy1]

Well, on the surface it looks like the LED lighting and the reels are definitely affected, but I'm not sure which PS controls those components.  If you check out the top fan or the fan on the right side, do they also shut off and on, or will they stay on consistently?  If the top door is open, does the monitor fan or monitor shut off and on?


Jason

[rickhunter]

Pull out the power supplies and look for bulging caps.  It is most likely the 5/12v power supply.  Some alpha cabinets use the 5/12 volt from the mpu as well.  You should buy a spare set of power supplies while they are plentiful and cheap.  There's also a 5/12 volt power supply on the mpu, but it is not likely to do what your machine is showing.

[Eddiie]

Perhaps there is a direct short somewhere.

It powers up, the power sense circuit in the power supply detects a direct short and shuts off.    Just like a PC.
I'd double-check wiring around door hinges and frequently moving areas where wires are, maybe one is pinched.
What was the last thing you did that last time it was working and you opened it to turn it off?

Then again it could be power supply related, but working on a lot of PCs in my life, that behavior is related to a short and the PSU turning off.

good luck.    Power supplies are cheap enough.

[davei]

I am pretty confident it's a power supply as I haven't opened the door in weeks. It just stopped working. I never turn my machines off.


I was really hoping that someone could help me determine which power supply would cause the behavior depicted in the video.


Thanks,


Dave---

[Eddiie]

oh, got it.  Did not know you left them on all the time and you came in one day and it was off.

[Amechanic]

From the 2 Alpha’s I had, they both had PS problems. One was the 5/12v PS and the other was the 24v PS. I would suspect the 5/12v PS. I rebuilt mine with new caps and fans since all the small fans in them were dead and packed with dust. I would take them out and look for swollen/buldging capacitors. I would buy one of each. Then swap them one at a time to figure out what ones bad.