Should I replace smoothing cap on 80's bally spectrum Voltage Regulator/Solenoid Driver Board just as a matter of good maintenance?

[AlanJ]

Huge 10,000uf capacitor on this board. 38 years old. I'm thinking should be replaced just as a matter of good housekeeping, but what do others recommend please?

I'm trying to figure out the best way to test if the capacitor is good? I suppose testing for any ac voltage across is is one way? Any other suggestions please?

 

[carl lawrence]

Pretty sure how to test a cap is how quickly it discharge when the power is taken off ,as I don't have a meter for checking this ,I tend to change this as good practice !
@myPinballs Jim this is one of his field of expertise , send him a pm !!

 

[Pick Holder]

A modern cap will be physically smaller.

Just change it!

 

[AlanJ]

yep thinking about it it’s a bit of a no brainer, easy swap too. only problem is when you start thinking about swapping capacitors, where do you stop........[emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pick Holder]

i work on pins and a lot of guitar amplifiers, as a matter of cause now anything that is prior to the 90s gets the electrolytics changed. Especially anything to do with power supplies.
Without a good power supply - the game will not function correctly.

 

[myPinballs]

Huge 10,000uf capacitor on this board. 38 years old. I'm thinking should be replaced just as a matter of good housekeeping, but what do others recommend please?

I'm trying to figure out the best way to test if the capacitor is good? I suppose testing for any ac voltage across is is one way? Any other suggestions please?

in answer to the filter cap question - yes

there are some other caps you should change in the 5v section and also a few connector mods. I’ll pm you

 

[David84]

Hi,

Just a tip from the repairman. If I get a Bally machine in the repairshop I always change the three capacitors on the solenoiddriver board. These capacitors dry out over time.
Newer ones are smaller and yes you can replace them with radial elco's. These are easier to get and cheaper.
Don't forget to upgrade the ground on these boards.
And where do you stop? Well one thing is handy, the fuse on this board is a smaller one, but I always change this to the big size fuse. Also easier to get and pinball machines always use the bigger size ones. Just take a 0,25A for this, instead of the odd fuse the Americans use here.
Then the SDB is ready for the next 30 years.

Greetings,
David