Avatar (possibly generic Stern) advice please

[DAD]

I was playing my Avatar tonight when it lost all sound.
I rebooted the game and the sound came back but the fluorescent tube is now flickering on and off all the time.
Since then the machine is randomly resetting during games - doesn't seem to be restricted just to heavy power usage items (flippers, bumpers) but happens at random.
Oh and there is a slight "burnt electrics" smell

Any thoughts anyone please?

 

[stoptap]

Can the fluorescent tube ballast (metal thing in top right corner of backbox) cause these issues ?
See if the smell is from that area.

I'd like to be more help but I've never had to do a repair on a SAM game. It would be easier if you had another SAM game to hand so that you could try swapping the power board over.

You could try removing the tube and its starter and seeing if the resets go away.

 

[DAD]

Thanks.
My first thought was could it be something to do with the ballast, but it was a guess and like you I've never done a repair on it and don't have another SAM game.
I will do what you said and see what happens

 

[carl lawrence]

I think someone on here had the same problem and was told to temp disconnect the ballast to see if the game stops resetting !

I think it was Phil @philpalmer ?

 

[DAD]

Couldn't find any smell last night - all smells fresh in the backbox so maybe it was something else entirely.

Fluorescent tube looks knackered though - black at both ends.

I played one game with it still flashing this morning and the game reset within a minute, then I took out the starter and was able to play several long games without any reset, so that does look suspect.

I'm going to change the tube and starter first as that's the cheap option!
Will then replace the ballast if the problem remains.

Thanks for the helpful comments
I see you are both local and both have an Avatar - I didn't realise there were so many around -Love the game.

 

[chris b]

I always change the lot on stern games more than likely the ballast has gone and will blow the tube straight away or in a few days
I doubt the ballast would have anything to do with it re setting as it's driven straight from the transformer at 110v

 

[DAD]

I always change the lot on stern games more than likely the ballast has gone and will blow the tube straight away or in a few days
I doubt the ballast would have anything to do with it re setting as it's driven straight from the transformer at 110v

Thanks Chris

With the starter removed and the tube no longer flickering it hasn't reset at all in over an hours play.
Maybe it was creating some sort of interference, or the constant attempts to restart the tube were causing a power drain?
I'm no electrician so it's just guess work

I'll put the new tube in when it arrives and work from there
Looks like I am going to need a 110v starter anyway as the advice I had that a 240v one would work has now been contradicted

Do you use a 110v ballast or do the conversion to 240v that's on the PH site?

David

 

[Epotech]

240v the 110 will run hot and eventually burn out.

 

[chris b]

I use a standard stern ballast that phil sells 110v starter as 240 won't work

 

[Arv]

You could perhaps convert it to an led tube?

 

[DAD]

one new tube and starter and it's as good as new.
I learned that a 240v "series" starter is also a 110 - 130v "single" starter, so that made things a lot easier.
If the tube burns out quickly I'll look at changing the ballast.
Thanks to everyone who commented