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Ribbon cable needed, can anyone make it?

David_Vi

David_Vi

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5Years
Joined
Sep 3, 2019
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Sudbury
Got some strange intermittent faults with Pinball Magic, it's been like this since I've had it (over a year). The start button stops working and sometimes a lot of the lamps stay on. If you open the backbox and wiggle the ribbon cable it fixes it.

Mr Squires said it could be the ribbon cable. I couldn't find the part anywhere except the Australian pinball parts shop. Luckly I needed a few other bits from them and Claire has a friend in Oz who could post it on to us.

Annoyingly the ribbon cable arrived damaged and I can't be waiting nearly two months and paying lots to get another from Oz 🙄

Does anyone know where I can get a ribbon cable made like this? I emailed Andy at Pinball Mania as Mark said he often makes ribbon cables.

@stumblor is this something you can do?

20220106_163855.jpg20220106_163848.jpg20220106_163911.jpg
 
I presume the ribbon was damaged. Just swap the connectors over yourself, job done.

Unclip on either end using a small screwdriver, remove the old connector - prise it off the old ribbon with the screwdriver. Do the same with the new part then drop the new connector in place of the old connector (use the same holes even) and close the clasp over the top of it.
 
Moonraker said:
I presume the ribbon was damaged. Just swap the connectors over yourself, job done.

Unclip on either end using a small screwdriver, remove the old connector - prise it off the old ribbon with the screwdriver. Do the same with the new part then drop the new connector in place of the old connector (use the same holes even) and close the clasp over the top of it.
Click to expand...

Something in the package pierced it
IMG-20220106-WA0016.jpeg


So you're saying the actual ribbon part of the old cable should be ok but it's the connector parts that fail? So swap them?

Matt Vince said:
I have a box full of various ribbon cables, will take a look for you.
Click to expand...

That would be great Matt. I don't hold much hope though, considering it seems only capcom had them to this spec
 
I’d repair the break in the new cable. expose the wire that is broken at both ends and solder a small piece to rejoin them. blob of hot glue to cover it up and insulate it
 
50 pin i think. Easy enough to make, but what is that black thing in the middle?

If that's some weird thing that's impossible to source, yes I agree, better to try and repair.
 
stumblor said:
50 pin i think. Easy enough to make, but what is that black thing in the middle?

If that's some weird thing that's impossible to source, yes I agree, better to try and repair.
Click to expand...
I think it is it a Ferrite core to prevent interference? Maybe it just clips over the cable? If so easy to transfer to another cable.

This guy on ebay can make you any type of cable you want:

Pardon our interruption...

www.ebay.co.uk
 
Yep - I'd test with a multimeter and fix any wires broken.. doesn't look dead - more stunned - they stun easily...
 
David_Vi said:
Got some strange intermittent faults with Pinball Magic, it's been like this since I've had it (over a year). The start button stops working and sometimes a lot of the lamps stay on. If you open the backbox and wiggle the ribbon cable it fixes it.

Mr Squires said it could be the ribbon cable. I couldn't find the part anywhere except the Australian pinball parts shop. Luckly I needed a few other bits from them and Claire has a friend in Oz who could post it on to us.

Annoyingly the ribbon cable arrived damaged and I can't be waiting nearly two months and paying lots to get another from Oz 🙄

Does anyone know where I can get a ribbon cable made like this? I emailed Andy at Pinball Mania as Mark said he often makes ribbon cables.

@stumblor is this something you can do?

View attachment 156934View attachment 156935View attachment 156936
Click to expand...
Have you checked what wire was actually peirced on the new cable? You might be lucky and its just a ground wire, as normally ribbons have loads of grounds to separate out the signals etc. Also it might not be severed? Worth investigating before you try to repair it anyway. Buzz test it etc
 
Moonraker said:
Where are you wiggling it? If it is the ribbon only then replace cable but if it is the connector end then it might be hairline cracks on the connector header pin solder joint. As mentioned here:

Capcom Repair - PinWiki

www.pinwiki.com www.pinwiki.com
This is an example of cracked solder:

File:LampDriverBoardCrackedHeaderPins.jpg - PinWiki

www.pinwiki.com www.pinwiki.com
Click to expand...

I'll try that next, before I borrowed it from James he did say he had the issue and tried reflowing connectors.

Sometimes I don't need to wiggle it. Just putting the DMD panel down let's you start a game then when you put it back up the button continues to work. It's odd .
Must be something on that board which I believe is the CPU board?
I was assumed it was the ribbon as it moves when you lower the DMD because it has that weight on it.
 
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