Fixing Crystal Castles

Arcade Games & Cooking.

Moderators: AArdvark, Ice Cream Jonsey

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Fixing Crystal Castles

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

OK, the information I received indicated that the big blue capacitor needs to be replaced. Pics!!

Image

I'll be DAMNED if I can't get the last screw off, though. I think I need to take the monitor off, but I am worried about there being a charge left in the thing. Fuck, I wish I paid more attention in shop class.

But I'm really just hoping that the last screen to come off on big blue is the last thing I need to do to get it removed... the replacement part I have has two female connectors and they are threaded. How the hell do you twist something with TWO female threads?
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
pinback
Posts: 17672
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 3:00 pm
Contact:

Post by pinback »

I dunno, but sign me up!
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Okay, I can now move the blue capacitor up and down. I reckon wires are keeping me from completely taking it out.

So... I have a replacement.

WHERE THE FUCK DO THE WIRES GO?!?!!??! Do you wrap them around the two protruding bits on the end of it? That can't be it, I mean, it just can't be. I can't believe this has been going on like this for six months. I am going crazy with that thing in my bedroom, broken, like it is.

Image
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

JQW

Post by JQW »

Are those nuts on top? If so, you probably unscrew them a few turns, slide the wire underneath, and retighten.

It sounds like it should be really easy:

"Here is what you will need to repair your game. A phillips screwdriver and a new big blue cap. ... This is a real easy thing to change out. It is so large that it is easy to replace, you won't even need any instructions at all. Just take out the old one, and put the new one in. Very simple."

It looks like you don't even have to do anything with those caps. Maybe it rests on some posts with the power wires inside. Hard to tell from the pic.

The assumption, of course, is that you ordered the correct big blue cap for your game. As apparently different games use different ones.

ICJ

Post by ICJ »

Are those nuts on top? If so, you probably unscrew them a few turns, slide the wire underneath, and retighten.
I... oh, Jesus, that had never occured to me. God dammit. Thanks.

Here's the thing, though -- there is a distinct lack of information on just how to make this repair on the Internet. I have put in many combinations of words from what you quoted below and I'm not getting shit back.

Also, there is lots of competing information. For instance -- let's go with the "unscrew the nuts, put the wires in" theory. Great! But then we see:

"Here is what you will need to repair your game. A phillips screwdriver and a new big blue cap. ... This is a real easy thing to change out. It is so large that it is easy to replace, you won't even need any instructions at all. Just take out the old one, and put the new one in. Very simple." It looks like you don't even have to do anything with those caps. Maybe it rests on some posts with the power wires inside. Hard to tell from the pic.
Yeah, WTF?? That is a completely different way of looking at it, because if I have to undo the wires around the current big blue, that means taking the thing apart from the bottom, removing the power brick, getting to the wires underneath the brick, taking the cap off and then attaching the new one (the black one). If it's just resting on poles then I just have to keep sliding it up.

Right now I'm able to slide the current one a ways, but it's not a smooth move. I don't want to yank on anything, so when I get to the point where it almost feels like I am "pulling" on something, I stop. But shit, maybe there's something else at play there. I'm taking down the "Beaver" part of this website and putting up a cocktail repair pictorial.

The assumption, of course, is that you ordered the correct big blue cap for your game. As apparently different games use different ones.
I'm pretty sure that I have the right cap, as it was recommended to me by a guy who looked at it in October. Unfortunately, that guy has been busy the last few months. Additionally, I told THE REAL BOB ROBERTS what game it was for, and the man is a genius. I'm sure it's unlikely that both guys would steer me to the wrong cap.

Oh, and the stuff written on the new cap matches the specs for the game.

Can you link me to where you found that quote about how easy replacing the cap should be? I'd like to ask that guy a question. Because if you CAN just slide it off I'm not ripping apart the game from the backside, like I otherwise will have to.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Son of a BITCH. I went to take the bottom off it and it won't come out. Motherfuck. I don't see any way to get to it without removing the monitor. Why has every single person told me that it's not necessary to go that way? I swear to fuck there's like three Crystal Castle games in this configuration and the two other guys are mutes.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

JQW

Post by JQW »

I was going to add, "I'm going to be disappointed if this isn't fixed by tomorrow." But I guess it's too late. So, I'll now say, "I'm going to be disappointed if this isn't fixed by Monday."

Can't the monitor tilt up and out of the way? Regardless, it SOUNDS like it ought to be easy peasy. I wouldn't worry about a little resistance when pulling it off - the game's 20-some years old, it'd be no surprise if it was a little corroded down there.

Can you just call the guy who came and took a look at it? If it really is that simple, he ought to be able to answer "does it pull off or do I need to undo some wires?"

You could also write on rec.games.arcade.(whatever.)

Some quick searching there finds, describing a non-standard cap: "Also, these didn't have screw terminals, so the wires had to be soldered." That would indicate that yes, you have to loose the nuts on the cap to replace it.

Also, "The big blue is a screw terminal only replacement, easy stuff."

Of course, it could be more difficult in a cocktail due to the close proximity. In a stand-up cab like your Xenophobe, you'd probably have almost two feet of empty air above the power supply before you have the monitor in the way. It probably can be done with the monitor in place, if you're clever, but if you're nervous, it shouldn't be too terrible a job to yank the monitor. We pulled the Baby Pac one when we moved it into the basement, to minimize weight. With yours, you could probably just undo the nuts then stick something under the edges (it should have a metal frame around it) to lift it a few inches without even needing to disconnect any wires.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

JQW wrote:I was going to add, "I'm going to be disappointed if this isn't fixed by tomorrow." But I guess it's too late. So, I'll now say, "I'm going to be disappointed if this isn't fixed by Monday."
You and me both!

Can you just call the guy who came and took a look at it? If it really is that simple, he ought to be able to answer "does it pull off or do I need to undo some wires?"
Yeah, I exchanged an e-mail with him last month. He was all set to come over and then stopped writing. The guy is really nice, so I suspect that he just got busy but yeah, that is an option I'm going to pursue.

You could also write on rec.games.arcade.(whatever.)
I might try there. I honestly don't think the guys at arcade controls know it's a cocktail, even though I've posted pictures and it has that term in the title. Either that, or they don't know the specific config of CC, which is totally understandable.

Some quick searching there finds, describing a non-standard cap: "Also, these didn't have screw terminals, so the wires had to be soldered." That would indicate that yes, you have to loose the nuts on the cap to replace it.

Also, "The big blue is a screw terminal only replacement, easy stuff."
Well, the replacement cap I have definitely offers no way to get the protrouding parts off. But they are grooved on the inside. Man, this is frustrating.

Let me post a new picture, because I got a front cover off it that I previously didn't know I could.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

OK, I can now get at it this way. I'm posting here for a record of what's going on, but I'm writing rgvac (rgavc?) next.

Image

Image

Image
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

JQW

Post by JQW »

Holy crap, wipe the vaseline off your lens before taking pictures next time!

I would guess that the guys on the arcade controls forum wouldn't be the most help, as they're primarily people building MAME cabinets, rather than working with real games. For my MAME cabs, I've stripped out nearly every original part inside to give me more room - obviously, I wouldn't need the original power supply when there's a PC in there. I don't think either one had a complete power supply in it anyways, and I doubt Baby Pac-Man uses the same style.

There may be a really good web-based forum for arcade discussion, but I'm not aware of it. Usenet is the best, from what I've seen.

I take it that it remains unfixed?

(The real frustration will be if this is replaced, and it STILL doesn't work!)

JQW

Post by JQW »

I assume that Crystal Castles remains unfixed.

This, truly, has become the GAME OF SHAME.

Pump it up, RobB!

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Yeah, I'm trying to make a game for the website at ww.springthing.net. If I fail, well, starting April 1st I'm on CC full time!
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

This is coming back into the queue.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Oh. I got the big blue out and then dropped it, so the wires are everywhere.

Image

HA. HA. Haaaaa
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Recchi says, "Random question because this mud is filled with the smartest people I know, with many varied talents."
Recchi says, "I am changing the big blue capacitor in a cocktail Crystal Castles game."
Jota says, "The answer is 4."
Recchi says, "Many wires were attached to the positive lead and many to the negative."
Recchi exclaims, "I dropped the big blue and the wires are all cattywumpus. I took a picture!"
Recchi says, "http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3731/ccwires012qg.jpg"
Recchi says, "I have no idea which wires go where."

katre says, "oof"
Recchi says, "heh"
katre asks, "you didn't happen to take a before picture, huh?"
Nate says, "'cattywumpus' is the best word ever"
Recchi says (to katre), "I... ah... I have several dozen pictures of it in general, but no, not the one picture I need, unfortunately. Heh"

katre says, "I mean, I'd _guess_ that the blues are one end and the reds the other"
katre says, "but if it's a big electrolytic capacitor, it'll explode if it's the wrong way around"
katre says, "even if you got the wires into the right groups"
Recchi says, "I am with you on that, but then there is that one with the yellow end and man -- right"
Recchi says, "I threw a note on rec.games.arcade.video.collecting, so I'm hoping that's my best bet. I really don't want to go out with my head crammed up a cocktail game. I want an open casket."
Jota says, "This sounds like what you need is a bomb squad."
Recchi says (to Jota), "haha"

katre says, "yeah, asking someone else who has access to one is really the only thing to do"
Nate says, "hmm, that would be an interesting funeral"
Nate says, "I wonder if one can request that"
Nate says, "'bury me in a Defender machine'"
katre says, "that, or a long and painstaking trip through the innards to draw a schematic (ha ha)"
katre says, "good luck, looks cool"
Recchi says, "Thanks"

vaporware says, "Contact this guy: http://www.hermitcreek.com/arcade/Games/ccastles.asp

Recchi says, "I think there is a manual floating around on the Internet, but it's for the standup version."
vaporware says, "Or one of the other couple google hits for 'crystal castles' 'big blue capacitor'"
Recchi exclaims (at vaporware), "Right on, thanks for the heads-up there, looks like he replaced his in his machine too. Excellent!"

Recchi says, "A guy on Usenet said that all the purple wires go to the negative terminal, and all the orange wires go to the positive terminal, so here goes nothing."
Recchi says, "If it explodes please tell the police that I was dashing and reckless and that my friends called me "Hollywood." Actually, anything from the 'Suspect' user manual is fine"
Jota says, "We called him 'Seargent Duffy', officer. We're not sure why."
vaporware says, "He loved playing guess the verb, taking everything that wasn't nailed down... he truly had the adventurer's spirit."

Recchi says, "I put the cats in the pantry, put the game's power supply into a power cord, put that power cord into the wall and arranged it so that I could activate it with my foot"
Recchi says, "I was also covered in two blankets and my girlfriend had the cell int he other room. I wish I was kidding about all of this."
Recchi exclaims, "But it worked!"
vaporware says, "Yay Usenet!"
Recchi exclaims, "Usenet -- 30 years of geeks and electricity living together happily!"
Allen says, "Usenet won't be 30 years old for a few more years"
Recchi exclaims, "It is truly wise beyond its years!"
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

Roody_Yogurt
Posts: 2179
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 6:23 pm
Location: Milwaukee

Post by Roody_Yogurt »

Hey, good job.

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

I can honestly say that fixing this game brings to a conclusion one of the most impossible events of my life. I feel like a man.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Re: Fixing Crystal Castles

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Sorry to bump this but I think it's the Crystal Castle thread.

The blue had gone out intermittently on the monitor. The tech ran the monitor for a week and there were no issues. He replaced the blue wire for the harness to the monitor.
Then I tried running today, the power cord is a hacked POS that has been in there for 21 years. It was not starting reliably. Hate that it happened after he left - anyway, I am buying a brand new power cord from Amazon.
Now I have to pin it. The original cable in there - I'll try to take a picture. There's frigging electrical tape connections in the most basic power line of all time. I think they also added an adapter to the cable. What a mess. So I'm going to try to find the right molex connector. I think it's an Atari 3 pin .093.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

User avatar
Jizaboz
Posts: 4811
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:00 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Fixing Crystal Castles

Post by Jizaboz »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Aug 15, 2020 12:34 pm Sorry to bump this but I think it's the Crystal Castle thread.

The blue had gone out intermittently on the monitor. The tech ran the monitor for a week and there were no issues. He replaced the blue wire for the harness to the monitor.
Then I tried running today, the power cord is a hacked POS that has been in there for 21 years. It was not starting reliably. Hate that it happened after he left - anyway, I am buying a brand new power cord from Amazon.
Now I have to pin it. The original cable in there - I'll try to take a picture. There's frigging electrical tape connections in the most basic power line of all time. I think they also added an adapter to the cable. What a mess. So I'm going to try to find the right molex connector. I think it's an Atari 3 pin .093.
Ah shit. So far Bosconian is the only machine I had to replace the power cable to.. though I will probably replace Ms-Pacs too. Took me a while to make sure that I had ground/negative/positive lined up correctly so make sure you take pics of the original wiring before you do surgery. Also, I would like to see those pics..
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

User avatar
Ice Cream Jonsey
Posts: 28877
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2002 2:44 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact:

Re: Fixing Crystal Castles

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Jizaboz wrote: Mon Aug 17, 2020 1:20 am
Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Aug 15, 2020 12:34 pm Sorry to bump this but I think it's the Crystal Castle thread.

The blue had gone out intermittently on the monitor. The tech ran the monitor for a week and there were no issues. He replaced the blue wire for the harness to the monitor.
Then I tried running today, the power cord is a hacked POS that has been in there for 21 years. It was not starting reliably. Hate that it happened after he left - anyway, I am buying a brand new power cord from Amazon.
Now I have to pin it. The original cable in there - I'll try to take a picture. There's frigging electrical tape connections in the most basic power line of all time. I think they also added an adapter to the cable. What a mess. So I'm going to try to find the right molex connector. I think it's an Atari 3 pin .093.
Ah shit. So far Bosconian is the only machine I had to replace the power cable to.. though I will probably replace Ms-Pacs too. Took me a while to make sure that I had ground/negative/positive lined up correctly so make sure you take pics of the original wiring before you do surgery. Also, I would like to see those pics..
I'll try to get a camera down to the power brick for the cocktail - they don't make it easy!
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

Post Reply