MVS Battery Replacement Guide

Is now available on my downloads page.

http://www.arcadecomponents.com/downloads.html

Take a look and give me your thoughts please.

(Yes, I know it doesn't cover remote mounted batteries or conversion to non-rechargeable batteries)

Thanks!

RJ

Nice guide!

Nice simple guide.

Awesome guide, Is there a guide that covers changing a 1 slot battery?

As long as it's not the coin cell type (Rechargeable Lithium type) the same things apply.

For the coin cell type, I'll have to see what I can do on finding a replacement. So far all attempts have failed because of the silly way they mounted it.

I think I might have to get a custom one made at Batteries Plus. It all depends on if they have the legs with the right spacings. They will simply tack weld the leads on the battery while you wait.

RJ

They sell vertical mount battery holders at mouser. I'm gonna use it for a non-rechargeable.

Part #534-1065

Yeah,

I suppose I should stock up on parts and build kits for standard battery backup. I could also build a guide and offer that as a service as I'm looking to see what else I can do to expand business.

The next thing out of my bag of tricks is a Renewal Kit for Galaga. It contains new SIP resistors and 24/28/40/42 pin sockets which will fix a large portion of problems.

Parts should be coming in today or tomorrow.

channelmaniac said:

Yeah,

I suppose I should stock up on parts and build kits for standard battery backup. I could also build a guide and offer that as a service as I'm looking to see what else I can do to expand business.

The next thing out of my bag of tricks is a Renewal Kit for Galaga. It contains new SIP resistors and 24/28/40/42 pin sockets which will fix a large portion of problems.

Parts should be coming in today or tomorrow.

Click to expand...

The Galaga kit is a great idea RJ. You could also make one for System 16 boards since they usually use the same caps and stuff, too.

Or you could dive into making those extra connectors for 6 slots for the additional +5v lines.

Anyone up for proofing the Galaga kit guide?

(Preferably, someone with some board repairing or modification experience.)

I'm more than happy to take a look at it. I have done countless mods/repairs and have good grammar and spelling.

I think the idea of using rechargeable batteries as replacements should be abandoned. Not only does it make little sense from a collector/private owner's POV (battery charge isn't kept constant and settings/scores may be lost and having to run the board every once in a while just to recharge the battery is a hassle) but it will most likely cause damage to the boards due to the high tendency to leak these NiMH batteries have. It happens very often on Cave boards (recent case) that have the same Varta batteries as those shown in Channelmaniac's guide and these aren't old at all.

Modding the board to accept non-rechargeables is better from all perspectives:

1) battery charge is kept constant until the end.
2) they can be put in a PCB-mount holder (clean and easy to replace).
3) they fit any MVS board (no clearance problems on 6-slots).
4) they don't have a tendency to leak (CPS1 boards use this type and I've never seen leakage even after 15 years).
5) cheaper and easier to find.

MKL,

I do a LOT of MVS repairs for router operators. The MVS boards are still viable on routes after all these years. Crazy, isn't it, that they still make money on site!

Any NiCd or NiMH battery that is 10 years old is at risk of leaking. If the Cave boards have so many problems with batteries the I'd look at not only the batch/type of battery but the charge rates they are doing on their board too.

Are the Cave boards using NiCd or NiMH batteries? Do you think the manufacturer has not improved a product's ingredients or build processes after 10 years? Were they used properly on the Cave boards? You're reaching pretty hard here.

Although, I probably could beat you to it and put together some kits and a full guide covering most models for folks that wish to mod their systems. I'm more of a purist and like to keep systems as close to original as possible.

Nice work. I can get you pics for the 2-slot (both versions) audio caps if you still need them.

Thanks!

I need a good, clear, high res top down shot of the cap area on the older MV2 board, both the component side and the solder side.

I'll take care of resizing, editing, and marking up the pic for the guide. Once I get the pics I need into the guide, I'd be happy to send you a cap kit of your choice for the help.

RJ

Is that the larger one with the dip switches on the front?

channelmaniac said:

MKL,

I do a LOT of MVS repairs for router operators. The MVS boards are still viable on routes after all these years. Crazy, isn't it, that they still make money on site!

Click to expand...

Interesting but what does it have to do with the present discussion? If operators had non-rechargeable batteries on their MVS boards they wouldn't know the difference. Unless we're talking about a rare breed of purist operators that can't stand the idea their batteries aren't being recharged during closing hours.

channelmaniac said:

Any NiCd or NiMH battery that is 10 years old is at risk of leaking. If the Cave boards have so many problems with batteries the I'd look at not only the batch/type of battery but the charge rates they are doing on their board too.
Are the Cave boards using NiCd or NiMH batteries?

Click to expand...

NiMH, the type is (as I said) exactly what you're offering, Varta 3/V80H:

http://uk.farnell.com/varta/3-v80h/battery-pcb-mount-3-6v/dp/279341?_requestid=490000

First of all we have no way to establish whether or not there is a specific problem with batteries on Cave boards pointing to a poorly designed charging circuit: it's just something that can be monitored to some extent due to people reporting publicly their problems. For other application fields we just don't know. As for the charging circuits on arcade boards, it's obvious that this isn't an area manufacturers want to invest too much time and money in, that's why it's always (MVS and Cave for sure at least) a simple trickle circuit with a single current limiting resistor for slow charge rates. Even if that is far from ideal for NiMH arcade manufacturers rely on the fact that overcharging won't be a problem thanks to the boards being powered off on a daily basis which avoids the harm of a continuous charge. The point is that (incorrect) charging doesn't seem to be responsible for the battery failure on Cave boards as the batteries get charged for a very limited amount of time when used privately and on the other hand leakage happened when the boards where in storage.

channelmaniac said:

Do you think the manufacturer has not improved a product's ingredients or build processes after 10 years?

Click to expand...

How do we know? Are you saying we should have blind faith?

channelmaniac said:

Were they used properly on the Cave boards? You're reaching pretty hard here.

Click to expand...

And are they used properly on the MVS boards? I compared the circuits of MVS and Cave boards and they were practically identical. Even the resistor value (470ohm) was the same.

channelmaniac said:

Although, I probably could beat you to it and put together some kits and a full guide covering most models for folks that wish to mod their systems. I'm more of a purist and like to keep systems as close to original as possible.

Click to expand...

Purism is a nice but in some cases the modification of an obsolete concept is a better solution, especially when new needs arise or else we should say no to things like Unibios, mods, CMVS, etc. in the name of purism. Indeed some do that but they don't seem to be the smartest people around.

Wow... you need a nice spoonful of tact and manners.

Instead of crapping in a thread, why not create a set of docs for modifying all the MVS boards? Contribute rather than put down. This isn't the first time you've crapped in a thread of mine when it comes to keeping something original as possible or modifying it.

Give back to the community in your own (productive) way. Take a bunch of pics and create a manual on what to do to modify the various MVS boards in the way you see fit. Sheesh.

Also, blind faith has nothing to do with it... Manufacturers continually make improvements and cost cutting measures on product lines. Innovation keeps them strong in the market, cost savings keeps them strong on the balance sheet. Also, purism vs modification is a Ford vs. Chevy or Catholic vs. Baptist argument. Both cars are going to go down the same road just as well and both faiths worship the same God yet horrible fights have been started over those topics as well.

Looking at some of the hacks that have been called "mods", I'd have to argue with you saying that purists aren't among the "smartest people around." There are smart people on both sides of the fence as well as hacks. Hopefully the hacks continue to improve as they do more and more projects.

Crapping in your thread?! You asked for thoughts and I gave my thoughts on the matter in a civil way. Apparently you can't take any criticism (yes, it's not the first time) so I won't post in one of your threads ever again.

You two are the backbone of the Neo tech scene. I wish you guys could get along because you both have an immense amount of knowlege of the Neo.

There's just something about the way you talk to me that just rubs me the wrong way... It's like there's no roundness to your edges, they are all sharp corners.

Sorry MKL...