Looking for Neo Geo MVS board repair help in the UK......

[jamie666]

Hi all. I have a UK dedicated Electrocoin 6 slot machine. Machine was working but I decided to remove the battery as that's recommend. When I removed it the battery had leaked and unfortunately took up some of the solder mask of the board with it. I have cleaned with white vinager and IPA and now the machine clicks when booting and won't start. I'm guessing I need some sort of trace repair.

My question is can someone in the UK point me in the right direction to send the board off and get it repaired? I have basic soldering skills but would like to send it off to someone that knows what they are doing with these in order to repair and go over the board to make sure it's in good shape for the future.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Neo Alec]

If you know how to test and patch broken traces, there's a good chance it will just be a matter of testing and fixing the traces in the area with the leakage. Clean the damaged area with some vinegar, followed by IPA first. I would start there.

 

[jamie666]

I have given it a good clean with vinegar and IPA. Not really too sure how to test it. I do have a multimeter if anyone can possibly help me to diagnose.

 

[Neo Alec]

Put your multimeter in continuity mode. Check for a beep, or if it doesn't have sound, usually a minus sign on the side of the display.

You may be able to visually tell where the broken traces are supposed to lead. If not, the MV1F schematic online might give you an idea what should lead to what. Or if there are some high res images of a non-damaged board online, you might be able to see where the leads go there

Schematics - NeoGeo Development Wiki

wiki.neogeodev.org

 

[jamie666]

Thanks for the advice. Am I just looking for broken traces and seeing if the positive and negative points are connected correctly?

Basically I removed the battery, it damaged the board mask. I then cleaned and installed a new battery and everything worked even with the damaged solder mask removed. After that I decided to play it safe and remove the new battery and clean again with vinegar to help prevent any further damage. I removed all solder from the battery holes and now I get the click of death. I'm tempted to maybe try again with a battery and see if that brings it back to life. Maybe when the terminal holes were filled with solder it was making the correct connection and booting and once solder was removed from that area it causing a short or something.

 

[Neo Alec]

While your multimeter is in continuity mode, there are no positive and negative sides. Both probes are the same. Otherwise, yes what you stated about looking for bad connections is correct.

Your second paragraph gives me hope that this could end up being a very easy fix. It could be as simple as one bad trace. You could try the battery again if you want. Just know the battery might block your view of traces that need to be repaired.

 

[jamie666]

Well gave it a go and no luck. However upon testing after cleaning I did one time get past the click of death to a white screen so not sure what the means with a unibios 4.0?

 

[ack]

The white screen is likely a unibios 4.0 bug. It has some issues being used on a multi-slot boards if there are no carts installed.

 

[maki]

Hey Jamie, good to see you're looking for someone in the UK to take care of that PCB.
I can see corroded traces in that area, but fixing that needs kind of experience IMO, I'd suggest not to practise on a 6 slot.
There is a learning curve when aquiring new skills, that means you'll break more stuff than fixing it in the beginning, thats perfectly normal.
I really think you did something there when removing the battery the second time.

I can't help with suggestions who in the UK might be able/wiling to do that, maybe you can get recommendations here, maybe in the FB group.

IIRC that 6 Slot worked somewhat with the UniBios, but a 3.3 is recommended, you know that, we had this convo already

 

[jamie666]

Hi Naki thanks for the reply. I have reached out to a few places in the UK for repair and am waiting on replys. Ideally looking for a company that can collect the machine and fully service it for me. I would like the board repaired. PSU either replaced with a modern supply or gone over as well as the monitor looked at and serviced. I love the machine and won't ever sell it as I had one years ago and unfortunately had to sell due to a house move and now am lucky to have found one again in decent shape. I just want the whole machine looked over to make sure it's good for years to come. I have replaced all buttons, sticks as well as switches and when working it plays great. The monitor is also very good overall. Just the board issue at the moment that's the main issue. I don't mind spending the money on it as for me it's worth it to help preserve it. Hoping that members within the UK can help point me in the right direction?

Completely agree with you that it is past my level of skill as all I can do is basic soldering and not looking to mess around with it anymore myself as I don't want to damage it any further.

Regarding the bios I have switched back to the stock bios and when booting I get the green screen which I think means a calender error with the battery area. Like you say I think I must have caused damage from the battery removal which is frustrating as all I was trying to do is remove it to help prevent any further damage from the old battery but must have maybe damaged the board accidentally. Shame but one of those things. I'm sure it's a fairly simple fix for someone that knows what they are doing. I just need to find a decent company in the UK that can take care of it for me. Fingers crossed

 

[maki]

You can disable the calendar test and all other HW tests with the Unibios (HW tests are disabled by default i the UniBios).

FWIW, the area for the calendar clock is in your pic and I can spot rotten traces there:


TBH, I don't think you need someone to pick up the whole arcade machine, much cheaper and safer to transport just the PCB.

Fixing those traces and replacing the caps is about all that needs to happen, get a UniBios 3.3 just in case, the 4.0 does weird things on multislots, easy to mistake the Unibios 4.0 weirdness for problems with the HW. Yeah you'll lose the Pick'N'Mix with 3.3, the rest will work better.

I'm in Germany, just sending it back and forth (and dealing with taxes) would blow the price out of proportion, no use.

 

[jamie666]

I think I have all hardware tests disabled anyway but I can't remember. I swapped back to the original bios to see if anything different happend on boot and that's when I got the green screen. I have found a company here in the UK and may send the machine off to them as I also want the psu rebuilt as well as the monitor. I don't mind the cost as its a machine that I want working and don't plan to sell so for me it's worth the expense.

Ah interesting regarding those traces. I did clean around that area with ipa so maybe upon cleaning the traces were already worn and I just done more damage with the cleaning who knows. Would you say looking at them they are able to be repaired by going oner them with solder or would they require a more detailed repair? Either way I don't want to cause anymore damage and would like someone with proper knowledge of pcb repair to have a look.

 

[maki]

Yeah thats typical corroded traces, they might even work until you look too hard at them..
It was damaged already.

I think your reasoning is right, rather paying someone who has done this before

 

[channelmaniac]

Check continuity on the traces with spots on them... especially around the HC32 and other 74HC chips in that area.

 

[jamie666]

Thank you for the reply. I'll check those but am going to send the board away for repair from someone that know more than me regarding working on these.

 

[jamie666]

Just anupdate to this thread. Sent the board away and had it fully repaired and recapped. Now works perfectly again. Thanks all for the help.

 

[grotbags]

Just anupdate to this thread. Sent the board away and had it fully repaired and recapped. Now works perfectly again. Thanks all for the help.

I have a 6 slot that I am looking to get repaired. If you don't mind sharing, how much did it cost to get the work done on yours?