Bram Stoker Dracula Opto Fault.

Chris King

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Jul 26, 2022, 4:24:11 PM7/26/22

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Probably something simple, but was playing on Bram Stoker Dracula today and it had not been powered up for a while and the flippers went dead on the buttons and it started doing a ball search and refused to reset.
Checked all coils through tests and they were fine, then found F116 on the power driver board (think its 12v 3am SB) was dead, replaced with a new fuse and powered up and it blew immediately.

I am guessing that an opto died, but I didnt realise that a dead opto could cause a fuse to blow on that board?

All other fuses are fine, any ideas/suggestions on troubleshooting this, its makes it hard when you cant even get the fuse to remain live.

What would be best course?
Unplug the connector on the power driver board and replace fuse to ensure it holds up?
Check the opto board (which I assume is under the playfield?)

Chris

diana anderson

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Jul 26, 2022, 7:51:23 PM7/26/22

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Check

Chris King

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Jul 27, 2022, 8:00:01 AM7/27/22

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Not quite sure what that means, are you saying "Check <something" but your message was cut off? or do you mean Check the Opto Board?

Kerry Imming

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Jul 27, 2022, 8:29:44 AM7/27/22

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The schematics show that F116 powers connector pin J118-2 on the Power
Driver Board. The game manual shows J118-2 connected with a gray-yellow
wire to 24-opto board J3-5 and 10-opto board J3-2. Disconnecting those
one at a time should isolate the board with the short.

Pages 3-23 and 3-24 in the game manual show the schematic for the two
boards. On there you can see the output connectors. Disconnecting the
outputs and reconnecting one at a time will narrow the short down further.

This is a case where a clip-on circuit breaker helps to save a lot of fuses.

- Kerry

Chris King

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Jul 27, 2022, 9:05:47 AM7/27/22

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Thanks Kerry, somewhere in the depth under piles of stuff I think i have a replacement Opto Board from a broken up Dracula which i got given to me by a friend over 20 years back, along with all sorts of other parts (ramps, plastics), no idea where it is!. Anyway, it is / was the larger opto board, and in the interim and until I know where it is, I have ordered the main opto board new from an online supplier which should be here in then next 7-10 days from Europe. As I didnt have any 3amp SB (I had used them up ages back and found I needed spares due to this) I haver ordered 6 x 3amp SB and a Clip on Circuit Breaker in both 3amp and 1amp denominations (they were sold out of the rest! of other values I needed).

I think the first course here is to disconnect J118-2 and replace the fuse to ensure the power driver board doesnt blow the fuse with nothing connected.

I am guessing then that J118-2 feeds J3-5 AND J3-2, so disconnecting both and replacing the fuse on J118-2 should keep the fuse live, then if that is stable, when the circuit breaker arrives I can use this to isolate if its "J3-5" or "J3-2" ----- is what I have written seem the correct solution and work flow?

Chris

Kerry Imming

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Jul 27, 2022, 12:08:23 PM7/27/22

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Yes, sounds good. Also, I would pull J1 & J2 on the opto boards to make
sure that it's the opto board itself that is blowing the fuse and not
something further down stream.

- Kerry

diana anderson

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Jul 27, 2022, 12:38:28 PM7/27/22

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I was referring to check the opto board but hit sent before message was done. Glad you got it figured out without any interruptions from these dumbass druggie posters who try to ruin the group

diana anderson

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Jul 28, 2022, 4:43:53 PM7/28/22

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I do have a crap load of slo-blo assorted amp fuses I'm not using. I got a steal on them when my local radio shack went out of business a couple years ago i think there 4 to a pack.. if interested pm me

diana anderson

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Aug 2, 2022, 9:11:01 AM8/2/22

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I Got 87 Packs OF (5) assorted amps slow Blo fuses from 1 1/4 amp to 15-amp 250V at a whopping .42cents a pack. I saved over $444.99. I still have my receipt Total sale was only $56.84 when radio shack had there close out of business sale in 2017..WhoooHooo:)