Astro City earthing

[chubsta]

I am planning to convert an Astro City for mame - i want to take a feed off the 110v supply to the astro PSU and run that to an ATX power supply unit, this way i have only 1 lead going into the unit etc. Im happy with the relevant voltages etc but what about earth? Do i just connect the earth wire from the ATX power lead to the spot where all the Astro earth wires are connected to the cabinet?

[yosai]

That should be fine. You can always test the continuity with a multimeter if you have one.

[capcomguru]

Yes, connecting the earth lead to any of the earth terminals within the astro will be OK.

Make sure your cab is properly grounded from the back however, on the metal post by the "AC daisy chain" plug. If its not, you'll have grounded the ATX Power Supply to the cabinet, but not to earth.

[chubsta]

Ok, here is a picture of the inside rear panel of my Astro - basically, befor i go and kill myself i want to make sure i have got this right...

I intend to take power from the red and blue wires in the foreground which lead from the noise filter to the PSU and connect it to live and neutral on the atx power supply lead., and then connect the earth wire from the atx lead to the back of the panel where the other earth wires are connected.

Will i kill myself, or is this how it should be done?? Or would i b better off taking the feed befor the noise filter anyway where the black and white wires come in from the outside power lead? Also, 'black and white' - which one is live and which is neutral, i'm pretty certain i know but it doesnt hurt to ask...

cheers

[chubsta]

a quick bump so you all feel bad if i end up killing myself...

[yosai]

It should be ok to take it from either. How exactly are you going to connect the wires?

Live is black btw.

[capcomguru]

Yes, the pink/baby blue are your AC voltage wires.

The green wires all screwed together are your earth grounds.

Make sure that on the other side of the AC power panel that the earth grounds are actually grounded. Those green earth wires lead to a metal post with a bolt on the back of the cabinet. You need to run a wire from that post to either the earth prong of an electrical socket, copper pipe, metal radiator, etc.

So yes, pink/baby blue for the AC lines, green for earth. You should be all set. If you're unsure about your wiring, disconnect all of the astro's AC terminals while testing your ATX power supply (astro monitor and astro power supply). If everything checks out when you power up the ATX PSU, reconnect everything for the astro and you should be good to go. If you mis-wire it this way you'll only kill the ATX power supply, not your entire astro cab.

Hope that helps and good luck!

[chubsta]

Make sure that on the other side of the AC power panel that the earth grounds are actually grounded. Those green earth wires lead to a metal post with a bolt on the back of the cabinet. You need to run a wire from that post to either the earth prong of an electrical socket, copper pipe, metal radiator, etc.

OK, now im scared

as the existing set-up (befor i mess with it) has no wire going from the cabinet to an electrical socket etc, does that mean i risk blowing myself up? Surely in japanese arcades they dont have that sort of thing?, although i dont understand too much about electrical systems as you can probably tell

[poolchamp]

Make sure that on the other side of the AC power panel that the earth grounds are actually grounded. Those green earth wires lead to a metal post with a bolt on the back of the cabinet. You need to run a wire from that post to either the earth prong of an electrical socket, copper pipe, metal radiator, etc.

OK, now im scared

as the existing set-up (befor i mess with it) has no wire going from the cabinet to an electrical socket etc, does that mean i risk blowing myself up? Surely in japanese arcades they dont have that sort of thing?, although i dont understand too much about electrical systems as you can probably tell

Im assuming your using a stepdown so i would put in cab and take off that power plate and run wire out that hole for the wall socket splice the 230v side and use these http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=1360" and this http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=219727" just connect the atx and the cabs earth with the spiced 230v side of the stepdown

[chubsta]

Cheers - that makes sense - have ordered the parts so should be simple enough

[poolchamp]

Cheers - that makes sense - have ordered the parts so should be simple enough

Ah your welcome ,Im here to please all ye peeps as the tec mods seems to be on hollys

[thegreathopper]

I would also like to add that your step down should have a earth terminal on the secondary side (110v), you will know this if the socket is 3 pin rather than 2 pin. if so you should connect your cab to this. if it is only 2 pin I would recommend getting a step down that is earthed on the secondary side (3 pins)

[chubsta]

I would also like to add that your step down should have a earth terminal on the secondary side (110v), you will know this if the socket is 3 pin rather than 2 pin. if so you should connect your cab to this. if it is only 2 pin I would recommend getting a step down that is earthed on the secondary side (3 pins)

My stepdown is a maplin one - a VRF05 - it seems to have a screw marked for earth on the 230v side, but nothing on the 2 pin 110 side...

so now im confused AND worried!

[thegreathopper]

I just had a look on the Maplins site and the VR05F has a 3 pin socket on the secondary side.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=13358

Is this yours? if so there is no problem, the round pin in the middle above the 2 slotted pins is your Earth terminal, this needs to be connected to the main earth connection on your cab.

I am not familiar with Sega cabs but on my Capcom and Neogeo candy cabs there is a main earthing connection on the back of the cab.

[poolchamp]

I would also like to add that your step down should have a earth terminal on the secondary side (110v), you will know this if the socket is 3 pin rather than 2 pin. if so you should connect your cab to this. if it is only 2 pin I would recommend getting a step down that is earthed on the secondary side (3 pins)

My stepdown is a maplin one - a VRF05 - it seems to have a screw marked for earth on the 230v side, but nothing on the 2 pin 110 side...

so now im confused AND worried!

Mate dont worry just do as i said and no more your still earthing all your cab my way no extras needed .There is no need to earth both sides of stepdown