New Astro City Power Supply Queries

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Flinnster
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New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by Flinnster »

Hey folks,

I'm about to start a refurb on a project NAC I picked up. It's dead - really dead. So I'm going completely from the start with it, gut the lot.. start again.
So with that in mind, while I work on it.. I'm mindful of what may have stopped things working for a previous owner. It's Japanese spec 100V 50/60Hz in.

Question #1 - Mains Earth!
So I have a lovely step-down and my Astro wired in mains cable with the Japanese 2-pin plug goes into that. All fine.
Inside the cab I notice all the earth points are joined to the earth screw at the back of the mains panel, where in Asia manuals it normally states the operator should connect to a stake in the ground. But.. every Astro I've seen running on a step-down here in the UK, doesn't have that earth connected.
Does nobody run an Astro that's properly earthed while on a step down? (I'm aware that Euro / Hong Kong 240v models have the earth in the 3-pin mains cable)
psu1-earth.jpg


Question #2 - PSU refurb!
So I'm looking at this pleasant mass of tentacles rolling around lovingly in the base of this cab:
psu2-asis.jpg
At some point the stock Sega 400-5198-01X PSU block failed and a previous owner has ripped out the guts and wired in a switcher. I'll give that a test in isolation and make sure it's not outputting anything crazy, but I see the mains (100v in this case) is fed directly to the harness connectors without any isolation or protection.
Is it right that say the monitor and top light area are run direct from the mains with no ISO transformer at all? Or would the 400-5198-01X normally have had a small 100v / 100v transformer within it?

Question #3 - Sega PSU audio 'amp'
While searching for info on the question above, I found a handy diagram someone had made of how to wire a switcher up to the Sega PSU pcb, so that'll help me check and test things:
psu3-plan.jpg
My final question relates to the audio pot at the front. For sure I know this model of PSU only supported mono from the JAMMA harness, but... would there have been any amplification going on in the 400-5198-01X PSU block, or is that just a phat pot to lower the amplified volume from the PCB amp effectively? Does this mean if I turned the cab volume down to nothing (max resistance) and the PCB amp to max volume, the game PCB sound amp might go 'pop'?
I'll probably do an internal 12v stereo audio amp mod to this cab anyway, but given the original internals have been gutted doesn't provide me with many answers!

Cheers! :)
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DaveyD
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by DaveyD »

Why dont you just pick up a replacement Astro City PSU? it will save all the messing around with the aftermarket PSU (and look neat and original)

The pot on the front of the PSU only reduces the volume, so if you have it on Max it is only outputting the volume level that you have set on the PCB. Its just a conveneince thing as all pcb's have the volume pot somewhere different, or via the settings menu. I tend to have all my pcb set on around 3/4 volume, and then use the pot on the PSU to tweak it depending on how loud i want it that day
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by zipper »

There's a replacement on ebay if it helps:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-NEW ... 2151344297
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by Flinnster »

Cool, cheers for the info on the volume pot.

I've seen the ones on ebay yes - and considered replacing with a 'Y' model that's on sale or potentially upgrading to the large (and expensive) NVS-4000 which has
stereo audio.

However, I'd be buying a 2nd hand mildly rusty unit to refurb regardless, and there's no guarantee that it then wouldn't fail / need a full cap kit etc.. in time.
I see IC3 on the 400-5198's is a bugger for frying itself. And certain models don't even work well with later PCBs / Cave stuff :cry:

The one I have here although currently a spaghetti mess, I reckon could be tidied up nicely (or switcher replaced and wired/mounted better) and amazingly it doesn't look rusty at all. Then I know there's no suprises to haunt me in future.
Provided that is ...... I'm not bypassing something that's missing and could cause damage, like that monitor 100v feed! :eh:
I'm not purist about having it all stock Sega in there by any means, having a fully working and reliable New Astro City to enjoy is far more important to me! :)
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by nem »

Flinnster wrote: January 30th, 2019, 1:22 amDoes nobody run an Astro that's properly earthed while on a step down? (I'm aware that Euro / Hong Kong 240v models have the earth in the 3-pin mains cable)
I do. I swapped the regular two pin lead for a three pin one and wired up earth ground to the post inside.

I'll give that a test in isolation and make sure it's not outputting anything crazy, but I see the mains (100v in this case) is fed directly to the harness connectors without any isolation or protection.
Is it right that say the monitor and top light area are run direct from the mains with no ISO transformer at all? Or would the 400-5198-01X normally have had a small 100v / 100v transformer within it?
No isolating transformer needed, everything is run as is from the mains.
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by Flinnster »

Cheers! That's really helpful to know - on both counts! :awe:

My stepdown does indeed look like it's a proper 3 pin socket, with the rounded earth connection above the 2 power ones.
So that's great.. I'll see if I can source a suitable mains cable to wire up :thumbupright:

Guess I need to look out for the rating on it. Found a 7amp one, but it's designed for laptops / projectors.. not a 29" NANAO MS9
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by penrhos »

In Japan there is normally an earthing point and a separate earth cable is run from the earthing-point on the cab to the earthing plate on the wall as most wall sockets are only 2-pin.

It is safe to rewire the socket so the earth is connected to the earth-pin in the socket and the earthing point. You can then use a normal 10A 3-pin USA power lead to a step-down (or you could internally mount it and run 240V to the cab) and I've done that with all my imported cabs.

7A @ 100VAC is good for 700Watts which is more than the monitor & PSU will require.
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by Flinnster »

Cheers once again - I look forward to getting this mild wreck of a New Astro City up and running again :D
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by matt5cott »

Flinnster wrote: January 31st, 2019, 2:30 pm Cheers! That's really helpful to know - on both counts! :awe:

My stepdown does indeed look like it's a proper 3 pin socket, with the rounded earth connection above the 2 power ones.
So that's great.. I'll see if I can source a suitable mains cable to wire up :thumbupright:

Guess I need to look out for the rating on it. Found a 7amp one, but it's designed for laptops / projectors.. not a 29" NANAO MS9
In the same boat here! I'm looking to wire in a proper 3 pin socket in my NAC also, what cable did you end up using please?
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by Flinnster »

Hey Matt,

Sorry I've done zero arcading due to newborn baby in da house! Hope to get back on this, but yeah.. nuffin' happening at the moment! :lol: :cry:
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Re: New Astro City Power Supply Queries

Post by matt5cott »

Hah, congratulations sir :awe: if I find a proper solution (I've ghetto styled it for now) I'll update this thread 8-)
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