Sammy whine

[misterfish]

Hi Guys

This is my first posting, so I hope you'll all be gentle with me.

I developed an interest in pachislo via my brother and thought it would be nice to give my sons a machine each for Christmas. (I don't usually do these things 6 months ahead of time, but living in the UK limits the supply of machines).

Anyway, I bought a Don Don King (fantastic machine that still comes out with new twists and teases) and a Gurukun (the fish theme ties up with my Misterfish name - family joke!) Unfortunately, having got these I found I couldn't live without my own machine, and following the comments here decided on a King Camel - again a great tease and fun. And this leads me on the the question - Has anybody managed to diagnose the cause of the Sammy whine. I remember somebody suggesting it might be caused by the transformer. On my KC (24v) the transformer is fixed inside the case just above the power supply. Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.

I am going to reduce the volume and have today received the Syscom volume controls by airmail in less than a week - excellent service to the UK

The other machines that I have (albeit for the time being) have external transformers and there is no feedback or whine.

Finally, I'm not sure if I missed it or if it doesn't exist, but is there a "Sammy" guide. I found one for Daido and Takasago in the Industry Links section.

Sorry to ramble on a bit

Jeff :fisheye:

[arbycoffee]

Hi Guys
Finally, I'm not sure if I missed it or if it doesn't exist, but is there a "Sammy" guide. I found one for Daido and Takasago in the Industry Links section.
Jeff :fisheye:

Yes, Manuals in English are few and far between. As to the "Sammy whine" There needs to be a filter put in line somewhere to stop the feedback from the power supply. this is what I understand. But not being anyone with an electic Degree, I could be way off base.

[luckydog]

I get a small whine from my Wantouchable, but it's not enough to really bother me.

Some are louder than others, volume controls usually help too.

[Tony Junior]

Welcome to PachiTalk, MisterFish!

The only guide I'm aware of is a players guide that Big Bear has on his site.
http://www.bigbearpachisloshop.com/

I don't know of any repair guides, other than what the members here can offer. You may want to PM at-slots, he isn't on daily, but will eventuaally get your message and may be of assistance.

Some mighty fine machines you have there!! The King Camel is still my favorite pachislo.

[slotter]

Welcome, misterfish! Glad to have you onboard...

[Tulsa]

Welcome Mr. Fish. I'm surprised to hear that you're having that problem with a King Camel. The Sammy squeal is legendary but only on the models that have video. It's picking up some AC interference and needs a ground loop converter to eliminate it. Volume controls from syscom are generally needed on any machine in my opinion and help greatly in reducing the ambient noice from a Sammy machine but the KC I have doesn't have the same issuses as the Hard Boiled or the Betty Boop.

[misterfish]

Thanks everybody.

I'll check out the ground loop this weekend. as far as I can remember the 24v/mains transformer is on top of the powersupply and fixed in place by being clamped between the cabinet and the metal case of the power supply so maybe the earths of each of them are looping. I'll try separating them and see if it makes any difference.

If need be I'll make an external housing for the transformer - I.m in the workshop this weekend making pachislot stands for the DDK and KC - I've already made one for my younger son's Gurukun.

I'll let you all know how my experimenting goes and if it helps reduce or remove the whine.

Another quick question is the KC 24v AC or DC?

Jeff

[Tulsa]

The King Camel is 24v AC

[rogerg]

So I am now being blamed for my brother buying his Pachislo machines!!!!

OK I admit I am addicted. I bought my first machine in April (God X) and I now have NINE:lmao: Maybe I need therapy?

The machines are GREAT and this Forum is THE GREATEST

ROGER

[arbycoffee]

Thank you for your kind words, many of us have worked very hard to build this from the the dust of "There got to be something better than paying".

[Chris V]

The King Camel is 24v AC

Are you sure about this? Every machine I have come across is 24V DC. Even those that dont need a transformer output 24V DC in some form or another. Digital electronics don't like AC...I think they may ignore AC...but like arby I dont have a degree in electrical.

Chris

[Tulsa]

Yep, the machine side of the transformer's output is 24v AC.

[Lazarus]

When I wonted to make a coin counter from a old hopper the motor is 24v DC. I could not find a transformer that both converted the the output to 24 volt and turned it into 24vDC. I know they have them Dave's at Mile fair hopper works. I ended up using a computer power supply. It is 12vDC. All computers are DC. What is the main part of the brains of a pachislo but a computer! I'm not an expert but if it is 24vAC than some ware it has to be converted to DC for the machine to work.

[Lazarus]

OK I just looked at my KC. The transformer said 24vAC output so Tulsa is right. But it then goes to the power supply that has to then convert it to DC current to power the machine. Now on the gladiator pachinko the transformer goes directly to a board on the machine. I cant read anything on the transformer. So maybe it is converting it to dc as well as stepping it down in voltage.

[Tulsa]

The power supply unit on the bottom left hand side of your pachislo is converting the 24v AC source to DC. This question was on the transformer, not the power supply. The transformers, on pachislos that require them are 24v AC, feeding the power supply for the machine.

[Chris V]

Whenever I heard 24V transformers I always assumed it was 24V DC. My bad. Thanks Tulsa.

Chris

[DuaneV]

DC doesn't pass through transformers. Basic electricity...

DuaneV

[alexilla]

In a lot of older electro magnetic pinball machines, they originally used selenium rectifiers to convert ac to dc but after the shorting of many of them they converted to bridge rectifiers which are much more reliable. These converters are fairly small and could easily be hidden inside the power supply. Here are a few pix of what one would look like.
http://www.pachitalk.gamershive.com/...erectifier.jpg
http://www.pachitalk.gamershive.com/..._kbpc3504w.jpg
My guess would be that it is stepped down and converted to dc where needed.

[misterfish]

Hi Guys

I've just had a couple of hours experimenting with the KC, its power supply and speakers.

I had the soldering iron out and installed the Syscom volume controls - nice and simple and it makes such a difference - my wife (in the next room) actually complementing me on the fact that she could now hear the TV! I suppose my brother Roger and I are both fortunate in having long-suffering wives that accept our "toys" without too many comments. Mind you, despite the odd 'comment' when I got the first machines, I did get a phone call from her to say she'd 'just had a quick go' on the Dondon King, got a bonus round and then got 'end' displayed. After telling her how to reset it I got home to find she'd been playing on the Gurukun 'so that I'd be closer to getting a bonus!'

Enough of my wittering - the whine is still there but very faint so it doesn't really cause much of a problem now. I tried moving the transformer, disconnecting the earth, connecting the earth to other parts of the chassis but it made no difference - I wonder if it is just a large magnetic field from the transformer that's causing the interference. In my case the transformer is just a bare unit above the power supply with the 220v (I'm in the UK remember) going straight to that and the 24v going via a short wire into the power supply. Is this how you do it over in the States? My other machines are 110v with a standard US power cord and for them I have a mains transformer that sits on the floor 2 or 3 feet away from the machine.

I'll try doing a bit of research into smoothing chokes/capacitors and see if I can come up with anything.

Anyway, thanks for all the help and keep up the great site, it's a real advantage knowing that you've got such a group of knowledgable and helpful friends and experts willing to give their skills and support so willingly

Thanks

Jeff

[arbycoffee]

Thank you for your kind words, and do check out them chokes, you might have a route there to ending the Sammy Squeal. hugyour wife and soft pinch her bottom for us, Her being a fine fellow and all.