Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

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Dave_K.
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Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Dave_K. »

Just a reminder to open up your DDPDOJ metal cases and check your Varta battery for leakage. And if you aren't playing Espgaulda or Ketsui often enough to notice, shame on you, and check those as well.

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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Ed Oscuro »

That there particular mess looks like a good candidate for the ole Clabber Girl Baking Powder (known also as soda) and Heinz brand vinegar (although other brand will work as well) won't fix, seems to me. ^_~
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Dave_K.
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Post by Dave_K. »

It actually cleaned up quite nicely.

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Ed Oscuro
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Post by Ed Oscuro »

Dang it, I bunged up the post. Indeed, I didn't think it would prove a too sticky situation for you to handle, Dave, and I'm glad it turned out well.
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charlie chong
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Post by charlie chong »

any signs to look for when these batteries are on there way out?? i'd hate to spew acid on my board.also how often should they be changed do you reckon?
ta!
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Dave_K.
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Post by Dave_K. »

charlie chong wrote:any signs to look for when these batteries are on there way out?? i'd hate to spew acid on my board.also how often should they be changed do you reckon?
ta!
I think once you start seeing those fuzzies developing around the terminals, is probably a good time to remove/replace. As mentioned in several other threads, there really is no need for the battery if you play on full defaults, unless of course you have a black label. I'm leaving the battery out of my DOJ and will probably do the same for Espgaluda and Ketsui as soon as they start showing the fuzzies.
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Post by jpj »

charlie: the batteries are only supposed to last six years, and these games are all about 7 years old now, so chenge 'em sooner rather than later. be careful about the brown switch as well :wink: (SW1)

yo, where's mr peanut gone? :P
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Dave_K.
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Post by Dave_K. »

jpj wrote:yo, where's mr peanut gone? :P
lol
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robivy64
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Post by robivy64 »

I check mine monthly, even though the battery is only 6 months old.

I replaced a DOJ battery for a customer not long ago. This is what I found:

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twalden
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Post by twalden »

Is there a different battery that can be used as a replacement, other than the Varta?
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msm
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by msm »

was reading up about this leaking battery stuff so had a quick check, the battery was on it's way out so i snipped it off, the top of the board looks fine (although it is a bit dusty), but on the bottom there is some odd looking stuff around the solder for the battery - it's the 3rd pic - any idea if it could be some corrosion? :?

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cools
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by cools »

Just flux residue. Nothing to worry about, easy to clean off.
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msm
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by msm »

cools wrote:Just flux residue. Nothing to worry about, easy to clean off.
Thanks :D really glad i won't have to try and clean/neuteralise it.
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Post by cools »

Dave_K. wrote:As mentioned in several other threads, there really is no need for the battery if you play on full defaults,
I need the demo sound off and freeplay. Boo.
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by SuperPang »

I've become far more fussy about a working coin mech since these batteries started dying :D
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by jonny5 »

SuperPang wrote:I've become far more fussy about a working coin mech since these batteries started dying :D
credit button ftw 8)
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cools
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by cools »

Hax.
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Dave_K.
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Dave_K. »

jonny5 wrote:
SuperPang wrote:I've become far more fussy about a working coin mech since these batteries started dying :D
credit button ftw 8)
blue taito ashtray filled with quarters ftw! :wink:
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jonny5
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by jonny5 »

Dave_K. wrote:
jonny5 wrote:
SuperPang wrote:I've become far more fussy about a working coin mech since these batteries started dying :D
credit button ftw 8)
blue taito ashtray filled with quarters ftw! :wink:
i have a couple hundred tokens.....button is easier

and none of my cabs have coin mechs.....i had them rigged up so you could use coins but it missed sometimes so to avoid hassles when i had guests i went with buttons.....i havent modified anything....i just have the leads coming from the credit button and have it pushed into the QD's for the coin register

does the job

although i tend to put everything on freeplay if possible
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Dave_K.
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Dave_K. »

jonny5 wrote: i have a couple hundred tokens.....button is easier

and none of my cabs have coin mechs.....i had them rigged up so you could use coins but it missed sometimes so to avoid hassles when i had guests i went with buttons.....i havent modified anything....i just have the leads coming from the credit button and have it pushed into the QD's for the coin register

does the job

although i tend to put everything on freeplay if possible
Not to stray too far off topic (jonny5 style :wink:) but to each his own. Some people also like to play PCBs on their TV with supergun and neogeo joypads because its easier. Since I own an actual cabinet, I like to keep the experience as original as possible and use coins. I've had plenty of people over my place at shmupmeets for the past 5+ years and had the occasional coin jam but its never been a problem. Learning to tweak a chute and coinmech is a fine art worthy of any collectors time. Hearing the mechanical plunk combined with the game's coin-up sound is music to my ears. Playing on freeplay or hitting a credit button 10 times before starting a game diminishes the experience and value each credit holds...this comes from my opinion of over 10 years in the hobby.
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kernow
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by kernow »

Have fun with your DOJ boards you assholes :x

:)
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SuperPang
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by SuperPang »

Dave_K. wrote: Some people also like to play PCBs on their TV with supergun and neogeo joypads because its easier. Since I own an actual cabinet, I like to keep the experience as original as possible and use coins. I've had plenty of people over my place at shmupmeets for the past 5+ years and had the occasional coin jam but its never been a problem. Learning to tweak a chute and coinmech is a fine art worthy of any collectors time. Hearing the mechanical plunk combined with the game's coin-up sound is music to my ears. Playing on freeplay or hitting a credit button 10 times before starting a game diminishes the experience and value each credit holds...this comes from my opinion of over 10 years in the hobby.
You forgot the ^_~
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jonny5
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by jonny5 »

Dave_K. wrote:
jonny5 wrote: i have a couple hundred tokens.....button is easier

and none of my cabs have coin mechs.....i had them rigged up so you could use coins but it missed sometimes so to avoid hassles when i had guests i went with buttons.....i havent modified anything....i just have the leads coming from the credit button and have it pushed into the QD's for the coin register

does the job

although i tend to put everything on freeplay if possible
Not to stray too far off topic (jonny5 style :wink:) but to each his own. Some people also like to play PCBs on their TV with supergun and neogeo joypads because its easier. Since I own an actual cabinet, I like to keep the experience as original as possible and use coins. I've had plenty of people over my place at shmupmeets for the past 5+ years and had the occasional coin jam but its never been a problem. Learning to tweak a chute and coinmech is a fine art worthy of any collectors time. Hearing the mechanical plunk combined with the game's coin-up sound is music to my ears. Playing on freeplay or hitting a credit button 10 times before starting a game diminishes the experience and value each credit holds...this comes from my opinion of over 10 years in the hobby.
you call me out for going OT, and then proceed to type a paragraph of even more OT? :?

right :roll:
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Ganelon
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Ganelon »

Is the runoff material safe to touch? Better not to be safe?

Is there a list of all the boards that have batteries (besides the known suicide ones)? Or would it be shorter to have a list of boards that don't have batteries?
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Dave_K.
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Dave_K. »

Chill jonny5, its all good'n da hood. :wink:
SuperPang wrote:You forgot the ^_~
LOL! Check the av pic!
Ganelon wrote:Is the runoff material safe to touch? Better not to be safe?

Is there a list of all the boards that have batteries (besides the known suicide ones)? Or would it be shorter to have a list of boards that don't have batteries?
The runoff is not going to eat through your skin if thats your concern, but should be cleaned off the board as it will continue to corrode connections even after you remove the bad battery. As humorously mentioned by Ed up at the top, vinegar + baking soda does a good job at neutralizing the acid. Also a small wire brush to clean out and corrosion under the resistor pack if needed.

I don't understand your second question, its not like you need to avoid PCBs that have batteries, just need to keep an eye on them. The ones of most concern are the suicide PCBs like any CPS2 (and CPS1?), and DOJ Black Label.
Last edited by Dave_K. on Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by cools »

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Ganelon
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by Ganelon »

Dave_K. wrote:I don't understand your second question, its not like you need to avoid PCBs that have batteries, just need to keep an eye on them. The ones of most concern are the suicide PCBs like any CPS2 (and CPS1?), and DOJ Black Label.
Not avoid but keep an eye on. Don't some games use batteries to save (as opposed to EEPROM) and wouldn't they be at risk to leakage?
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

The Atari Games Klax PCB is known to save game settings and high scores without the need for a backup battery. ^_~

The little banter going on between Dave K. and jonny5 is priceless. I was cracking up reading it. This shmups forum is truly the greatest. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by jonny5 »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:The Atari Games Klax PCB is known to save game settings and high scores without the need for a backup battery. ^_~

The little banter going on between Dave K. and jonny5 is priceless. I was cracking up reading it. This shmups forum is truly the greatest. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
you want a piece too PCEFX? :x

arrrrrrrrrr......

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Re: Reminder: Check your Varta batteries

Post by emphatic »

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:The little banter going on between Dave K. and jonny5 is priceless. I was cracking up reading it. This shmups forum is truly the greatest. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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