Expert: Octane - 8/19/2009

Question
i have a street fighter2 arcade game that is making a clicking noise at the end of the tube neck where the small board is plugged in .game will work fine for about ten minutes then starts clicking and the screen goes haywire .any info on this would be appreciated.thanks

Answer
Gday Andrew,

Sounds like there is a loose connection or something is sparking across connections.  Double check where the clicking noise is coming from.  Could be the flyback transformer (The big black thing) that is making the noise?  (Although usually this is a hissing noise when it starts to fail)  Ultimately you have a monitor problem with something failing or sparking when it gets hot or warming up.

Just a note of warning Monitors are probably one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in a Arcade machine.  If you are not sure what you are doing of not conformant doing something leave it up to the experts.  Having said that most good TV repairmen will be able to work on and fix an arcade monitor.  (They are very similar to a TV tube)  

With your machine turned off disconnect the circuit board on the neck of the tube.  Just beware not to break the neck of the tube off.  Sometimes these are hot glued into place as to not move so you may have to take this seal off.  Check the prongs on the tube neck for obvious burn marks or maybe one of them is partially broken or maybe there is a crack in the tube.  Also check both sides of the neck circuit board for any failed parts or obvious signs of something wrong.  Once inspected and if need be replaced any failed circuit component.  Re-fit the neck board on the neck.  See if that fixes the problem.  (Maybe the neck board was just bumped and not on properly)

If not you will be up for repair or replacement.  (Which ever is cheaper)

Octane