Main board failure

[Bill C @ Fineline]

We were having trouble with one of our 06 XTs not detecting thread breaks. Put a new detector tube on, but after a while it started again. Called in a tech and after checking it over he swaped boards with another machine. At first that machine worked fine, but with the cover on and it warmed up it started not detecting. OH, the first machine he went to switch it to he found had a newer type board in it??? All 4 were bought at the same time. My question is, which is better, buy a new board or have the old one rebuilt if that is possible?? A new one is around $1300. Any thoughts thankful Bill from Fine Line in Manhattan, IL Thank you all

[Rod or Sharon]

Bill,

Unfortunately some of these sensor/electrical/ wiring cable/connector issues are not always easy to put your finger on.

If I understand you, the tech swapped Main boards with another machine "after" you installed a new threadbreak sensor. This worked for a bit and then started failing again. Am I to understand that the new sensor was failing on two separate Main boards? Does swapping out the Main board with another machine solve the sensor issue on the problem machine?

Before I went to the expense of $1300 bucks for a new Main board, I would definitly eliminate all the small stuff first. If the above info is correct, the cable from the sensor to the mainboard may be suspect. The connectors on the cable may not be making good contact after things heat up. I had a ground wire in one of these cables give me a real headache one time and it took several hours to pinpoint it as it was an intermitant failure.

I would need more detailed information on what the tech actually did to make any kind of recomendation as what your next step would/should be. Without hands on the machine, it would be risky, at best, for me or anyone to recommend spending $1300 bucks to replace the motherboard.

I have not heard of a "reliable" source of anyone "re-building/refurbishing" the Amaya mainboards.

As far as the machines all having the same identical series boards in them....what are the serial numbers of the machines? Are they consecutive? At any given time boards are upgraded and at some point there will be a transition period, possibly even from one consecutive serial number to another. I wouldn't be too concerned about that as any kind of issue.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Bill C @ Fineline]

Rod, he swapped the main board to another machine and that machine ran ok untill it ran for ten minutes, then it would not detect the thead breaks. The machine that originally had the problem now runs ok with the board from the other machine. Ok, # 2 macnine was the problem, now #2 has #3 board in it and runs ok. Now #3 has the problem. Hope this is clear. We did not switched the sensor or cable. Melco doesn't rebuild boards? When you buy a new board is it new or rebuilt? You would think the main board would have a longer warrentee on them. Thank you, Bill from Fineline

[Rod or Sharon]

Bill,

That appears to narrow it down to a main board issue.

Melco used to refurbish the main boards, but no longer. They stopped repairing main boards about the time the economy went belly up and they down sized their work force.

I do know the main boards are manufactured somewhere in Texas and to my knowledge only new boards are sent out of that plant.

When a main CPU fails and is under warranty, Melco does require the faulty CPU to be returned to the plant to determine what is wrong with it.

This is where the Extended warranty can be of benifit, but I understand the reason folks don't apply for it. It is expensive, especially if nothing goes wrong during the term of the contract. Murphy's Law says that everything will be just fine as long as you have it, but let it expire and "bing" the next day ....poooo-ph..

Sorry I can't give you better news......

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Bill C @ Fineline]

Rod, thank you very much for the info, Bill