Atari 5200 Analogue Controller Repair

[Atari Richie]

Atari 5200 Analogue Controller Repair

By Atari Richie

 

(Disclaimer)

 

This is a guide of what I have done, I don’t know about the longevity of the repair; however the process can be repeated again and again... I cannot be held responsible for any problems that may arise as part of the repair process or any unforeseen reactions or damages from any of the chemicals and equipment used. Always read the Directions, Instructions and Safety Information of any equipment and chemicals you use. I have used this method many times to repair remote controls etc... Without any problems however you don’t bang the buttons when playing space invaders for hours on end, But the process works every time. I have repaired all my broken 5200 controllers using this method and they are all still working.

 

(End of Declaimer)

 

What you need:-

Dysfunctional Controller (sometimes can be hard to find one)

High Quality Cotton buds

Contact Cleaner

Screwdriver

Craft knife

Circuitworks Conductive Pen or similar Silver Conductive Paint

(note that if the instructions of the product you use state a drying time greater than 1 hour don’t use it as it’s not going to be solvent based and will give very poor results)

 

1.

 

Remove the Start Pause Restart button surround with a craft knife. Insert the knife and use it to lever up the surround.

Lift the Flex circuit up out of the way (sometimes this may have been stuck down)

 

2.

Remove the 3 screws on the back of the controller.

 

3.

Split the controller in 2 from the front first as shown (There are two plastic lugs that locate the parts together, be careful and don’t break them).

Pic of the Plastic Lugs:-

 

4.

The fire buttons slide out with their plastic surrounds.

 

5.

Clean the flex circuit with the contact cleaner, buy spraying the cotton bud first and then using it to clean the flex circuit contact points.

 

6.

Clean the button contacts with the contact cleaner, buy spraying the cotton bud first and then using it to clean the carbon contact points.

Leave to dry for 10min

(Be careful not to touch the black dots with your fingers after cleaning as the oil in your skin with stop the silver paint from sticking to the surface).

 

 

7.

Now apply the Conductive Pant Pen to all the carbon contact points, note this is not very easily done, I would practice a few times first. If you use the pen it works just like a Tip-ex pen or any other type of corrective pen. You just need to squeeze the pen and push the tip in to allow the paint to flow out. Lift the pen up and down while doing this and paint the surfaces as evenly as possible.

Now leave to dry for 30-45 min. (don’t touch the paint to see if it’s dry, the surface needs to be clan and free of grease)

 

8.

To reassemble the control is just the opposite of taking it apart, however a good tip would be to check the analogue joystick parts are aliened as shown below, so when you press both half’s together centring the joystick handle then it should be aligned perfectly, though I just give it a wiggle and check it feels right, before you screw it all back together.

 

And that’s it...

 

Thanks for looking and I hope it helps someone to enjoy their 5200 with the original controls as nature intended...

 

Richie

[+Allan]

Very nice article. It should help people getting their controllers working again.

 

Allan

[brojamfootball]

Nice use of the pen--I gotta try that. As many things as I've read about repairing the 5200 controller with new parts or tin foil or whatever, I don't think I've seen this before.

 

Does it seem to last pretty well?

 

edit: This has gotta be the best presentation and pics of opening the 5200 controller I've seen.

Edited August 27, 2009 by brojamfootball

[Atari Richie]

Nice use of the pen--I gotta try that. As many things as I've read about repairing the 5200 controller with new parts or tin foil or whatever, I don't think I've seen this before.

 

Does it seem to last pretty well?

 

edit: This has gotta be the best presentation and pics of opening the 5200 controller I've seen.

 

I have used this method many times to repair remote controls etc... With one of my 5200 controllers I played with if for around 12 hours since the repair, and have had no problems. Though if this method was found not to last it’s really easy and quick just to re-apply some more paint. I have noticed a big difference compared with original controllers that I have not needed to fix. It seems that this repair may make the contacts much more responsive than the original Carbon Contact Pads. I plugging in a controller that has never before been used just to see and you have to press the buttons harder on the original than you do with the repair.

 

And thanks for complement

 

Richie

[MIKE5200]

Have you tryied it on earlyer reflex like rev 6 or 7? I have afew of them

Thanks

[Atari Richie]

Have you tryied it on earlyer reflex like rev 6 or 7? I have afew of them

Thanks

 

I only have tried the process on the ones that are made in Taiwan so don’t know I am afraid, but I would think that the problems still lies with the carbon contacts on the buttons.

The cool thing about these pens is that you can draw circuits with them so in theory if the flex circuits contacts were lifting off you could put a little dap on the offending part and use it as glue. Or repair any brakes in the flex circuit board.

[bohoki]

hmm i wouldnt call this analogue controller repair i would call it "atari 5200 controller button repair"

 

you do not go into any of the repair of the analog components just the digital ones

 

i use foil tape an a hole punch to repair my buttons

[Atari Richie]

hmm i wouldnt call this analogue controller repair i would call it "atari 5200 controller button repair"

 

OMG how pedantic are you?

[WilsonCat]

I can't seem to find the conductive pen anywhere. Does any B&M chain carry these? Otherwise I will have to order online.

[ninermaniac]

hmm i wouldnt call this analogue controller repair i would call it "atari 5200 controller button repair"

 

OMG how pedantic are you?

 

Don't mind him. He takes his 5200 controllers very seriously. He builds them just like a few of us on here do. Nice article. This will help those guys who are low on the technical side for sure.

 

BTW: The flex circuits functionability really plays a part in this. Some flex circuits won't be able to be repaired regardless. Especially the white and blue ones. Not to fear though because those were not used to much.

[Retro Rogue]

hmm i wouldnt call this analogue controller repair i would call it "atari 5200 controller button repair"

 

OMG how pedantic are you?

 

I wouldn't call that pedantic, I was thinking the same thing as well because of your subject title. It's a tutorial on repairing the buttons on the controller, not the actual analog stick. When people refer to a controller being analog vs. digital, they're referring to the actual controlling mechanism - the stick. Nice tutorial either way, but not what was expected.

[phuzzed]

Very Nice.

 

I used a similiar method, but I used what was called a "Rubber keypad repair kit", which I either bought from DigiKey or Mouser Electronics. it was a Two part mix, much like an epoxy and once it was mixed, you applied it to the rubber silicone dots to improve conductivity. I did it on all four of my 5200 controllers and works well.

[+darryl1970]

Very Nice.

 

I used a similar method, but I used what was called a "Rubber keypad repair kit", which I either bought from DigiKey or Mouser Electronics. it was a Two part mix, much like an epoxy and once it was mixed, you applied it to the rubber silicone dots to improve conductivity. I did it on all four of my 5200 controllers and works well.

 

Awesome. I didn't know these things existed. Another alternative is graphite lubricate. It is an EXTREMELY fine graphite powder. I used this a long time ago. It has a nozzle, similar to a glue bottle, and it comes out in little 'puffs'. I used this very sparingly, as to not leave excess residue behind. Next, I used a q-tip to rub it into the rubber, while removing excess. My 5200's have been in and out of storage, in many different climates over the years, and this has held up quite nicely. There's also no drying time.

 

Sounds like they are all pretty innovative solutions here. If my graphite ever wears out, I wouldn't mind trying the more glue-like solutions. However, this powder has surprisingly stood the test of time.

[Greg2600]

Woah, I must have missed this last year. Here's a pen on the Internet pretty cheap. Sounds a lot easier than the other concept of gluing aluminum foil or similar onto the buttons. Just make sure you shake the pen well to get the silver mixed in. I may try that. I think I need to replace the flex circuits though with the Rev. 9 from Best, I just have been dilly dallying, compiling a list of other things I need from them before ordering (2600 stick/paddle parts).

[S1500]

So you do need to put conductive paint on the little carbon contacts? Ahh. I don't have that on neither of my controllers. It's all black! Looks like I'll need to hit Radio Shack & paint the buttons.

 

Last weekend I picked up a CV + got a much-needed 5200 controller that didn't work either. Only 3 buttons on the numeric keypad work. I was under the assumption no conductive paint on the buttons was needed.

 

Right now I have 2 controllers: A real sorry Rev 7 controller with no top 3 button rubbers, nor the CV joint boot. With no cv joint boot, I have zero luck getting it back together.

The Rev 9 stick I recently got has all the parts, and shows some signs of life.

[Greg2600]

I wouldn't bother. I wound up using aluminum foil and gluing them to the bottom of each button, and that works great.

[+Zeptari]

Will this one work? Only $10 at Radio Shack.

[BassGuitari]

Only $10 at Radio Shack.

Not for long...

 

(Too soon?)

[+Zeptari]

I picked up the supplies to today. I'll report back later this afternoon with my result s.

[+Zeptari]

Look at that! How in the world does the start, pause and reset buttons work when its wrinkled like that!

Yet both left fire bottons dont work. Wtf!

[MIKE5200]

Look at that! How in the world does the start, pause and reset buttons work when its wrinkled like that!

Yet both left fire bottons dont work. Wtf!

Looks like it's time to replace the reflex

[chas10e]

Look at that! How in the world does the start, pause and reset buttons work when its wrinkled like that!

Yet both left fire bottons dont work. Wtf!

I would imagine that happened while trying to stuff the matrix in without having removed the start / pause / reset bezel first

 

wouldn't know how to get it nice & flat again but should lay sort of flat once re-assembled .... can get NOS parts here http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/cx52_j.htm#CX52

 

you're conductive paint should work fine , I've used some to repair broken traces inside "The Space Age" controller

[+Zeptari]

I have 4 different 5200 controllers 3 rev6 and 1 rev7. All of the buttons on them work now, except for the 2 left fre buttons!

thank god for my wico. I'm thinking I might relace the reflex in one of them someday.

[chas10e]

if all controllers left fire button doesn't work , perhaps it's pins in the console

 

got a multimeter?

[+Zeptari]

No,I dont have one. I put some of the conductive paint on a qtip and used that to sometimes get the left buttons to fire. Screw driver touching it worked sometimes too.