Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) I'm wondering if my 4-Switch Woodgrain needs cleaning inside. The difficulty switches work fine in the A position, but they have to be in a very precise position for it to register as the B position (switch can't be pushed all the way). I have a similar problem with the game switch. Any help would be very appreciated. Edited January 19, 2017 by Dreamcast Gamer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Could be dirty, could be broken solder joints, or the switch could be broken and need replacing. Sorry, I know that's probably not very helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 Could be dirty, could be broken solder joints, or the switch could be broken and need replacing. Sorry, I know that's probably not very helpful. Thanks anyway. I will look inside it when I have time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas10e Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Could be dirty, could be broken solder joints, or the switch could be broken and need replacing. Sorry, I know that's probably not very helpful. I concur .... this is a good guide to use .... http://atariage.com/forums/topic/184296-slowcoders-guide-to-cleaning-up-your-2600/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 I'm wondering if my 4-Switch Woodgrain needs cleaning inside. The difficulty switches work fine in the A position, but they have to be in a very precise position for it to register as the B position (switch can't be pushed all the way). I have a similar problem with the game switch. Any help would be very appreciated. Before completely pulling apart the switches I would simply get a can of contact cleaner/lubricant from Radio Shack, spray the inside of the switches in question (you can get cleaner into those 4-switch model Difficulty switches fairly easily by moving them back and forth and spraying into the small opening at the edges) and work the switches back and forth quite a few times. I would be shocked if that does not solve your issue. Just remove the cover and you will have access to all of those switches. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpatte02 Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Before completely pulling apart the switches I would simply get a can of contact cleaner/lubricant from Radio Shack, spray the inside of the switches in question (you can get cleaner into those 4-switch model Difficulty switches fairly easily by moving them back and forth and spraying into the small opening at the edges) and work the switches back and forth quite a few times. I would be shocked if that does not solve your issue. Just remove the cover and you will have access to all of those switches. Yeah, Contact cleaner is a good idea if you have it. Just spray and then toggle the switch back and forth, it might loosen up any dirt in there and also clean the contacts (go figure). Its kind of greasy so if you can get a sprayer straw it might cut down on the overspray. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Yeah, Contact cleaner is a good idea if you have it. Just spray and then toggle the switch back and forth, it might loosen up any dirt in there and also clean the contacts (go figure). Its kind of greasy so if you can get a sprayer straw it might cut down on the overspray. Yes, excellent point and sorry I omitted that. The Radio Shack cans generally come with a straw. Also I would recommend using a paper towel or kleenex and hold it over the opposite side of the switch from the cleaner. That way you capture the excess spray as it comes out the other side because, as bpatte states, it is kind of greasy. The cleaner is about $10 but it will last you forever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoatomic Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Before completely pulling apart the switches I would simply get a can of contact cleaner/lubricant from Radio Shack, spray the inside of the switches in question (you can get cleaner into those 4-switch model Difficulty switches fairly easily by moving them back and forth and spraying into the small opening at the edges) and work the switches back and forth quite a few times. I would be shocked if that does not solve your issue. Just remove the cover and you will have access to all of those switches. This is good advice. These switches aren't as easy to reassemble when attached to the board as the power/reset/selection switches by nature of their design. As a caveat though, I will say that if contact cleaner doesn't fix your issue, one of two possibility's remains. Cold/cracked solder joint on one or more of the 3 legs, or the internal sliding contractor is sprung and not making good contact. The anatomy of these switches is 3 fingers with a sliding sprung contactor that is captured and actuated by the plastic switch portion. On occasion, the sliding contactor spring tension weakens and pulls away from the contacts, causing intermittent operation. This contactor is not easy to reform and at $1 each for the switches, it really is just easier/better to replace them at that point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 I just want to add a comment regarding buying new switches. Don't be misled by sellers on ebay. Yesterday I saw switches being sold for $13/ea, when you can get them for $1 elsewhere. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 Thanks everyone. Using the spray can stuff has helped somewhat. The left switch works perfectly now, but the game select switch still needs some fixing, and the right switch it still acting up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Thanks everyone. Using the spray can stuff has helped somewhat. The left switch works perfectly now, but the game select switch still needs some fixing, and the right switch it still acting up. Did you open the case and spray directly onto the contacts of the select switch? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 Did you open the case and spray directly onto the contacts of the select switch? Just the outside. I'm guessing I should open it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Yes, for that game select switch to get enough spray you will need to open up the Atari. Should be just four screws on the bottom side of the casing. Once you separate the two halves the mother board and top case of the Atari will separate with some convincing. They will be stuck together because of the controller ports, power jack, and difficulty switches being sort of fitted into their respective access holes. Make sure that both the power switch and the color/black and white option switches are pushed up (set to "On" and "color") as this will make separation easier. Once you have the top off then i would spray all of the switches since you are already in there. Simply put the spray straw into the end that has the contacts exposed (e.g. For the select switch it will be from the lower end of the switch since it's default spring position is at the top end). Spray and then work the switch a bunch of times. This should fix your issue. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 If u r not comfortable with opening your console then i can pm you with my number and i can walk you through the process. I have done this process literally hundreds of times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Just the outside. I'm guessing I should open it up? Yes, you have to open it up and spray into the switches. Otherwise you're just getting cleaning fluid all over the inside of your console. This weekend I am desoldering all the switches on my boards, taking them apart and cleaning them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 If u r not comfortable with opening your console then i can pm you with my number and i can walk you through the process. I have done this process literally hundreds of times. Thanks. I'll give it a try first, but if it doesn't work, then I'll pm you. I'm comfortable with opening this kind of stuff up, since I've done this sort of thing with my computers, and I've replaced a watch battery in my Dreamcast before too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombstone Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 you should be fine then. good luck! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 I usually use a tissue or rag to control overspray. Spray a bit, work it in, move the switch, blot it dry. Repeat one more time. Failing that, then you've got bad solder on the switch/PCB area or nearby. Or you've got a switch with no springiness left and the contacts are just kinda floating around. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 If you cannot move them all the way, are they hitting the side of the hole in the case? Maybe the PCB is shifted a wee bit... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamcast Gamer Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 If you cannot move them all the way, are they hitting the side of the hole in the case? Maybe the PCB is shifted a wee bit... That's the problem. They move all the way to the B position, but it doesn't register as B if they're moved all the way. They have to be in just the right spot. Anyway, I played Adventure yesterday, and I was having lots of trouble with the ducks, er, dragons in skill level 2, so I switched the right switch to B to kill them easily, and it worked fine! Hopefully, my problems are gone with that switch. Unfortunately, the Game select switch is getting worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLic0ne t0aD Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 (edited) I'd use DeOxit D5 contact cleaner. You can buy it at Guitar Center or even online.. It works miracles. I wouldn't use the crappy tuner cleaner from radio shack, which isn't much of a contact cleaner in the first place, but more like a lubricant. Spray some DeOxit inside of the switch the best you can (preferably taken apart) and cycle the switch back and forth a couple dozen times. It might revive it. Otherwise, a new switch may need to be swapped in. Edited January 26, 2017 by SiLic0ne t0aD85 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Yes. DeOxit for the win. It's rather expensive, but it is top of the line. If that doesn't work then switch disassembly is in order. If THAT doesn't work, switch replacement is next. ..After you inspected all related solder joints. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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