Jennings 400/1100 Cactus Pete restoration

This is the area to talk about everything regarding repairing and restoring machines.

Jennings 400/1100 Cactus Pete restoration

Postby cactuspete » Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:18 pm

Hello,

I recently acquired this 1977 Jennings machine for a restoration project, I've done arcade and pinball in the past. It is a little crusty from being out in the Nevada desert. I'm fortunate to work for an electronics manufacturer, I plan on using our PCB safe vapor degreaser for the boards and some of the assemblies.

A couple of questions:
1. Is the bottom tray also chromed like the rest of the machine or is it polished aluminum?
2. Is the reset key on the side and the logic board reset exactly the same?
3. Where can I find the middle and upper front artwork/bezels?

Thanks!
Robert
Attachments
idoor.jpg
back2.jpg
back1.jpg
plate.jpg
front.jpg
cactuspete
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: Jennings 400/1100 Cactus Pete restoration

Postby RameGoom » Thu Dec 09, 2021 5:07 pm

Jennings 400s are problematic. The original NICAD battery on the logic board will leak, and acid damage will leach into the circuitry, under the ICs and in the solder joints near the battery. Corrosion is a real problem with this design.

The logic board was pre-microprocessor, so there is a blend of early CMOS and TTL on the board. The factory jumpers and modified traces are there for different games as they used basically one logic board for several games. The edge connector at the back of the board rack should be looked at - alignment of the board to the edge connectors can fail and give you fits.

The power supply is a monster analog supply that will frequently give you low voltage problems. Check those voltages. I have dozens of them rebuilt on the shelf if you need one.

I had 30 of those machines that I sold to a movie production company who used them for props, and have rebuilt several of the 400s and 700s over the years. Lots of work to get them going, but once they work, they are consistent.

They didn't use polished aluminum on the interior of those machines, just cad plating, so no doubt the plating is gone on the base. Sand blast it and rattle-can the parts to restore.

John
Slowly building a knowledge base on E2000 series Bally machines and J400 Jennings. Started with the antique Mills and Jennings. Getting there...
User avatar
RameGoom
 
Posts: 354
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:47 pm
Location: Loveland, CO

Re: Jennings 400/1100 Cactus Pete restoration

Postby cactuspete » Thu Dec 09, 2021 6:53 pm

RameGoom wrote:The power supply is a monster analog supply that will frequently give you low voltage problems. Check those voltages. I have dozens of them rebuilt on the shelf if you need one. :?

John


Thanks, I'll see if mine is still alive. In your research have you ever seen a model decoder from Jennings? Mine is a 1100 even though it looks exactly like a 400. What years are yours?
cactuspete
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:47 pm


Return to Repair / Restoration Questions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests

cron