House wiring issue or noise

[The Magic Rabbit]

You need to do some proper elimination tests. If you have devices not intended for the voltage you are supplying plugged into a UPS that may well cause the problem. However, that depends on the design of the UPS, and the design of the power supply in the device, and what other things plugged in may interfere.

Given the way your jumping around between devices, it may even be you just have too much coming off the UPS.

If you have cable spaghetti it may also be down to that. Neat cabling means easier trouble shooting and less trouble to begin with.

You have too many things going on at once. You're only going to solve this by approaching it systematically.


Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk

[DenzilPenberthy]

Are your Japanese devices suitable for 60Hz? Presumably Japanese stuff would be designed to cope with 50 or 60 Hz because  they use both frequencies there but it was just a thought that crossed my mind.

[AF6LJ]

I agree you need to conduct some proper elimination tests and make sure everything is operating on its intended voltage and your UPS is not overloaded.

[Seekonk]

In commercial applications I have had luck with RC networks getting rid of noise.  Once upon a time there were lots of incandescent lamps on the line to put a termination load on the line.  Now any noise just keeps ringing as it is reflected back.  Try a 5 ohm couple watt resistor in series with about 1uF.  Make that up from a couple X2 MKP polypropylene (not MKT polyester) capacitors in parallel. 

[Tomorokoshi]

Check if the outlets are wired using stab connections.

[CkRtech]

Lunch break quick updates. I didn't do elimination tests, but please read on if you could (#4 below)...

1: AC adapter is 100V 50-60Hz input.
2: Used a possible replacement AC adapter (Sega CDX) that is U.S. and it still had issues.
3: It does sometimes work...but redbook audio cuts out & sometimes graphics get garbled.
4: Took unit back upstairs to workbench, plugged it into the same stuff I always do where it "always works"....and it has issues - both cd read issues and graphics issues. I can power up and power down on the same socket on the surge protector, and the issues come and go.

I could....assume it is the system and say... replace all the capacitors in the system (yay). That doesn't explain similar cd drive issues in my friend's system when his system is over here, but I don't think his system has been re-capped, either. These systems are from circa 1992.

Despite what I have said about a couple of other systems having issues in my house, I do find it odd that I have SO many other devices (granted, more modern) that do not exhibit issues.

I just wonder if I have been on the wrong track, here.

[Deathwish]

I do some freaky things to find faults at times like switch of the plasma TV and unplug it from the wall outlet, grab an extension cable reel plug it into a wall socket in a room you usually have no problems in and plug in the kit you want to use with a seperate TV and see if it occurs then. Then plug back in the Plasma TV and any other stuff one at a time.

It will at least tell you if it is the wall outlet, the TV or any other kit by elimination

[singapol]

Lunch break quick updates. I didn't do elimination tests, but please read on if you could (#4 below)...

1: AC adapter is 100V 50-60Hz input.
2: Used a possible replacement AC adapter (Sega CDX) that is U.S. and it still had issues.
3: It does sometimes work...but redbook audio cuts out & sometimes graphics get garbled.
4: Took unit back upstairs to workbench, plugged it into the same stuff I always do where it "always works"....and it has issues - both cd read issues and graphics issues. I can power up and power down on the same socket on the surge protector, and the issues come and go.

I could....assume it is the system and say... replace all the capacitors in the system (yay). That doesn't explain similar cd drive issues in my friend's system when his system is over here, but I don't think his system has been re-capped, either. These systems are from circa 1992.

Despite what I have said about a couple of other systems having issues in my house, I do find it odd that I have SO many other devices (granted, more modern) that do not exhibit issues.

I just wonder if I have been on the wrong track, here.

I do believe the cd lasers have reached their end of life either that or you have dry or broken solder joints
on the pcb or power supply issues.

[The Magic Rabbit]

This is why you need to be systematic.

Is this "several games systems" or one particular games system?

We could be shooting on the dark for months. If you don't approach this systematically I don't think you'll get anywhere.

Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk

[CkRtech]

I do believe the cd lasers have reached their end of life either that or you have dry or broken solder joints on the pcb or power supply issues.

I replaced all the caps on the board as well as the laser, and the performance is much more consistent. I took it downstairs to the problem room, and it fired up and played three games without issues. Obviously I will continue to monitor (and have a few other mods to do on this before I "close" the case and screw everything back together, but I wanted to report on this due to the fact a laser was involved and was basically finicky.

I didn't even have to adjust any of the pots for the cd component after putting in the new laser.