Need help locating a photocell for an old arcade game.

B

Bart D. Hull

Guest
I need to locate a replacement photocell for a 1974 Chopper game.
(Helicopter game where you put a "spotlight" on aliens to score points.)

I am in the Phoenix, Arizona area and cannot locate any electronic
component stores. (Radio shack does not count.)

In testing one of the good photocells it shows a resistance of 400 ohms
with bright light and 20K ohms dark. I bought a night light to "borrow"
the photocell from but it has 3000 ohms with bright light and 280K dark.

The photocell supplies 12v to a solenoid to trigger a counter. Kinda
old school, but hey this game was built in 1974.

Any suggestions, hints or technical data on various photocells that are
currently available would be helpful.

Thanks
--
Bart D. Hull
bdhull-nospam@inficad.com
Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

Remove -nospam to reply via email.
 
Cadmium sulfide photocells are all very much alike. You might check the
surplus market. I seem to recall that some were available from
www.mouser.com - may still be. Does the current to the solenoid flow
entirely through the photocell? You might want to add a transistor to the
circuit.

"Bart D. Hull" <bdhull@nospaminficad.com> wrote in message
news:41d23112$0$19037$4c5eba9e@news.getnet.net...
I need to locate a replacement photocell for a 1974 Chopper game.
(Helicopter game where you put a "spotlight" on aliens to score points.)

I am in the Phoenix, Arizona area and cannot locate any electronic
component stores. (Radio shack does not count.)

In testing one of the good photocells it shows a resistance of 400 ohms
with bright light and 20K ohms dark. I bought a night light to "borrow"
the photocell from but it has 3000 ohms with bright light and 280K dark.

The photocell supplies 12v to a solenoid to trigger a counter. Kinda
old school, but hey this game was built in 1974.

Any suggestions, hints or technical data on various photocells that are
currently available would be helpful.

Thanks
--
Bart D. Hull
bdhull-nospam@inficad.com
Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

Remove -nospam to reply via email.
Click to expand...
 
"Bart D. Hull" wrote:
I need to locate a replacement photocell for a 1974 Chopper game.
(Helicopter game where you put a "spotlight" on aliens to score points.)

I am in the Phoenix, Arizona area and cannot locate any electronic
component stores. (Radio shack does not count.)

In testing one of the good photocells it shows a resistance of 400 ohms
with bright light and 20K ohms dark. I bought a night light to "borrow"
the photocell from but it has 3000 ohms with bright light and 280K dark.

The photocell supplies 12v to a solenoid to trigger a counter. Kinda
old school, but hey this game was built in 1974.

Any suggestions, hints or technical data on various photocells that are
currently available would be helpful.

Thanks
--
Bart D. Hull
bdhull-nospam@inficad.com
Tempe, Arizona
Click to expand...

Maybe <www.allelectronics.com>
1-800-826-5432
The last catalog I got lists a 20-ohm/5k, a 40-ohm/20k, and a
100-ohm/50k
All three are 75-cents each
 
"Bart D. Hull" <bdhull@nospaminficad.com> wrote in message
news:41d23112$0$19037$4c5eba9e@news.getnet.net...
I need to locate a replacement photocell for a 1974 Chopper game.
(Helicopter game where you put a "spotlight" on aliens to score
points.)

I am in the Phoenix, Arizona area and cannot locate any electronic
component stores. (Radio shack does not count.)

In testing one of the good photocells it shows a resistance of 400
ohms
with bright light and 20K ohms dark. I bought a night light to
"borrow"
the photocell from but it has 3000 ohms with bright light and 280K
dark.

The photocell supplies 12v to a solenoid to trigger a counter. Kinda
old school, but hey this game was built in 1974.
Click to expand...
The photocell is directly connected to the solenoid? That's probably
the reason why it doesn't work any more. Put a transistor between the
photocell and the solenoid, like it should be. That will allow you to
use the 3000 ohm one that you have. Like this.
http://www.ozitronics.com/docs/k79a.pdf
But you don't need the switch, and one transistor should be enough. The
solenoid goes in place of the relay coil.


Any suggestions, hints or technical data on various photocells that
are
currently available would be helpful.

Thanks
--
Bart D. Hull
bdhull-nospam@inficad.com
Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

Remove -nospam to reply via email.
Click to expand...
 
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