What is this goop on my HuCards?

[SamIAm]

Hi guys. I've got two Duo-RX systems, and this seems to happen with both of them. I can take a clean Hucard, put it in the slot, pull it right back out, and it's still clean. But if I leave it in for a long time, and particularly if I play the system a lot, the Hucard's metal contacts will have some adhesive-looking goop on them when I pull the card out. I've noticed this most with my arcade cards, of which I also have two, and which I have left in the system for the longest times.

Where is this goop coming from? Is it some kind of adhesive leaking out of the card itself? I opened up one system and didn't notice anything that could be the source of such goop, although I didn't check as thoroughly as possible. The goop is thin and mostly transparent, and it rubs off very easily. After it appears on a Hucard, it's usually on the system's contacts as well, but that's also easily cleaned.

It hasn't really caused any problems so far, but I feel like this is something I should understand. Any ideas?

[SamIAm]

*sigh*

I knew that was coming.


 

[HailingTheThings]

*sigh*

I knew that I was coming cumming.


 

Yay!

[SamIAm]

 Thank you.

Now I'll go back to rubbing off my Hucards while I wait for a real answer. 

[DeshDildo]

Thank you.

Now I'll go back to rubbing off my Hucards while I wait for a real answer. 

Do you have any other consoles to test on?  I wouldn't think it would be coming from the console but rather the cards themselves from heat.  Of course there's always the possibiliy that something was sprayed in the console or flux from a repair of some sort that is flowing with the heat.  I just can't think of any reason for there to be flux on the top side of the Hu slot.

[DeshDildo]

Of course there's always the possibiliy that something was sprayed in the console...

Hahaha... Christ you're ridiculous.  That's not what I meant.

[Keith Courage]

I've seen a goopy type adhesive on lots of super system cards. I honestly think it's from the cards themselves otherwise it wouldn't be localized to me seeing it on Super system CD cards only. I usually scrape/rub it off and then clean afterwards with a qtip covered in rubbing alcohol.

I've never seen it on other cards though. Maybe its more noticeable on CD cards because they are left in systems for longer periods of time? I don't know.

[SamIAm]

Of course there's always the possibiliy that something was sprayed in the console...

You guys are going to get me in trouble for cracking up at work.

Anyway, now that I think about it, I don't think I've seen a large amount form on a regular Hucard before. Also, I have a Supergrafx, and I don't think I've ever had the goop effect there.

I was interested to read about the Super System Card effect you've seen. Could it be that this is adhesive leaking out of the arcade cards, and in my case just spreading from there?

Fortunately it does clean off very well. On the other hand, I wonder if it means that one day, my arcade cards will sort of fall apart? We'll see, I guess.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I too have seen that on the Arcade Card before.  It probably is a bit of the glue seeping around the edge of the PCB, but I doubt it'll ever fall apart, as it's just at the front edge and not the rest of the card.

[esteban]

Crap,which Arcade Card are we talking about here?

[SamIAm]

Arcade Card Duo. It's happened with both of mine, but they still work fine. I'll switch back to the older one for a while and see if it doesn't "run out" soon. I sure hope it works forever, though!

I remember Bonknuts posted a long-ass time ago about taking apart an Arcade Card Duo and an Arcade Card Pro. The Pro has lots more stuff in it and has a complex design, while the Duo has only a couple of chips and is very simple. I think the Pro was more prone toward failure for that reason - more things to go wrong.

Thanks for the replies. I'm relieved that my systems aren't possessed or anything.

[esteban]

Arcade Card Duo. It's happened with both of mine, but they still work fine. I'll switch back to the older one for a while and see if it doesn't "run out" soon. I sure hope it works forever, though!

I remember Bonknuts posted a long-ass time ago about taking apart an Arcade Card Duo and an Arcade Card Pro. The Pro has lots more stuff in it and has a complex design, while the Duo has only a couple of chips and is very simple. I think the Pro was more prone toward failure for that reason - more things to go wrong.

Thanks for the replies. I'm relieved that my systems aren't possessed or anything.

I am glad that a hive of hibernating honeybees in your PCE are not dripping waxen honey on your HuCARDs.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I am glad that a hive of hibernating honeybees in your PCE are not dripping waxen honey on your HuCARDs.

Hmmm, you might be on to something.  Taste the goop, Sam.  TASTE IT!!! 

[esteban]

I am glad that a hive of hibernating honeybees in your PCE are not dripping waxen honey on your HuCARDs.

Hmmm, you might be on to something.  Taste the goop, Sam.  TASTE IT!!! 

I'm glad somebody got it 

[DeshDildo]

That might help explain the failure rate of arcade cards I guess. Mine is finicky,  have to reseat it several times before it will work. I've heard many tales of this same issue from others.

I actually have this exact problem with my JP Super System card.

[Keith Courage]

If you find yourself having to re-seat the card over and over again then you need to clean it better. I scrape the gunk off of each contact on the card using a small flat head screw driver. Make sure no gunk is left behind. Then clean off again afterwards with a q-tip that has been dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Card should work perfect every time after doing this.

[SamIAm]

Yeah, I've never actually had any trouble with the function of the Arcade Cards. At least, not when all the goop is cleaned off.