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Repairing Electro
Repairing Electro
Scope.
This document is a repair guide for Electro-Mechanical (EM) coin opertated
games made up to about 1978. This includes pinball games, pitch and bats
(baseballs), bowlers, gun games, etc. Though pinball is stressed the most in this
document, this information applies to most EM arcade games made from the
1930s to 1978. Electro-Mechanical (EM) means the game uses relays and
switches, and does *not* use a computer CPU. No experience is assumed. Basic
electrical knowledge is helpful, but even that is not necessary.
For parts, schematics, and repair sources please see the parts and repair
sources web page.
Table of Contents
1. Getting Started:
a. Introduction
b. Necessary Tools
c. Parts to have On-Hand
d. Lubrication and Contact Cleaner Notes
e. Electrical Parts of an EM Game
If the game has score reels, see the Score Reel section. If
either of the two "zero position" switches on any score reel
is out of adjustment, the score motor will continue to run.
If the game does not have score reels, see the Stepper
Unit section. If a stepper unit does not reset, the score
motor can continue to run (actually this can happen on
games with score reels too).
If a Gottlieb game, make sure the score motor "brake"
switch (a single switch on the score motor that has *no*
wires attached to it!) is hitting the metal rod as the score
motor turns. The purpose of this "brake" switch is to make
sure the score motor stops at an exact home position and
doesn't "over run", and continue running endlessly.
Check the score motor's "home" switch (on Gottlieb's,
usually at 1C or 4C). This switch is what turns off the score
motor when it rotates to a "home" position every 120
degrees. Because of the score motor's electro-magnetic
field collapse when the motor turns off, the score motor
home switch gets a "blue arc" (easy to see when the score
motor rotates!) every rotation of the score motor. This blue
arc makes the home switch wear and pit easily, and go out
of adjustment. If the home switch is out of adjustment or
worn, this too can allow the score motor to "over run" a
home position, and perhap never stop running!
8. If the game starts and:
blows a fuse. Either a coil is stuck on, or if a 70's Williams
or Bally, see Bridge Rectifiers section.
a coil or score reel is stuck on, see the Score Relay Stuck
On section.
certain features don't reset (like number of players, credit
or ball number, etc.), see the Stepper Unit section.
certain game features don't work, see the Game
Features section.
No credits on game.
Trying to start a game with no credits? A lot of people do not set
their games to free play (especially if you bought it from an old
vender!). Move the credit wheel to one or more credits and try
again. Sounds simple, but you would be surprised how often that
gets by you...
You plug the game in, but no there's no lights and no power.
This is a real typical problem on a game that has been in storage
for long periods of time.
Did you check the fuses? Sounds simple, but we all usually forget
to do this.
On Gottlieb games (and many Bally and Williams games), after the
power exits the main transformer, it goes to a "hold" relay in the
bottom panel of the game. This relay usually has just one or two
switches. If these contacts are dirty, no power will get to the rest
of the game. Look for the most burnt relay in the bottom of the
game cabinet, and that's probably the hold relay! It's on the entire
time the game has power. Clean it's contacts. With the power on,
manually activate the relay and look for lights.
Bally and Williams games also use a latch relay for the game over
circuit that has one switch which controls all light power to the
game. If this one switch is dirty or mis-adjusted, the game just
won't light up! Clean and check the game over relay switches.
Check the coin mech switches in the coin door. This is especially a
problem on Williams pinballs. If the switch that detects a coin drop
is stuck on, the game won't work.
Check all the coin door wires. Many games will not even turn on or
start if a coin door wire (or the coin door connector) is not
attached. This especially applies to Gottlieb and Bally games.
1975 and later Gottlieb game won't reset a game properely.
These games replaced the reset bank with three latched relays
called the Ax, Bx, and Cx relays. Located in the backbox, these
latched relays have very little switch travel. They must be adjusted
perfectly for the game to reset. Also it is very easy to distort the
switches in these relays. If the actuator plate is manhanded, it can
come off its pivot point. This may cause all the switch blades to
come out of their corresponding reset holes. This can cause quite a
mess, and the game will never operate till this problem is fixed.
Bridge Rectifier and capacitor on 1972 and later Williams' EM games. Note
the two different types of bridges used. They both work the same, they
just look different! Bridges you buy today will look like the one on the right.
The bridge and the capacitor convert AC voltage to DC.
The main solenoid fuse blows on 1972 and later Williams EM's and
1976 and later Bally EM's.
Starting in 1972, Williams changed their pop bumper and slingshot
kickers to operate on DC voltage. Bally also made this change in
1976. This made these solenoids a bit more powerful and snappy.
To do this, Williams and Bally used a silicon Bridge Rectifier.
Unfortunately, sometimes these bridges short internally, and will
blow the solenoid fuse when a game is started.
Replace the bridge with a new 100 volt (or greater), 25amp bridge.
For quick analysis, you can buy a 50 volt bridge at Radio Shack if
you're in a pinch, but this is barely enough. But it will work. If the
fuse blows that is situated right next to the bridge, check all DC
components (bumpers, kickers, etc.) for a short.
Reset Bank.
The Gottlieb Reset Bank was used till 1975 (when it was replaced by the
Ax, Bx and Cx latched relays on multi-player games). Super Soccer (1/75)
seems to be the last multi-player game with a reset bank. Single players
games got rid of the reset bank sooner; Pop-a-Card (3/72) or Space Orbit
(4/72) were the last single player games with a reset bank (Grand Slam
7/72 does not have a reset bank). The bank was eliminated largely for
cost reasons.
The reset bank is basically a whole row of relays mounted in a metal rack
with a master reset bar. When the reset bar is pulled (by its BIG 120 volt
solenoid, top right in the picture), all the relays are reset to a known
state. This happens at the start of every game.
The Gottlieb reset bank includes several important relays that are crucial
to starting a game. This includes the Game Over relay(s), Reset relay, Tilt
relay, and the Start relay. Make sure all these relay's switch contacts are
clean and adjusted. In order to see any reset bank relay switches, you
have to loosen the two wing nuts at each end of the reset bank, and "flip
up" the bank.
The Gottlieb reset bank must be positioned correctly, or the bank will bind
and not work properely. The rounded edges of the rotating reset bank should
line up perfectly with the rounded edges of the locking plate (as shown here
with the arrow).
The main Gottlieb reset bank solenoid (the BIG one, upper right corner of
the above picture) operates at 120 volts on many games! Also the start
relay operates on 120 volts too. Keep this in mind when working on the
reset bank. Don't shock yourself.
Press the start button on the coin door. This completes the circuit
to the start relay, and causes this relay to pull in and close some
switches.
The score motor starts.
The score reels reset to zero.
Any Feature relays or Feature banks reset.
The reset bank solenoid pulls in, and resets all the relays in the
bank.
The ball is served, and the game can begin.
If you have cleaned and checked all the score reels switches and stepper
units, and the game still won't start, check these things:
If there are credits, flip up the reset bank, and clean and check all the
switches on the "S" and game over relay(s). While you're at it, clean and
check ALL the switches in the reset bank. If the score reels are OK, it's
almost a given that your Gottleib game start up problems lie in a switch in
the reset bank.
If a Gottlieb game to will not start with the coin door replay button, try
manually reseting the reset bank. This will often be the kick that gets a
game awake from the dead.
The Gottlieb reset bank with the end wing nuts loosened, and the
bank "flipped up". You have to do this to clean any of the switches.
Note you can see the nasty start relay EOS switch at the bottom left.
Pressing the coin door replay button (assuming there are credits
on the game!) pulls in the start relay (if this does not work, the
start relay on the bottom board can be activated manually).
A switch on the start relay causes the hold relay to pull in and lock
on. This turns on the playfield lights and completes part of the
power path to the playfield solenoids.
A switch on the start relay causes the score motor to turn.
A switch on the start relay and the score motor causes the ball
count unit to reset (to position zero).
If the game has drop targets or a playfield relay bank, a switch on
the start relay and the score motor will cause these to reset.
A switch on the start relay and score motor pulls in the V reset
relay (an interlock relay). A switch on the V relay causes the start
relay to de-energize (the start relay was energized for just an
instant while all the previous steps occur).
A switch on the V relay and the score motor (which is still turning)
causes the score reels to reset to zero.
As soon as the score reels reset to zero (closing all the score reels
zero position switches), the Vr relay pulls in. This releases the V
relay (the V relay was locked on for a few seconds as the score
reels reset to zero).
If there is a ball in the outhole (closing the outhole switch), the
Ball Return relay pulls in for an instant. A score motor switch and a
switch on the Ball Return relay will energize the outhole kicker, and
kick the ball from the outhole to the shooter lane.
The score motor will stop running as soon as the Ball Return relay
de-energizes.
As the ball rolls into the shooter lane, the ball rolls over a switch
which closes for an instant. This advances the ball count unit from
the zero position to the ball one position. A switch on the ball count
unit then closes which turns on solenoid power on the playfield.
The game is now ready to be played.
The ball count unit is a major player in this reset sequence. When the ball
count unit is at the zero or six (game over) position, a switch is opened
which does not allow power to any playfield solenoid. So the increment of
the ball count unit to ball one turns on all the playfield solenoids.
Likewise, the game is over when the ball count unit moves to position six
(this again opens a switch and turns off the power to the playfield
solenoids, and turns on the "Game Over" backbox light).
If the game resets, but none of the playfield solenoids work, there are two
likely culprits. First is the hold relay. There is a playfield solenoid power
switch on the hold relay. Second is the ball count unit. If the zero position
switch does not close when the ball count unit is advanced to ball one, no
power will go to the playfield solenoids.
Because of this, score motor switches take a lot of abuse. And often need
adjustment. As you get experience fixing EM's, you'll probably clean all
the score motor switches as a rule. It's a good idea, but don't go wild
adjusting them! Particularily on Gottliebs, the switch contact gap
distance can be critical in making a game work.
Many beginner EM fixers want to adjust the score motor switches because
the score motor won't stop running when a game is attempted. However,
the score motor is running because a switch somewhere else is causing
this problem! Typically it's a switch that should have opened in the score
reels (zero position switch) or in the score relays.
First step is to remove the motor from the game. I can't really give
specifics on how to do this, as it is often different from game to game. But
the motor will need to removed and isolated from whatever it is driving.
if the motor is sluggish, before "splitting the case", often the gear box can
be soaked in alcohol or white vinegar. This can often break down the
solidified grease, without take the whole motor apart. The downside is no
new lubrication can be added this way. Just let is soak overnight and see
if that helps. Sometimes it works, but usually I find myself splitting the
motor case anyways for a good cleaning and re-lubrication.
The gear case is usually riveted together. Grind the face off one
side of the rivets using a Dremel tool, and knock them out with a
punch and a hammer.
Here the four rivets have been ground and knocked out.
After the rivets are out, the top half of the case can be removed,
exposing the gears. Remove the gears ONE AT A TIME and clean
them with alcohol. Be careful, take notes and maybe digital
pictures, so the order and position of the gears is documented.
Clean the gear case behind the gears too (and of course clean the
removed half of the gear case). Re-lubricate the gears with a
*light* coating of Radio Shack Teflon Lub Gel.
The top half of the gear case cover has been removed. This motor looks
pretty good - not much solidified grease here. But remove each gear, one
at a time, and clean it with alcohol.
Re-assemble the gear case. Replace the rivets with some old EM
switch stack screws and nuts! These work great and are the
perfect size (I believe they are #4 treaded bolts and nut).
The Motor's Brake.
Now check the armature. Many motors have a built-in brake
system. This is done so after the power to the motor stops, the
motor can not "coast" past a certain switch position. Gottlieb for
example uses a switch blade as a brake, mounted on the score
motor's frame. But they are the only company I know of that does
that. Most other companies (especially Williams) use a spring
loaded armature. As power is applied to the motor, the magnetic
force pulls the spring loaded armature towards the motor's layered
plates. This engages the armature to the gearbox, and the gears
turn. As power is turned off to the motor, the spring pull the
armature back to the resting position, which disengages the gears.
This allows the armature to coast (continue spinning) without
turning the gears.
39. Coin is inserted into the game. The coin relay will energize. It will
stay energized through its own hold-in switch and a score motor
switch. If the credit button is pressed (instead of a coin being
inserted) and there are credits, the credit relay will be energized
which energizes the coin relay.
40. The coin relay will energize the lock relay (this turns the general
illumination on). The lock relay will stay energized through its own
hold-in switch and a delay relay switch.
41. The coin relay will energize the reset relay, through a game over
relay switch (if your game won't start, try cleaning the contacts on
the game over relay; a very common Bally problem).
42. The score motor will operate. This will energize the score reset
relay(s). The score reset relay(s) will attempt to clear the score
reels to zero. This is done by operating the score motor. Each turn
of the score motor will operate the reset relay once, which in turns
moves a score reel one position, until the score reel(s) are at zero.
If the score motor continues to run when a game is started, there's
a good chance the zero position switch on the score reel(s) is dirty
or mis-adjusted.
43. The coin relay, through the score motor, will advance the total play
meter.
44. The reset relay, through the score motor, will reset the stepper
units (zero the ball count and player units).
45. The coin relay, through the score motor, will decrement the credit
unit.
46. The coin relay, through the score motor, will energize the game
over latch relay coil.
47. The coin relay, through the score motor, will energize the 100,000
relay latch coil(s) (if the game supports scores greater than
99,999).
48. If the outhole switch is closed (single ball games) or the ball
trough switches are closed (multi-ball games), a ball is released to
the shooter lane through the outhole relay (single ball game) or
ball release relay (multi-ball game) and the score motor.
49. On multi-player games, the credit button may be pushed again to
add a player. This time the coin relay will not energize the reset
relay. Instead it will (through the score motor) advance the total
play meter, decrement the credit unit, and advance the coin unit.
50. Insert coin or press the "F.P. Button" coin door start button (if
credits are available - the "Zero F.P." switch is closed on the credit
unit and score motor switch 1C is closed). Another manual reset
method is to reset the Points unit by hand, and then reset the
100,000 unit by hand - this will cause a game reset too (but no
credits will be removed).
51. The "S" start relay trips (this is often located on an under playfield
bank). This is a 120 volt relay.
52. If the game has trap holes, a switch on the Start "S" relay will
energize the Shuffle coil and release the trapped balls.
53. Using the same Start "S" relay switch above, the Points unit will
reset to negative one ("-1 pos"), assuming the Points unit is not
already at the reset position.
54. Using the same Start "S" relay switch above and a Point unit reset
position switch, the 100,000 unit is reset to the negative one ("-1
pos") position, assuming the 100,000 unit is not already at the
reset position.
55. Again with the same Start "S" relay switch closed and score motor
switch 2C, a credit is subtracted from the credit unit and the
mechanical game counter is incremented.
56. With the 100,000 unit at the negative one position, and using a
switch on the Start "S" relay and score motor switch 4C, the under
playfield bank is reset. This will un-trip the Start "S" relay.
57. With the 100,000 unit still at the negative one position, the score
motor turns on.
58. With the Points units at the reset position, the ball release tray
solenoid pulls in (dropping the balls to the ball trough for play).
59. The continuous 10,000 unit is reset to the zero position. This is
done using a negative one position switch on the 100,000 unit, a
switch on the ball release tray solenoid activator arm, and score
motor switch 1A (the score motor will not stop until the 10,000
unit is at zero). Note the 10,000 unit relay is not used for reseting
the 10,000 unit.
60. The Points and 100,000 units are moved from the negative one to
the zero position. This is done using the 100,000 relay (which
increments the 100,000 unit) and a Points unit negative one
position switch, which increments the Points unit using the
100,000 relay. The 100,000 relay is engerized by the 10,000 unit
being in the reset position and a negative one switch on the Points
unit, and score motor switch 1A, and a switch on the ball release
tray solenoid activator arm.
61. Game is ready to play.
62. As soon as the 10,000 point relay is scored once or twice, the ball
release tray solenoid will de-energize allowing drained balls to be
trapped.
63. Inserting a coin or pressing the coin door start button (Gottlieb
calls this the "replay" button) activates the "S" (start) relay. The
start relay will lock on from its own switch and a score motor
switch.
64. The "S" relay will energize the main hold relay to illuminate the
game (if this is the first game after power-on).
65. The "S" relay will start the score motor running.
66. The "S" relay and the score motor increment the total play meter.
67. The "SB" relay (the secondary start relay) is activated through the
score motor. The "SB" relay energizes the reset relays ("Z1" and
"Z2"). If a single or two player game, there may be only a "Z"
relay.
68. The "Z2" relay will reset the player 3 and 4 score reels to zero
through the score relays (4 player games only). The "Z1" or "Z"
relay will reset the player 1 (and player 2 if present) score reels to
zero through the score relays.
69. The "SB" relay resets the player unit through the score motor.
70. The "U" relay resets the reset bank (or Ax, Bx, Cx relays on 1975
and later games) through the score motor. It also resets the bonus
unit (if the game has one).
71. On multi-player games, inserting more coins or pressing the coin
door start button activates the "PBx" relay, through the score
motor. The "x" represents the player number (from two to four).
72. If the ball is in the outhole, the "O" relay activates. The "O" relay,
through the score motor and a switch on relay "XB", will kick the
ball to the shooter lane. Note: the "O" relay will not activate unless
the bonus unit (if the game has one) is reset to zero (there is a
bonus unit zero position switch).
73. When the ball re-enters the outhole after game play, the "P" relay
kicks the ball back to the shooter lane. Switches on the "XB", "ZB",
"P" relays and some score motor switches advances the player unit
(if present) and player relays ("PBx").
74. When the start button is pressed, the credit unit is decremented.
This is done through the credit unit zero position switch and the
2nd coin relay (and the ball count zero position switch).
75. The end of stroke (EOS) switch on the credit unit decrement coil
will energized the coin relay.
76. The coin relay will trip the game over relay.
77. The coin relay will energized the reset relay. The score motor will
run.
78. The reset relay will energized the ball count unit reset, through the
score motor.
79. The reset relay energizes the 2nd coin relay latch and game over
relay latch coils.
80. The reset relay will energize the score reset relays, through the
score motor.
81. The score reel reset relays will zero the score reels, through the
score motor. The score motor will continue to active the score
reset relays until all the score reels reach the zero position.
82. The reset relay activates the bonus unit coil until the bonus unit
zero position switch is activated.
83. When the bonus relay drops out, the outhole relay is energized
through a different bonus unit zero switch and score motor switch.
84. The outhole relay will run the score motor. The bonus unit will step
up once. The ball will be kicked to the shooter lane.
Following these sequences step by step, you can usually generally locate
the start up sequence problem. For example, say you have a Gottlieb
multi-player game. After pressing the start button, the score motor starts
turning, and the score reels all move the zero position. But the score
motor keeps spinning and nothing more happens. Looking at the start-up
sequence, we can see this would probably be a problem with the "SB"
relay and the player unit (or maybe a dirty score reel zero position switch,
which occurs in the previous step).
"INDEX" is the index reference. Notice the numbers down the left side of
the schematic, and the letter across the top and bottom? These are the
index. This makes it (fairly) easy to find where a particular coil or relay is
written on a schematic.
"NO." is the letter abbreviation for any coil or relay used. Most Gottlieb
relays will have a sticker on them with this letter. This helps you find the
coil or relay inside the game. This abbreviation is also used within the
schematic itself.
"COIL" is the coil number used for the relay. If you need to order a new
relay, this is its part number.
"TYPE" is the type of relay. "INTERLOCK" is a hold relay. "AG" is another
style of relay used.
"CONTACTS" tells the number and type of contact switches used on the
relay. "4A,1B,2C" means this relay has 4 normally open switches (form
A), 1 normally closed switch (form B), and 2 make/break switches (form
C). The letters following the numbers are known as "forms". Form A is
normally open, Form B is normally closed, and Form C is make/break. The
number before the form is the number of this type of switch form used in
the relay.
Schematic Markings.
A Normally Open (NO) switch is two vertical parallel lines on the
schematics. A Normally Closed (NC) switch is two vertical parallel lines
with a diagonal line across them. A Make/Break switch is a NO and NC
switch next to each other with a arrow line pointing to them both. The
curly pig tail marking is a coil or relay. A short curly pig tail with a circle
around it is a light bulb. Sometimes Williams and Bally uses a circle
around a dot to indicate a score motor contact. Other weird markings are
usually labeled.
Gottlieb uses the "-" and "&" markings between wire colors to mean
different things. For example, "BL-WH" means a blue wire with a trace
(small) amount of white. But "BL&WH" means a blue and white mottled
wire, where each wire is 50% each color.
Bally sometimes uses numbers after their wire color abbreviation. This is
the number of times the same wire color has been previously used in the
game! This keeps things interesting.
Especially on Gottlieb games, the color red on the wires often fades to
white. This makes a white and red wire look all white! This is very
common.
When a wire contacts a load (such as a lamp or a solenoid), the wire color
will change. Wires that go through connectors should maintain their
color(s). The connectors are very seldom shown on the schematics.
Also note wire colors on the schematics can be wrong. It doesn't happen a
lot, but it does happen.
The top view shows each stack of switches is numbered, one to four. Note
the angled switch stack, right next to the "cutout" at postion 3 1/2. This is
a point of reference. Most score motors have number stickers on them to
avoid confusion, but many times these sticker have fallen off.
The side view shows the level letter of each stack of switches. The level
closest to the bottom of the game is "A", and the top most is level "E". For
example:
Armed with this info, you can figure out where a schematic switch is
located on the score motor. For example, say you are looking for the
switch that is labeled "Motor 1C". This would mean you look for the "1"
stack of switches, the middle-most "C" level. If you examine this switch
stack you might see four switches! Which one is it? This has to be
determined by the wire colors, which should also be labeled on the
schematics.
A Genco schematic (1954 Two Player Basketball). Notice the numbers next to the
switches. These numbers refer to the relay or unit the switch is mounted. For
example, a switch with "23" next to it indicates this switch is on relay 23 ("home
center trip" relay). The larger number ("1515") refers to a unit. The number under
the "1515" is the actual switch number and unit layer ("1B"). In this example,
there is a top and bottom ("T" and "B") layer to the 1515 unit. So the "1515/1B"
indicates the unit, the switch, and the layer of the unit.
Remember when looking at schematics, that they lay them out with some
general electrical path in mind. In Gottlieb's case, this means the left side
BLK wire goes to the right side RED-WH wire. Just keep that in mind.
Gottlieb's "Batter Up" EM Pinball Schematic: this section of the schematic deals with the
"Home Run" game feature.
An Example.
Let's say the rollover switch on the playfield for the "Home Run" doesn't
work. The switch itself is fine; clean and adjusted properely. But what
ever it controls is not working.
At this point you need to check the score motor switch 1C and clean and
adjust it. After that is done, test the feature. If it works, you're done. If
not, you need to see what other paths exist for this feature.
Notice just to the right of coil "H", the WH-BL wire goes down to a
normally open switch labeled "H". This switch is on the H relay. Following
it further down it continues to the right and eventually hits a normally
closed switch through a WH wire labeled "Motor 2B". I would clean and
adjust the WH-BL wire switch on the H relay, and clean and adjust the WH
wire switch on the score motor at 2B.
There's yet a third path that the Home Run feature takes: through the
Vari-target. So if the feature still doesn't work, I would clean all the
contacts on the Vari-target, and the OR-WH switch that goes to relay "U"
(vari-target reset relay). After the U relay the wire terminates thru the NC
motor 2B switch, which we previously cleaned and adjusted.
Another Example.
Here's another (trickier) example of using schematics. This time, when
pressing the start button on a Bally Nip-it, the game would not reset
properely. The "ball in play" display on the backglass would stay at ball 3.
The stepper unit was recently rebuilt, so there were no mechanical issues.
If I manually pressed the ball count unit reset coil, the stepper unit would
reset, and the backglass would correctly state the first ball as "ball 1".
Bally's Nip-it: Note the "Ball Count Unit Reset Solenoid", top center.
Looking at the schematic's "Ball Count Unit Reset Solenoid", I could see
there were several other things getting reset through the same set of
switches. Note the make/break Reset Relay switch, to the left. And just
before that, was the Total Play Meter and Coin Unit Step Up coil. And
controlling them was a switch on the Score Motor (3A), and a switch on
the Coin Relay. Going in the other direction (to the right) effected the
Player Unit only, and didn't seem to have anything to do with the reset
sequence.
I also noted that when I pressed the start button, the Total Play meter
did not advance. This ruled out the make/break switch on the Reset
Relay. Only thing left was the score motor switch 3A, and the coil relay
switch. I examined both switch and they were clean and adjusted
correctly. So what was causing the problem?
If I looked closely at the Ball Count Unit Reset coil, I could see it was
trying to reset when the start button was pushed. The pulse to reset this
coil just wasn't long enough to pull the coil in and reset the stepper unit.
Going back at the coin relay switch, I used a wire with two alligator clips
and made the coin relay switch permanently closed. Hitting the start
button now allowed the Ball Count Unit Reset coil enough time to reset
properely!
Since the coin relay switch was on the Coin Relay, what ever was
controlling the Coin Relay wasn't keeping this relay energized long
enough. Back to the schematics to look at what controls the Coin Relay!
First I looked at the two score motor switches (8F & 10F SCM). These
were clean and adjusted properely. Next I checked the switch on the Coin
Relay itself. This was a "hold" switch, and was clean and adjusted. That
only left the Credit Relay switch. Hitting the start button while watching
this switch, I could see the switch arcing. This was the problem! The
switch was dirty enough and mis-adjusted enough to not make good
contact. Adjusting and cleaning this switch fixed the problem.
Problem: On a Bally EM, the general illumination (GI) dims during game
play.
Solution: Check the fuse holders. Particularly on Bally games, the fuse
holders can lose their tension, causing the fuse to be loose. This can
cause dim GI. The only solution on Bally's is usually to replace the fuse
holder. Most other brands you can re-tension the fuse holder. In a pinch,
you can use an aligator clip over the fuse and fuse holder saddles to keep
the fuse in place, and provide proper tension and conductivity to the fuse
holder.
Problem: On a Gottlieb EM, the Pop Bumber relay is stuck on. This in
turn causes the score reel to be stuck on.
Solution: To understand what was wrong, we have to know how the pop
bumper works. When the ball on the playfield hits the pop bumper, it
closes a switch which in turn, energizes the pop bumper relay. Then the
relay does the following by closing it's normally open switches:
Closes a switch which keeps the pop bumper relay energized.
Energizes the associated score relay (to score the points).
Energizes the 00-90 unit (to advance the match and ring a bell), or
activates just the bell solenoid.
Energizes the pop bumper coil itself to kick the ball.
When the pop bumper coil itself is energized, the mechanism pulls in the
coil plunger on the bumper. At the end of stroke (EOS) of the plunger,
there is a normally closed EOS switch. When this switch opens, it
interrupts the power to the pop bumper relay, which releases the relay.
The solution is to clean and check two switches. First, clean and check the
pop bumper coil EOS switch. If this fails, the pop bumper relay will forever
stay energized because the power to it never gets interrupted. Second,
there is a large set of contacts on the pop bumper relay, which controls
power to the pop bumper coil. It turns out this contact was dirty and
gapped to large. Hence the pop bumper relay would pull in, but not
energize the pop bumper coil itself. Since the pop bumper coil never got
energized, it never pulled the plunger in and never opened the EOS
switch. Without opening the EOS switch, the power was never interrupted
to the pop bumper relay. Cleaning and adjusting this switch fixed the
problem.
When a game is tilted, the tilt relay pulls in and turns off the power to the
playfield lights and solenoids. If the tilt switches do not have good contact
or good switch tension, playing the game can cause the tilt switches to
open very slightly as the game vibrates. This can cause the game's lights
to dim when a pop bumper is activated during play.
To fix this, make sure all the switches on the tilt relay are clean, and
making good contact. Also make sure the switche blades have ample
spring tension, keeping their switch contacts tight when the relay is not
energized.
Solution: What I thought was a problem with the outhole kicker solenoid
turned out instead to be a misadjusted switch on the score motor. This
mis-adjusted score motor switch caused the solenoid to be activated not
long enough to give the ball a good kick.
The reason this happens is because the metal start (replay) button is
connected directly to the start relay. This relay operated on 115 volts, not
25 volts, like most other relays and coils. Since the start button is metal,
Gottlieb puts a fish paper insulator between the button and the switch
contacts. This prevents a shock. But with time the fish paper wears, tears,
or shifts to the side. This allows the metal start button to touch the switch
contacts directly. When you press the button, you become electricity's
easiest path to ground. Hence you get a shock.
Another way to get a shock is from the coin door coin switches. Again, at
least one of these switches are connected directly to the start relay. If the
fish paper that insulates these gets worn, torn or shifts to the side, again
you'll get a shock.
Notice the fish paper on this coin door coin switch is ABOVE the
lever that trips the switch. This could cause a coin door shock. The
fish paper should be between the trip lever and the contact blade,
insulating the contact blade from the trip wire (which is metal and
touches the metal coin door).
To make sure you don't get a shock, it's a good idea to replace the fish
paper on the start button, and to check the fish paper on the coin
switches.
Install a new power cord: cut the old power cord out of the game.
Wire a new one in (see black wires), and attach the green ground
wire to the metal frame of the transformer. Shown here is the brown
line cord which goes to a power switch at the front of the game.
When done, use nylon wire ties to attach the new power cord to the
existing wiring harness (like the old one was attached).
Another good idea is to ground your game. Installing a NEW three prong
power cord and plug is a good idea. The original power cord is probably
25+ years old. Run the power cord's ground wire to the metal frame of
the power transformer. Then run a wire from the transformer's frame to
the back end of the metal side rails. Run another wire from the front end
of the side rail to the coin door and lock down bar. Lastly, run a wire from
the coin door to the other side rail. While you're at it, it may not be a bad
idea to add a power switch to your game too (as discussed previously in
the Typically What's Wrong section).
The higher the voltage feed to the coil, the more powerful it will
be.
The lower the resistance of a coil, the more powerful it will be.*
The less turns of wire, the lower the resistance, and the more
powerful the coil.*
The thicker the gauge of the wire, the less resistance, and the
more powerful the coil.*
* If coil resistance is too low (about 2 ohms or less), a coil stops
having magnetic strength and starts becoming a dead short.
The "less turns of wire, the more powerful it will be" rule is only good up
to a point. That is, if the resistance of a coil goes below about 2.0 ohms, it
becomes essentially a dead short. This means the coil will not work
correctly, and may blow fuses too. Also a coil with too little wire (or
shorted wire) can have an inadequate magnetic field.
With this in mind, if at least one lug of the coil is desoldered from its
attaching wire, the coil's resistance can be measured using a DMM (Digital
Multi-Meter). If the coil is measured with the DMM "in circuit", an accurate
reading will not be seen unless one lug of the coil is freed from its
connecting wire.
Coils range in resistance from about 2.0 ohms up to 150 ohms (the lowest
resistance coil I have ever encountered is on Williams' 1965 Mini Golf,
which uses a 21-475, 1.8 ohm coil, but this is the exception not the rule).
The higher the resistance, the less powerful the coil will be. But on the
other hand, high resistance coils can stay energized for a long time
without getting hot and burning! That's why "hold" relays, which stay
energized for periods of time, use high resistance coils (usually 30 ohms
or higher).
Remember flipper coils are actually two coils in one package. There is a
low resistance (usually 3 ohms or so), high power initial flip coil. And
there is a high resistance (usually around 125 ohms), low power "hold"
coil. The high power side is activated initially, to kick the ball hard. The
hold coil is then placed in series with the power coil (using the now open
flipper EOS switch) to allow the player to hold the flipper button in,
without burning the coil.
So how do coils go 'bad'? If they get hot, the wire's enamel painted
insulation will burn, allowing adjacent turns of the wire to short against
each other. This can greatly reduce the resistance of the coil, making it
unusable. Shorted coil windings (even if the total resistance is not less
than 2 ohms) also messes up the magnetic field of the coil too.
I like to keep a list of common coil numbers and their resistance. This way
I can check a questionable coil with my ohm meter, compare the coil's
ohms it to my list, and determine if the coil is good or bad. Or if the coil is
not on my list, if the game uses the same coil else where, I can compare
the two coils' resistance.
Here's a coil that is "cooked". Notice the broken wire in the windings. This coil
will measure "open" on the DMM.
Coil Numbers.
Coils often have the numbers AE-22-1200-1 or something similar. Here's
what this means:
Some manufactures (mainly Gottlieb), didn't use the the above coil
numbering system. Instead they just have a numbering system that don't
relate to the coil's wiring (like A-5141 for their flipper coils). In this case,
some people have documented the wire gauge, turns, and resistance of
these coils.
EM Flipper coils have a slightly different numbering system, since they are
actually two coils in one package. These usually have a coil size letter,
followed by two pairs of numbers.
The broken wire was reattached on this coil and checked with the
DMM. Note the resistance is only 1.0 ohms! This coil is *bad* and
must be replaced.
Broken Coils.
Coils can often have the wire winding break from the solder lug. This is
often an easy fix. Just unwind a single "wrap" from of the wire (if
possible), sand the wire clean to remove the painted enamel insulation,
and then resolder the wound wire to the lug. Then test the coil with a
DMM to make sure it is not open.
The ball release coil is a hold coil. It stays energized until the first ball
scores a point. There is a normally closed switch on the one point relay.
When a point is scored, this switch opens, and de-energizes the ball
release coil.
The key here is the "big spark" on the switches. This signifies that the coil
has a resistance that is too low. This happens often on hold coils, which
stay energized for a long time. These coils get hot, and burn their
insulation from the internal wires with time. This causes an internal coil
short, and lowers the coil's resistance. This in turn causes more heat, and
more burning, until the coil is a near short (less than 3 ohms). Any hold
coil should have a resistance of 12 ohms to 200 ohms. Less than 10
ohms, and the coil will get hot quickly and burn if energized for even short
periods of time.
When you get a "big spark" between switches, this mean electricity is
arcing between the switch points. This doesn't allow a normally closed
switch to really open, and the hold coil never de-energizes. Since the ball
release coil's resistance was so low, this made the release switch arc, and
never allowed the switch to open (and de-energize the coil).
After the ball release coil was replaced, the excessive switch arcing
stopped, and the coil worked as it should (it de-energized when the one
point relay was activated).
AAB games are pretty easy to identify; they do NOT have a credit
wheel! Also the ball in play designation on the backglass is usually
labeled "balls to play" instead of "ball in play". Since you couldn't win a
free game, there was no need for a credit wheel. Since there is no
credit wheel, the procedure to makes an AAB game "free play" is a bit
different than a replay game.
Setting free play on an AAB is often easy if a coin door coin switch
automatically starts a new game (when a coin is dropped into the coin
door), and there is a start button on the game. Just cut and tape off the
current wires going to the start button. Then move (or jump) the wires
from the coin switch to the start switch.
Note early Gottlieb AAB's don't have a start button on the coin door
(remember, no need for one as dropping your money in the coin chute
started a game automatically). Often you can bend the coin switch's
activator wire lever so it is moved by the coin return button! This is an
easy 30 second modification, which can be easily reversed. Starting the
game only requires pushing the coin return button on the coin door.
There are a number of products you can use for cleaning the playfield.
Millwax comes to mind. Personally, I would avoid this product. Millwax
isn't even really a wax. It's a cleaner with extremly small amounts of
wax and lots of solvents to keep the cleaner/wax in an easy-to-apply
liquid form. It's false protection; you're not waxing your playfield,
you're only cleaning it with Millwax. Also Millwax contains petroleum
dissolutes, which are probably harmful (and smell bad!). And stay away
from all Wildcat products as they crack mylar and yellow plastic parts.
Also a scratched ball can slow and damage the playfield. Replace the
ball if it's not shiny like a mirror. They are only about $1.25 each.
Throw the old balls away.
Clean rubber has amazing bounce properties. Dirty rubber has seriously
reduced bounce. The more bounce, the more fun your game will be. If
you want to try and clean your old (only slightly dirty) rubber, you can
use WAX or Novus2. Trewax or Meguires Carnauba Wax works great on
lightly soiled rubber. Just remove the rubber and wax it. Wipe off the
excess with a clean rag. The wax will keep your rubber supple and UV
protected. You don't even have to remove the rubber if it's not too
dirty. For dirtier rubber, try alcohol. Use a clean rag and wipe the
rubber down. As a last resort, for really dirty rubber, lacquer thinner
works well. But don't get that near your playfield! It will ruin the paint.
(Left) This Williams transformer has two lugs on the right that are normal-tap
(24 volts) and high-tap, from left to right.
(Right) Bally transformers are a bit more cryptic. High-tap is lug number 2
on the left, and normal-tap is lug number 4. This game is set to high-tap.
High-Tap.
All the manufacturers have a transformer setting for locations with "low
line voltage". Low line voltage happens most often in the summer when
your game is plugged into a power line that shares an air conditioner.
High-tap does NOT effect the lights. High-tap ONLY effects the solenoid
voltages. The 6 volts used for the bulbs aren't effected. They use a
separate winding on the transformer. (Well, this isn't completely true. If
your Gottlieb game has a light feature like "Last Ball In Play", high-tap
could roast that particular bulb (only). This happens because some
feature lights run off the 30 volt solenoid voltage and use a 35 ohm 10
watt resistor to knock the 30 volts down to 6 volts. If you go to high-
tap, you have to double this resistor to 70 ohms. Otherwise that bulb
(only) will fry immediately. These lamps can be easily seen on Gottlieb
schematics. All the normal 6 volt lamps will be on the upper left corner.
If a lamp is shown on the shematics in the same section as coils and
relays, then there will be a drop-down resistor to limit its lamp voltage.)
If you have a Williams EM, I wouldn't change the flipper strength. These
games (especially the DC powered games) are already pretty strong.
On Bally games, the general coil for small flippers (including zipper
flippers) is AF25-600/31-1000. This is the same power winding as the
coils used on Wizard and other similar games, which is AF25-600/28-
800. The next step stronger is the coil used for games like Captain
Fantastic, coil# AF25-500/28-1000. So for zipper flipper games, Wizard,
etc, I would recommend that as the upgrade. For those concerned
about breaking zipper flipper parts with hotter coils, Pinball Resource
(see the parts and repair sources web page) now sells zipper flipper
rebuild parts. This includes old style and flipper zipper bushings, #C649
($2.79), the lever arm #A1889-7 (right) and #A1889-8 (left, $10.71).
It's a good idea to replace these parts when adding the stronger coils,
especially since the original hardware is probably worn to begin with. If
using stock zipper flipper coils, be sure to change their metal coil
sleeves to new nylon sleeves.
Buying new flipper links solves this problem. While you're at it, you
might as well get new plungers too. After 25 years or more of use,
often they get indentations worn in their sides.
Also make sure the flipper return spring isn't wound too tight. This can
cause additional resistance to the flipper, and make it weaker. Adjust
the spring so it has just enough power to return the flipper.
Playfield Angle.
If you do the above modifications, you can set your playfield angle fairly
steep. I remove the front leg levelers, and set the rear 2" long levelers
up all the way. If your playfield is cleaned and waxed, the game plays
fast and fun. Maybe this isn't originally how game play was designed,
but I like it.
If you find the flippers too weak, you may have to decrease the
playfield angle. But if you rebuilt the flippers with a new fiber link,
plunger and coil sleeve, this shouldn't be a problem.