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Williams Fire bulbs not working
- Thread starter Pie Man
- Start date
I think it would more likely be a loose connection rather than a fuse. Trace the wire from the backbox to the connector and re-seat.
It’ll likely be a toasty gi connector. (J5) maybe on the interconnect.
You can download the pdf manual from ipdb mate
Speaking of fuses you might want to add in the extra ones that were missing from the original Williams design if it hasn't been done already. Text below originally taken from here: http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wms11/index1.html
Adding Fuses to System 11 games Fire! and before.
Williams made a design error on games before Fire!. They forgot to add a fuse going from the transformer to the bridge rectifiers powering the +25 volts for the solenoids, and the +18 volts for the lamp matrix. If either of these bridges shorts, or capacitors that smooth the voltages fails, you game could start on fire (no joke!). This has happened, so it is recommended that you add fuses.
It is very easy to modify your game (Fire! and before) and install these fuses. Just buy two fuse blocks at Radio shack. Then find the two bridges mounted on the inside of the backbox. There should be a lead on the bridge that is labeled "AC". Remove the wire going to this lead, and connect it to one lead of a fuse block. Connect the other lead of the fuse block back to the bridge. Do this for both the +25 volt solenoid voltage bridge, and for the +18 volt lamp matrix bridge. Install 8 amp slow blow fuses. Note some bridges will have both "AC" leads labeled. You can connect the fuse to either of these two "AC" leads.
Hello, Simon,
An early system 11 game such as Fire has four separate 'General Illumination' circuits, with a block of four fuses (5A) just below the power supply pcb, upper right hand side of the lightbox. The circuit may well be controlled by the relay on the p/supply board, with connections at the lower right corner of the board. As above, check for burnt connections, which were/are common with this area, due to the higher than usual current carried.
'Scuse my asking, but are the lamps which aren't working small, or do they have large round glass envelopes, like a car tail-light bulb?. The former are the G.I. lamps already mentioned, while the larger bulbs are 'flash' bulbs which only light momentarily (if at all, with this games appetite for them), and are powered by the solenoid circuits.
Fire used to consume these bulbs at an awful rate, due to the resistor arrangements, which are supposed to restrict the current, being the wrong value (too low). With Fire, Williams began to wire the lamps as a pair in parallel, rather than in series as on previous games. But the limiting resistor for each circuit remained the same, when it should've been increased to counter the lower resistance of having the bulbs in parallel.
An early system 11 game such as Fire has four separate 'General Illumination' circuits, with a block of four fuses (5A) just below the power supply pcb, upper right hand side of the lightbox. The circuit may well be controlled by the relay on the p/supply board, with connections at the lower right corner of the board. As above, check for burnt connections, which were/are common with this area, due to the higher than usual current carried.
'Scuse my asking, but are the lamps which aren't working small, or do they have large round glass envelopes, like a car tail-light bulb?. The former are the G.I. lamps already mentioned, while the larger bulbs are 'flash' bulbs which only light momentarily (if at all, with this games appetite for them), and are powered by the solenoid circuits.
Fire used to consume these bulbs at an awful rate, due to the resistor arrangements, which are supposed to restrict the current, being the wrong value (too low). With Fire, Williams began to wire the lamps as a pair in parallel, rather than in series as on previous games. But the limiting resistor for each circuit remained the same, when it should've been increased to counter the lower resistance of having the bulbs in parallel.
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Hi Jay
You are obviously very knowledgeable with regards to this pin, I have located the bank of fuses you discribe and the left hand
( first one ) has blown. The lamps that aren't working are the small ones. Jay I can't test this tonight as I am away, my machine
number is 500 and something, would mine be one of the ones which requires the increased resister.
I suppose I'll find out if it keeps blowing the fuse.
Thanks for your help I'll let you know how I go on. By the way where is the best place to buy a selection of fuses?
You are obviously very knowledgeable with regards to this pin, I have located the bank of fuses you discribe and the left hand
( first one ) has blown. The lamps that aren't working are the small ones. Jay I can't test this tonight as I am away, my machine
number is 500 and something, would mine be one of the ones which requires the increased resister.
I suppose I'll find out if it keeps blowing the fuse.
Thanks for your help I'll let you know how I go on. By the way where is the best place to buy a selection of fuses?
Hi, Simon,
The small bulbs don't have limiting resistors, since they're running from the correct voltage, the 6.5v ac. The larger flashbulbs use the 28v solenoid power, to light very brightly because they're 6 or 12v bulbs. The limiting and bypass resistors prevent them being destroyed after only a few uses; that's the reasoning, anyway. I'm not sure if all the run of Fire games were affected, but the ones I serviced were, which led to me changing the resistors.
The 5 A slow-blow fuses used for the general illumination could be obtained at a Maplin store, though there's quite a mark-up with them. I'd suggest Farnell/Cpc, but they have a minimum order. Or Andy, Pinballmania.
The small bulbs don't have limiting resistors, since they're running from the correct voltage, the 6.5v ac. The larger flashbulbs use the 28v solenoid power, to light very brightly because they're 6 or 12v bulbs. The limiting and bypass resistors prevent them being destroyed after only a few uses; that's the reasoning, anyway. I'm not sure if all the run of Fire games were affected, but the ones I serviced were, which led to me changing the resistors.
The 5 A slow-blow fuses used for the general illumination could be obtained at a Maplin store, though there's quite a mark-up with them. I'd suggest Farnell/Cpc, but they have a minimum order. Or Andy, Pinballmania.
