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Best / Cheapest Eddy Sensor replacement boards for Scared Stiff Crate / Theatre of Magic Trunk

Just Love Pinball

Registered
1 10 Years
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
79
Location
Southend, Essex
Hi all,
My first post! Hope it's in the right area.
I have a Scared Stiff, and the Crate sensor drifts out of adjustment when I have all of the machines on for an hour as the heat in the room rises.
It's without doubt thermal related, not a faulty adjustment pot (Unless that in itself is susceptable to thermal drift?)
Anyone know which component is responsible, could I replace, or upgrade or do I have to buy a whole new PCB.

I saw another thread back in 2013 recommending a replacement from 'Pinbits.com' which doesn't seem to exist as a website any more?

A second board made in Oz from Tanglestech, called an Auto Eddy board. This callibrates itself and you never need to adjust.
Anyone have any recommendations on alternatives, or reviews if you've used the Tangles one?
Is it necessary to replace both the PCB and the Sensor?
PS I'm in the UK, anyone make one over here?
Thanks everyone!
 
In the past I've found replacing the pot on the board solves most issues. When my Road Show was used in comps sometimes the eddy boards would go out of whack, I think due to the heat.

I've had a tab open for the tangles Auto eddy for weeks now. If you do decide to grab any from there I'll be happy to share postage and any other fees 😄

I only really need one or two
 
In the past I've found replacing the pot on the board solves most issues. When my Road Show was used in comps sometimes the eddy boards would go out of whack, I think due to the heat.

I've had a tab open for the tangles Auto eddy for weeks now. If you do decide to grab any from there I'll be happy to share postage and any other fees 😄

I only really need one or two
Awesome!
Do you know what value pot please? I could try this first, looks like Amazon do various ones for £6 for 10 ! worth a go
 
If you replace the Eddy board, just play it safe and replace the sensor too. I had a long running problem with my SS where during crate multiball it would abandon half way through the start up sequence animations that play. 2 balls would be in play but the game thought it was back to standard 1 ball play.

The issue turned out to be false positive readings to the board would register a hit and the code in the game got confused and abandoned the MB sequence.

Changing the Eddy board partially fixed the issue, but only got fully resolved by getting the sensor too. Tangles is the best option for you. Aus Dollar is weak so it's cheaper.

You get a discount when you buy the board, cable and sensor together. My advice is buy some more if you plan to get RS, ToM or CV. You'll hit similar issues.

The boards are great I've got them in all my games (Tom, SS, MB and CV).
 
If you replace the Eddy board, just play it safe and replace the sensor too. I had a long running problem with my SS where during crate multiball it would abandon half way through the start up sequence animations that play. 2 balls would be in play but the game thought it was back to standard 1 ball play.

The issue turned out to be false positive readings to the board would register a hit and the code in the game got confused and abandoned the MB sequence.

Changing the Eddy board partially fixed the issue, but only got fully resolved by getting the sensor too. Tangles is the best option for you. Aus Dollar is weak so it's cheaper.

You get a discount when you buy the board, cable and sensor together. My advice is buy some more if you plan to get RS, ToM or CV. You'll hit similar issues.

The boards are great I've got them in all my games (Tom, SS, MB and CV).
Thanks for the advice. I also have TOTAN, I know there are sensors on the outlanes for the spikes, wonder if these are same boards too, guess I can email Tangles.
My only problems happen when the games room temp goes up. Resetting the pot cures
 
Not sure these will work with Totan they have different tolerance settings so you need to buy specific boards for specific games like MB and CV.

Other games work on dipswitch settings on the board.

Each board carries a clear description on it's preprogrammed settings.
 
You need the auto eddy sensor that you never need to adjust, just fit and forget about.
Pin bits used to sell them but don’t anymore. The only place that does them is a store in Australia, can’t recall the name but @JMP bought a set for his Theatre of Magic and now that’s trouble free.
I’m sure @JMP will jump in to let you know the name of the place he purchased his from.
 
You need the auto eddy sensor that you never need to adjust, just fit and forget about.
Pin bits used to sell them but don’t anymore. The only place that does them is a store in Australia, can’t recall the name but @JMP bought a set for his Theatre of Magic and now that’s trouble free.
I’m sure @JMP will jump in to let you know the name of the place he purchased his from.
Yup it's the one I've been discussing.

For clarity of anyone else reading.

You can find them here.

 
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You need the auto eddy sensor that you never need to adjust, just fit and forget about.
Pin bits used to sell them but don’t anymore. The only place that does them is a store in Australia, can’t recall the name but @JMP bought a set for his Theatre of Magic and now that’s trouble free.
I’m sure @JMP will jump in to let you know the name of the place he purchased his from.
I tried pinbits.com and looks like the site is no more... unless it has a different url, or I typed something wrong?
All good advice from everyone, thanks all !
 
I got the ones from Tanglestech Australia above, in fact this set to replace all three, plus the sensors, plus the trunk motor fix board:

https://www.tanglestech.com/TPP-1039

All good since fitted. Expensive but worth it not to have the hassle of adjusting mid way through a game.
What problem is there with the trunk motor? Is it just a matter of time before I have issues?
:)
 
Trunk has an issue where as the trunk rotates to qualify the start the mode if another hit is registered mid turn it registers this as a **** which enters the crate hole. This is unintended and shouldn't begin the mode. The trunk fix kit addresses this.
 
I thought it was to eliminate the trunk changing direction and trapping a ball between the trunk and ramp, where the trunk then pushes the ball and breaks the ramp, or remains stuck.

That's why I got one anyway 😄
 
I thought it was to eliminate the trunk changing direction and trapping a ball between the trunk and ramp, where the trunk then pushes the ball and breaks the ramp, or remains stuck.

That's why I got one anyway 😄
I'm fairly certain it's both.

TRUNK-LOCKUP
The Theatre of Magic game has a bug in its firmware, resulting in the trunk entering a safety lockout state randomly when a trunk hit is detected while it is rotating. This kit rectifies the problem through a combination of the firmware in the Smart Eddy board and an interconnection cable to the DC Motor board. The Smart Eddy installed in the trunk position will suppress ball detections whilst the trunk is in motion.

I'll have to try when I'm out of the hospital.

Or maybe if you can check?
 
Claire's TOM was sold so I can't check anything until I deliver it😄

I remember the ball getting stuck a lot before the board. I think some games are worse than others
 
She'll regret selling. It's still one of my favourite games!

I hope not, it just gets boring compared to all our other games. If it had a proper rule rewrite or at least a different way to qualify modes it would be much better.
 
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