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Dead opto switch world poker tour

DRD

DRD

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There is a locking mechanism on this game at the back of the mini playfield. Three light emitters on the top (all working) two receivers on the bottom. When you trigger the outer receiver, the bars lift. When the ball passes into the lock mechanism and triggers the inner receiver, the bars fall to lock the ball. You can just about make out the 2 receivers here, the are on one little circuit board

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The solenoid side of this, the mechanism that works the bars, is fine. I have run the switch test and it is the inner opto receiver that is defective

What is the fix for the dead opto receiver please ? Do i just buy a new opto for it ? Or do i need to buy a new little board with both opto receivers on it ?

I have never fixed an opto board before. This is in a really difficult spot at the very rear of the game, so hoping to fix it in one go if at all possible

Thanks
 
Sounds obvious but have you tried reseating the opto connector to the board. My WPT had an issue with the left ramp opto registering when it shouldn't, after reseating it's worked perfectly since.
 
Thanks for suggestion

I don't think is no problem with the switch matrix as presumably i would have lost lots of them in the corresponding row or column.

This is the faulty part. I have cleaned the opto. Wiggled connector, cleaned with Isopropyl alcohol, but one opto is still dead

Was about to give up. Gave the relevant wire one final wiggle. Put it back together and it worked !

Lets hope it continues to work. Bl@@dy pinball machines. Part of my rationale for getting wpt was that i thought a more modern game would give me less trouble

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Wpc for me from now on! At least i can solder them, shove bits in bought from maplin etc

This little board has a truly annoying problem

I reflowed the wires on the board that go to the connector. When wobbling them, it worked. Took me a while to isolate this - not the connector. Not the soldered wires to the board

There is a residual problem whereby if you lightly flex the board, it works. I tried continuity testing as best i could. Some surface mount component must be slightly loose or a slightly weakened track. Sprayed it down with pcb cleaner. Pushed the components to the board with my finger

Thing works now, but i fear this will not be the end of it

New boards are available at usd 50 which is good news and bad news
 
It's easy enough to reflow all the surface mount components...! That should make the problem go away for good... :cool:
 
Is it just a case of thin tipped soldering iron, thin solder, steady hand ?

Ar there any tricks to this pls please ?

Presumably i don't use my desolder station to remove the old for fear of frying or moving things ?

Thank you
 
DRD said:
Is it just a case of thin tipped soldering iron, thin solder, steady hand ?

Ar there any tricks to this pls please ?

Presumably i don't use my desolder station to remove the old for fear of frying or moving things ?

Thank you
Click to expand...

Yep

No tricks

Yep

:)
 
have you been on Dave's site pinball daze ?
think he sells them !
i had a similar one for my ij4 which i got of Dave !
 
Thanks. Will take a peek. Nasty little corner of the game to be messing about with.
 
Well. The wretched little board failed again this morning. Removed it. Reflowed solder on all the components

Working again, for now. And without the need for slightly bending it either. Thanks @Moonraker and others for all the advice

If (when) it fails again, will go for a new little board

But a lesson is being learned here. With a williams bally game, this would not be as expensive to sort out, and the larger components are much easier to replace/ solder
 
Hi.

WORLD POKER TOUR (STERN) OPTO BOARD
#520-5248-00
Stern WORLD POKER TOUR pinball machine Ace-In-The-Hole assembly opto board.

Reference:

Thanks
 
I have a similar issue with my WPT. neither opto triggers on test. both red leds are lit.
@DRD how much of a pain in th RS is it to remove the ace in the hole assembly?
did you ever need to buy the board or did the component reflow fix it for good?
Any advice on this gratefully received.
 
Hi. I fixed mine with the solder reflow, just make sure you have a very fine tip, flux and very fine solder.

Hasn't reoffended since

And I have not bought another stern game since then either
 
I reflowed all the bits on both boards. now my acehole is functioning normally. thank you @DRD you just saved me at least 30 quid
 
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my acehole played up again over the weekend, pulled it out and reflowed again and its working. its the receiver each time...lets see how long it lasts for this time
 
unity_neil said:
my acehole played up again over the weekend, pulled it out and reflowed again and its working. its the receiver each time...lets see how long it lasts for this time
Click to expand...

It is more likely to be the connector than the opto. Sterns are well known for connectors causing trough opto problems. The Z connector allows operators to remove components from the game (such as the trough opto) but once they oxidise they cause all sorts of repeated problems. so much so that some operators solder the wires removing the Z connector altogether.
 
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