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Flippin Pinball Machines. Issues with Time Machine

bluejonny

Site Supporter
10 Years
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
295
Location
Southampton, UK
Hi Folks

My Time Machine restoration was going sooo well. Got displays working, sound now works, found issues with dead components on power board for flippers replaced and now working. Before I strip the playfield I wanted to sort out all mechanical issues. So the last job was why the Chime Unit was not working. There are 3 coils on the chime unit.

Upon testing chime 1 I can hear a buzz on the first coil in test mode but no movement. As the replay knocker is located right next door and is the exact same coil, I took the + from the chime coil and put it on the knocker coil and in test mode it fired (the knocker coil (using test menu to power the chime).

So I am happy the correct power is getting to the chime coil. I then put the knocker + on the chime coil and it did not fire. So I suspect dead coil. I did this same test with the other two which also refused to fire. Anyway, the point is after switching the machine on after putting everything back, the machine no longer comes on into attract mode, displays are blank and machine won't boot. Incidentally, turning on and off again a few times, different coils seem to fire and lock on.

I assume that if coils 2 and 3 were really bad, have I blown something on my power board? All fuses are intact and test out OK. Any tests I can do?

Any advice greatly appreciated (and more apron cards uploaded!)

Cheers

BJ
 
Luke had this problem with one of his machines, turned out that if the chime arms were raised slightly, they worked fine.
 
OK a bit more. Having found a loose ground wire that had broken off one of the coils I was playing with I have stopped all the coils locking on. Now the problem seems to be that when I switch on 2 coils fire and release, but the game still won't boot. So annoying as everything was working fine!!

On the LEDs I only have the one showing +5v, the other two are out. Have a I popped something on the CPU board? Anything I should check next??

Advice appreciated.
 
I have a Time Machine. The +5V and Blanking LEDs should both be on. The Blanking LED comes on at the end of the CPU Self Tests on Power-up.

That's not much help but that's all I've got - I don't know what a not-lit Blanking LED means.

The Power-up CPU Self Tests are described in the manual with the PIA LED indicating test failure.

I would disconnect the two firing coils.
 
Ah. so various coils are actually energising... so not related to those two coils. Seems to be a bigger problem. *GULP*
 
i'm rubbish at anything to do with fixing, but about transistors i know this: test all the ones in a row, and compare the values between them. if they are all the same type, the values should be similar. basically i think it's normal to get about half a volt on each leg. also check the diodes next to the transistors, again check the type from the manual, and compare several of the same type.
 
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