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Judge Dredd trough issues

O

orchid

Registered
10 Years
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
57
My JD has (just after my deadworld mod arrived) started playing up. It regularly fires one more ball than is needed (two at beginning of regular game or three in super game). It doesn't always do this, but very often (and sometimes if not at the beginning of a ball then it'll add an extra soon).

I've put the plastic trough protector thing that came with my deadworld mod in to see if that helps, and checked all the optos in test mode (and they all seem fine). None of the blue resistors have fallen off or anything. Can only imagine that it might be an intermittent opto issue? How can I test?

Now, I know these are quite common, and as I'm relatively new to this I've probably missed something.

Thanks!
 
Take the balls out to open all the optos. Put it in switch edge test. Wiggle the wiring around each board in turn, and gently flex each board to see if you can invoke an unwanted switch response.
 
Thanks - the opto trans board did seem to react when I moved the wires, so I've now reseated both of those in the connector, and wiggling them doesn't seem to break it anymore. However, it still behaves the same way in the game, as the transmitter board seems to occasionally switch off momentarily.

The only way I now seem to be able to 'reliably' recreate this outside of a game is by giving the transmitter board a sharp rap from behind the connector (though sometimes elsewhere too), which switches it from working to not working, and then back again (occasionally it sticks either way - but interestingly the red power light now stays on, so it seems to be something other than the power to the board being interrupted). Very annoying!

Any ideas? Or easiest just to replace whole board?
 
I'd try reflowing the solder on the connector pins and maybe the opto's as well before shelling out for a new board.
 
Thanks - I'm thinking again now that it might be the wires. Even though I've reinserted them a couple of times, they are IDC and since I don't have the proper tool I've used a screwdriver (seemed fine, but still have problems so perhaps not!).
I was thinking of replacing the connectors with crimped ones to see if that helps. I do have a crimper which I purchased from Andy @ PinballMania, but having looked these pins are of course 0.1", and the crimper is only specified for 0.156" - will it work? And if so, what do I need? I guess some 0.1" crimp pins and a 4-pin housing?

edit: it did say on PinballMania that it was "for crimping 0.1” and 0.156” crimp terminals"

Thanks
 
I seem to have managed to fix it (fingers crossed) by learning how to reflow the circuit board. It was pretty tricky, and I seem to have managed to fry one of the LEDs (in slot 7), but I figured if I swapped it with the working slot 3 LED the game might cope - and for 4 solid games (the most I've had since it broke) it has!

Although it seems (fingers crossed!) to be fixed, I'd still like to replace the broken LED for completeness sake, and to avoid problems down the road. Where can I buy one, or does any kind soul have one spare?

Cheers for all your help everyone - it's a steep curve, but I like learning.
 
go on then, how do you "reflow"?

i've read that a dozen times but still don't know what it means. i was gonna look for a youtube clip one day, but since you bring it up.....?
 
cooldan said:
go on then, how do you "reflow"?

i've read that a dozen times but still don't know what it means. i was gonna look for a youtube clip one day, but since you bring it up.....?
Click to expand...

Basically all it means is to re-heat the joint with a soldering iron and a little fresh solder :)
 
As Paul said - I did just that (well I took the components off and removed all the old solder with a soldersucker too just to be sure - which is, I think, how I fried the opto transmitter, as it wasn't so keen on moving).
 
Yes, fixed this thanks Jon! Was given a spare opto transmitter by a kindly chap on the yahoo group, and with that in place it all works fine.
Am now working on frustrating issue with 8th lamp row being out (see other thread, here).
 
Good fix. Was just curious, as two balls loading can also be the crane out of alignment. Obviously the optos in this case
 
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