Party Animal - game won't start

[Spanky]

Hi ya'll,

Got a Party Animal (Bally 6803). When I turn it on, all the lights do the correct thing, the tune plays, and the displays are correct. However, when I press the start button, nothing happens. I can rarely get into the menu, pressing the button next to the volume control usually does nothing. I've put a multi meter across the switch and its okay.

Any ideas?

 

[PinballDaze]

Reseat connectors on mpu.

 

[Spanky]

Ooh! Well done. It was J12 - there are more pins than receptacles on the socket and it fits two ways.

 

[andy]

Is it set to free play - if not, are there credits on it?

Party Animal is one of the 6803 games that uses the numeric keypad for tests / adjustments, so if reseating the connectors as @PinballDaze suggests gets the game into the menu, you’ll need the keypad (and also the manual....prob one on ipdb if you haven’t got one) to be able to do anything!

Finally there can be issues with garbage in memory if the battery is dead, see the link below for more info.

http://www.pinrepair.com/6803/

 

[Spanky]

Thank you, I'm aware of such things. Reseated all the connectors and the problem persists... can't get into the menu at the moment.

 

[Deleted member 2463]

Hope you can fix it not many of these in the UK.

 

[Spanky]

She's not mine to be honest. It must be something simple, she has worked in the past.

 

[vib_ribbon]

could you eliminate the switch and complete the circuit with a piece of wire at the board or something?

 

[Spanky]

I've tested the switch and confirmed continuity from the switch back to the PCB, so it has to be something else. I wonder whether the EPROMs are perhaps flaky and could do with reprogramming.

 

[PinballDaze]

Can you access the menu via the keypad? Think 65 has to be set to 00 for free play. Can check this tomorrow.

 

[Spanky]

And all of a sudden it works...
Pressed the test button, got into the menu, loaded defaults, set to free play and now the game starts. Weird.
The music's all scratchy and the volume is low, but that's for another day.

Thank you!

 

[Pick Holder]

Sounds like you should reseat all connectors and give them a spray of switch cleaner.

Also spray inside the pot.

DO NOT use WD40.

 

[Spanky]

Good idea about the switch cleaner. Will do.

 

[myPinballs]

And all of a sudden it works...
Pressed the test button, got into the menu, loaded defaults, set to free play and now the game starts. Weird.
The music's all scratchy and the volume is low, but that's for another day.

Thank you!

Great sound board on these. 68000 driven. First job, replace the in door volume pot (i have these if you need them). After that if you need someone to fix the sound board let me know.

 

[Mike Parkins]

I had the same problem with the one at Flip Out - Factory reset to clear the NVRAM did the trick.
Mike

 

[Spanky]

I had the same problem with the one at Flip Out - Factory reset to clear the NVRAM did the trick.
Mike

Yeah but
You can't do the factory reset via the menu if you can't get into the menu. I even disconnected the batteries for ages.

Anyway...

 

[andy]

With 6803 games if the battery goes flat or is removed, all sorts of rubbish can then be in the settings which can stop a game taking coins or starting up.

You definitely need to get into the adjustments menu to sort that!