TAF issues with game lights and flashers

[Tidy Technician]

Hi All

So I am looking at my friends TAF

Its populated with various Led's, they look different ages/types/maunufacture

Problem 1:
There is this retro fit PCB fitted, which blew its fuse, and smells of burning up components ! (picture attached)
Does anyone know what it does and if its required?
I have down powered it for now, so game works with only GI

Question: Am I safe to just remove this board and reconnect the illumination loom direct back into the board ? or is it some required LED driver for the unknown LED's installed ?

Problem 2 -
15A 32mm fuse missing from the game (see picture)
We popped a new fuse in , and the flashers started to work... one truck on, so trial replacement needed
Smell of burning very fast... so took that fuse back out !
Question: Is it better to not have LED's in as flashers ? and maybe revert back to original lamps ?
or, are the LED's fitted just rubbish ones


I am looking to completely replace all of the LED's with the premium package from Pinball Heaven
Question: Has anyone else done this ? any recommendations / observations ?

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments

 

[Banzaipinabll]

Problem 1: This is an OCD board which is an aftermarket board to make LED's in pinball act like incandescent bulbs. You can remove it and reconnect lamp driver connectors, this should bring back your inserts, but you will find the LED's will strobe, this is what the OCD board is sorting. There could be something else at play which is blowing the fuse on the OCD board

 

[Banzaipinabll]

Problem 2: If you replace fuse and a LED is stuck on, this is likely a failed driver transistor which is locking on your flasher and likely blowing the fuse. Don't just replace LED, as likely not the LED, but the driver transistor on the driver board.

 

[Tidy Technician]

Problem 1: This is an OCD board which is an aftermarket board to make LED's in pinball act like incandescent bulbs. You can remove it and reconnect lamp driver connectors, this should bring back your inserts, but you will find the LED's will strobe, this is what the OCD board is sorting

Thanks Banzai, I had a hunch that was the idea of the board.. I'll ditch it
Do you think a fresh set of new modern LED's would be less 'strobey'

 

[Tidy Technician]

Problem 2: If you replace fuse and a LED is stuck on, this is likely a failed driver transistor which is locking on your flasher and likely blowing the fuse. Don'y just replace LED, as likely not the LED, but the driver transistor on the driver board

Yep agreed, Replacement Triac required.. I have removed that LED for now
DO you rate LED Flasher Lamps ?

 

[Banzaipinabll]

Yep agreed, Replacement Triac required.. I have removed that LED for now
DO you rate LED Flasher Lamps ?

I use them on some of my pins, in my view they can be too bright in some situations. I find similar issue on flashers leds, they turn on and off much quicker than normal bulbs and can give a different effect, personal choice and work well in my view on some games

 

[Tidy Technician]

Update:

OCD board removed - interestingly the LED's don't flicker any more than they did with it in line (I suspect I was not working properly before it self distracted)
Transistor changed for the flash that was stuck on

So a great result, thanks for your advise Banzai

Have ordered some better flasher LED's from pinball heaven to liven up the game


So the only other discovery with the game it that the T H I N G less on the dmd panel do not operate at all... have not really had much of a chance to look at that yet
The cable is plugged into the power driver board, and it looks like the lamps have been changed to LED's
anyone else had issues with this ?

I'll get my meter going to do some investigations next time I see the machine (it lives at a friends house)