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Things to look for before switch on.

P

Pharo

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Joined
Nov 11, 2014
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Location
Irvine Ayrshire Scotland
Hi looking for info on this as all the machines I've had in the past haven't been lying around for years not being switched on, I was doing a job the other day and when I was there I was showed a pinball it has been in a storage room from 1999 or something when it was bought new and was used for a month or something by the operator then put in here its not been switched on since then so the questions are what is the right or wrong things to do as I wasn't able to get to it for loads of boxes and things piled up all around it and on top of it. I just hope they took the batteries out in 1999.
Cheers Brian
 
I’d also make sure it’s plugged into an rcd socket before you switch on, just to be on the safe side
 
I've been known to have fire extinguishers at the ready for some of my more ropey projects... :eek:

You'll be fine especially if you follow Phil's advice.
 
+1 for checking every single fuse in the machine before switchon!! 👍
Checks for correct value and continuity out of the machine..
 
You may also want to consider unplugging some things, like the coils for example. Maybe also the sound board. It might help limit the damage if something goes wrong.
 
Check the condition of the plug and power cord all the way to where it terminates inside the cabinet. I had a machine where the power cord had been joined halfway through out of sight under the backbox, it was wrapped in electricians tape which had long since dried out and unwrapped exposing live cores which were just twisted together. :eek:
 
Look for obvious stuff that might have dropped somewhere it shouldn't in transit. Stuff like a bolt, screw, washer bridging a connection somewhere it shouldn't. Fuses as mentioned above and over fusing. I've seen playfield stays dropped onto power supplies in the cabinet, dumb things like that you'd miss without looking. Hacks, bad repairs & bodges. Power chord and plug! Definitely a pulled plug & broken plug.
Oh, and plug in an extension and watch either the inside of the backbox or under the playfield as you switch on. Smell something? Knock it off. Finally do it sober with your wits about you! :p
 
Dex-Jay said:
Stuff like a bolt, screw, washer
Click to expand...
Good call :thumbs: I have a new (to me) machine ritual where I collect all the flotsam and jetsam in the bottom of the cabinet, store in a tin for that machine,then reunite in their correct position when identified over time.
 
What pin is it? If a WPC/WPC95 I'd unplug the big flat cable from the CPU to the driver board to start with. Older machines unplug all from the transformer board but power, then solenoid next, then CPU, then rest.
 
Thanks for all the tips a couple I wouldnt have thought about hopefully will get to have a proper look at it in a few weeks when I go back to do the job that needs done, will see who can guess what the machine is for a bit of fun, it came out in 1999 I think might be 98 though and it came with its own topper this is the only reason I knew what it was as it was all I could see because of the stuff stacked on top of it kudos to who gets it first.
Cheers Brian
 
Here's a quick update on this subject, got in today to have a look at the southpark after 30mins of moving stuff off it and out the road I was able to pull it out it is cracked with dust, it had no keys but was able to get front door open money tray and manual and all the other stuff that must have came with it are there was looking good so far.
After alot of persuasion managed to get the translight out and this is where it goes bad the batteries were still in it and leaked down the boards so not good.
So question is it fixable here are some pictures I took.
Cheers Brian.
 

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Aye thought that myself Paul and I think the bottom board will need to be changed also as acid has dripped on that also but nowhere near as bad as the top.
What would a rough cost be do you think Paul for replacement boards and such.
Cheers Brian
 
Everything is fixable - pull it out and neutralize first so damage doesn't progress. Do you have some in focus pics of the damage?
 
Nope sorry that's all I got, it was only when I went to post them I saw how bad the were I think there was crap stuck to the lens as the protective glass on my phone is smashed.

Cheers Brian
 
Nope it's not my pin at the moment but the operator who has it wants some building work done at his arcade so this was maybe going to be used as a bargaining chip when he said he still had one pinball left but hadn't even moved it in nearly 20 years.
I've got a tspp so I gather the boards from that would work in the sp.
Cheers Brian
 
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