Transformer hum

[skweek]

So, pinball number two is in the house (Indy 500 thanks to mufcmufc) and it plays great but I've got a slight issue with transformer hum. It's not really obvious when you're playing a game, only really noticeable in attract mode but it's louder than Rollergames and I'm just a bit concerned about something silly being amiss or getting dislodged in transit.

I know it's a relatively large transformer in a nice acoustic chamber but how loud should it be and is there anything obvious I should check? I've done a once over of all connections in the backbox and under the playfield and nothing seems to be awry but I still could be missing something obvious!

 

[kevlar]

I'd like to know the answer to this also, some of mine are louder than others.

 

[Calimori]

First off. Congratulations on getting your seconding pin. As GrizZ said to me, this now makes you a collector and I will add, the visual demonstration that you are probably an addict.

Does it hum loud enough to effect the game sounds with the volume at a lowish setting?

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

Check its bolted down good and tight.

There is always some hum. I'm sure I read somewhere something about the mid 90s WPC games humming louder ...due to design/mounting position of the transformer ???? ...I could be wrong.

 

[Moonraker]

Most WPC and WPC95 games have transformer hum and as Kev says some are louder than others. I tend to ignore it but those people who it bothers have stripped the transformer out of the cabinet and re-installed it. Some use various means to stop it such as anti vibration washers or plates, on tighter or with sufficient space to stop the cabinet reverbing it. All with varying degrees of success. WPC95 games tend to be worse as the whole cabinet can resonate down to the lock bar so you can actually feel the hum!

There was a lot of information on this on the Yahoo group but it's impossible to find with the new interface not having a search function!

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

There was a lot of information on this on the Yahoo group but it's impossible to find with the new interface not having a search function!

The Yahoo interface is a joke. Its like something from the dark ages. Incredibly it seems to be even clunkier and user unfriendly than before. I'm pretty much done with it over there.

 

[skweek]

Ah ok, I thought it was pretty "normal" but just wanted to double check. I did take a look at the bolts and made sure they were tight but I'll take another look and have a fiddle.

I did read somewhere (and typically I can't find the exact search term I used now) that if the bridge rectifier that supplies the lamp matrix has one leg open it can cause a similar problem but they were having the game reset too, so I doubt it's that. Does that make sense to anyone?

Cheers for the advice as always!

 

[Carl Spiby]

Hum along and create a harmony.

 

[abaxas]

Silly q... is this actually the transformer or 50hz coming though the speakers?

 

[Moonraker]

Silly q... is this actually the transformer or 50hz coming though the speakers?

Almost always the transformer...

 

[xenon325i]

On my FT I put the Xfmr on four rubber tap washers and bolted it back thru those. Problem completely gone.

 

[skweek]

Almost always the transformer...

Yeah, it's deffo the transformer, you can feel it vibrate through the back of the cabinet where it's mounted.

On my FT I put the Xfmr on four rubber tap washers and bolted it back thru those. Problem completely gone.

This is what I had in the back of my mind, except I was going to use some old pinball rubbers! May leave that alone as I'm enjoying playing this at the moment (just collected the cow souvenir! )and it's not really noticeable over the game sound.