Re: Twilight zone pinball - its time for yet another switch matrix issue with questions!

Can't the two connectors on the bottom of the clock be switched? I think I
remember them not being keyed and having the same # of pins...

--
-cody



"Lloyd Olson" <ltg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:WKCdnXEE9IgjvgvVnZ2dnUVZ_uCdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So basically pre the new clock boards the game worked better, and now you
have issues ? Stick the old clock boards back in and see where you are at.
Or unplug the clock and disable and functions and see where you are at.
Maybe a problem on the new clock board. LTG :)

<jonathan1138@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6f89466a-3f61-4bc6-ae50-25a127a03e42@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello to all. First time post, first of many, as i love this board and
the hobby (new to it). Hoping to gain insight here, and hoping to
learn enough to return someday.

My user name is Hotsocket - Ron from LI who offered his service of
repair recently found a washer in a lamp socket that was nearly on
fire. Ron, if your reading, you are top notch, and based on this
posting below (questions) i my ask you back soon (not happy about
it!)

Purchased a beautiful TZ machine about two months ago - off of ebay.

Since that time, have had some obstacles to using it. First, switch
matrix issue, learned about u20, found that already socketed, replaced
and worked.

Had Ron come in for some help on switch problem and flipper help,
machine ran great.

Then, Last week, I installed some plastic protector over slot machine
and piano, AND replaced clock board with Rottondogs.

Now - here is my symptom. Game starts, no dot or errors. If i go to
diagnostics no test report - but now i have a dot. Go back to
diagnostic, no test report.

Play the game, dot goes away. 10 -15 minutes, three flashers by the
gumball light up. Seems like a short problem when those light. The dot
comes back. Game is unrepsonsive to most switches. Dot appears, but no
diagnostic report!

Game goes to play ok, but, shoot the ball, leaves the shooter switch,
and there goes those lights again! I can repeat this until i get row 1
short and others (mostly all of em) AND i can even get to row 1 stuck
closed. Shut er off, and wait 10 minutes, she looks good again (rinse
and repeat all of the above).

Went to backboard / TOP tests (great guys by the way) - remove 206,
207, 208, 209 and see no errors on matrix - all row / column test with
alligator clip shows switches close - so it does not appear to be cpu
right (must be the playfield).

So lets look at playfield. The wires on the Mini PF right side facing
the main pf - three wires are frayed (looks bad). Remove the molex and
play the game, thinking this must be it - but still issue. Yes, i need
to repair that but if its disconnected, why would I short still?

Look around some more - find a custom slot machine wires half into
native slot machine molex (bad job from prior owner i guess) -
unharness those - still the same as above. (Question - can lamp matrix
cause switch matrix issues?).

Next, I look for loose wires / etc. Find that the upper right flipper
wire is - and bear with me on explain - comes off the coil, splits
off wires hanging out (exposed about 1/4 way off the coil - just
silver wires hanging off the run to the back board). It almost looks
like a bad splice job, left unexposed. heaven knows how to fix that
(unsolder and wrap it up with heat sink?). But - i note the wires are
nowhere near metal or anything.

Third, i found a coil (slot machine kickout) came off in my hand from
testing soldering while troubleshooting. Of course, same issue.

So, my questions - Do the problems (coil for upper right and pf) sound
like they could cause it? What I dont understand is even if i leave
the machine standing, the short comes up first time i play it- how can
this be if the short happens from touching something else (which i
dont see happening as noted)? It doesnt add up - slap sense into me or
justify my thinking please!

(more simply - can just exposed coil / switch wires cause issues?
Logically, the answer is no, unless touched by something, conductive
or not right - new to this so be gentle)!

Could it be something else that I am missing (like underplayfield 339
optos due to my recent clock excursion?)

I understand the answer is - replace the wires and then see what
happens as it sound fishy- which I will (with help or not - need to
see how much confidence i have)- but i would like to know what i am up
against here. This is my second switch issue in two months and man, it
appears to be the hardest thing to resolve.







.

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