Re: Tech EM: William's Expo ball count (and other issues)

On Oct 15, 4:56 pm, AddictedToEMs <jsw...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
3. I got the spinner to award something (mostly). It still doesn't
award 500 points on spinner match. It did award 500 points as required
for about three games. Now, it only awards 50, which is the score
awarded if you don't match a lit number on the spinner. I am aware of
the 10x Multiplier relay. I think that's where the culprit is now. I
think the relay is getting stuck in the activated position. I checked,
and it's not energized, just stuck at times. I think it needs to be
"off" to allow the 10x multiplier to work. It's even in the activated
position at times after I shut off the power. Can these relays get
magnetized and stay on, even if not energized?

As for the motor control and cams, after the spinner is activated and
the spinner stops, most of the time the cams would turn for 6 or 7
rotations before the ball gets ejected from the center playfield hole
(or the next ball is launched if the spinner is activated from the
right/left drain chutes)

I kind of suspect oxidation on the stepper boards, or at least the
contacts on the "fingers", for some of the problems. What do people
use to prevent oxidation on these? Some sort of tuner cleaner or
something? Has anyone thought of plating the brass/copper traces with
solder since most solder doesn't oxidize?

Some relays have two coils to activate, then release the switch stack.
If yours only has one coil, then check the spring to make sure it has
pressure on the stack so when the coil de-energizes it snaps back.
Check the movement of the stack also, for sometimes a burr or a leaf
may cause the normal operation to stick.

The score motor is running probably in wait for a completion of a
circuit - more than likely a dirty contact or waiting for some unit to
find "home"

I use what Clay recommends on the copper rivets - a teflon grease
(just a bit) - they still collect some dirt, but remain clean overall.
To keep your game working - Play it so it can clean itself....

Update.....

I generally work late on issues and then try to detail the work the
next morning. Sometimes I forget a few things, so bear with me.

The first thing I did was address the spinner scoring issue. I looked
at the 10x, Delay 1, and Delay 2 relays and how they worked in the
entire process. I discovered that when they were functioning properly,
the spinner scored as required. Great!! I narrowed it down to three
relays. These are all non-latching, so there were fewer mechanical
points of failure. I noticed the relays weren't always activating or
releasing properly. So, I figured there would be adjustments to make.
I first confirmed that all the coils work. They did. I then addressed
the relays not releasing. I put one twist on the springs that help
release the armature. That seemed to work at first. After about one or
two successful operations, it would fail again. Then, I addressed the
armature hinge using a light shot of silicon spray (I didn't file down
any burrs as Zookeeper suggested). That appeared to free up the
armature a bit with manual testing. Still, I get about one or two good
operations and then something fails. In some cases, the armature
wouldn't go down, even with the coil energized. Now I have to counter
the changes I made to affect the armature releasing with changes
needed to affect armature actuation. I don't know what that plastic
piece hanging off the armature is called, the one where one or more
leaf springs slide into, but I figured I needed to work there. So, I
proceed to carefully bend all the leaf springs going into the plastic
part to the point where they lower the armature closer to the coil
core as possible while not energized, just to make sure the magnetism
grabs it, followed by adjustments to the remaining contacts to allow
for proper operation of the switches. As before, this allows for one
or two good operations before failures occur, usually the opposite
(relays stay on when not energized, etc.).

This leaves me with few alternatives. I can assume the coils are weak.
Therefore I can just replace them, and readjust. I'll even consider
tearing them down and rebuilding them. Then I can try Zookeeper's idea
of filing away any burrs. Another solution that might do the trick,
although I like to save it as a last resort, would be to hi-tap the
transformer. That would give the relays more "pull" although I don't
know how much. I suppose it's worth a shot. How bad is hi-tapping to
the life of a coil? I may just have "low" mains supply voltage in my
house and hi-tapping should have been done already. Either way, I'm
not deterred, or disappointed at buying the pin for that matter.

I went on to the next problem, the match stepper getting stuck. After
removing the coil, and rod/piston (and screw that fell down the hole
to the lower cabinet), I thoroughly cleaned out the grease that was on
the rod and inside the coil. I removed a lot of gray grease. I then
put a shot of silicone spray in and reassembled it. Now it is smooth,
slick, and bind free. Works like a champ. I don't know if silicon
spray is wrong for that operation. I suppose I'll find out. I
certainly won't use WD40. I use silicon spray lightly or in moderation
when I use it and never had problems in any other application.

Does anybody have a link to a good guide for rebuilding and adjusting
(tuning) a pinball relay?
.

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