And now for the solution to the second problem: dead machine.
Quoted from ryan1234:Just seeing this thread. A real bummer to have a new machine not working.
I would check all the fuses...
Pull them out to check them.
Checking them while they are in place can sometimes give false readings. Test each one with a meter.
I think there also is a main fuse way in the back.
You should be able to follow the 110v from your wall socket through each connection to the transformer using the schematics. Test each connection for power. Eventually you should see where the power stops.
I can not remember, but I think this machine has a 110v relay that needs to pull in to power the transformer. It could be called a “110v hold relay” The schematic should show it. It may not have one, I cannot remember, but I think it does. (Someone with a King of Diamonds schematic help here please)
Test to see if you get 110v power going INTO the transformer.
Testing to see if the correct voltage is coming out is a little tricky as you need to find the correct lugs for hot and neutral for each voltage. Fairly rare to have a transformer bad.
When you get power try unhooking all the jones plugs, the ones for the playfeild and the ones going to the back-box. This way you can isolate the issue. Power it up with them unpluged and see if you have/keep power and stop blowing fuses.
Then unplug from wall socket, plug in a jones plug and reapply power. Do this with each jones plug. This may help isolate the problem.
More thoughts... could a plug/wire come loose when the playfeild was up and the wire harness was being pulled on?
If you lived closer...
I pretty much did all of this and then some. This was a fairly tricky problem to troubleshoot. Here's the story:
With the bad LED replaced, I was confident the machine wouldn't be blowing fuses any more. But it still wouldn't power up at all. Zero volts to the transformer primary winding.
Noting that with the PF board tipped up against the head box, one of the PF large connecting wiring harnesses was applying considerable pressure against a switch bank on the Ball Count Unit. Looking closely with a mirror I could see one of the switches was being bent by the pressure.
I adjusted the harness, and then went in and fixed the bent connection (this was the "Zero Position Ball Count" switch) so it was working properly according to the schematic. This switch is normally OPEN (remember this) and that's how I adjusted it. It was quite badly bent (hmmm... ?)
Here's a shot of the Zero Pos Ball Count switch (note the kink type bend in the switch leaf - which I repaired and adjusted):
IMG_0243 (resized).jpg
Next steps would be spent dissecting the 115VAC side of the schematic (between the "wall" and the primary winding) to see why the transformer wouldn't power up. Even with the coin mech's removed and bypassed, there are a number of components involved in getting the Hold Relay to latch on. Turns out everything was working just fine EXCEPT the Zero Pos Ball Count switch was OPEN (as designed) but there's absolutely NO way this pin would fire up if that switch was open at start-up. Hmmm...
So here's what I found out: For the most expeditious by-pass of the coin mechs, prior owners of this pin had jumpered a hard wire across the Zero Position switch on the Credit (replay) Unit. To make this a working pinball machine, one would also have to jumper across the Zero Position Ball Count switch - but since that switch is way down deep in the cabinet what they did was simply BEND the switch leaf so far over it never could reach the open position even with the Ball Count Unit in the Zero position. They just didn't want to get in there with a soldering iron I guess... so (being a complete pinball Noob) I noted this bent switch leaf and straightened/adjusted it but that in fact DISABLED the machine!
With this discovery in hand, I clipped a temporary alligator lead connection across the Zero Position Ball Count switch, and WHALLA she fired right up!
This King of Diamonds is back in business, with a proper fix in place now. And a new owner who knows lots more about how this girl works!
I'll post some pics tomorrow of this absolutely beautiful example of KOD. Many thanks to ryan1234 who did such a fantastic job shopping this pinball machine to near perfection.