Freedom EM
Bally, 1976I have a question regarding the wiring on the bonus unit on Bally Freedom (early version with the pop bumper between the flippers).
Here's a picture... notice the switch on the far right (or in the 2nd picture, on the bottom). There's no wiring to it. It doesn't seem hacked.... leaf switch looks original. I don't see any danging wires or such.
The game isn't working yet... should there be something wired to this switch? Right now, the switch seems to do nothing.
TIA!
Bally seems to have left unused wires and switches in games occasionally. (See the unused Score Motor switch at https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ballys-1973-space-time- for example). The unused hardware may have made it easier to share assemblies across functions or games, like using the same wiring harness for several coin/pricing hardware options.
In this case the unused switch looks like an EOS switch for the Bonus Unit Step Up solenoid. I don't think it was used in Freedom but I wonder if the Bonus Unit isn't the same basic stepper as the Ball Count unit. The EOS switch on the Ball Count unit is used to fire the Player Reset relay so when the ball count advances the Player Unit resets to Player 1. It might be that the Bonus and Ball Count stepper frames are the same and simplified the assembly process somewhat at the expense of an unused EOS switch.
/Mark
Quoted from MarkG:Bally seems to have left unused wires and switches in games occasionally. (See the unused Score Motor switch at https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ballys-1973-space-time- for example). The unused hardware may have made it easier to share assemblies across functions or games, like using the same wiring harness for several coin/pricing hardware options.
In this case the unused switch looks like an EOS switch for the Bonus Unit Step Up solenoid. I don't think it was used in Freedom but I wonder if the Bonus Unit isn't the same basic stepper as the Ball Count unit. The EOS switch on the Ball Count unit is used to fire the Player Reset relay so when the ball count advances the Player Unit resets to Player 1. It might be that the Bonus and Ball Count stepper frames are the same and simplified the assembly process somewhat at the expense of an unused EOS switch.
/Mark
Thanks for the input!
Totally separate issue: If I plug in the playfield, hit the start button, the score motor runs continuously. This will not happen if the playfield is unplugged.
The outhole kicker and drop target bank reset fire continuously as well, but I'm guessing that's because the score motor keeps rotating. If I look at the schematic and what switches activate the score motor, the only switch that will stop it if I insert a piece of paper into the leaf blades is the 'outhole relay' make-break switch. See the blue arrow. Normally open, when it closes if the paper is there the motor will stop. But the game will not play. Pull out the paper, the score motor starts again. None of the other switches in the diagram to the score motor seem to affect it.
Any ideas?
Quoted from bayoubilly70:The outhole kicker and drop target bank reset fire continuously as well, but I'm guessing that's because the score motor keeps rotating.
I suspect it's the other way around: the Score Motor is running because the Outhole relay is stuck on. Is that the case? Is the Outhole switch stuck closed or shorted?
Quoted from MarkG:I suspect it's the other way around: the Score Motor is running because the Outhole relay is stuck on. Is that the case? Is the Outhole switch stuck closed or shorted?
The outhole switch does not appear to be stuck on or shorted.
The outhole relay 'pulses'. As the score motor rotates, it activates and fires the outhole kicker. Then it unlatches. As the motor rotates, it actives again. Then unlatches, etc.... It is not continuously stuck on.
The 'Bonus Score' relay on the mech board also pulses. Again, I notice if I put a piece of paper between the following switch, the motor will again stop:
Also, if I insert a piece of paper in the following switch on the Bonus Unit under the playfield, the motor will again stop. This switch is normally open in game over mode, but when I start a game it closes. When its closed after pushing the credit button and starting a game, if I put in a piece of paper between the switch contacts the motor stops:
... and she's up and running. Still need to shop out the playfield, but seems 100% functional. Its the first time I've played this version of Freedom since I was 11 years old - 40 years ago.
MarkG - Thank you for answering my questions, I appreciate it.
Quoted from Skidave:Nice work! Very satisfying once you get all the issues solved and it is playing.
Yup... For sure.
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Westminster, MA