(Topic ID: 193444)

Bally locked on bumper coil (not transistor)

By JReedie

6 years ago


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  • 51 posts
  • 13 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 64 days ago by tlrmcknz
  • Topic is favorited by 5 Pinsiders

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    #1 6 years ago

    My 1985 Bally Xs & Os has a locked on bumper coil that after about 2 seconds of powering up the machine blows the 1A fuse underneath the playfield. I changed the transistor that controls the naughty bumper coil and its not shorted out. Neither is the diode before the transistor and i have also replaced the bumler coil in question with a brand new one without successfully fixing the issue. I have an Alltek board running the machine if that helps at all.

    Id greatly appreciate any ideas you all may have.

    #5 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    Which Pop Bumper is it?
    Was/is the diode on the coil measuring good?
    On the SDB, it might be a faulty U3 transistor array or the 74L154 causing the transistor driving the Pop Bumper to lock on.

    It is the left pop bumper which is driven by Q12

    #7 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    Disconnect the J5 connector from the Solenoid Driver Board (SDB) which will disconnect that Pop Bumper so you no longer blow the playfield fuse.
    Measure the voltages on the SDB at:
    a) Pin 14 of U2 (74L154)
    b) Pin 10 of U3 (CA-3081)
    c) Pin 9 of U3 (CA-3081)
    d) The banded side of diode CR12 (near transistor Q12)
    Report back your measurements.

    Thank you for your help so far!

    Pin 14 of U2 = 4.14V
    Pin 10 of U3 = 4.14V
    Pin 9 of U3 = 2.01V
    Diode CR12 = 1.31V

    #10 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    U3 is a transistor array. The voltage measured on pin 10 of U3 (base pin of a transistor within the array) is excessively high most likely because pin 10 has internally gone open circuit. This is resulting in pin 9 of U3 (collector pin of the same transistor within the array) to be pulled high which is always activating the Q12 transistor down stream and locking on the Pop Bumper solenoid.
    Normally, when the solenoid is not being selected to activate, pin 10 will sit at its highest level of around 0.8 volts and pin 9 should be near zero volts which leaves transistor Q12 switched off.
    Replace the CA-3081 device at U3.
    If you're really really desperate to get it going while you wait for replacement parts, you can temporarily swap U3 with the CA-3081 at U4. U4 is not driving any solenoids with that faulty transistor within the array. Just keep your fingers crossed no other transistors within the U3 array are faulty if you do this...
    Good luck!

    Thank you so much for your help. I've just ordered a new chip, fingers crossed it will fix the issue. I shall report back once it arrives and is fitted.

    #11 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    U3 is a transistor array. The voltage measured on pin 10 of U3 (base pin of a transistor within the array) is excessively high most likely because pin 10 has internally gone open circuit. This is resulting in pin 9 of U3 (collector pin of the same transistor within the array) to be pulled high which is always activating the Q12 transistor down stream and locking on the Pop Bumper solenoid.
    Normally, when the solenoid is not being selected to activate, pin 10 will sit at its highest level of around 0.8 volts and pin 9 should be near zero volts which leaves transistor Q12 switched off.
    Replace the CA-3081 device at U3.
    If you're really really desperate to get it going while you wait for replacement parts, you can temporarily swap U3 with the CA-3081 at U4. U4 is not driving any solenoids with that faulty transistor within the array. Just keep your fingers crossed no other transistors within the U3 array are faulty if you do this...
    Good luck!

    I fitted the new chip and the bumper that was shorting and blowing the playfield fuse now works however the lower bumber now triggers the left hand one as well. And the lower of the 3 bumpers doesnt fire when hit. But when going throigh the solenoid test all 3 work perfectly. Any ideas at all how to repair this?

    Thanks again.

    #13 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    Looks like you've got an issue in the switch matrix.
    Can you remove all balls from the game and make sure all drop targets are raised.
    Go to switch test mode.
    Does it report "0" in the Ball in play display?
    When you activate the lower pop bumper switch with your finger does the game report 18 or 19 in the player displays?
    And what number is displayed when you activate the left pop bumper switch with your finger?

    Both are displaying 18 when in the switch test

    #15 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    Ok if you've got the manual, go to the switch test number page 17 and activate each switch one at a time starting from switch #40 working backwards to switch #01 (it's important you do it backwards).
    Report back the details of which switches are reporting the wrong number in the switch test.

    Switch 27 is showing 26
    19 is showing 18
    3 is showing 2

    So 2 drop targets are registering the same, 2 standups are registering the same as well as 2 bumpers. This all happened since changing the chip at U3 could that be the vause kf the problems?

    #17 6 years ago
    Quoted from Quench:

    No. The chip at U3 on the SDB is completely unrelated to the switches.
    You've got a short between switch return line "I2 and "I1" shown circled in red below.
    Firstly, make sure the three coin slot switches on the coin door are in the open position and not stuck closed.
    Check the capacitors circled in green on the switches shown below and make sure they aren't short circuited.
    Then check the diodes circled in blue on those switches, again looking for any that are shorted.
    Let us know what you find.
    .

    I went through and checked everything, turns out it was a shorted coin chute switch. I desoldered the wires going to it and everything is working perfectly. Shot a brilliant first game on the machine too!

    Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out

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