On this machine, the coin relay pulls in to either start a new game or to add an additional player. When the game over relay is tripped, a switch on the coin relay pulls in the reset relay, and you get a new game start. This circuit also latches the game over relay which has a switch that opens the circuit to the reset relay, so any additional actuations of the coin relay will add players rather than start a new game.

Therefore, to start a new game, as you have noted you need the game over relay to be tripped. There is a circuit on the game over relay trip coil that is supposed to trip the game over relay when the coin relay pulls in, if either the player-up unit or the ball-count unit are off their zero position. In other words, as soon as you advance to ball 1 player 2 (multi player game) or ball 2 player 1 (single player game) and you actuate the coin relay, it should trip the game over relay which in turn will actuate the reset relay and you'll get a new game start.

If the behavior you are seeing was happening to me, I would check to see if there is a problem in the circuit that is supposed to trip the game over relay when the coin relay pulls in, and you're not on player 1 ball 1. It could be a dirty or mis-adjusted switch on the coin relay, or possibly the switches on both the player-up and ball-count units that are supposed to close when the unit is off the zero position are not making good contact, or perhaps there is a wire break at the solder lugs for one or more of these switches.

- TimMe

I am also working on a Nip-it and have almost the exact opposite problem. I have gone through and fixed many other issues, but my final problem (that I'm currently aware of) is that after I start a game with the credit button, it does not allow me to add additional players using the credit button or credits on the machine. I can insert coins to add players 2-4, but pressing the credit button does nothing. Then, once the multiplayer game is started (or after ball 1 for single player game), if I press the credit button it will reset the game and it will be back to a one player game, but the credit button does not add additional players. When I press the credit button, nothing happens, though I know the score motor and credit unit should activate. It makes me think that somewhere there is an open connection that should be closed to allow the credit button to add additional players.

Thank you so much for the starting point and the linked resources! I will be looking into these more in the morning. About to be out-of-town for a few days, but I will try to update once I have found the issue using this technique.

Thanks again!

HowardR It did end up being the coin unit limit switch. Thank you so much for your help and direction. It is much appreciated!

All the best,
Nate