(Topic ID: 71478)

*update - so close! PLEASE HELP!* Bally Supersonic Help

By ShootForSlrValue

10 years ago


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  • 28 posts
  • 11 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by Underspin
  • Topic is favorited by 3 Pinsiders

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#1 10 years ago

So I finally bought my first game over the weekend and got it home in one piece! I went in to the deal knowing it didn't work, which is what I wanted so I could try learning a little bit, not to mention the satisfaction of bringing a dead game back to life. I'm pretty sure I've isolated the issue, but I could be wrong and any thoughts are appreciated. So, here's the back story:

Contacted the seller on CL, she's selling the game for her son and informed me the flippers did not work. She said the lights turn on, plays the startup sound, solenoids fire, etc... At this point, I'm okay with this. I figure it can't be too many things. The game was given to the son by a neighbor as a gift about 4 or 5 years ago. So I get to her place to see the game, and it's in really really good shape. I open the coin door (already open, no key) and pull the playfield up... And neither her or the son knew this was possible. I am now worried.

I look under the playfield and nothing looks out of place or broken. I turn the game on, get a start up tone, open the coin door and press the switch to give myself a couple of credits to play a test game.... And nothing happens. I figure its time to open the backbox and take a look at the boards to make sure everything is connected and that there hasn't been any corrosion anywhere (epic foreshadowing). I find out minutes later that they have never had a key for the coin door or backbox and it hasn't been opened since they've had it. Anyhow, i tell them the likely reasons that the game isn't starting and was able to negotiate a price that I thought was fair keeping in mind that I probably have a big fix to go on behind the glass.

So I got the game home yesterday and was able to pick the lock and found the MPU to be in the condition shown in the picture below. This is my first go around, but I'm assuming the battery corroded and basically ruined the board. The book said the LED on the board should flicker once at power up, followed by six quick flashes and the start up tone, indicating that the MPU was functional. Well, upon turning the game on, we didn't see a single flicker. So I guess I'm just looking for a confirmation that this is in fact a ruined AS-2518-35 MPU. If so, I know they make reproduction boards, but where should I get it, and what do I need to keep from the old MPU to put on the new MPU. All other boards were fine with no corrosion. Any help is really appreciated.

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#2 10 years ago

ED at Greatplains sells a rebuild kit for the components around that battery. It's bad but totally clean/repairable. I would get that area cleaned up first and they go do a search on 'Pinwiki Bally' there is a good section on trouble shooting.

#3 10 years ago

Thanks! What should I use to clean/repair that with? This would also be a first.

#4 10 years ago

The info you seek is all on the Pinwiki site.

http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Bally/Stern

There are many -17/-35 experts on these boards that can help you fix it. However, if you don't know how to use an iron/solder or replace sockets, you either need to send the board out for repair or, buy the ultimate MPU solution.

#5 10 years ago

Clip the leaking battery off and wire brush corrosion is a good place to start.

If you are not experienced with soldering / desoldering i wouldnt try and repair that MPU yourself. Either have that MPU repaired (it is fixable) or get an alltek or rebuilt MPU. I can repair this MPU

#6 10 years ago
Quoted from ShootForSlrValue:

So I guess I'm just looking for a confirmation that this is in fact a ruined AS-2518-35 MPU.

It's damaged, but not ruined.

Send it to Barakandl and let him fully restore and bulletproof it.

#7 10 years ago

So my dad surprised me and ordered me a new MPU for Christmas which came in today. Got it installed, DIP switches in place, everything ready to go. I fire it up, and everything looks awesome. Run through all of the tests and everything works perfectly fine. BUT.... It will not let me start a game! I'm in complete agony!! I have 40 credits on there, when last week, it wouldn't even register coins going in. It passed every self test and everything seems to be in order. My only concern is that the lighting on the playfield is still stuck like I'm the picture above. It doesn't seem to be going through attract mode. WHAT NOW?!?! =[

#8 10 years ago

Does the MPU have a free play switch?

#9 10 years ago

Yes. I've tried that and still nothing.

#10 10 years ago

Could it be a wiring issue? These are the wires leading from the start button... But as I said, it's registering coins so I'm not convinced that it is...

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#11 10 years ago

Do I see corrosion on the start button switch?

#12 10 years ago

Go into switch test and see if the start button responds on the correct #.

You can cut one wire on that coin door coil and tape it up so it does not short to anything (you will like the game more without that buzzing).

#13 10 years ago

All switches except for the red test button and the start button register on the board

#14 10 years ago

The slam switch also does not register. There is no corrosion on the start button switch.

#15 10 years ago

I'm also confused as to why the playfield lights aren't cycling through in attract mode... It's stuck in this state

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#16 10 years ago

So this just got way weirder. So I was testing continuity with a DMM... Touched the start button switch with the lead and other one to ground... And a game started. Still nothing if I press the button itself. Even then, there are still no lights at all on the playfield. Thoughts?

#17 10 years ago

Bad diode.

#18 10 years ago

new board ok but are your connectors fine?

#19 10 years ago

They all seem to be fine yes.

#20 10 years ago

Check your flashes on the MPU, are you actually getting all 7?

If you game does the initial flicker, and then follows with all the flashes but the last flash (flash number seven, or flash six on Baby Pac/Granny), check your +43 volt solenoid power F4 fuse on the rectifier board before proceeding. This last flash verifies that the game has +43 volts for the solenoids. If it doesn't (the F4 fuse is blown), the game won't boot and won't finish the flash sequence.

Check the following to be certain of the power train:
All the following voltages can vary plus or minus by as much as 10 percent.

TP1 (AS2518-18): 6.4 volts DC.
TP1 (AS2518-49): 8.2 volts DC.
TP2 = 195 volts DC (could be as low as 150 volts).
TP3 = 13.5 volts DC.
TP4 = 7.5 volts AC.
TP5 = 47 volts DC.

If any of these voltages are out, rebuild the power supply.

Read the entire section "Before turning on the game":
http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/ballyss/rep/index1.htm

#21 10 years ago

Wayout, I am getting all seven flashes on the led. I am able to boot a game with multiple players if I use the DMM as mentioned above.

#22 10 years ago

Using an ohm meter, verify continuity from each wire of the problem switches between the switch blade and the MPU board. Power off, board dismounted, right on the solder pad on the board. One will not have continuity. Figure out why. Sometimes its the contact pins on the connector to the board. They do oxidize from storage/age.

#23 10 years ago

MTPPC is probably right about it being a bad diode on the start switch, if by bypassing it with your DMM a game will start. You don't "need" a diode on the start switch. You could bypass it with a piece of wire if you don't have a new diode at the moment. This is great job for a piece of wire with alligator clips at each end. Make sure to install a diode at some point though.

The game not going into attract seems odd. I can't remember which connector on the MPU runs the lights. I think it is J1 on the MPU. Try starting the pin with only J1 and J4(the power to the MPU) attached and see if it goes into attract mode.

Sometimes a stuck switch or other problem in the game can make the MPU do odd things. So try to narrow down the problem. I think the displays and lamps should work with only J1 and J4 connected to the MPU at start up.

FYI:
The connectors can all look good, but they are so marginal to begin with that even when they look good they will still not work. I had a Bally Eight Ball (same boards as your game) and the start button only worked intermittently. I would use a piece of wire at the start button switch to bypass the diode and leaf switch and that would start a game. I thought it was something in the switch.

It was not, it was the connection at the board pins. Once I replaced the female connectors for the start button at the board everything worked fine. I think the piece of wire I used just remove a little bit of extra resistance from the switch and that game enough power to start the game through the marginal pin connection.

#24 10 years ago

All the voltages look fine as well. I'll try replacing the connectors and see if that works. This thing just keeps getting more and more confusing. Now when the start button is pressed, player 1-4 lights come on and stay on until I let go. However, when the coin door is open, a game starts and I can run test mode from the coin door. With that, now the credit switches no longer register credits. I haven't changed ANYTHING. I'm starting to think I'm way in over my head on this thing.

#25 10 years ago
Quoted from ShootForSlrValue:

..Now when the start button is pressed, player 1-4 lights come on and stay on until I let go.

You've got a short between a switch and an output. The question is whether it's under the playfield or in the backbox.

One little problem can do all sorts of seemingly random things. Don't let it overwhelm you. If I was standing in front of your machine, I could isolate the problem in just a minute or two. Once you understand how the entire system works together, you will be able to do the same.

#26 10 years ago

Start by replacing that diode.

Remember that one bad diode can cause crazy things to happen along the switch matrix.

Make sure the orientation of the diode is correct upon replacement.

#27 10 years ago

Huge update! The game plays as it should!!!! Thank you all for your help! However, there are only two lights that come on under the playfield: the top most rollover and the white light next to the bank of drop targets. The light driver board is not faulty. The red wire that goes into J1 that controls general illumination bus is of the transformer is kind of burnt. I'm going to try replacing that connector and molex and see if that solves my problem. Also TP4 shows no voltage on my DMM, but I am going to take the board off and see if there's any further damage. Thanks again for your help everyone!

#28 10 years ago

Nice work. Was it the diode?

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