Quoted from TimO:Marco is still waiting for Chaz at Stern to get back to them about the board (since Monday) but they gave me the go ahead to remove the old one. What a nightmare! The screws were easy but getting those 8 connectors disconnected was a chore. And even when the board was free of the connectors and screws it took forever to free it from those bundles of wires. I had to snip quite a few zip ties taking notes and pics so I remember where to redo them. By the time I got the board out the D9 had fallen off completely.
jefejet , how did you go about installing the new board? Did you screw it in first and then connect it? I have serious doubts about being able to get a new board back in there in one piece, especially if that transistor can be knocked loose so easily. With the playfield resting against the back box, I have the turntable oriented so the board is facing up and I’m coming at it from the right side. Is that the correct approach? Thanks again for any tips.
When I got the new board back from Stern, D9 was soldered in at about a 75 degree angle and it felt pretty secure. (I've attached a pic of the new node 10 board in my machine)
To install, I took out that plastic piece that is on the left side of the board so I could use my left hand fingers or a tool to help guide the connectors in place. My advice would be to connect CN12 first, then screw the board in and work your way left to right installing the ethernet cables and the other connectors. I ended up installing CN12 last and being that it is at the back of the board made it really difficult with everything else already locked down.
Take your time and it can be done. Trust me, my frustration level peaked a few times when getting everything back in.
As I said in my earlier post, make SURE the DIP switches are set correctly before you install.. #2 is ON, the rest are off. Stern sent me the board with all the switches off and I didn't check them.. That little mistake cost me another 30 minutes of agony and a phone call to a Stern tech.