I'll be picking up mine BH on Tuesday, with a lot of work to do on it. I've seen side by side comparisons between original incandescent and LED ice blue. I like the original color much better, for the backglass at least. Knowing color theory, I agree with your decision to use cool white and nothing more.

Hey I've joined the ranks! I have big plans, once my ankle heals from hauling this project pin up some stairs. I am working on pin clings for this title right now, this will make fitting those much easier. Gotta clean, assemble, and start looking at issues.
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Anyone have a picture of a Black Hole with black rubbers?

Hey thanks! And by the way, I just recently stumbled on your pinball videos. I have to say they are hands down the best, right up there with TNT Amusments. Just wanted to take the time to tell you how much I appreciate your work. Funny story - I watched your video before I bought the BH above. I didn't notice the rubbers!

So first dumb question as I take stock of the project. This still has the original disc motor, but not connected. I'm looking for the wires that plug into the motor. I assume they should be coming out of a wiring harness? Or are they separate? I'm not seeing them yet.... Thanks

I found it buried. Funny thing is, the connector is not the right shape to reach into the motor housing and make connections with the prongs on the motor. I suspect either I only have one half of the connector (separate wiring / connector coming from the motor), or motor back has been pushed in where the prongs are now too far into the motor housing. Either way, did splice some wire for testing, and the motor will need to be replaced. Thanks!

Just in time.

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I posted this in restoration, but I wanted to check with fellow BH owners here. What's the solution? Light sand and re-tin each strip? I've already tried eraser, and I did treat the area with vinegar, just in case. Testing each contact strip, most don't show continuity between the strip and the other end of each trace.

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Niwumpf are no longer available, right? I could not find any through search

The cost is prohibitive or I would.

I think the original is about 1.5 rpm. I believe the 3rpm motor is 12v, but BH powers it at 6v, halving the speed

I wanted to follow up on this - I found ordering from France to be significantly cheaper than buying it from my normal pinball resource, so on second thought, I just ordered the Pascal PI-80x4. I'm looking forward to the possibilities.

Have you checked all the fuses? Dumb question, I know, but I always start with the basics. Don't just do a visual inspection, test them out of the game. I don't have the schematics at the moment, so I do not remember which fuses might be suspect. And for troubleshooting, where were you installing LEDs?

If it involved the backbox, check your cable connections to the solenoid board.

No. But check the cable connections to the playfield. Swinging the playfield up / moving it might have caused a connection to be loosened. Just thinking out loud here.

Of course it's salvageable. Just take your time and be methodical as you clean it up and fix it.

So I'm about to send off the next pinball cling I've created - this one is in the style of Black Hole, but I need a size judgement. Note these are merely printed paper, and the real deal gets mounted under the glass, or under the lower level window. There are 3 sizes, but I only included the smallest in the group shot for conversation. The comparison sizes are medium and large. Thoughts? Should I make more than one size? The large is the same scale as the guy in the plastic above.

Thank you!

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Great, thanks for the feedback! I've been canvassing across several sites and I have a good idea which to make first. I have other ideas for further astronauts, and maybe even a robot. But I will get these made and continue. Thanks again all!

I am against going colored LED. I have yet to see any attempt to use colored LEDs that doesn't diminish the artwork and make the pin look like puke. It seems most don't have a clue about color theory. But this isn't helpful for you, so I'll point out there is a TNT video that shows side by side Black Hole machines, one LED and one incandescent. I felt the old lights in the head looked better. But you know my position.

Yeah, it's definitely not showing the original lighting in the best, well, light.

Check out the latest pinball clings I just got in - my Black Hole is waiting on a Pascal board, so I didn't put it behind the lower plexiglass. But she looks sharp here! I have these for sale if you are interested.

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Have you tried Steve Young at Pinball Resource?

I second this. He's a wealth of information, especially being a licensed Gottlieb parts shop. They do like the part numbers, makes their job easier. But he's a good guy, and has helped me find suitable replacement parts for things that were no longer available.

I installed Pascal's board and at first, I was confused. One, I have a few digits out on all the displays, so reading the menus at first was...challenging. Then I had the idiot moment where I can't get a game to start because it says "wait"....I guess I should remember to put THREE balls into the game. Bingo!

I am loving the menus and diagnostics. Two things you might know - when the ball goes to the lower level, nothing works, except the upkicker. I have brand new fuses, so not sure. Second, I didn't see an option in the Pascal board menu to test speech. Sounds, yes, but not speech?

Thanks!

Updated. Adjusted switch 33 that turns on the lower level, fixed. Also found the dips on the sound board weren't set right, so all sound and speech is great.

One last PF issue to find - the lower level right flipper is not working, but I need to trace switch and contacts. So good to get this back to life.

I am trouble shooting - I've done the pinwiki mod to change the lower playfield bulbs from 313s to 44/47s. I am not seeing them come on when playing the lower playfield. I also still have one flipper below not working.

What is the best way to check both? I have the Pascal board installed, FYI. Lamp check doesn't include the lower GI lights that I know of. I'm thinking it could be tied to the L relay, but I did test it's continuity for both when doing the mod. Suggestions?

I opened it up, after turning it on and triggering the second level, sans ball. Seem precarious to have both levels up, but just in doing that suddenly the right flipper is working. I have to lower it back and see if it stays fixed. I know I could have opted to leave the 313s, but it makes more sense to have them all the same type. The issue with the lower lights is still an issue. They aren't lighting. The other lights they are tied to (now) are getting the proper voltage, and the L relay is working, so not sure what's next? It's not the board, since I've got a Pascal 3-in-1.

Follow up fixed - the L relay just wasn't making good contact for those lights. Nice to have the 47s down there, all good!

Last month I wouldn't have gotten that joke. Now, having just brought one back to life....ha!

Tilt? Off the top. Then the kickout coil.

Congrats!! I love having the continuous bg sound while playing. I’d repin, also scrub the three potentiometers back and forth to insure good contacts. Dumb one, but check the dip switches. You didn’t say if you have speech or not? I did not know the header question. But the caps on the board can be another issue to check.

I bought a new glass for mine. Nothing but the measurements needed. 90 USD locally

The sound may just be a bad potentiometer

Move the art to line up. I won’t buy overlays or hardtops, so I’d encourage you to do the playfields as original reproductions. Like CPR. But I thought Mirco had that license? I’d be interested to hear more.

That would be welcome news.

I found it pretty simple to just install a new one. Pretty cheap, too. Pinwiki covers it.

Any solution is going to involve scrapping the window clear and applying a new blue film. I don't know which film or where to get it.

In attract mode, does that gate / light switch? I have the Pascal board, but I seem to remember this should be the normal attract behavior?

Wiring to the coil must be broken. Or the coil is bad.

Not sure. Pascal's all-in-one board has it set off by default (just a great board, by the way). I don't miss it, but you have a point.

As mentioned, if you get the Pascal board (and I HIGHLY recommend it), you get that option for free (along with possible 7 digit displays, massive troubleshooting menus, ball save, and so much more).

troubleshooting why my lower level display just stopped working. The display glass and pins look good, is there anything like a separate fuse or anything? I've got the schematics here, but I'm not seeing anything. Trying for the easy first.

I've done this exact order and it works so easy to swap them out. I kept the connector for easy connection.

I recommend the Pascal board instead - plus, it replaces three boards, and removes all these interconnectivity issues between boards. And it has the most awesome troubleshooting menus.

Hmmm - moved my BH across a few states, now the ball launcher and lower upkicker aren't working. Has the Pascal board. I'll start reading the manual and do the usual troubleshooting. Posting here in case someone knows the fast answer. Thanks

I unplugged everything when I moved, removing the head from the body. I also removed both PFs from the body to move it down stairs to the street, because it's such a beast. On the moving truck I replaced both PFs, again leaving everything unconnected until re-connecting everything on the other end. It starts fine, but the ball never ejects. Placing one in play, everything is fine until either it drains (same issue) or it drains down below, where it just sits there in the upkicker. I will check my connections. And not that I believe they were touched, I will check the switches for both.

Seems a wise idea. I always patiently separate and pull up each group to the head. A bag would be less wear and tear, too.

Follow up - reseating everything didn't fix the issue where the game will not release a ball into the shooter lane.

Secondary issue - I had a little luck reseating for the lower upkicker, but only once. Then reseating them again and it's back to not working - diagnostics gives me a sw 43 display, then the game goes into tilt mode. So more investigation. I want to treat them separately, and get the ball release working first, but I suspect they will be tied together.

That was my thought. I was looking at the schematics and A1J6 should be a place to start.

I've got the brand new Pascal board in there, so I don't think I should have to worry about anything on the board.

Just a follow-up - having traced wires and some work with the connectors, it's definitely a need to repin all the connectors. Not only was I able to get those solenoids working, I also got back missing digits on two of my four displays, and the display in the apron is now working 100%. Lower display is still hit or miss, but it's nothing I'll hit until I do the horrible repinning job.

Steve Young at Pinball Resource has the license for all things Gottlieb - he has them. Also, Steve is the source of all Gottlieb legs - spoke to him and he’s still waiting on suppliers for the 27” legs. When he has them, everyone will have them.