(Topic ID: 219343)

Centuar GI Playfield Lights Quit Intermittently

By tomdrum

5 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 8 posts
  • 7 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by tomdrum
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 5 years ago

While playing my Centaur the playfield GI lights will just randomly go out. The Queen's chamber lights, sling shot lights and pop bumpers stay lit. I pulled the lamp board and installed another, still the same. Put an Alltek lamp board in and it still does it. Almost seems like the flippers will cause them to go out. Ideas anyone?

#2 5 years ago

The lamp driver board is only for the feature lamps.

There's an Aux. driver board under the playfield whose purpose is to flash the GI. It probably has cracked solder joints on the header pins and the vibration from the flippers are causing an intermittent connection.

Remove the board and reflow the headers. Do the same with the solenoid expander board while you're at it.

#3 5 years ago

Cross reference the lamps with my Tech Chart and you will know where to look.
http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/Tech_Charts/Bally_Centaur_Tech_Chart.pdf

Peter
www.inkochnito.nl

#4 5 years ago

Also, check the GI connector on the transformer board.

Generally these are all toasted up, unless they have been replaced recently. They’ll run for a while, when they heat up they loose contact and the lights go out.

If so, you’ll need to replace the molex connector - cut the wires back a little so there is fresh wire to use - and probably the connector on the board as well.

rd

#5 5 years ago

What AC voltages are you showing on the affected GI lamps across both wires - put volt meter on AC and put the red lead on one lamp connection and the black lead on the other.

Check for other connections where the GI daisy chains across the PF. For example, The orange GI wire also connects to the right flipper solenoid. It might be loose. I had a similar problem with my medusa.

#6 5 years ago

The only choice is to sell it to me at a great loss.

It's likely either a connector or cold solder joint as stated above. When it goes out try wiggling some stuff

#7 5 years ago

The aux lamp driver board is on the swing out display panel between the 1st and 3rd player score displays. Look for cracked solder joints around the male header pins.

#8 5 years ago
Quoted from dothedoo:

The lamp driver board is only for the feature lamps.
There's an Aux. driver board under the playfield whose purpose is to flash the GI. It probably has cracked solder joints on the header pins and the vibration from the flippers are causing an intermittent connection.
Remove the board and reflow the headers. Do the same with the solenoid expander board while you're at it.

Thanks. I did the wiggle test at the connector on the Aux board and the lights did flicker. Will reflow.

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