(Topic ID: 104189)

Comet Club - Admit One

By midcoastsurf

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 1,751 posts
  • 189 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 79 days ago by Evlclown
  • Topic is favorited by 88 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

20231114_191347 (resized).jpg
20231111_182345 (resized).jpg
IMG_8167 (resized).jpg
IMG_8165 (resized).jpg
IMG_8164 (resized).jpg
IMG_8163 (resized).jpg
IMG_8162 (resized).jpg
IMG_8161 (resized).jpg
IMG_8160 (resized).jpg
IMG_8159 (resized).jpg
IMG_8158 (resized).jpg
IMG_8157 (resized).jpg
IMG_8156 (resized).jpg
IMG_8155 (resized).jpg
IMG_8154 (resized).jpg
IMG_8153 (resized).jpg

There are 1,751 posts in this topic. You are on page 8 of 36.
#351 5 years ago

No pierre, thats the direction I will head next as I wanted to knock out all the straightforward stuff first. Now that I have eliminated these steps as stated earlier what exactly am I looking for on the board itself?

#352 5 years ago

Do you think installing Superbands would increase the chances of damaging the ramps? I recently installed some and noticed a lot more glass hitting on the center ramp and the ball actually flying off the back of the ramp. This never happened with the original flipper bands. Thanks.

#353 5 years ago
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

Thank you Jay for the pick and th he wiring info.Turns out my wires were backwards on the left side of the plug. Unfortunately i still have the original issue that all lights associated with row 5 are out. I have unplugged and then reattached every plug associated with the red/green striped wire leading to every lamp in row 5. I am really confused at this point because I have traced that wire looking for any loose connections or defective diodes and am coming up short. Any more thoughts from anyone as to what I am missing? I would almost bet its something thats staring me square in the face but i'm just missing it.

Sounds like a bad transistor. I had one fail on my Comet, lighting up another row when it wasn't supposed to be lit. Since you have to pull them off to test, it is just simpler to replace the one you feel is bad.

#354 5 years ago

I wouldn't use them on comet I put them on and experienced the same things you stated. I went back to the Perfectplay silicon ones terry sel los over at pinball life.

#355 5 years ago
Quoted from Kawydud:

Sounds like a bad transistor. I had one fail on my Comet, lighting up another row when it wasn't supposed to be lit. Since you have to pull them off to test, it is just simpler to replace the one you feel is bad.

Was the transistor on the mpu board?

#356 5 years ago
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

Was the transistor on the mpu board?

Yes, I believe they are tip122.

#357 5 years ago
Quoted from Kawydud:

Yes, I believe they are tip122.

Thank you will start testing those later on today.

#358 5 years ago

Make sure you remove them to test them. Otherwise they can test good. I changed all sorts of things trying to fix my light issue years ago, since my transistors tested good. But I tested them on the board. Should have went with my gut and changed the transistor first.

#359 5 years ago
Quoted from Kawydud:

Make sure you remove them to test them. Otherwise they can test good. I changed all sorts of things trying to fix my light issue years ago, since my transistors tested good. But I tested them on the board. Should have went with my gut and changed the transistor first.

I've never had a shot transistor test good on or off the board. If you're not sure which one it might be, test the whole group. When you find a bad one, remove and replace it along with its predriver (even if the predriver checks out okay).

#360 5 years ago
Quoted from pinheadpierre:

I've never had a shot transistor test good on or off the board. If you're not sure which one it might be, test the whole group. When you find a bad one, remove and replace it along with its predriver (even if the predriver checks out okay).

My light issue just kicked my ass, all transistors tested fine on the board. So I went and changed out logic chips. Still same problem. Went through everything else on the board and still same issue. Finally just replaced the one transistor that I thought was my issue, and light issue was gone.

Since they are so cheap, figure it would just make sense to change out the one I thought was a problem right off the bat in the future.

#361 5 years ago
Quoted from Kawydud:

My light issue just kicked my ass, all transistors tested fine on the board. So I went and changed out logic chips. Still same problem. Went through everything else on the board and still same issue. Finally just replaced the one transistor that I thought was my issue, and light issue was gone.
Since they are so cheap, figure it would just make sense to change out the one I thought was a problem right off the bat in the future.

Any chance you could post a pic of the transistor on the board you replaced and any pre drivers also plz and thk you.

#362 5 years ago
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

Any chance you could post a pic of the transistor on the board you replaced and any pre drivers also plz and thk you.

I sold my game at Allentown this year. I can try to get some pictures of my Sorcerer board when I get home.

#364 5 years ago

Thanks will definitely try testing those next and updating on my results.

#365 5 years ago

Very little time today to mess with my machine. A 9 week old child doesnt work with your schedule very well. I noticed those transistors have 3 leads on them. What is the process to test them to find if one is faulty with 3 leads instead of 2? Thks

#366 5 years ago
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

Very little time today to mess with my machine. A 9 week old child doesnt work with your schedule very well. I noticed those transistors have 3 leads on them. What is the process to test them to find if one is faulty with 3 leads instead of 2? Thks

Some help here - http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Williams_System_9_-_11#Lamp_Matrix

Scroll down for transistor info here - https://pinballrehab.com/1-articles/solid-state-repair/tutorials/120-electronics-tutorial-transistors

#367 5 years ago

Anyone know where I can get a spiral ramp?

#368 5 years ago
Quoted from mikusm:

Anyone know where I can get a spiral ramp?

Send a PM to Freeplay40 - he just made some and they are awesome.

#369 5 years ago
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:

I wouldn't use them on comet I put them on and experienced the same things you stated. I went back to the Perfectplay silicon ones terry sel los over at pinball life.

Thanks. I agree, not worth taking the chance given the trouble to find parts for this game.

#370 5 years ago

Does anyone know what material is used to cover the speaker and/or where I can get some? Just purchased a Comet and it is missing. Can't find ant references.

#371 5 years ago
Quoted from mikusm:

Does anyone know what material is used to cover the speaker and/or where I can get some? Just purchased a Comet and it is missing. Can't find ant references.

Probably speaker cover fabric, look for similar at Parts Express

#372 5 years ago

Ok so I did a whole lot of testing now that I actually had a little spare time.

Quoted from Kawydud:

Yes, I believe they are tip122.

So Q35 which is a tip122 is only giving me a reading off 1 leg only. So with that i would assume (I know I know never assume right) that more than likely that is a bad transistor and is what is causing my lighting row problems.

#373 5 years ago
COMET-DECAL-SHEET-5 (resized).jpgCOMET-DECAL-SHEET-5 (resized).jpg
3 weeks later
#374 5 years ago

I found a Comet for sale at a reasonable price while doing a Craigslist search, so I thought that I would share with the group. It's not mine.

pittsburgh.craigslist.org link

#375 5 years ago
Quoted from bluespin:

I found a Comet for sale at a reasonable price while doing a Craigslist search, so I thought that I would share with the group. It's not mine.
pittsburgh.craigslist.org link

Not bad, tough to see but believe it's got mylar. Decent pf for a comet

#376 5 years ago
Quoted from bluespin:

I found a Comet for sale at a reasonable price while doing a Craigslist search, so I thought that I would share with the group. It's not mine.
pittsburgh.craigslist.org link

It's got planking where there is no mylar, typical 80s Williams.

Seems well taken care of, wrong legs though.

#377 5 years ago

Tech help needed.
My lower GI lights (behind stand up targets and lower bumpers) are not lighting. All other lights work correctly any games plays as it should with the exception of if I leave it on overnight the next morning the displays are all blank and I have to do an open door reset but then it plays fine except for the column lights being out. I checked voltage and there is nothing at the lamp sockets. See pic of CPU board I J7 connector.
The manual describes this as lamp column output. Resistors are hot to touch and there are burn marks on the board. I checked the back of the circuit board and its clean, however resistor 111 appears to have been replaced or soldered on before.
The manual says it is a 26 Ohm 2-watt resistor I ohmed it out and it is reading 30.1 All the other resistors are all reading right at 26 except R 101 which reads out at 30. How much tolerance should there be do you think this may be my problem with the lights not working or should I check something else

20180721_122621 (resized).jpg20180721_122621 (resized).jpg
#378 5 years ago

That looks to be in bad shape. My suggestion would be to get hold of Chris Hibler and send him your board for repair. I just dropped mine off to him bout 3 weeks ago to be repaired as it was jacked off also.

#379 5 years ago
Quoted from Heaterguy:

Tech help needed.
My lower GI lights (behind stand up targets and lower bumpers) are not lighting.....See pic of CPU board I J7 connector.

GI lighting has absolutely nothing to do with the CPU board. All GI circuits are fed from power board connector 3J8.

#380 5 years ago

Really? that makes complete sense to me as that has been the case on my other machines and I respect/appreciate your advice, however see pic of comet MPU pinout (IJ5-IJ8) and that's where I have the burnt resistors...this game has a strobing /flashing light effect that also controls GI lighting 9at times) so I can see where the MPU would be involved.

pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png
#381 5 years ago
Quoted from Heaterguy:

Really? that makes complete sense to me as that has been the case on my other machines and I respect/appreciate your advice, however see pic of comet MPU pinout (IJ5-IJ8) and that's where I have the burnt resistors...this game has a strobing /flashing light effect that also controls GI lighting 9at times) so I can see where the MPU would be involved.

You could have more than one problem too. Yes the burnt resistors are a part of the lamp matrix for the controlled lamps. If the GI also has a problem, that is still separate. The only involvement the MPU has would be to send a solenoid control signal to the relay that flashes the GI. If there is a problem, you'll likely be able to hear the relay clicking on or off. I'm not sure what "strobing" effect you are describing. Perhaps a video will help here. Are you using LEDs or regular incandescent in the GI?

You're measurement of the resistors, even at 30 ohms which is out of tolerance, I doubt would cause a problem. Just find that resistor in the schematics, see what row/colum of lamps that is involved with, then look at the controlled lamps and see what they are doing. I thought you had only a problem with the GI lamps.

#382 5 years ago

As wayout440 said, GI lighting has nothing to do with IJ7. It is all from 3J8. You said you checked voltage, did you check it as AC and not DC? The GI is AC.

#383 5 years ago

Wayout 440 and Brewninja I want to thank each of you for sharing your knowledge I was checking for DC voltage and checking the wrong place see attached picture of the correct GI lighting input and output jacks you can see the output Jack 3J8 is burnt. I cleaned the terminals put it back together and now my GI lights all work! This happened after I have been leaving the machine on at all times I am going to start shutting it down when not in use. Like I do with my e m games.
I am using incandescent lights would it be wise to change to LEDs or do I have to change my power supply or solder a bunch of damn resistors on each socket?
THANKS AGAIN YOU GUYS ROCK!

15324833225351077260587939762929 (resized).jpg15324833225351077260587939762929 (resized).jpg20180724_214130 (resized).jpg20180724_214130 (resized).jpg
#384 5 years ago

Once the connectors burn, its time to replace the connector and the headers on the board. Otherwise it just comes back again and again (and probably what happened this time). Leaving it on shouldn't be an issue otherwise.

If you put LED's in, no need to change anything. Just stick them in.

Glad you got it figured out!

#385 5 years ago
Quoted from BrewNinja:

Once the connectors burn, its time to replace the connector and the headers on the board. Otherwise it just comes back again and again (and probably what happened this time). Leaving it on shouldn't be an issue otherwise.
If you put LED's in, no need to change anything. Just stick them in.
Glad you got it figured out!

+1 remember how old these games are, and once the connectors develop a small amount of resistance, they start to burn and then that increases the resistance more, which causes them to burn more - a vicious cycle. I replace them with Trifurcon brass molex connectors and brand new header pins. This will run your incandescents for a long time. If you change to LEDs, you'll reap the benefit of much lower current draw through the connectors, increasing the longetivity. Still, no worries if you use incandescent and replace the old connectors. Cleaning them may have gotten them to work, but for long term reliability it's much better to replace them.

#386 5 years ago

yes, I have already repined and replaced with a molex a connector before. At least I have some experience there, cause it looks like I'll be doin it again...
Thanks again guys!

#387 5 years ago

You can reuse the plastic female connector, but you should replace the internal sockets with Trifurcons. Replace the male connectors at the same time.

Use #47 incandescent bulbs instead of #44 so you pull only 1/2 the current through the new connectors. This will make them last forever.

#388 5 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

You can reuse the plastic female connector, but you should replace the internal sockets with Trifurcons.

You can reuse the connector, IF it is good shape. If it is burned and dried out, it could crack with repeated plug/unplug cycles. Yoiu can buy long lengths of plastic connector housings and cut them to length for the number of pins you need. The *best* method is to not combine new parts with old in this example.

#389 5 years ago

Does anyone know where to find NOS or new replacement duck and rabbit targets? Gonna be doing a full plyfield swap in a few months and want to start aquiring some replacement parts.

#390 5 years ago

I should have been clear that i'm looking for the switches not the stickers that go on the switches. Thx

#391 5 years ago

I’ve had my comet for about 5 weeks..FINALLY hit the 1 million shot!! With the right side flipper to boot..love me some comet!!

#392 5 years ago

So where is the best place to get replacement pop bumpers for my Comet? I'd like to replace the existing solid red ones with translucent yellow,blue, and green ones (to match the bumper car colors). I'd like to get the bodies, caps and solenoids at a "one stop shop"

#393 5 years ago
Quoted from Malenko:

So where is the best place to get replacement pop bumpers for my Comet? I'd like to replace the existing solid red ones with translucent yellow,blue, and green ones (to match the bumper car colors). I'd like to get the bodies, caps and solenoids at a "one stop shop"

Solenoids are good forever unless they are black and burnt.

The colored bodies are available here:

http://pinball-mods.com/oscom/game-specific-products-star-trek-the-next-generation-pop-bumper-body-p-42.html

Colored caps you can find anywhere on earth.

32837699320_e3cc2e725b_z (resized).jpg32837699320_e3cc2e725b_z (resized).jpg
#394 5 years ago
Quoted from hwyhed:

I’ve had my comet for about 5 weeks..FINALLY hit the 1 million shot!! With the right side flipper to boot..love me some comet!!

The right flipper is the trick to getting it.

#395 5 years ago

Solenoid locking burnt the mosfet out on the MPU. Instead of worrying about the resistors and everything, Im just going to replace it all. I was hoping to get everything in 1 place, but if I have to buy the bodies separate, so be it.

2 weeks later
#396 5 years ago

So my wife tried to play Comet Yesterday and the ball wouldn't kick into the shooter lane. I took off the glass and and tested some of the game and none of the solenoids would work. Flippers worked fine. Did the solenoid test from the manual and none of them worked. Checked the F2 fuse and it was blown. Replaced the fuse and the right slingshot (referred to in the manual as the right kicker) is locked on. Turned the game off. Tested the solenoid for the right slingshot by disconnecting the wire and turning the game on and it is getting a constant 28 volts to it. Everything else on the game is working fine. Thinking I might need a new IC chip, the one in position U7? Or could be driver transistor Q77? Both? Any thoughts? Thanks.

#397 5 years ago

Check if diode is blown

#398 5 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

Check if diode is blown

Diode is fine

#399 5 years ago
Quoted from Parkshow30:

Tested the solenoid for the right slingshot by disconnecting the wire and turning the game on and it is getting a constant 28 volts to it. Everything else on the game is working fine. Thinking I might need a new IC chip, the one in position U7? Or could be driver transistor Q77? Both? Any thoughts? Thanks.

All coils get a constant supply voltage to them. The driver transistor acts a switch to complete the circuit path to ground, which causes current to flow. Start by checking driver transistor Q77. For details read here:
3b. When thing don't work: Checking Transistors/Coils (locked on coils)
http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wms11/index1.html

#400 5 years ago

Driver transistor tests fine
Edit was testing some other things and now the driver transistor doesn't test fine.
Am going to replace it and see what happens

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
3,450
Machine - For Sale
Ogden, UT
$ 18.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
Eproms
$ 69.00
Gameroom - Decorations
Pinball Pimp
Decorations
Wanted
Machine - Wanted
New Cumberland, PA
$ 54.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Lighted Pinball Mods
Shooter rods
$ 54.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Lighted Pinball Mods
Shooter rods
$ 44.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Pinball Shark
Shooter rods
$ 12.50
Lighting - Led
RoyGBev Pinball
Led
$ 69.00
Gameroom - Decorations
Pinball Pimp
Decorations
$ 1.00
Pinball Machine
Pinball Alley
Pinball Machine
$ 54.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Lighted Pinball Mods
Shooter rods
2,600
Machine - For Sale
Columbus, OH
$ 54.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Lighted Pinball Mods
Shooter rods
$ 44.99
Cabinet - Shooter Rods
Pinball Shark
Shooter rods
There are 1,751 posts in this topic. You are on page 8 of 36.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/comet-any-fans-out-there/page/8 and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.