(Topic ID: 104189)

Comet Club - Admit One

By midcoastsurf

9 years ago


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  • 1,751 posts
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  • Latest reply 79 days ago by Evlclown
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You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider madmatt1.
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#48 9 years ago

Hi,

I new to pinball; just picked up a comet in fair condition. One big problem was the backbox was not laid down correctly and was it was ripped out. Can someone show me, from the back, what should be on the backbox and what should be on the cabinet. I will add what I have later today.

I'm in??

MM

Out

3 years later
#484 5 years ago

Can I please get a little help......

I'm having a little problems with my out-hole. No matter what I do it just will not kick.
I can't get it to kick in the test mode
The coil looks good; it is not stuck or rubbing on anything
It is getting power; about 30 volts to each side

I've changed Q47. (no help)

I know the switch to the out-hole is working because the game "see" when I drain....

Anyone got a guess???

Thank you,

MM

OUT

P.S. Side note.. my knocker is not working either. But that is much let important. (new coil and new Q60 )

#486 5 years ago
Quoted from TK2012:

Weak coil, you could check the ohms on it. Coil sleeve, polish metal shaft.

There is no movement at all on the kicker.

Ohms were about 4.7 or 4.8 on the coil

I do have a new spare coil I could try.....

Side question...... Does the dunk tank kicker kick every time the ball is drained?
MM

OUT

#489 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

If you have power to both sides of the coil, the find the trigger side of the coil (NOT the power side that is daisy chained to other coils!) and briefly ground it with a jumper or alligator clip lead to ground. It should fire. That will tell you if the coil and mechs are working correctly.
If that works, find the driver transistor for that coil and briefly ground the metal tab of the transistor.,,This will tell you if the connectors and wiring are good from the driving transistor to the coil.

Nope.... either the Q47 to metal (via alligator clip) nor black wire of the coil to metal.

I'm guessing my coil is shot.... I will replace the coil and report back later today.

Thanks,

MM

OUT

#491 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

OK...as long as you are certain that the "metal" you jumped to was a valid ground.

Maybe......

Anyway.... I just replace the coil and still nothing. At this point I'm guessing it should be a wiring problem, but I'm not sure.

Back to the drawing board.

MM

OUT

#493 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

Wait...you said you measured about 30VDC to each side of the coil...then you replaced the coil, correct? do you still have the 30VDC to each side of the coil? There is nothing else there if you ground the trigger side of the coil - it has to fire. The only thing that could be wrong if it does not would be either you no longer have the 30VDC, or you didn't jump to a valid ground....or your jumper doesn't have continuity.
Edit: Whatever you grounded to take the measurement with the meter would be the ground to use

Oops.... yes you are correct. Apparently I was testing it wrong.
When I touch the black wire to the grounding wire with the alligator clips the coil does fires.

So.... is this still a wiring problem??

Thanks again WAYOUT440

MM

OUT

#495 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

your welcome. We don't know yet. This is a process requiring logical steps. You know now about half the circuit is good: Power--->coil.
Now briefly jump the transistor metal mounting tab of Q47 to ground. If it fires, then wiring from the transistor to the coil is good. If it doesn't, then you have a problem somewhere between transistor and coil, could be connector, could be a wire problem, etc.. Note that this does not test the transistor itself.

Yea... no it does not fire. I just changed that Q47 out last week. I'll have to try and track the wires.....

Thanks,

MM

OUT

#500 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

Test continuity from the tab to the header pin, this will check for proken or burned traces or cracked solder joints on the transistor or header pin. If that's good then you are left with female connector or wiring. The IDC connector pinch point is a common area for failure on games with IDC connectors. Then you are left with pinched or severed wire, and if you still cannot find a visible break, but the wire shows open, you may be stuck with replacing the entire wire from connector to solenoid.

So... you are correct, again!!

I tested the Q47 to 1J11 pin 1 and no continuity. To the problem is the board.... can I use a little piece of wire to "jump" from 1j11 pin 1 to one of the legs of Q47? Will that work.... or should that work?

Side note..... (the Knocker)I tested 1J12 pin 8 to Q60 and got continuity.

Thanks!

MM

OUT

#501 5 years ago
Quoted from madmatt1:

So... you are correct, again!!
I tested the Q47 to 1J11 pin 1 and no continuity. To the problem is the board.... can I use a little piece of wire to "jump" from 1j11 pin 1 to one of the legs of Q47? Will that work.... or should that work?
Side note..... (the Knocker)I tested 1J12 pin 8 to Q60 and got continuity.
Thanks!
MM
OUT

Well crap!!! I made a quick jumper from Q47 to 1J11 pin 1 finally got continuity but kicker still does not work.

Next we look at the wiring......

MM

OUT

#502 5 years ago

So.... fun with continuity...

Good from 1J11 pin 1 to TIP (Q47)
Good from Tip (Q47) to large black connector (female pin) gray with brown wire
Good from large black connector (male pin) grey and brown wire to out hole solenoid.

Now, I realize the last test is pretty crappy because half the other pins make continuity with it.
Is there a way to isolate it? Should I cut off the red wire on the solenoid? Would that help?

Thanks,

MM

OUT

1 week later
#504 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

No need to cut the wire. Check for solenoid DC voltage at the coil red power supply wire with a DMM. Once you verified supply voltage at the coil, then briefly short Q47's metal tab to ground. The coil should fire. This test tests all the downstream wiring from the transistor output to the coil (note it does not test the transistor itslef) If it does not, you have either a break or a high resistance somewhere - common points would be a cracked solder joint under the transistor, a burned trace on the board, a cracked header pin, improperly mating or oxidized header pin male or female, bad crimp on the connectors pin, pinched wire, bad solder on the coil tab trigger wire, defective coil...to name a few. One of the most common, the IDC connector pinch point no longer breaking through the insulation and mating with the wire underneath. Sometimes harder to detect with a meter, because as you press on the "teeth" of the IDC the pressure of your meter probe makes the connection!

Ok... here we go:
#1 OH SHIT....... Q47 tab to ground WORKED!!!
OK... so if that worked, does that mean that it's my board not my wiring? Or could it still be my wiring??

#2 Yes I am getting power to both side of the solenoid
#3 Motherboard was kinda repaired. If you look at post #501 I made a jumper from Q47 to 1J11.
#4 No oxidization on the male to female large connectors.
#5 I did try to push/pull the grey and brown wire (which leads to the solenoid) No Luck
#6 I could replace the full connector (J11)

Thanks,

MM

OUT

#506 5 years ago
Quoted from wayout440:

Wiring is good then Madmatt1. Either Q47 s failed, or there is no signal to its base to turn on, or no connection to its emmiter from ground.

Alright.......... I'll take the board out and redo the Q47.... making sure to fix any traces.

What do you mean by "no connection to the emmiter". What's the emmiter??

Thanks Wayout440

MM

OUT

1 week later
#515 5 years ago
Quoted from madmatt1:

Alright.......... I'll take the board out and redo the Q47.... making sure to fix any traces.
What do you mean by "no connection to the emmiter". What's the emmiter??
Thanks Wayout440
MM
OUT

Well..... I screwed up again. I've been fight with this board for the last 3+ months; so I'm waving the White Flag and sending the board to (http://chrishiblerpinball.com). I'm sure he can fix my board.

On to another subject..... while my pin is down how to do people feel about Playfield Protectors?
Are they a pain to install?
Are they worth it?
Should I even install it since my playfield is in "ok" condition (6.5 out of 10)?
Or should I just wax the hell out of my playfield again?

Thanks,

MM

OUT

#520 5 years ago
Quoted from jaytrem:

Can you post some playfield pics? Maybe worth hardtopping? Guess that depends on if you're a purist or not, along with a number of other considerations. Still loving mine, playfield was total crap shape though, so easy decision.

Yes, I thought about a hardtop....... but it looks like a nightmare to install and I really don't want to spend $350+. (vid1900 did a great step by step install)

So, my next consideration was the playfield protector. I want to keep the PF from wearing out further maybe a little smoother.

Or do what Vid1900 "Or just wax it and put Mylar over all the wear spots to keep them from getting worse."

Lastly, I could just put a nice coat of wax on it and throw the money onto an LED set.

JAYTREM: my wear on the PF is not really that bad. A little on the main orange and yellow stripes and a little on the cycle jump. But the worst is the top of the PF (around the 1986 inserts) and the shooting lane.

See below pictures:

Thanks,

MM

OUT

comet PF (1) (resized).jpgcomet PF (1) (resized).jpgcomet PF (3) (resized).jpgcomet PF (3) (resized).jpgcomet PF (5) (resized).jpgcomet PF (5) (resized).jpgcomet PF 2 (2) (resized).jpgcomet PF 2 (2) (resized).jpg
#523 5 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

Your playfield is blown out already (tons of planking), so you can just wax and play it without worry that you are damaging a restorable playfield
Clean all that rust off you ramp flap(s), cause that kills your balls fast.

Already Vid1900, should I put some mylar down around the "1986" and the shooting lane? Or will this just cause more problems?
I will clean all the rust off and repaint.

Second, I need a list of LEDs to buy for the machine. I know one of you wonderful people has done it; i've seen it. If someone would like to direct me to that thread, that would be great.

Thanks.

Until next time friends,

MM

OUT

#533 5 years ago
Quoted from vid1900:

You need 36 of simple WarmWhite # 44 bulbs for white and amber inserts (so just get two 25 packs so you have spares):
https://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/led.htm
You 14 of the simple Red # 44 bulbs (get one 25 pack):
https://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/led.htm
You need 6 of the Green # 44 bulbs:
https://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/led.htm
You need 36 for the GI playfield in WW or Natural White (two 25 packs?):
https://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/2smd.htm
You need 3 Red "bendies" in # 44 base (to light the top rollover and saucers):
https://www.cometpinball.com/product-p/1smdflex.htm
I'd strongly suggest you get 5 of the frosted LED strips in WW or NW (although not needed, you will want):
https://www.cometpinball.com/MATRIX-10-SMD-5050-6-3V-LIGHTED-STRIPS-p/10smd6.3vstrip.htm
Leave the backbox in all #47 incandescent bulbs, no LED yet made can preserve the yellow tones. If you try to put Blue LEDs behind the COMET letters, you will be castrated & kicked out of the Comet Club forever.

WOW.... great breakdown VID but I have a few question and comments:

1# I PROMISE, NOT TO PUT ANY BLUE LEDS IN THE BACK-BOX!
2# I'm guessing I should go with the warm white instend of the Natural white to give it that older look and feel
3# For the GI lights, should I do clear top or frosted top?
4# The frosted LED strips sound like a great idea, but were would you suggest placing them?

Thank you everyone for your suggests.

MM

OUT

2 weeks later
#561 5 years ago

FINALLY after 4 year my COMET is 100% up and running!!!!

I would just like to take minute to thank Chris (http://chrishiblerpinball.com). He did a fanatic job of repair my main board; plus, he even made a quick video checking the functions.(

)
Next task was leveling and pitching the playfield; I like my Comet fast, so I wanted a 6.5 to 7.0 pitch; I could not get it. Come to find out one of my legs was taller then the other.

WTF!!! How could I not seen this before????

According to Flippers.be I should have "27" legs. I found some on E-Bay, used..... should come in next week.

Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays

MM

OUT

5 months later
#621 4 years ago

Silly question.... when do I know it's time to rebuild my flippers?
I have a comet... of course... and I rarely get the ball up the middle ramp.
Slow and weak.... like grandma..

Pitch of the table is good...
Cleaned and waxing a month or so ago...
Newer rubbers on the flippers....

When I do rebuild, what's the easiest way to do it?
Do I need the kit that Marco sells or do I need to just replace the coils?

Thanks,

MM

1 week later
#630 4 years ago
Quoted from Jason43:

I'd bet the coils are fine. Plungers, links, switches etc more than likely are due for a change. I sourced the parts instead of going with a kit, but that was just to save a few bucks.

Quoted from dmieczko:

When I had trouble making it up the center ramp my flippers were just fine. For me, the screws holding the ramp entrance loosened and fell to the bottom of the cabinet. It made the ramp unstable and only a pure center hit would make it up. I’d take a peek there before spending money.

Thanks for the advise but I decided to replace it all....... Flipper Kit and New coils. I'll rebuilt later this week.

More to come.

MM

OUT

3 weeks later
#641 4 years ago

Can I get a little bit of help; please.
The gate leading out of the corkscrew it not tripping the switch. The switch is working...I can trip it manually.

The arming leading to the switch it fine.... and arming is sitting correct. It seam like there is too much "movement" in the arm, for the arm to pull up on the switch. Any help would be great.

Thanks,

MM

OUT.

#644 4 years ago
Quoted from Jason43:

Do you mean the center ramp?

No...... to the left of the center ramp there is the exit to the cork-screw. Just pass the exit of the cork-screw there is a wire form (a gate).
That gate works on the same principles as the center ramp gate in which the ball passes under the wire form and triggers the switch from below.
It seams like the center ramp as a good amount of tension on the arm and triggers easy, as to the cork-screw gate arm has very little.
I need to a adjust this arm but I'm not sure how.

I hope this helps.

MM

OUT

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