For the optos, some have placed straws over the IR's to limit the beam from straying. Seems like.excess voltage is leaking from your flippers.

Pretty much all the posts are available.

There is one page in the manual that lists them all.

Its easy to miss, but its there.

Also i used the BOM list from ipdb.com for some info.

Marco is great at showing part numbers seperately on assemblies. This is really helpful.

The center target for tha MPF is not available but the regular one worked goid enough for me with a little adjusting.

It’s not an opto issue. All 10 optos trigger exactly together. So far my “fix” has been to boost line voltage to 127 through a voltage regulator. I have a feeling that replacing all the caps on the PDB may be the solution. After seeing the major improvement in the unregulated 12v following a cap replacement, my guess is I am getting AC leakage in the regulated 12v which is associated with the optos.

I disconnected the flipper power just to test the flipper switches and they don’t trigger the optos. It’s only in that fraction of a second that I have a high power demand (all 3 flippers). I noticed the optos all triggered together when my bar fridge started up today (same circuit - can’t be changed).

My other pins don’t have that problem so it’s a hyper sensitivity to power dips on the DW. I will recap the reg 12v and 5v. Running at 127vac is a bandaid solution that doesn’t address the root cause(like putting a no-more reset board in your game lol).

Definitely rebuild the power/driver board.

If you have bad power a variac should be installed.

This will stabilize the power very effectively.

I have them on my games as my power is terrible.

2000w 130v AC

ebay.com link: itm

Replacing my 10 opto board and all of the optos solved my phantom opto closures when flippers were pressed.

After rebuilding my driver board, i still had some phantom closures when flippers were pressed. Replacing th he optos was the next step.

Its all perfect now.

What I am using does the same as your variac but instead of being infinitely variable, mine has 3 settings. 105, 120, and 127VAC. It's also preventing the odd reset on STTNG. New problems since I moved my games to this room which is the furthest point from the power panel. DMM shows the voltage to be at about 118-119 on average. Probably dips much lower for a fraction of a second when demand goes up (fridge, coils, etc).

I plan on doing the cab decals next week so I'll rebuild the PDB at the same time.

I'd rather not change the 10-opto board and all optos. May change the cap on the 10-opto board too. The boards are almost 30 years old. Seems reasonable to see dried up electrolytic capacitors...

I felt the same way.

In the end i replaced the 30 year old parts.

Here's one for you experts:

After changing out my Tardis coil which was working intermittently, I couldn't get the ball launch button to work at all. Switch tests show that it is indeed working. However, my test report was saying opto 5 on the mini playfield (#74) should be checked. In switch test mode, all of the other mini playfield optos light up the switch test fine, but this one (#74) is rapidly flashing and not registering when I break the beam. The other ones are all solid as they should be. Looking at the switch matrix, the ball launch is in the same row as #74. I'm thinking that the constant pulsing is causing it not to recognize the actual press of the ball launch button when in normal gameplay mode.

So far, I've replaced all of the LM339's on the opto board and re-flowed all of the joints, checked all the diodes and traces. The opto board seems fine. I've also put in new leds and photo-leds. This Doctor has a rottendog board in it. No corrosion on the board or connectors.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Unplug the opto carrier connector.
Does the ball launch work?

Solved it! Us usual, it's the simplest things that we overlook. Somehow, a bulb socket was touching one of the left drain switch legs. Moved it and all is good now. Surprised no fuse had blown.

Thanks for trying to help pinabblinrino.

your welcome!

Glad you sorted it out.

I have 2 backbox illumination questions:
1) the black sockets in the backbox. What kind of bulbs go in there (flashers?) and what will test them in the menu?
2) there is a “diamond” of bulbs in the upper middle 3x3 grid (the dim ones in the pic)...can’t get these to illuminate. What should cause them to illuminate in the test?

Also - Time expander is under deconstruction/ reconstruction...pray for me

5CDB2D4B-0572-4BEE-8621-D9BEA55F43F7 (resized).jpeg

1F56B1E4-CF40-46D6-8D94-6518D581477E (resized).jpeg

The black sockets are 12v flashers. #906 or 5LED 12v towers (note these LEDS are polarized and need to be tested as such when installing).

They flash when a doctor is selected and match the speaker doctors from 1 to 7.

This of course means the original translite doctors.

In test menu the are in the flashers section and match doctors 1-7.

The diamond are controlled and do light up in attract mode as well in the all lights + flashers test.

I used a 6v power source to test the circuits in the back panel while I assembled it and a 9-10v for the flashers.
This way I know they worked.

In fact I tested every single light board in a similar fashion before installing them on the playfield.
That way there were no surprises.

The time expander is a trip to hell and back with rewards in the end if you survive it.

This is an amazing and comprehensive response. Thanks.

And I’m hoping my time expander experience won’t be terrible because of all the posts I read in this thread!

Uh huh....me too!

Be brave lol.

So I bought a bunch of plastics from pinball center. They are OK, but now i'm kinda wishing I could get some of the more front and center plastics in higher quality. In particular the two dalek plastics on the slings. Couldn't find anything at Marco or Pinball Life.

But did find them at Ministry of Pinball.

Any ideas on the quality of the Dr Who Slingshots set at Ministry of Pinball?

https://www.ministryofpinball.com/en/catalog/product/view/id/6760/s/dr-who-slingshot-set/category/114/

They are just fine.

They are good, just like @pinballreno said.

So... Being firmly ensconced at home like most of the world at present... It seemed a good time to break in the new resin based 3D printer.

And what would be a good test, that is also useful? Or at the least, really cool? Perhaps some new playfield posts for Doctor Who!

Now just have to figure out the best way to light them.

IMG_8494 (resized).JPG

IMG_8482 (resized).JPG

Those look way cool!

That is awesome. Really nice job.

Love those posts!

Did you use my design? Nice looking prints!

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3275089

Pretty cool!

Indeed I did. I was just looking up the Thingiverse link since someone had asked for the .STL.

And yes, they came out very well! Looking forward to getting them installed on Doctor Who!

Thanks!

Can't take the credit for these, found them on Thingiverse. They are cool tho!

The link to the .STL file for these was posted by the author a couple of messages back.

I have a resin printer and I would think they would be too brittle to get bashed by a steel ball. Can’t wait to hear from you.

I was getting slow ball returns from shooter lane launch to the tardis popper.

I pulled out the ball popper ramp (subway) and found a raised lip on the end/edge.

I just filed it flat and hammered the dent out a little better.

I guess i didn't notice it when i hamnered out the "ball drop" dent in it during the restoration.

So if you are getting slow launch returns or a ball hang in the subway, this is probably the cause.

Sorry no pics this time...

The ball returns like a champ now.

When I first replaced all the rubber rings I had issues with the ball return because some of the replacement rubber pieces were thicker. Also had one on the slingshot break shortly afterwards. Ended up putting yellow supper bands all the way around (blue on the sling shots) and no more issues.

The ball was hanging up in the subway. I had to nudge the game to get the ball into the tardis upkicker.

Anyone know the size or part # of this little mf’er? This is the c clip that holds the mushroom targets to the carrier.

Cat knocked one off the workbench and I can’t find it anywhere.

Also can’t exactly go to the hardware store at the moment.

image (resized).jpg

...would a standard .25” e ring do it?

...found the drawing

Carry on!!

image (resized).jpg

run a magnet or a magnetic parts dish all over the floor until you find it.

Ask me how I know this....

Just installed a new Lamp board from Pinshakers for the 7 Doctors in cool white LED's.

Amazing product, lights up the doctors better than regular and LED 555's. The doctors feel more like a part of the game, rather than an afterthought. It is hard to see in my pics, but I will post a video later tonight. Installs easily over the standard clips, the plug has been moved, but not a big problem.
20200326_110906 (resized).jpg20200326_111008 (resized).jpg

Looks great!
Is there a link?

Its not on their site yet.

Pictures don't do this alternate justice. Looks amazing

IMG_20200311_094547 (resized).jpg

No, its hard to see how amazing it is in person. I am sure it will be up soon, I was one of the first trial runs for this board. Did a great job on it! The doctors are now vibrant, the whole doctor is lit up, not just a small area. My girlfriend could not believe the difference and she said, now the person playing notices the doctors right away and wants to know which one to select.

We love that translite!
Its so modern and really finishes off the game.

I've got the same one on my game. One of the best updates and I think the light show still works with it. Kept my original rolled up that stays with the game. Just need to get the LED ColorDMD at some point

I compared both the lcd and led versions side by side.

I liked the led version in my DW the best.

Its brighter and way more vivid.
It adds the exact bright colors needed with the alt translite and black trim i did.

I also added the ledocd.

Like others have said. Its like night and day.

My preference is toward the LED version. While the LCD does look nice too I’m not a fan of what it takes to install the larger LCD screen. The LED looks like a direct replacement and easily undone if desired. Great to hear it looks good in the game.

Can someone verify the connector colors and order for J122 on the Driver boards and the Bi- Directional Motor, plug J1.

Hello,

I just added this to our pinside shop. We are no longer taking direct requests, so you will need to go through the pinside shop to purchase one of our light boards. The price has been increased slightly to cover an increase in manufacturing costs as well as the pinside and paypal fees.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1206-pinshakers/03614-doctor-who-led-light-board

Best Regards,

Robert Goebel
Pinshakers
www.pinshakers.com

Here ya go!

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Thanks!

Now how do I decide between cool or warm white?

I hadnt opened the backbox for awhile.

Man, it really got packed!
Hardly any room for a GIOCD board! Coming next.
20200326_180714 (resized).jpg
LED OCD on the bottom, Pinsound shaker up top and on the right.
Anything more will have to go on the left wall...

Thank you, that is not what I have. But I will fix it

Good luck !
Let us know if it worked out.

Update: fixed the mpf so all opto now see the top, middle and bottom positions.

Waiting for wire so i can re wire the 5 mushroom targets and other wires back to MPU. So many broken wires, it is just easier to replace.