Hi,
Joined this club last Saturday. I have wanted an EBD for a while ,but ,could not find what I was looking for. Talked with a great guy in South Jersey about doing a full hi end restore ,but then spent my intended funds / last space else where (Star Trek Prem VE). This game shows up as a project close by home. With the lock in , I needed something to help spend the time and took a plunge. I have only owned one SS game ( a FG) that needed some minimal trouble shooting and I have never really bought a "project" before ,so, I will need some help. This is a very active club, as I have seen, so all comments/ hints appreciated. Pics will follow. This is my plan/assessment since Saturday.

The game is in pretty good cosmetic condition for a project. I have ordered the cosmetics which I will put on last. So far ordered : new play field plastics, new bumper caps, new drop targets and springs, new posts and new white rubber ( tho as I have been changing bulbs putting on new rubber here and there so that when the time comes can play test the game). The pics will speak for themselves on the cosmetics.

Like I said, bought the game as a project. Prior to purchase, figured,I would have to replace all the boards/displays (except the Squawk/talk I would send for repair). So, where that is not the case , I see up side. Also figured there would be money spent under the play field ( on coils, parts, caps, diods,etc.). All this plus what I saw for the play field plastics.

I have limited skills here so this definitely is a learning experience f. Anyway, my assessment so far:

Power Supply: Bought a replacement rectifier board sight unseen. Figured 40 year old power rectifier board with a bridge relocated to the metal transformer support plate was a good investment . Good news, the existing power supply seems to be working fine as I have been taking measurements during my assessment No found blown fuses ,but, I will have to check fuse ratings (just thought of this as I write). Good enough to get me going so to speak.

MPU: Looks in real good shape. Did not boot right away. Reseated a couple of chips and then it booted up fine or at least I get the seven flashes. No problems booting since that time. Looks like a keeper. Up side already . If I try to play a game, you can see points registering. so switch inputs work.

Displays: Four of the five displays look great right off the bat after the initial boot up. The lower right display at first looked dim but all the numbers worked. Subsequently, after plugging/unpluging connectors, the dim display went bright. After more plugging/unplugging is dim right now. Must be a connection issue. So far looks like keepers. More upside !

Main light board: Looks like original. No visual problems. Light problems so far: About two thirds of the play field lights work. The balance of the non working play field lights look to have no power ( tho a couple may be burnt bulbs). Two rows of four GI lights , underneath the large plastic/clear pieces at the top of the play field will occasionally light very dimly, otherwise, they are off. There are a couple of burnt connectors attached to this board. All the back glass lights work. Not sure if these back glass lights are indicative of a good Aux Light board, but if so , upside baby ! In the light self test mode, the Solenoid expander relay under the play field actuates. It does pass current ( more on this later). So definitely replace a couple of connectors and may be a new Main light Board.

Solenoid driver board. Looks horrible! So powered up game, got the non-desirable faint burnt plastic smell. Shut down game quickly. Found one of the two 7 drop target reset coils to be frozen . Disconnected that solenoid and tried again. Will not go thru all my iterations ,but, this is what I found and where I presently am:

The flipper relays work! Actually the flippers are pretty strong, however, I have rebuild kits on order. During the Solenoid test mode, The only solenoids that work besides the flippers are the solenoid expander relay under the play field and a relay in the back box. No other solenoids actuate. I was blowing the 1 amp fuse under the play field. Subsequent troubleshooting led to disconnecting the saucer coil. The Sol Expander relay will now actuate without blowing the 1 amp fuse, but no play field coils actuate.

When I first started, the replay knocker coil worked. Along the way it stopped and is not firing now either.

So now I have two coils disconnected ( 7 bank reset and Saucer). Some of the coils have 43 VDC applied to them and some have zero ( maybe broke a daisy chain? ). There are burnt connectors to the Solenoid driver board.

Squawk Board: When boots gets a flash and I guess what you would call two flickers on the LED. Condition looks good. Only sound I hear on boot up of the game is the typical start up recorded sound. No other sounds. No sound in the test mode. No sounds at all when I start a game to test the switches.

Ok that's it so far. My plan at this point:

Order pins/ connectors and replace burnt board connectors as a start

Order two coils for the ones I have disconnected ( need to resolder a couple of coil leads I disconnected in troubleshooting the blowing 1 amp fuse)

Order a new Solenoid Driver board. The one in place looks like crap. No way I just want to replace components. Whose replacement board should I order?

I have not decided to order main light board or not at this point. I am wondering if cleaning up connectors will solve problems with play field lights or do I need Board components/replacement. I am sticking with Incandescent bulbs ( old School on this one) so not a driver. Thoughts on chances of being successful with old board/ new connectors or just bite bullet and order new board (which manufacturer?)?

I would work on Squawk board last. Ideas on troubleshooting? Do I need a good Solenoid driver board for the Squawk to work? Worst case, I will send to Hibler for repair.

Hopefully this gets the game up and running where I can troubleshoot the one off's ( i.e. switches, bad bulbs, etc.).

Then consider cleaning/cosmetic work ( which will cause a new plan/questions, I am sure)

Pics to follow. Any thoughts/help appreciated
Sully
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Trouble shooting the squawk box. No sound at all when in game play. When I push the test button however, I can hear the test call outs. The MPU boots up successfully (as per the flashes). You can hear the start up sound on the game when first turned on.

No sound in test mode either.

I am going to re pin the connectors any other thoughts?

When I push the test button on board I hear a speech only. Counts down the balls even numbers.

Yes adjusted. Setting 18 to 03.
No sound at all except on power up

Hi,
Figured I would do a two week update on my COVID-19 project.

First ,a big thank you callout to Rich aka Lovef2k. What a great guy and a great help to the pinball community. He has gone way above and beyond in helping me/ others in putting back together these classic treasures. Thank you Rich!!!

So two weeks ago, bought the game, with parts “in the box”. First fire up resulted in “zilch” !

Two weeks latter , after replacing 3 boards, 9 coils, re pinned a few connectors, replaced about 30 incandescent light bulbs, rebuilt the 3 drop target assemblies ( what a PITA they are),
found 3 wiring hacks, and cut every one of my fingers on those damn 555 light bulb sockets, she is up and running. !

I still have four insert lights giving me a problem. Two are sockets, two are transistors on the light board. I also need to do all the nice to do / cosmetic stuff.

What a cool game. Love the call outs. The two player stripes/ solids feature makes this an ultimate “bar/ buddy/drinking” game. The “memory” feature is great (but don’t get me started on rebuilding that f$&@ing 7 drop).

Thanks again to Lovef2k. More to come !
Sully

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I just noticed this myself yesterday. My game also has metal post. I figured smaller, so as not to interfere with targets/drop and still prevent a ball trap.

Finally got everything working!!!

Original playfield, play field protector, new NOS plastics, new posts, new Apron, new legs, all new boards ( except talk board), new drop targets, new bumper plastics.

Now do I keep or sell to fund another project hmmm!

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I took my apron to the paint store and cooler matched the underside of the apron. Came out great.

So , picked another project EBD. This one was an LE that did not boot. Got it to boot and I was happy how much of the electronics worked with pin cleaning, fuses, etc. the S & T card is out for overhaul, need to replace one SCR and one memory drop coil. Not bad considering the age and gosh knows where this boy has been stored for years.
I have decided to keep it players quality. The play field is not pretty, but, I have another better condition used one to install. Little more clean up and it will be ready For play once the S and T board returns.
Does anyone have a good lead on matching touch up paint for the cabinet gold?

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Took a different view on an EBDLE restore. I think it went from an ugly duckling to beauty. This game has such great rules and is the perfect game to play with a bud with beers

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