(Topic ID: 65987)
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider metalkatt.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Phoenix, AZ
1 week later
3 months later
9 months later
Quiet on here....anybody busy with their Elektra? I'm finally finishing mine up. Everyone that comes to my house gravitates to this machine...its too bad it doesn't get the l love it deserves. The sounds alone make it a blast to play. Hopefully we will still see a plastics reproduction.....not holding my breath, though.
2 months later
Hello, all. Any of you elektra owners out there ever had an issue with releasing both balls into the plunger trough before upon start of a game, instead of just one?? Mine just started doing this.... everytime a ball goes into the return chamber it releases it.... new issue for me that I have yet to troubleshoot. Ugh.
Quoted from snyper2099:You need to go in to switch test and see if any switches are "stuck" shut. If so, the switch number will be flashing on the display in the head. What you want to see here is "0". That means that NO SWITCHES are closed. If everything's ok, move on to next step...
You will want to remove the apron to perform the following switch tests.
Trigger BOTH trough switches AND the shooter lane switch in test mode to confirm:
-that each switch ONLY triggers that switch # (reference the MANUAL for the proper switch #'s)
-that each switch works every time that it's triggered
You could have in order of most likely:
-bad disc cap (not needed for these switches so just cut them off!)
-bad diode (must be working properly in order for switches to work properly)
-barely touching wire/leg at one of the solder points for one of these switches
-Don't assume that the problem is with the switches above either. The problem could also be caused by any switch that also touches the wires associated with these 3.
Thank you for the reply... I'm going to give it a whirl today. Forgot all about the switch test. That's what happens when I'm working on multiple machines at one time!! 
3 weeks later
3 weeks later
Quoted from RoyGBev:I'm in the club! Got this today at an estate auction. Pic is just before I bought it. Had to use a flashlight to see the mini playfield. It looks good, no ball swirls or insert wear I can see. Both translucent red mini flippers are there. All original translucent targets throughout, only one broken one apparently (it's crooked so I figure it's busted). Only one broken plastic, the long thin one to the left of right ramp, and it's broken near the top hole so I figure I can use a clear washer or something to hold it in place. Does have upper playfield wear though, along the ball arc from the shooter. Minor chip at bottom of backglass. Cabinet is solid but faded, left backbox frame has a lot of scuffs. Note the big green free play video game button someone added.
I was a bit dismayed that it booted up and started a game, you know, a non-booting game scares non pinheads off, ha! But the S&T sounds perfect and when I started breaking it down I found someone had put the ni-cad battery on long leads to keep it away from the MPU. The serial number label still on the MPU says ERF3838 - Must have started life in a Rapid Fire, has hand labeled Elektra 2732s now. Gonna burn a free play EPROM and use NVRAM, that'll take care of that button and battery nonsense.
Looks good!! I would change out that green button, but past that, looks like a great find. Enjoy!!
1 month later
Quoted from rottenrobert1313:Hey that's an idea. Might have to look into trying it.
Just food for thought, but this is how I tackled mine.... Red LED's on the extended necks.... Look awesome once its lit up!! No more tubes to deal with.
Quoted from RoyGBev:Nice, where did you get those?
Can someone take a pic of the outhole switch from underneath the playfield? Mine has a set of contacts crudely bent under the ball trough. It works but I'm 90% sure it's not correct.
You can get them through cointaker or comet pinball. They really shine!!
1 month later
Quoted from Yesh23:Does anyone have any cool instruction cards for the machine?
Pincardz does have a cool looking set. Run about 12.00 for the pair.
Quoted from Yesh23:I'm not on Facebook, any idea how to email them to order a set?
I don't. Always contacted him through there, as he no longer on Pinside right now, I guess. Have any friends on facebook that could contact him for you? they are 10+4.50 to ship.
1 week later
2 months later
Quoted from RCA1:Does anyone have a scan or good, clear photo of a good condition lower mini playfield?
Trying to work something out to restore mine.
Alternately, anyone have a decent lower mini playfield for sale?
Do these help at all? I can take more if you need them. Let me know. What are you doing anyways to the lower field?
Sight_2015_04_01_162127_446 (resized).jpg
Quoted from brenna98:You're gonna want original! There is too much mirroring on this one for a BGresto to look good. Check with http://www.mayfairamusement.com
Great Idea! If you're going to do this, please do the upper playfield too. I know many people will want these.</blockquot
Someone already did a upper overlay. Just a FYI.
2 weeks later
Quoted from Pinmagicman:I just bought my very first pinball this year, which I am beginning to restore. I don't ever remember playing an Elektra before but I did enjoy Xenon when it first came out. Working machines have become very scarce where I live, so I grabbed this one to learn to work on them and to finally own one.
It's sitting on sawhorses in my apartment with the two top play fields mostly stripped of parts. The chrome ramps are worn and dented in places. The cabinet's magenta paint is faded and the upper play field is worn, but the backglass is very good. I had to drill the lock out on the back box when I bought it so we could fold it down and move it thirty miles. What size lock do I need to replace it? Only the backbox displays light up and there is no sound or playfield lights. The rubbers had all turned hard and split off the play fields. I think it was last worked on or was played about ten years ago. The owner had bought a rubbers rebuild kit that was still in the shipping box, unopened, from 2006. The company that owned and operated it went out of business.
I built a 3" PVC soaking tube for the Evaporust and have soaked the lockdown bar, its receiver parts and the steel strip below the front of the backglass. I have a new 6" bench grinder with a denim wheel to buff out parts, plus a vibratory cleaner and walnut media to clean small stuff. I will have to use the grinder and vibrating cleaner at remote sites, as they are too loud and messy for my apartment.
The power rectifier board was scorched in a few spots and the F5 fuse was blown so I bought a brand new replacement board, as I did not trust it based on the shoddy solder repairs and heat damage. It came with new fuses installed and I bought a few spares too. Fortunately the lithium battery on the MPU board had not leaked. I cut it off the board and recycled it. I may have to send off the other boards to be inspected and repaired later, as nobody services any pinballs around here.
Luckily for me, enough interest has been made in Elektras to warrant making new plastics sets for it. I just ordered one. My old plastics are warped and cracked some. I will try flattening them with a heat gun and using them for the initial setup. But maybe I will figure out which clear acrylic fender washers could be used to protect them. I also bought some new chromed acorn nuts but now may use nylon or rubber posts to avoid more plastic breakage. I bought some new white rubber posts for the lower playfield and now just need a lot more of them.
As I clean the parts for the two upper playfields and some metal things inside the cabinet, the lower playfield will have to wait. It too will need minor cleaning and wax. The flippers need to be removed to be cleaned as the old red rubber bands stuck to them in places. The flipper components seem to be in good order and clean, so they may have been rebuilt just before the game broke. But the lower left flipper platform lost three screws from the bottom of the playfield. I will have to plug the holes with toothpicks and glue before remounting it. I plan to clean and wax the upper playfield because it is powder dry and the graphics are badly worn. The center of the chrome ramps are also worn and will not buff out. I think the pinballs wore through the chrome layer and I am seein the inner steel area. These ramps also have some minor rust pitting on the outside edges and bottoms. I have rubbed them out with Nevr-Dull and will likely soak them in Evaporust before carefully attempting to buff them out some more.
Reading the forums has given me lots of good ideas for fixing this machine. My funds are not unlimited and if I had looked harder I might have found a different working pin somewhere. This one cost me $450 and came with a small rebuild kit. Hopefully I can get it back up to speed this summer.
Pictures always help with your description.
Can we see it?
How about pics of the boards.... That's where you really need to understand what is what and look them over, check fuses. Do you have a DMM? if not, get one. It will become your best friend in diagnosing problems. Keep in touch as I did a ton of work to mine to bring it back 100%, so I know the machine pretty well. Enjoy!!
I imagine it lies in that solenoid expander as that is the key to sending the power to the lower playfield when initiated for play after you acquire enough Elektra units. Sounds like its "glitchy". If it was only one thing going on down there I'd think differently but but if its the whole lower playfield doing it all together than that makes me think expander is the suspect. Does the light bulb attached to it stay lit at all times? LED bulb or incandescent bulb in that spot?
How about the little push button, does that work during test mode? Check the wires in the harness that plug into expander and check those same wires that go back into the back box and see if they are a bad connection in back box.
Quoted from ZeldaOoT:Problem solved everyone. As I mentioned - the solenoid expander was fine. I even disconnected the solenoid expander and continued having the light flickering, which would trigger the solenoid expander when it was plugged in.
Traced the problem back to a wire on the aux lamp board that's in the back box above the player 3 display. The third wire from the bottom, whenever jiggled, would recreate all the symptoms. I tightened/pushed it back down into the connected, all problems gone! Hope that bizarre/specific issue can help someone else if it ever pops up haha. Thank you all for responses anyway- motivated me to search until I found the issue anyway.
Glad to hear. It sounded like a back box issue. I had something similar happen to me with spy hunter. Enjoy!!
2 weeks later
Quoted from ZeldaOoT:Two in the trough, one in the lower playfield, and one in the multiplier area.
...and one in the tilt mechanism!! 
2 months later
Quoted from jjoravec:Anyone know what this button under the playfield does? Mine is broken off, anyone know where I can find a replacement.
Thanks
Joe
You can get those for a dollar through Pinball Resource...I stocked up in them as they break easy.
2 months later
Quoted from PM_Jeremy:Someone else is parting one out, several parts listed. I really want those red mini flippers but not for $100 plus s&h.
Not to mention the shipping charge.... Guy wants insane amount of shipping.
1 month later
Just make sure you have two balls in the outhole/trough area, one ball in the lower playfield, and one up in the upper right section, the multiplayer area. Good luck. I did a ton of restoring on mine and it is an exciting moment to finally hear that machine fire up and play, as mine wasn't working either when I first bought it.
Regarding your lights, you might have bad contacts, or contacts not touching the bulbs...hence, some working/not working. Otherwise, your playfield board could have bad components causing that inside as well.
Do you have a digital multi meter?
Quoted from Pinmagicman:I went through the ‘Game Self-Diagnostic Tests’ on page 13 of the manual. The four main flippers worked but not the two in the lower level. Lots of lights are still out so it may might be a bad board that was just ignored.
There is a small switch underneath your playfield that is the test switch for those lower flippers, if you don't have it, they won't work. Or, you have a bad solenoid expander, next to small switch, to left. Second, free play is a setting in the diagnostic tests....
Quoted from ZeldaOoT:There is also a bulb under the playfield that is part of the solenoid expander circuit that I believe needs to be functioning for the lower flippers to work as well. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Yes, you are correct, but it generally can not be an LED bulb, as some don't work unless a incandescent is in that spot.
Quoted from Gritty:Does anyone have the ability to do a playfield scan of the upper and lower playfields? I reached out to Frank at Playfield Protectors and he said he could make them if he was provided with the scans.
Playfields or protectors?
Quoted from Pinmagicman:Thanks! I looked at Steve’s webpage but don’t know the part name or number. Do you remember what it is?
I need to order some more rubber rings and such, so this is a good source.
It's easier to call them, as they know what they are. Very helpful. They will send you the order and then you send then a check with the invoice, very old school.
Quoted from Pinmagicman:I pushed and held the red button during the solenoid test step and the red flippers have yet to work. The buzzing from below seems to be a bad solenoid expander switch or something because it’s making that buzzing noise and causing the white light underneath to flicker off and on. The switch looks normal and not damaged. I’ll buy some new switches and replace the red ones, which looks like an easy solder job. While the buzzing is going on, the lights on the lower playfield flicker weakly off and on and the white light underneath flickers too. Could it be a lamp board? The buzzing and flickering is a big indicator of something wrong and the non-working flippers may or may not be related.
As for the free play mode, the manual doesn’t say which test number it is, but I watched for it. The displays from tests 6-21 all show numbers or no displays at all on a few, but ‘free play’ was never displayed.
It doesnt display free play but its there. Ill look it up. If you need a solenoid expander I have extras that work. Ill sell you one cheap. I have no use for them.
Quoted from metalkatt:It doesnt display free play but its there. Ill look it up. If you need a solenoid expander I have extras that work. Ill sell you one cheap. I have no use for them.
I guess after going through the manual, there is no free play option. If you buy the Alltek MPU it provides that option. It's been so long since I've worked on that machine.
Quoted from Pinmagicman:Are there other benefits to using Alltek boards to upgrade, such as using LEDs without ghosting? I could send off my MPU and other boards to be diagnosed and fixed, or is it just better to bite the bullet and buy brand new boards? I’m not worried about keeping it all original. Right now it seems the MPU is messed up because the basic diagnostics are flawed. Instead of getting 7x flashes and stopping, it just keeps flashing, along with all of the playfield lights. Plus some of the louder playfield sounds are missing and some lights don’t stay on. I think the lower flippers will work after I replace the switch and solenoid expander board. Today I lifted the playfield to change bulbs and power it up to check them. The solenoid expander’s black switch started making noise and then quit. Lights on the lower playfield that were lit then flickered off.
The Alltek board is worth the price of admission because it is bullet proof, and allows you to get the test board which can further help you troubleshoot your issues. It's 200.00 well spent. I have all Alltek boards in my Ballys. Only board in my Elektra that isn't Alltek is my sound board and even that is aftermarket.
2 weeks later
Quoted from Pinmagicman:I soldered in a new self test button and got seven flashes on the MPU board. There was a loose connection on some wires in the back box that made the lower playfield lights flicker. I pulled it off and put it back and now they work. The volume knob is turned up all the way but I only get faint noises and no big phrases. The ball return switches are messed up because it launches two balls to start a game and can’t sense when the ball in play drains. Some light bulbs come on if I wiggle them so I need to tweak the connectors inside them to make better contact. I’d say I’m 85% there but still have a ways to go. I’ll try to fix the ball return switches without replacing them, fix the bulbs and wiggle some more connectors. The flippers for the lower playfield are still dead too and I don’t even know how to fix that yet. Metalkatt sent me a used solenoid expander board that works great. Thanks!
I'm glad it works for you. Do you have a test button under playfield near that expander board facing towards you? When you do the coil tests, if you push that button during the firing sequence for lower flippers, they should activate once. Let me know what you find out.
Quoted from Pinmagicman:I tried the self test button on the lower playfield today during the solenoid test and nothing happened. The switch is old but intact. With the glass off, I played a mock game for fun. When the ball drained, I either caught it with my fingers or fished it out of the trough with a stick and placed it back in the shooters lane to plunge again. Eventually I got lots of points and locked the top ball. I manually locked the second ball to see what would happen. Multiball was the result. When the second ball drained, the lower playfield lit up, the solenoid launched the ball and behold, the little red flippers worked! I think that I only had one Elektra unit on the scoreboard.
Earlier, when I ran diagnostics, one red arrow in the lower playfield did not light up. But it worked when the lower playfield came on, alternating with the other red arrow. Weird.
So apparently the self test button for the lower playfield is bad. I bought a few extra buttons from Marco so I can install one later. Maybe I should practice soldering some more before I do that though.
The game plays slower than I thought it would unless I hit it real hard, so I’ll check the steepness angle. The ball got hung up twice on the wire atop the second ramp from the right. I tilted it once just nudging it off. The tilt had been deactivated but I had hooked it up again. If it becomes a big problem with balls getting stuck, I might have to disconnect the tilt again.
Sounds like you are making progress. Yes, the red arrows alternate back and forth on that lower playfield. And it usually calls for 6 Elektra units minimum before you play the lower playfield. Do you have a manual, by chance?
Quoted from Pinmagicman:Yes, I have a manual that came with the machine. I don’t know how to read the schematics, but it does have some useful information.
I noticed that the solenoid works on the left slingshot In test mode but the leaf switches don’t activate it in play mode. I can order new switches, but first should try to troubleshoot them with my meter, which I don’t have a clue about how to use. Any ideas?
Check the gap on your switches before you go about buying things... could just be a simple adjustment. When you push them together, will your slings fire? Play a game without shooting the balls and push all the targets, switches, etc to see what might need some attention. You can put it in switch test and push all switches to check them that way as well....just make sure the two balls are out of the trough, though.
Quoted from nightsearcher:Can we all take a look at our Elektra Pinside ratings. We should be a 7.6 rated game, not a 7.1 rating
I agree... don't understand the hate for the game. It is difficult, colorful and has a wonderful hum that creates great ambiance!! And it's from 81....
2 months later
Quoted from lllvjr:Friend just sent me a picture of his prototype elektra back glass sitting in his storage.... thought I would share not sure if anyone has ever seen it. Picture in the game is production. So u can see the differences.
It would be cool to own the alternate but I think the production version is much better.... they made the right choice.
3 weeks later
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:I will redo my cabinet too. I’ve talked to Jeff over at pinball pimp. I can get him scans to make the stencils. Can I get 3 people to commit to buying a set of cabinet stencils?
How much do you think stencils would cost....i might take you up on that.
Quoted from metalkatt:How much do you think stencils would cost....i might take you up on that.
Count me in.... it's the last thing I have to make my Elektra shine.
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:Great. Maybe 1-2 more? Some one else has got to want them. If we get the commitments I’ll get off my ass and scan the game sooner than later(cabinet,playfields,backglass)
Lol!! ..... nothing like a little motivation!
Quoted from QuarterGrabber:Hey long-time Elektra owner here. Sold my first one missed it so much by the second one. Unfortunately my elektras been down for close to a year now and I just haven't had time to try and fix it. I have time now but I'm terrible at diagnosing machines this old. The initial problem was all of the flippers on the left side of the machine just stopped working. As I was trying to diagnose why I open the back box and was unplugging and plugging back in connectors while the machine was on. I know silly silly mistake. One of the connectors kind of sparked as I pulled it out and pushed it back in and ever since then the machine turns on and the lights come on but nothing happens, no displays and the machine doesn't start up. Does anyone know what the problem could be? What other info do you guys need to help me diagnose this problem?
The pinballs are in the machine, correct? Ballys won't start if no pinballs are in the trough....
2 weeks later
Quoted from Pinmagicman:Does anyone have a switch matrix chart for Elektra?
Download the manual pdf. It should be in there.
2 weeks later
Any of you Elektra owners looking for replacement flippers for the lower playfield, these will work.... cool metal finish, and get 1"flipper rubbers for them.
I bought a pair for my Spy Hunter, and they measure up perfectly to the original red ones.
www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3146
1 week later
Quoted from freakandgeek:Anyone have any extra red translucent tubes for the center targets or know of a source? Thanks...
1 week later
Quoted from Robotworkshop:Found a bad 106 SCR and solder connections. Still no luck getting the lower flippers going but I have more of the lights working. Should have time to dig more into it this weekend,
I honestly think you're looking into your flipper issue too much..... if you replace solenoid expander, those flips should work just right.
Quoted from Robotworkshop:Maybe, but at least I'm fixing other issues along the way! Do you know of anyone that stocks a replacement board? It looks like Rottendog and pinpoint make them.
I have a few MOC3011 chips coming and will try swapping that out on the relay board and test it on the bench. The flippers were working before it was moved that is why I was leaning toward a bad connection.
I know Ksarcade.com has them(red unit, which I have), as does Marco, but I think they are out of stock right now. Pull the board and see if it's black in the backside.... good sign its shot. That is what tells the lower flips to start working and upper flips to stop working. It was a big issue in my Special Force machine too.
1 week later
Quoted from Robotworkshop:Could someone get a good picture of the 25-pin .100" connector on the upper right of the driver board? Listing out the pinout would be extremely helpful. What pins are empty and what colors are in each location. Im trying to confirm how it is supposed to be wired.
Ill try to get you some pics Wednesday evening...i have to lift the hood on mine to tinker with a stingy lower flipper, anyways.
Quoted from Robotworkshop:Those pictures will help a lot! Thank you. I'm sure that may help others that could use reference photos too.
Also I must have completely missed that legend box with the color code decoder. I should have the info I need to get everything sorted out.
And yes, that playfield is heavy. It is also probably one of the most densely packed playfields I've ever had to deal with.
Robert
It draws blood everytime I work on it!! Lol.
Good luck!!
1 week later
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:Finished bringing a few more games back from the dead to get into The Sanctum. Time to get the ball rolling on this. First step is to scan the cabinets and get the files off to Jeff. PM me if you haven’t already and you’re interested in a set of cabinet stencils so I can get these made.
I'm still interested, ..... and how did you get your scanner to work with modern Windows? I haven't dug in yet, but I figured I'd ask before I go online hunting for a solution...
1 week later
Quoted from SDTMinSTL:Bah, I just realized I forgot to add the photos concerning the mystery (for me at least) rubber that is on some games.
Yeah, that 4"ring goes so that it's in front of the ball, that's how mine is set. I tried it the other way and prefer to hit the band, instead of directly into the ball.
Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:Stencils are ready!
http://pinballpimpstencils.com/?page_id=4821
Got my set ordered!!
1 week later
Quoted from SDTMinSTL:Actually, I think this is standard stuff. Mine seems to be the exact same. The flipper rests against the same piece of metal. The hole that you mention in the plastic almost seems to be there for relief so it can bend and spread to both the upper and lower sections. There must be something else that causes what I am seeing or experiencing on my end. Thanks for checking though, and thanks a lot for the photo. Glad to know I am not playing a problem child.
Something is wrong with those flips because the ball can't go up the ramp freely... it should be under the plastic.....
2 months later
Quoted from Robotworkshop:CPR has been posting on their Facebook page all sorts of new playfields they may make. I talked to them and they had already done the artwork for the small lower playfield. I'd be happy if they would at least do the lower. Even better would be that and the upper as a set. A complete set would be cool but I think a lot would just be good with the upper and lower.
If you feel the same way and want a set let them know.
This was brought up at one point and they didn't want to do it because they didn't want owners complaining about the differences between the new playfields vs. the original main old used playfield.
They thought it wouldn't look right having 2 new ones clashing with the old original one.
I wouldn't mind having a new upper, my self. But, unfortunately that's a tough sell..... so I touched mine up and put a mylar sheet over it.
I hope someday they do, or someone does, a reproduction for Elektra.
Quoted from Robotworkshop:Yes, Elektra can be a cruel machine to work on with being so packed.
Everytime I get under the hood, it draws blood!! Lol!!
3 months later
Quoted from Colsond3:Thanks....definitely a cool game. Not as easy to hit the rule set as some people think.
It's my favorite machine, one that will never leave my collection! Enjoy!! Looks great.
7 months later
Quoted from Borntolose:Wondering if anyone out there can help me figure out where this loose wire is from?![quoted image]
Soldered on that leg on tilt mech.
20190819_063542 (resized).jpg 1 month later
Quoted from FiatsRUs:Does anyone have custom Elektra apron cards they would share? I am looking for some with artwork.
Try pincardz on Facebook. He makes a nice looking set.
8 months later
Quoted from koji:Hello, I was wondering if anyone could share their Elektra settings (switches and soft settings), that they like to use? I see there are a number of liberal and conservative settings. I have the bg sound drone on which is ok.
Some settings such as the left bank standups on the main PF seem like a cons. setting is best, so it doesn't look like lights are out.. but some other things like having the ball kickout on the lower pf when there is time etc, obviously makes sense.
Anyway, just kind of wondering what most people run, as I really have no experience with this game, but want to give it a fair shake. thank you-
I like the default settings for the most part. The lower playfield is really where things can become more or less challenging. I have it set where gameplay continues, after Elekta units run out, until I lose the Ball. It can be more challenging if you have a set time after the units run out also.
1 month later
Quoted from koji:Thank you - Just an update, I finally was able to put some work on this again and have the S&T all fixed up.
In case it helps someone else, my symptom was a lot of static and no sound effects ( Background sound and voice did work)
---
Replacing the U14 LM3900 opamp resolved the static, afterwhich I could hear the sound effects, only they were very faint, and much too quiet in comparison to the other sound features.
At this point, although all the capacitors discharged properly, I figured I would try replacing the 2x 2uf caps, with a couple of 2.2uf /50v that I had on hand, and thankfully this did the trick. Sounds great.
-------
My next point for attention are these mini-flippers on the lower PF. I gather from some research that these are in fact unobtanium.
To that end, I was wondering what people are using as replacements? Mine seems to have 60s 2" EM flipper bats . (don't get me wrong, I love my 60s EMs, but clearly this is wrong).
I was also wondering if anyone had tried to get any 3D printed? It occurred to me that although 3D printing would not look quite as smooth, it could be an option to realistically get transparent RED mini flippers that would look pretty close to the original.
(I'm game to try to build a model, but if anyone has any exact dimentions and scans to work from, that might get me started).
Thank you-
If someone was willing to make new aftermarket ones, I’d donate a spare flipper I have.... just an option.
2 months later
Quoted from scampcamp:[quoted image]
Welcome!!
3 weeks later
1 year later
Quoted from Mitoska:New owner. Looking forward to playing with this new geeteoh squawk & talk replacement. I noticed the GI light fuse is getting very hot..VERY HOT after a few minutes of play. The fuse holder has been replaced in the past and traces redone. Anything specific I should look for. I plan to LED the whole game anyway, but it should not be getting that hot.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
F5 looks kind of funky…I’d be checking voltages before something burns up.
3 weeks later
Quoted from Apinjunkie:Happy days! Outside edge just dropped the hint of the new Hardtop title they're working on, and yes, it's Elektra!
[quoted image]
Interesting……that would be great news.
3 months later
Quoted from Robotworkshop:I just ordered my Elektra Hardtop set. Finally!
I’m surprised they did all 3 levels actually. That’s cool…. You’ve been wanting one of these for a long time.
Quoted from Robotworkshop:I'm really looking forward to this set. My game plays well but my upper playfield is beyond trashed. I expect they did all three levels to ensure all the colors are the same. I am for sure going to use the upper and lower. Not sure about the middle. I'm wondering how that will be with that and then the normal thick plastic piece on top of that.
That’s the part that interest me as well. I bought a new plastic top but have not installed it yet. I have a ton of cosmetic work to do to mine down the road but I might just do the hardtop thing to it also.
Quoted from Budwin:Did you get a new middle plexi cover?
If so, where did you get it?
Bud
Marco…. But looking there now they must not sell them anymore. I’ve had it for a few years….
2 months later
Quoted from Budwin:Finally have this one up and running.
This one has all original boards, lots of re-work to get them all going.
Time to enjoy playing and dialing it in......[quoted image]
Did you redo the cabinet also…?
11 months later
Quoted from FLASHBALL:Having a little bit of trouble with the lower flippers on my Elektra. The manual is a bit confusing, so do the lower flippers go through the solenoid expander under the playfield?
Thanks
Yes. The expander turns them on. Make sure there is a incandescent bulb in the light socket connected to it, not led bulb, and confirm it’s lighting up.
8 months later
Quoted from kinggroucho:Hey all, I recently acquired an Elektra and have a persistent, game-killing switch issue. Switch #2 ("left and right of outhole") registers as closed no matter what I do. I have ensured both #2 switches are properly gapped and no diodes or leaf edges are making improper contact anywhere. Also the diodes on both switches tested fine, but I replaced them with new 1N4004 anyway. When I unplug J2 from MPU, the switch stops registering as closed, so at least it's not the board. The wires have become mangled near the coin door, and some of the insulation was breached. So I removed the zip ties and patched any exposed wires I saw with elec tape. Someone on a FB group suspected the solenoid expander could be at fault, though I don't see how. To rule that out as a possibility I removed the connector on the expander during the switch test, and the switch still registered closed. I'm hoping someone here can help! I am at a loss. My only remaining theory is that insulation is breached somewhere else along the way, but I don't exactly want to remove every zip tie along the way to check. Other thoughts?
For quick reference here is the existing FB post about it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pinballrepair/posts/7535510083137800
And the schematic: https://www.ipdb.org/files/778/Bally_1981_Elektra_English_Manual_with_paginated_schematics.pdf
Did you check your wires all the way back to the board? Continuity good on them? Nothing grounding out?
Quoted from metalkatt:Did you check your wires all the way back to the board? Continuity good on them? Nothing grounding out?
So in switch test, if you take the balls out of the trough, no switches should be active. Is that switch registering as closed?
Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider metalkatt.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat 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+!
