Firepower ball trough coil locking on. Coil is good. Diode is good. Transistor is good. Locks on upon power up. Driving me nuts. At a buddy's house. His game. Argh. Repinned the switch connectors already, but doubt that had anything to do with it. Appreciate any ideas.

It tested good. I don't have a replacement on that one, but did replace the main with a tip102 even though it tested good, also. I do have a logic probe.

Schwaggs Pins 9 and 10 of IC1 are both pulsing. Pin 8 is high. This is with the solenoid fuse removed. I'm not sure what connector is J11. Thanks for you help. Just got back in front of the machine tonight. Here is my probe for reference. When I say pulse, all 3 lights are on.

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Swapped in a rotten dog all in one board and the coil spender doesn't lock but it won't credit or start a game. With both the original and the rotten dog I can get one step into the audits, but no more. Previously I was about to step through them with the rotten dog. Something weird going on.

40 pin interconnect was replaced by someone I trust regarding board work and I swapped out the IC1 for shits and giggles and it read the same, so I think the problem is elsewhere. I have the game at home now, so I can spend more time on troubleshooting.

Not yet. I have to order some.

I'll check when I set it up. I know before I started looking at it, one was replaced with a newer pia for sure.

Hmmm. Come to think of it, we had the balls removed when we had the replacement board in there. I'm getting an order together for parts, so I'll have more to report after they get here, regarding the original boards. I'll retest with the replacement rottendog with all balls in the trough. Thanks.

Got the game set up. Placed all balls in the trough. Still can't credit the game and can't get past the first step in the test menu. This is with the rottendog all in one pcb. No coil lock on with this board. I wanna see if I can get it working with this one, first, then concentrate on the original boards. This rottendog board works fine in my Laserball. Any idea where to go next? I was thinking I could just repin every dang connector in the backbox that is associated with the mpu and driver. I read somewhere do that first.

Thanks,
RC

Thank you. I will look at all of that info today. I will start with checking that 1J4. I know the test switch gets continuity since it will recognize the first press. It just won't go past that. And it did earlier. I was able to go through some of the menus, but it just stopped. Very weird. Now it only goes to the first press where it shows the game serial number in P1 display and adjustment 04 in the credit window.

I fixed a boo boo I made on the start button. I noticed a wire was hanging loose. It was green with red trace, but a lighter green than the other one that is soldered to the start switch. I had placed it where the diode goes. Moved it to where the other green/red wire is and now I can step through the menu again. I "think" I set it to freeplay, but still can't start a game. How do I know it "saved"? Also, I still can't add credits. I'll continue to study those wiring diagrams.

Thanks, again.

The left coin chute switch was stuck closed, but I fixed that and no change. All other switches in that column seem fine. I went back into the menu and adjustment 18 still shows 00, so it seems my freeplay setting did save. Still no luck in starting a game, but the start button does work in the adjustments to change things. Not sure if I mentioned it, but I did repin the 2J2 and 2J3 connectors in the backbox for the switch matrix while the game was previously at my buddy's house. Double checked my work just now and they look good.

We're getting somewhere, Richard. I see 51 (left most when facing the game) and 57 (right most), but the center switch does not register. I'll check continuity back to the backbox and verify the diode is good. Thanks much for the guidance. Cleaning the switch didn't help.

Tested continuity. Switch 58 is green with gray and white with red. They both go back to the backbox connectors and tone out to indicate they are good. Pulled the diode. Tested good, but replaced it anyway. No change. Also tested the switch alone with the meter and it tones out when the two contacts connect.

Thanks. To be thorough, I set 18 to 10 and can now add credits. Still can't start since the game can't see the second ball in the trough. Really appreciate all the help and guidance.

I've tested each switch that share a column or row with 58 (center ball trough) and they all work.

Yes, sir. That is how I found it was not registering. Tried with a ball and by hand. Game does not recognize it, but if you hold the dmm probes to the contacts and activate by hand, it does give a beep tone to indicate it physically is working.

They all indicate individually except 58. I can see 51 and 57, but not 58. With a single ball in the trough, 57 shows, as it is closest to the shooter lane. Putting a second ball in, does not show 58. With all 3 in the trough, it shows 51, then shows 57 and stays there. So, I should just replace the diode on 57, for the next step?

Possibly, but they do make electrical contact.

IMG_20200709_163431988 (resized).jpg

Replaced diode at 57. They (diodes for 57 and 58) test fine out of circuit, but when in circuit, I get .5 with black on the band and red on the other side, as expected. Reverse the leads and I get 1.8 when I should see OL. Same results in test mode. 51 and 57 are registering, but 58 does not.

I tested everything and reported earlier that all other switches that share a row or column read good. I am using this matrix sheet.

http://www.firepowerpinball.com/downloads/SwitchWiring.pdf

Will test again after diode replacement.

Also, the one on the right is 57, if that matters. It shares a column with 58. they are the only 2 switches in column 8.

To quickly answer the first part, I think that was my goof. I was testing with balls in the trough. With no balls (switches open) the diodes read correctly. .5 and OL.

Switch 50 reads fine but haven't replaced the diode yet.

Same here on coil diodes. You think I should still replace the diode on switch 50?

Can't thank you enough for the guidance. I hadn't seen that doc before. I hadn't tested from switch 1 moving forward. I didn't even know where switch 1 was. So, I wanted to start at 1, like you said. As soon as I closed the tilt bob, it registered switches 1, 9, 17, 25, 33, 41, 49 and 57 at once. Now that particular diode on the tilt bob reads good, but that means one of those switches is shorted, correct? They are all row 1 switches.

If I activate any of those others individually, they only show the proper number, so that makes me think it is narrowed to the tilt bob.

I'll be testing with the jumper and diode shortly. Waiting for my son to become available to read the display since I'll be in the backbox. I'm certain there are no pinched wires in the coin door. It has heavy clear tubing on the harness in that area.

Tested the matrix with the jumper/diode. Placed my test alligator clip on row1 pin and touched each colum pin in order with my other alligator clip with a diode (band pointing out to touch the pins), then moved to row2, etc. Never got any multiple closures. Now I guess I need to start hunting down a pinch or other short, as you have indicated. Thanks again, very much. This one has been an adventure.

Went back to double check something after looking over all the switches and not seeing any obvious shorts. When I do that test with the jumper and diode, sw58 never registers even without the connectors plugged in. Sw57 does. When I touch row 2 and column 8, I should see 58 appear, but I don't. When I touch row 1 and column 8, 57 does come up on the switch test display. Would this point to the board again? This rottendog board worked fine in my Laserball before I put it in the Firepower to see if that would resolve the locked on coil issue.

That makes me worry that something on the game damaged my board. It was fine in my Laserball before I put it in Firepower to resolved a locked on coil with the original boards.

------- COL1-COL2-COL3-COL4-COL5-COL6-COL7-COL8
ROW1 sw1 sw9 sw17 sw25 sw33 sw41 sw49 sw57
ROW2 sw2 sw10 sw18 sw26 sw34 sw42 sw50 XX

They all work but 58 after testing the first 2 rows against the columns again. It stays on whatever switch I last touched when I touch ROW2 COL8 (sw58)

How should I be checking for voltage on these switches? I stuck my black lead into the ground braid and am getting about 5vdc on the switch blades I tested real quick and the tilt bob frame and where the diode connects. Just not sure I'm testing correctly. This last time I also ran the switch test mode with all connectors hooked up as usual and holding the tilt bob closed caused it to reset. That happened once before also.

It's ok, I guess lol.

Pulled COL1 green/brown from the housing and no attract mode. Just GI. Displays go back and forth between 000000 and 500000 like they have been, but no controlled lamp show. Same as it has been this whole time.

I was getting 1.7VAC on the green wire side of the plumb bob tilt and the ball roll tilt when I tested the way you suggested. Getting super low millivolt readings on VDC. Tested some other switches and I'm getting .5VAC, so seems something isn't right on those, unless you were concerned with VDC. Simulating a credit press did not work. Switch test shows the game still does not see sw58.

This is the pcb I have in the game right now, if that helps.
http://www.rottendog.us/MPU327.html

I read that post prior to installing the board and have electrical tape on the back of it in that area. I suppose it is possible that it could have touched, but when I did the column and row jumper test, I don't get the multiple closures. What chip might that have taken out?

Quick update also. I put the original boards back in without the solenoid fuse (because I'm waiting on transistors) and it will start a game. Also, switch test recognizes switch 58. Not getting any controlled lighting. What are some of the common failures I should order? I know PIAs, but what other chips?

This means there must be a fault on the Rottendog, which sucks because I need that for my Laserball. I didn't actually us that mounting hole near the potential short because of that possibility.

Sorry if I was confusing you. I plan to fix the original boards, but I was trying to narrow down what might have been causing an issue with the originals by using my known good Rottendog, which seems to have backfired.

On mine, only the large chips are socketed. No worries, I'm proficient at soldering, but don't have any of the smaller ones on hand.

Switching gears to the original boards, should my attract mode controlled lighting work without the solenoid fuse? Regarding the locked on outhole coil, I replaced the tip122 with a tip102, even though it read as good, but don't have a 2n4401 or 2n3904 on hand to swap the pre driver, which also reads good. I am a bit confused as I thought that coil was the ramp thrower since it throws the ball over the trough ramp, but documentation shows it is the ball release coil. Unless the documentation has them flip flopped. Either way, all transistors on the board test good with the board out of the game.

Connectors are in the correct places and F3 is good. Still no controlled lamps on the original boards. Wasn't getting them on the Rottendog either, though. I may steal a pre driver off a parts board while waiting on my order just to rule that out for the locked on solenoid #1.

Replaced the pre driver for the locked on coil and it is still locked on. I've verified the coil is good, the diode is good, the transistor is good and the pre driver is good. Still locks on when power is turned on.

Wanna buy a Firepower project lol?

Checked the resistors in the area of that coil as well and they read fine. Guessing it is a chip cause this locked on coil and controlled lighting issues.

I'm using the originals now. I can try a test rom. Where do I get that? I removed the power wire from the outhole coil and powered on, now the left eject saucer coil locks on, so it is moving up the chain.