(Topic ID: 265032)

Firepower puzzler - Switch Matrix

By Deez

4 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 12 posts
  • 5 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by Deez
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

You

Linked Games

#1 4 years ago

So I'm stumped on this one. I just picked up a firepower and the thing plays fine except I'm getting some phantom switch hits.
When I hit the 1-6 targets I end up getting a ton of points. It just keeps counting up both hundreds and 10's for a little bit then will stop. The odd thing is when I go into switch test and manually activate every switch on the game they all work perfectly. No phantom hits show up.

Here is what I've done so far.
1. I recapped the power supply. I was getting decent voltages but figured I might as well replace the original caps.
2. Swapped the MPU with a rottendog board since I had one laying around just to rule out a board issue which didn't help.
3. Examined every switch on the game to make sure none had a really close gap and were just vibrating closed due to game play
4. looking at the wiring for each switch to identify any abnormalities.
5. Tested the flipper diodes to make sure they were good.

Any help would be appreciated.

#2 4 years ago

Remove the balls.
Enter switch test.
Switch test should indicate all switches open by not displaying anything.
Actuate the 1-6 switches one at a time. Each switch closure should indicate only that switch being closed.
What switches are reported closed?

If only the closed switches are reported, place the balls into the trough/loading area.
Retest.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

#3 4 years ago

Nothing active with balls out.
Then 1-6
17
18
19
21
22
23

Same with balls in except it reports 58 57 then 51 when test mode is entered initially.

#4 4 years ago

I’m not familiar with the game. Are there capacitors on the targets? If so, try taking them out of circuit and see if the problem goes away. If it does, replace with new caps.

#5 4 years ago

You can't put capacitors on switch matrix switches on a williams game like you can on bally/sterns - it will continuously score with the first hit.

Ask me how I know this

#6 4 years ago
Quoted from Nokoro:

I’m not familiar with the game. Are there capacitors on the targets? If so, try taking them out of circuit and see if the problem goes away. If it does, replace with new caps.

Nope. No caps.

#7 4 years ago

It's just so odd. If I hit the switches individual it works fine but then if I play it even just throw the ball without using the flippers the scoring just runs away.

#8 4 years ago
Quoted from Deez:

It's just so odd. If I hit the switches individual it works fine but then if I play it even just throw the ball without using the flippers the scoring just runs away.

When you are hitting the switches individually, is that in switch test mode, or have you also tried it in game mode?

#9 4 years ago

Take 1 ball out of the trough and then try the test again

#10 4 years ago
Quoted from Deez:

Nothing active with balls out.
Then 1-6
17
18
19
21
22
23

Same with balls in except it reports 58 57 then 51 when test mode is entered initially.

This is all correct.
I've seen the stand-up switches "vibrate" back and forth, creating multiple target switch closures after one hit, because the "tensioner" blade on the switch stack wasn't holding the target side of the switch forward.

Posting a video would help us help you figure this out.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

#11 4 years ago
Quoted from ChrisHibler:

This is all correct.
I've seen the stand-up switches "vibrate" back and forth, creating multiple target switch closures after one hit, because the "tensioner" blade on the switch stack wasn't holding the target side of the switch forward.
Posting a video would help us help you figure this out.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.ChrisHiblerPinball.com/Contact
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

I bet they are vibrating. Looking at them they have no foam installed. I'm going to try installing some foam.

#12 4 years ago

This is exactly what's happening. The targets are vibrating causing multiple hits. I'm retiring my technician card.

Promoted items from Pinside Marketplace and Pinside Shops!
$ 65.00
Boards
Pinball Haus
 
From: $ 1.25
Playfield - Other
Rocket City Pinball
 
From: $ 11.00
$ 27.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
 
$ 170.00
Displays
Digipinball Shop
 
600 (OBO)
Machine - For Sale
Casper, WY
From: $ 9.00
$ 20.00
Electronics
Yorktown Arcade Supply
 
From: $ 90.00
Tools
Pincoder Store
 
$ 15.00
Playfield - Protection
UpKick Pinball
 
$ 42.95
Eproms
Pinballrom
 
From: $ 5.00
Cabinet - Other
UpKick Pinball
 
1,400 (Firm)
Machine - For Sale
Benton, PA
Trade
Machine - For Trade
Washington Court House, OH
2,900 (OBO)
Machine - For Sale
Hawesville, KY
Great pinball charity
Pinball Edu

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great 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+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/firepower-puzzler-switch-matrix and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.