I read a guide to replacing play fields. I’m going to stick to the protector.

Also changed the pre-driver. No change.

Should I swap the LS? :-s If so, which one is it?

FYI - The drop target is supposed to be down at the start of a game and up after multiball.

If you use the coil test diagnostic, does that coil work or just stuck on?

well, now that I changed the transistor again (it was tested bad; looked liked it fried before I swapped the pre-transistor) it's now not activating at all.
In test it's not activating.
If I put the tab to ground, the coil works.

Have changed the diod, transistor, pre-transitors and both resistors.

It is better than before as it is not locked on anymore, but it's not triggering now ...

Not sure if it has anything to do with this, but there is a setting in the menu that when set to "easy" pits it down at start of game, and "difficult" puts it up.

never mind...

Unfortunately not It is a real issue.

Inkochnito: yes? Shout out

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/canada-pinball-parts-wtblts-official-thread/page/10#post-5669586

FYI- Fish Tales playfield for sale in Canada parts for sale Thread. $900. Doesn’t specify cdn or usd.

Did you verify the board connections around both transistors?
Sometimes the top side trace doen not make contact.
I've once had the diode not connecting to the TIP102 and all was fine when booting.
One activation of the coil caused the transistor to blow again due to the EMP feedback.
Not saying that's your problem, but just a hint it some direction.

Peter

I already checked all the traces and continuity to no avail unfortunately

That would get us to replacing U4.
Which is a 74LS374.

Had my machine for quite a while now, and one thing that bugs me is the casters club target. You just can tell if it’s up without stooping down for a look.
I was wondering if anyone has put one of those milky targets that is lit in there, lighting only when up.
Would be pretty good I think.

So my fishy finally arrived and no caster which I knew was missing. For those that have looked this part is pretty unobtanium unless you know a wizz with cad and a 3D printed and voila a great new robust caster for the use off

551B0AA7-9611-4A41-801E-24EAEE234072 (resized).jpeg

9946E6A6-618F-488B-882C-4C0B2CAAADD8 (resized).jpeg

F933CD4F-E3E1-48BC-A7A9-568BC987FDE1 (resized).jpeg

Nice! Yeah, finding one in the wild is all but impossible these days.

Very resourceful!
I like it.

That's awesome! Encourage him to share the file so other owners can finally have a rod handle launcher.

It's very easy....
If the lock lights are not blinking, the drop target is up.
If any of the lock light is on solid, you have a ball locked.
Any blinking lock lights is a ball to be locked.

I would like to see the target and not stoop down to check, as we all know the bracket can bend and cause issues.
Do the lock lights know if the target is working?
Still think the target needs to be seen better, some people don’t even realise one is there.

Someone a few pages back had put a dirty Harry decal or something on it.

He reckons that he can get them made in metal and not for a kings ransom, so maybe they will be available soon

Awesome, thanks for the info!
Did not find which U was linked to it

u4 changed : drop target down is now ok!

However that started 2 new issues that I don't get; both the right sling and center jet are now never activating.
When I pull them to ground, the coils activate.
Transistors are fine, continuity is fine.

Any idea? :-s

edit: center jet issue was no continuity between R74 and U4. Solved.
Still looking for the right sling issue

edit bis:
U5 changed by a new one, all continuity is ok all the way down from U5 to Q64...
And downward it's ok as Q64 to ground activates the slingshot

hi guys I have a Ft that its missing the droptraget from the casters club,any leads on how to fix this,what a great great Pin.

Do you need the whole assembly?

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/A-15211

I guess so...thank you!

I Have to add the actual drop target to that assembly right?

The drop target may be broken off or just not popping up. Lift up the playfield and check it out. Post a photo here if you want.

No I mean in the whole assembly I don't stop the drop target there

The switch is in the down position, as is the target lift. Looks like it's there. For a few bucks, why take a chance. Order the assembly and a target.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/03-8750

LTG : )

Need a little advice fellow fishers. I recently heard a rumor that theres a way to quiet down the noise from the fish topper flapping by adding some sort of rubber to the plunger that moves his tail?? If anyone here has knowledge about it, please do share it with me. I dont want to totally disable the topper, but it is quite noisy. Thanks!!

Adding rubbers here limits the travel and therefore noise...

1591529408861 (resized).png

Sounds good, thanks! And the fish still moves pretty good? I dug a little deeper in this thread and saw where someone mentioned adding a shooter tip to the part that touches the fish?

Yup, or stick a foam on the plate the plunger hits

I tried various combinations of rubber on the mech. It still annoyed me. Happy to live without it flapping around.

I've got mine disconnected , how much of a difference do you think the rubber made ?

Hard to say ...maybe 50% ?? I could still hear the 'thump thump thump'. I don't really see the point anyway, its not like you are stood looking at the topper whilst mid ball.

It's all subjective - some people have their games at screamingingly loud volume, which I can't stand, If I have to shout to someone to be heard whilst I'm playing - that's just ridiculous. Maybe I'm just a bit noise sensitive

50% isn't bad . I think they wanted it to be noisy to get your attention in the arcades .
I plug it in every now and then , just to give it a run but ID like to get around to putting a switch in for it .

I pulled my topper off, and put it in a box in the attic. Best mod i ever did to a machine

Probably not a popular opinion in this thread, but i always really hated the FT topper. I think it's ugly, and WAAAY too loud and annoying

BUT, i love the machine, although mine is really rough and not too pretty to look at. But damn it kicks my butt and keeps me on my toes!

PS: And no, my topper isn't for sale

Love my topper. Looks cool, has character, and the noise and flopping is hysterical. I'd never change it!

Agree. I always get a kick out of the flapping fish!

A Fishtales with no topper is a sad sight .

Like I said its all subjective.
You say hysterical ..... I say frickin annoying

Luckily the game is awesome either way

That's funny...
I think I'm hysterical, my wife thinks I'm annoying ...

The flapping shakes the whole pin like a shaker every time I smack the captured ball hit or get a jackpot just like a fish on the line.

The topper is super loud with the dome removed, so step 1 is make sure that is in place.

My FishTales has a few differences to what I think is the majority of games. Wondering if there’s any obvious reason for it?

The rubber pads at the end of the rails (above the inlanes) has square blue pads, not the circular type with a locking ‘button’.

My plunger handle has a square button and lights up, not round and unlit.

The centre boat has a flap at the top with extra screw holes in it.

There may be others...

Somebody didn't have exact replacements when working on it.

LTG : )

The Fish Tales prototypes had the square/lighted plunger buttons. Some owners have replaced their round buttons with square lighted buttons, to look like the prototypes, and connected the unused plunger lamp wires. Not sure about the other points.

This poster listed the many art/insert differences noted on a prototype playfield they found, but not sure if other prototypes had the same art differences.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/prototype-fish-tales-pf-advice-needed#post-2768504

I have the Final Art Sample Playfield in my basement.

Could I talk someone into taking a close up picture of how the two solenoids on the drop target are wired?

I'm working on a project game and the drop target assembly was missing some parts. After I assembled the parts and wired it up, it's blowing the 104 fuse every time at boot up. Trying to verify the wiring is correct. Thanks!

The game can tell you. No diodes on the coil, so which side they go to doesn't matter.

Leave fuse out. You don't need it for this.

Go to Tests - Solenoid. Stop on the coil you want. Then hit the start button. Then hit the "+" diagnostic button. Each time you hit it, it will step you through coil name, wire colors, fuse, drive transistor, connector, etc.

LTG : )