(Topic ID: 124724)

Flight 2000 Club - members and fans welcome!

By Snux

8 years ago


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There are 2,325 posts in this topic. You are on page 18 of 47.
#851 3 years ago
Quoted from wolffcub:

You need to say my name 3 times in a row while looking in a mirror than i will appear.

LOL, did you test the cut files? Did they work? Can you post them if they did?

#852 3 years ago

Interleaving 2 threads.... today I can't get the machine to misbehave, and the fan test went fine (other than me getting my tongue stuck in the blades). I decided to call my friend and get expert advice (see below).

#853 3 years ago
Quoted from clodpole:

I'm glad to hear your screwup ended with a good result. Hey - is NuWay selling food? I could go for a root beer and crumbly burger! There's not much to eat up here in our corner of the U.S.

Nu-way is still here selling crumbly burgers, the root beer, and some of the best onion rings anywhere.

Are you working in aircraft?

#854 3 years ago

No, but I did. Retired now, and married to a Wichitanian. Really like NuWay!

#855 3 years ago

I spoke with my friend JP, who's got decades of experience and has an F2K. He suggested one of my old light sockets may be shorting out intermittently. This machine has had niggly LED light problems since we got it 3 years ago. Individual lights dimming, then coming back on, etc.

Maybe I just need to get a box of new sockets and start soldering my way across the under-playfield landscape. Not very exciting, but it would be nice to have the lights all on at once!

#856 3 years ago
Quoted from clodpole:

I spoke with my friend JP, who's got decades of experience and has an F2K. He suggested one of my old light sockets may be shorting out intermittently. This machine has had niggly LED light problems since we got it 3 years ago. Individual lights dimming, then coming back on, etc.
Maybe I just need to get a box of new sockets and start soldering my way across the under-playfield landscape. Not very exciting, but it would be nice to have the lights all on at once!

You might try pulling 3 or 4 bulbs at time and see if anything changes.

Here are some NOS surplus sockets for decent price. A friend and I went in together and bought a sizable quantity. You will notice these are the coin door type sockets with tabs for 2 wires. For under play field you will need to solder a jumper wire from one tab to the barrel for grounding purposes.

https://www.surplussales.com/Bulbs-Incan-Panel/LampSockets.html

Screen Shot 2020-05-19 at 8.33.52 PM (resized).pngScreen Shot 2020-05-19 at 8.33.52 PM (resized).png

These have the longer bracket but this bracket material is easy to bend to allow you to set the socket for any hight you need.

#857 3 years ago

Nu-way is good. You married well

#858 3 years ago

entered in error

#859 3 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

You might try pulling 3 or 4 bulbs at time and see if anything changes.
Here are some NOS surplus sockets for decent price. A friend and I went in together and bought a sizable quantity....

Thanks! I appreciate the help. First thing I gotta' do is inventory how many sockets I have in my "spares" boxes, then I'll know what else I need. I like the idea of pulling a few bulbs as a diagnostic.

Meanwhile, down a mug of root beer for me.

2 weeks later
#860 3 years ago

Rebuilding a project Flight 2000 and want to make sure I'm re-pinning transformer connector J1 correctly. This was a non-working game so re-doing everything.

For transformer A2 connector it has two dark blue wires in connector J1 at positions 5 and 7. Comparing this to the schematic I think it should be positions 3 and 7 since both of those are the feature lamp bus (5.4vdc). Position 5 (same as position 8 which has a white wire) is the general illumination bus (7.3vac).

Should it be spot 3 instead of 5? Would any of the boards have been effected if it was powered on without being changed? Thx

#861 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Rebuilding a project Flight 2000 and want to make sure I'm re-pinning transformer connector J1 correctly. This was a non-working game so re-doing everything.
For transformer A2 connector it has two dark blue wires in connector J1 at positions 5 and 7. Comparing this to the schematic I think it should be positions 3 and 7 since both of those are the feature lamp bus (5.4vdc). Position 5 (same as position 8 which has a white wire) is the general illumination bus (7.3vac).
Should it be spot 3 instead of 5? Would any of the boards have been effected if it was powered on without being changed? Thx

The blue wires are for the feature lights and are located at pin 3 and pin 7. Pin 5 and pin 8 are white wires for GI lights. Although, I think on most of the Sterns the white wire at pin 5 is not wired at the factory.

Pin 6 is a blue/white wire that sends power to the flippers.

#862 3 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

The blue wires are for the feature lights and are located at pin 3 and pin 7. Pin 5 and pin 8 are white wires for GI lights. Although, I think on most of the Sterns the white wire at pin 5 is not wired at the factory.
Pin 6 is a blue/white wire that sends power to the flippers.

Thank you cottonm4 for confirming. Was going to fire it up and noticed the ground was busted off the electrical plug....

#863 3 years ago

Would there be any board damage if the G.I. ac from the transformer J2 was sent thru the feature light wire?

#864 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Would there be any board damage if the G.I. ac from the transformer J2 was sent thru the feature light wire?

Did you blow a fuse? If not, then you might be OK. I don't think you will hurt anything, or anything else, if you fired it up and saw what is working and what is not.

You could have blown your lights. I blew all of my feature lights one time by trying to swap a bulb while the pin was powered on. I don't know what I shorted but I did see a small spark. And then the lights were gone.

#865 3 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

Did you blow a fuse? If not, then you might be OK. I don't think you will hurt anything, or anything else, if you fired it up and saw what is working and what is not.
You could have blown your lights. I blew all of my feature lights one time by trying to swap a bulb while the pin was powered on. I don't know what I shorted but I did see a small spark. And then the lights were gone.

This game was a donor to get another F2K running. All of it's working boards were removed and it's been sitting for almost 10 years. Back then I removed all topside components and took pictures/notes in preparation for a play field swap. It's overdue for some love.

I've tried to read a bunch but will have questions as I go. I'm hesitant to drop known working boards into this pin or put it's boards into my up and running pin.

On the SB-300 sound board there isn't a jumper on the back of the board. Should there be?

sb300 back (resized).JPGsb300 back (resized).JPGsb300 front (resized).JPGsb300 front (resized).JPG
#866 3 years ago

Check for continuity between the right connector pin 5 and the top of capacitor C14 - if there's continuity, no need to add the jumper.

#867 3 years ago
Quoted from slochar:

Check for continuity between the right connector pin 5 and the top of capacitor C14 - if there's continuity, no need to add the jumper.

Yep, J3-5 and the top of C14 are connected. Thank you slochar

#868 3 years ago

Condition so far-

MPU boots on the bench now. Had two flashes until 5101 Pinitech NVRAM adapter installed.

SDB couple missing transistors and and U4 socketed and replaced. C23 replaced.

LDB all transistors test ok.

Transformer board completely rebuilt and voltages good on the bench. Connectors repinned.

On to checking coils and switches. Drop target banks need cleaned along with all parts removed. Plenty to do until new line cord plug shows up tomorrow.

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#869 3 years ago

OK, got it powered up and have some issues-

Voltages are a little off from spec (using a Bally 122-125 transformer/AS2518-18 rectifier- don't know how I lost the Stern transformer and ended up with a Bally!)

On the rectifier (with nothing else plugged in)
TP1= 6.55 vdc
TP2= 187.6 vdc
TP3= 13.37 vdc
TP4= 7.59 vAC
TP5= 46.9 vdc

Plugged in the Solenoid Driver Board
TP1= 5.1
TP2= 170.2
TP3= 5.1
TP4= 268.3
TP5= 15.58

Plugged in MPU J4
TP1= 5.0
TP2= 14.45
TP3= 23.1
TP5= 5.01

MPU booted, but didn't have anything else plugged in yet.

Then I messed up and instead of going thru the VSU-100 card I plugged the harness into the upper left lamp driver board directly. Turned on and MPU booted but rebooted after a couple minutes. This may have happened the first time I booted MPU by itself (before the lamp board mis-plugging not sure since no sound card installed yet.)

Realized my mistake and installed the sound cards and lamp driver correctly. Booted and got the 'bong' sounds but MPU again rebooted by itself after a couple minutes.

Plugged everything in to MPU, lamp boards, solenoid driver. Booted but game did not go into attract mode. I don't have balls installed and under playfield fuse is removed right now.

Tried to go into diagnostics and doesn't respond. GI is on but no controlled lamps. Displays glow but no digits are lit.

Sorry this is so long. Hope it makes sense.

Any damage suspected from plugging lamp driver in instead of thru VSU? They are keyed the same...

Should I move transformer tap from 115 to 120V?

Any suggestions to get to attract mode and diagnostics? Thanks for any help here.

#870 3 years ago

dup

#871 3 years ago

No damage from lamp directly that connector is a pass through.
Flight looks for three balls in trough at boot and cycles the walker and maze kickers seven times if it didn't find them. With the playfield fuse out this doesn't happen. If you boot up with all the dips off it will go into self test burn in before firing the walker.

#872 3 years ago
Quoted from slochar:No damage from lamp directly that connector is a pass through.
Flight looks for three balls in trough at boot and cycles the walker and maze kickers seven times if it didn't find them. With the playfield fuse out this doesn't happen. If you boot up with all the dips off it will go into self test burn in before firing the walker.

Thanks I'll add back the fuse and balls. I thought absence of the balls just prevented starting a game, not attract mode.

Are those voltages ok or too high?

#873 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

I thought absence of the balls just prevented starting a game, not attract mode.

It will go into attract without balls, after the ball walker cycles 7 times.

This is important to note for troubleshooting with the playfield raised. You don't want balls installed just for them to be ejected and fly out / down during tests. So you can remove the balls, but you have to wait for the ball search / walker cycle. Or you can shim the outhole switches closed instead

#874 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Thanks I'll add back the fuse and balls. I thought absence of the balls just prevented starting a game, not attract mode.
Are those voltages ok or too high?

Voltages look ok other than that 286 that seems a little high - also, don't start out with the voltage adjusted down to 170, stick it at 185-190 like the factory did until you get stuff running than you can back it down.

First boot the game has to figure out where the balls are since there's no switches in the walker other than the entry (and the ball doesn't sit on that) which is why it walks the balls out.

Starting a game it never checks to see how many balls are available it just wings it.

#875 3 years ago

Good info. Appreciate the help from all. Should I start a separate thread or continue here for future troubleshooting after this update?

Turned all dip switches off and it went into diagnostics. Counted thru all stuff including some sounds and 4 out of 5 displays work perfectly!

Don’t know is it supposed to reboot and start over with the test? Did this rebooting a couple times but only counted up to about 18 or so and then stopped cycling with the mpu LED lit.

Power cycled off and it did the short test and rebooted again several times then quit. LED not lit this time.

What I noticed on the MPU is that big resistor kind of roasted the little resistor above it (measures 26.22K ohms and can see some soot appearance on the IC U14 above that.

Or could it be some incompatibility with the NVRAM that it is rebooting?

1EF31F34-0E9C-4B79-8099-FB587D592322 (resized).jpeg1EF31F34-0E9C-4B79-8099-FB587D592322 (resized).jpeg
#876 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Don’t know is it supposed to reboot and start over with the test? Did this rebooting a couple times but only counted up to about 18 or so and then stopped cycling with the mpu LED lit.

No, the purpose of the all dips off is a factory burn in test - it's supposed to run continuously until you press the self test button to step through individual tests, then audits, which DO end at 18, and after you press to move to the next audit after that it will reboot. Not on its own though. It could be the 5101's they need to be matched in terms of speed.

#877 3 years ago

Didn't want to transfer any problems but did end up putting this MPU in my working F2K. It boots up and plays fine. Almost got multi-ball but drained as soon as countdown was completed...just like normal.

Possibly some issue with the project game's wire harness, especially the MPU upper right were there are lots of spliced wires?

So, I usually add games by putting a quarter thru the slot with the coin door open, catch the quarter, repeat. With this replaced MPU the quarter didn't come out and I can't add games. Looks like the coin lock out coil isn't working and moving the lever doesn't retrieve the quarter. Do I have to take it all apart?

#878 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Didn't want to transfer any problems but did end up putting this MPU in my working F2K. It boots up and plays fine. Almost got multi-ball but drained as soon as countdown was completed...just like normal.
Possibly some issue with the project game's wire harness, especially the MPU upper right were there are lots of spliced wires?
So, I usually add games by putting a quarter thru the slot with the coin door open, catch the quarter, repeat. With this replaced MPU the quarter didn't come out and I can't add games. Looks like the coin lock out coil isn't working and moving the lever doesn't retrieve the quarter. Do I have to take it all apart?

Right at the top of your coin taker mechanism should be a spring loaded lever you swing away to get at the quarter. You have to take nothing apart.

#879 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Didn't want to transfer any problems but did end up putting this MPU in my working F2K. It boots up and plays fine. Almost got multi-ball but drained as soon as countdown was completed...just like normal.
Possibly some issue with the project game's wire harness, especially the MPU upper right were there are lots of spliced wires?
So, I usually add games by putting a quarter thru the slot with the coin door open, catch the quarter, repeat. With this replaced MPU the quarter didn't come out and I can't add games. Looks like the coin lock out coil isn't working and moving the lever doesn't retrieve the quarter. Do I have to take it all apart?

In most home settings, people disconnect the coin lockout coil. The coin lockout coil is a constant coil and should be controlled by the solenoid driver. Run coil test and observe the action of the locking mech on the coin door. You can also manually add credits by gently pressing down on the trip wire at the micro switch.

#880 3 years ago

Put original MPU back in and coin lockout coil now works. DIP settings between boards are the same. Would you suspect a header issue or something else?

#881 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Put original MPU back in and coin lockout coil now works. DIP settings between boards are the same. Would you suspect a header issue or something else?

Could be a socket for U11 or the PIA itself. Could also be the header pin for it, those circuits for the 4 continuous coils are dedicated between that PIA and the solenoid driver board.

#882 3 years ago
Quoted from Lovef2k:

You can also manually add credits by gently pressing down on the trip wire at the micro switch.

But you have to remove a part for the coin door to do that easily.

You need to remove this guard I have my index finger on.

IMG_3821 (resized).JPGIMG_3821 (resized).JPG

With the guard off you can easily manipulate the trip wire to add credits. I remove the guards form the left side of the coin door. When I open the coin door that left hand trip wire is easy to see and manipulate.

IMG_3825 (resized).JPGIMG_3825 (resized).JPG

EDIT: I meant to say I remove the guard from the right hand side coin chute. As soon as you open the coin door the trip wire is right there. Y'all will figure it out.

#883 3 years ago
Quoted from cottonm4:

But you have to remove a part for the coin door to do that easily.

You need to remove this guard I have my index finger on.

Good point...the trip wire wasn't visible. Been meaning to lower the replay award score to avoid running out of credits.

#884 3 years ago

There are free play roms on ipdb.

#885 3 years ago
Quoted from slochar:

There are free play roms on ipdb.

I’d like to get your ROM. Just waiting for all your improvements (added speech, etc.)!!

#886 3 years ago

In the club after rescuing a completely dead example that was about to be parted out. Nothing worked! But it's playing nicely now, pending a few debugs and dialins.

The targets were of course mismatched, so I made my own decals. Went with custom, but tasteful, numerals inspired by real countdown clocks and Stern's logo of the day.

20200609_210814 (resized).jpg20200609_210814 (resized).jpg
#887 3 years ago
Quoted from goingincirclez:

In the club after rescuing a completely dead example that was about to be parted out. Nothing worked! But it's playing nicely now, pending a few debugs and dialins.
The targets were of course mismatched, so I made my own decals. Went with custom, but tasteful, numerals inspired by real countdown clocks and Stern's logo of the day.
[quoted image]

Looks nice. Your spinner looks nice and fresh, too. Did you redo the spinner or just get lucky to find one that looks new?

#888 3 years ago

Redid spinner with decals from Marco. Almost made my own of those too, but wanted to compare quality and I was pleasantly surprised.

Originally that spinner has the diamond pattern and while it wasn't in bad shape, I found it uninspired and also too familiar from Old Chicago.

#889 3 years ago

So I got my F2K mostly dialed in and I have to say... of all the machines in my collection, and hundreds more I've played, I'm really intrigued by how unpredictably fast and backspin-inducing this game is. The playfield is far from perfect, but I have the Beehive overlay installed. Even so, it's faster than any other widebody I've played. The ridiculous backspin on the ball is as frustrating as it is fascinating: I can watch it cross from the pop area toward the left flipper return area, bounce favoring the inlanes, land on the post between then, and spin "backwards" toward the "B" or the outlane. Same behavior for the opposite direction of travel (rebound off drops to the right return area)...

And maybe it's how I have my flippers set, but trying to trap the ball is almost impossible! I have never played another game where the geometry and timing to aim a shot is so sensitive to the variable of ball speed. I rarely manage a chance to trap and set my shots to the walker, and trying to find the consistent sweet spot on the fly is so varied and frustrating. I severely underestimated how fast and challenging this game could be. Are they all like this, or is there something... different about mine? I mean I'm no stranger to fast, flowy, arrgh-inducing games, but there's something weird about this one I can't put my finger on.

#890 3 years ago

I can only speak for our game, but yes - what you described is true for us as well. We put Super-Bands high gloss flipper rubbers on ours, because they don't rebound (a.k.a., they're "dead"). We can trap now, and that makes the game manageable. With real, bouncy rubbers the ball is extremely hard to stop.

#891 3 years ago

I have a used Stern Flight 2000 Backglass for sale. $25

IMG_4609 (resized).JPGIMG_4609 (resized).JPGIMG_4610 (resized).JPGIMG_4610 (resized).JPG
#892 3 years ago

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19R9uDQ_Mk0RSMTrzaIkI0VggqqneOQ4L?usp=sharing

The above link will provide access to left and right inlane guide STL files for either 3D printing or CNC work. I'm going to have a set cut in stainless steel. Enjoy.

Much thanks to the folks that did the test prints to ensure everything was spot on.

20200618_212118 (resized).jpg20200618_212118 (resized).jpg20200618_212209 (resized).jpg20200618_212209 (resized).jpg
1 week later
#894 3 years ago
Quoted from Reaper802:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19R9uDQ_Mk0RSMTrzaIkI0VggqqneOQ4L?usp=sharing
The above link will provide access to left and right inlane guide STL files for either 3D printing or CNC work. I'm going to have a set cut in stainless steel. Enjoy.
Much thanks to the folks that did the test prints to ensure everything was spot on.
[quoted image][quoted image]

Glad to see the files I made worked for you. I cut some from some thin ga stainless I had laying around. The stainless looks decent on the playfield.

#895 3 years ago
Quoted from wolffcub:

Glad to see the files I made worked for you. I cut some from some thin ga stainless I had laying around. The stainless looks decent on the playfield.

Pics please!

#896 3 years ago

Anyone have LED recommendations to convert GI, controlled lamps and back box? Goal is to make it tastefully pop a little but not too bright or turn into a rainbow.

I was thinking all white for GI (maybe Comet sunlight or warm white), color match inserts, highlight just certain back glass locations. Ideas and pics? Thanks!

#897 3 years ago

I used a few Comet flame/fire LEDs behind the rocket flames for the back glass. Nice effect. Did the same for Meteor.

#898 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Anyone have LED recommendations to convert GI, controlled lamps and back box? Goal is to make it tastefully pop a little but not too bright or turn into a rainbow.
I was thinking all white for GI (maybe Comet sunlight or warm white), color match inserts, highlight just certain back glass locations. Ideas and pics? Thanks!

For me, if the pin has a lot of blue on the play field, I like to use cool white for the GI lights. F2K would fit my thoughts of having a lot of blue in the play field. For something green, like my Big Game, I like to use warm white for GI. I favor cool white in the back box. I use 2smd LEDs.

For feature lights, I color match or go with cool white. Color match is preferred. For any orange inserts, someone suggested using pink as pink lights up well under orange inserts. I tried the pink and like it so I stay with it.

If a feature light is way up in the back and hard to see, I might use 4smd bulbs to really light it up. But up closer, I don't wish to blind myself so I keep it at 2smd bulbs.

#899 3 years ago
Quoted from Robotworkshop:

I used a few Comet flame/fire LEDs behind the rocket flames for the back glass. Nice effect. Did the same for Meteor.

Thanks for mentioning that. Didn't know about this bulb. Looked on Comet website for it and saw the video. Looks cool.

Quoted from cottonm4:

For me, if the pin has a lot of blue on the play field, I like to use cool white for the GI lights. F2K would fit my thoughts of having a lot of blue in the play field. For something green, like my Big Game, I like to use warm white for GI. I favor cool white in the back box. I use 2smd LEDs.
For feature lights, I color match or go with cool white. Color match is preferred. For any orange inserts, someone suggested using pink as pink lights up well under orange inserts. I tried the pink and like it so I stay with it.
If a feature light is way up in the back and hard to see, I might use 4smd bulbs to really light it up. But up closer, I don't wish to blind myself so I keep it at 2smd bulbs.

Good points to consider in putting my LED list together!

Anyone have pics and/or further suggestions?

#900 3 years ago
Quoted from emsrph:

Thanks for mentioning that. Didn't know about this bulb. Looked on Comet website for it and saw the video. Looks cool.

Good points to consider in putting my LED list together!
Anyone have pics and/or further suggestions?

I got a lot of tips from this YT video.

That Comet Matrix lighting is super cool. Especially when you use some of those post lights upside down and under the plastics. You can light up a lot of dark corners with this Matrix lighting .

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