The low resistance of the coils will cause your multi-meter to conduct in both directions across the diode meaning you get false readings. You must at least disconnect one leg of the diode so it's isolated to test it.

But If I removed all the connectors to all the boards, and displays, and I left just the 20 pin connector on the solenoid driver board, and I don’t show proper voltages at the test points on that board, haven’t I isolated the problem to the solenoid driver board?

Yes one leg of diode must be clipped or unsoldered. A good 1N4004 or 4148 should read approximately. 065 volts in one direction and 0 in other. If your meter has a diode setting, use it. If not I think mv voltage setting should work.

Not lame to buy alltek. Especially if you plan to repair original for future use. Overhaul kits available from Big Daddy Ent. Ground mods on pinwiki.

How did a bad diode cause problems? What problems are you having? Usually a bad coil diode will blow PF fuse.

I second that! I have a full set of Alltek boards (MPU, Lamp, Aux Lamp, and SDB) for keeping games running while I work on the original PCBs. Once I get the original PCBs working, back in the game they go and the Allteks go on the shelf until the next project comes in. Very helpful to have solid, known working boards to help triage stuff (like flaky connectors and other things unrelated to bad boards). It's an investment of several hundred dollars to cover all the PCBs, but I've had no regrets and so far it's helped me work thru getting 4 different Bally projects running over the last couple of years.

I was only responding to your question about testing diodes on coils. I haven't been following your issue.

You say you're getting 26V at TP5 on the solenoid driver board but what are you measuring at TP3 on the rectifier board (it's the same voltage rail).
How much voltage do you measure across the C23 capacitor on the solenoid driver board (black meter lead on the capacitors negative leg, red meter lead on the positive capacitor leg).

Post pictures of your solenoid driver board.

I installed some Comet LEDs last night on the playfield general illumination. I also messed around with the control lights. I definitely need to replace some light sockets and get more LEDs for the back box.

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Thanks emsrph. This is helpful.

I am trying to figure out what is causing the Second Stage Go light to be on constantly on the play field down by the 5 drop targets.

This is my first pinball machine and I am new to reading the wire diagrams. From what I can tell, the Second Stage Go is J2, Pin 5. If I follow that to the light board, it is Q52 and R52 that are controlling the light, is this correct?

If I am understanding PinWiki, then the Q52 is bad, is this correct?

Is there any sort of diagnostic test I can do on the Q52 2NSO60 to make sure this is the problem?

Next, how difficult is this for me to replace? I'm guessing the light board needs to be removed from the machine, then a soldering iron used to remove the Q52 2NS060 and install a new one? This sounds kinda fun and a little scary. haha. Does Great Plains Electronics sell them?

Thanks a bunch.

Tom

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That is probably one of the easiest repairs to start with. If you have a Digital volt meter with a diode test you can pretty quickly verify one of them failed shorted.

If you know it if bad cut off the body of the part or bend it back and forth to break it off. Then warm up the solder and pull out each pin. Some good quality solder wick will remove the excess solder. If you don't currently have solder make sure you get regular solder with a rosin type flux or similar. Avoid any acid based solder and aldo avoid the newer ROHS solder as that is awful.

The manual does say Q52, BUT there are two Second Stage Go lamps. That would be a different transistor type that has the capability to control two lamps (MCR-106 vs. one lamp transistor 2N5060).
Are both Second Stage Go lamps stuck on?

Maybe someone can confirm which transistor it is to be sure.

Transistor testing process https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Bally/Stern#Testing_Lamp_Driver_SCRs
You can compare results to other like transistors to confirm.

The 2N5060 are available at greatplainselectronics https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=2N5064
Ed recommends 2N5064 as the replacement.
The MCR106 are https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MCR106-6

Not a difficult job. What kind of soldering iron and types of soldering work have you performed previously?

Thanks for the great emails. The 2nd Stage Go light up in the ball launcher seems to be working properly and blinks during attract mode and is not a steady green like the one I showed in the photo.

I just got a brand new soldering iron station. It has adjustable temperature in Celsius. It has a nice beveled tip, not a little pointy tip. A few weeks back I soldered the wires onto a new power/rectifier board in the cabinet and that was fun and seemed to go well enough.

Yeah you should be ok.

You can test Q52 but both lamps should have the same behavior?

Next time you’re under the playfield- they both have the same color wire, true?

The two lamps are not illuminated a steady green, so I don't know what's happening then. The wire diagram says that both bulbs are controlled by Q52, so I see what you guys are talking about how both bulbs should be acting the same way. So I don't know what's up with that.

The wire diagram says they should have white with blue wires.

Anyone have a good color match for the Blue on the cabinet ?

The game for Mt avatar was painted w Rustoleum safety blue and safety yellow. The blue was a tad darker.

Yep. I wheeled an entire cab into my local paint store and had them match the blue that was unfaded under the side rail. Its now in their system as Electric Blue lol.

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Do you think I can show that formula to the local hardware store and get a similar color blue for my cabinet? I assume that's a paint formula on the label, right?

Nope !

^ Boo. I figured it wouldn't be that easy.

I'm going to order some new light sockets to replace a bunch that appear to be corroded or spin a bunch when I try to get the bulbs in and out.

I did look at the green 2nd Stage Go light by the 5 dropdown targets and it definitely has a White with Blue Stripe wire feeding it.

I couldn't tell for sure, but the 2nd Stage Go light up in the ball locker appeared to have a different color wire. The manual says they both should be white with blue stripe.

Besides that I got both of my spinners working awesome last night. The ball locker spinner on the left was not spinning well and getting stuck. I took it apart, used some steel wool on the spinner target arms, then the smallest drop of automatic transmission fluid at the pivot points. Both spinners revolve a very long time now and stop/fall back to a vertical position.

Here is another issue. On my slingshot/kickers the kicker arm mechanism seems very wobbly. Lots of play in the kicker arm connection points. How much slop is supposed to be in those? I'm thinking I need to get replacements or else install some washers in the joints to take up the slack.

Thanks for everyone's help getting this game running and maximizing the fun. It is a great game to play and very challenging.

Thanks for the instructions, especially on which lead goes where.

On the solenoid driver board I am getting TP2-193v, TP4-254v, TP5-2.16v., C23 2.15v. On the rectifier board I am getting TP3-14v. I use the ground braid for ground when testing the rectifier board. Is that okay?

See pics of the SDB. Thanks.

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They're pretty wiggly as-built.

The voltage at TP3 on the rectifier board goes to the voltage at TP5 on the solenoid driver board. Yours are not measuring the same so you have some connection issue.

The 12 volts (14V in your case) at TP3 on the rectifier board leaves it at J3 pin 8 and goes to the solenoid driver board at J3 pin 12 (orange wire).

Looking at your J3 solenoid driver board wire connector, I see the terminal at pin 12 in the housing is not as deep as the others (it may be broken). Terminals at pins 19 and 24 in the housing look melted. You have some rework to do on that connector.

Flight2000_SDB_J3.jpg

BTW, you have a number of cracked solder joints at the various pin headers on the solenoid driver board that need to be resoldered.

Flight2000_SDB_J5.jpg

Like other Stern metal parts the metal was crappy on the kickers. The holes on the kickers that go over the shaft for the pivot egg out and cause the excessive slop. Unfortunately this is an obsolete part. When they are really bad, I add a flat washer to the shaft to help minimize the extra play.

Wow Quench , you have given great feedback, as always. Looking forward to my first header pin reflow, and redoing that connector. Thanks again.

Will these work? I haven't looked at my Flight 2000 close enough to see if they are identical.
https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-slingshot-bumper-crank-assembly.html

https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-slingshot-kicker-mounting-bracket.html

I'm not sure. It might depend on the opening on the pf and space under pf to mount it. Different coil? Or the amount of travel versus original.

If anything I would try the Williams slings that don't have the plastic piece on top like High speed.

Here's a post by wolffcub about tuning up sloppy Stern kickers that I book marked for the future...
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-lectronamo-rebuild/page/7#post-4602455

@quench, thanks again. I redid the connector and I am back up and running. Thanks a million! You saved me from replacing a board that did not need to be replaced.

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For some reason last night I was able to "Blast Off" in 2 of the 5 games I played.

Can someone please describe the sound effects that should happen during the "Blast Off" when the 3 balls are launched from the locker mechanism?

I noticed my machine got kind of quiet during the "Blast Off". The left spinner noise was interrupted. Then once the 3 balls are launched, there is some sort of rocket noise and the spinner noise continues. I'm wondering if all of my sound effects are working properly?

I'll have to try it again with the glass off and notice the sounds more closely.

Thanks!

My game.has.Worked good for almost 3/years.
Had a problem come up tonight.
Ball one drained with two balls in walker.
Machine still thought ball in play.

I turned off and on. Boots up but credit match
display comes on late and.then I nto attract mode.
Hit start button. No ball eject . Drops arent.resetting.
Score keeps increasing i think because of drops staying down.
Went into test mode. Only thing I'm getting on solenoid
Tests is the sounds. Flippers work.

Can anyone point me in correct direction.
Thx. I've gotten better with using mulimeter and.knowing
My way better around the backbox. Thx for any help.

Remove the under playfield fuse and continuity test to make sure it’s not blown

Dude! It was blown. When I lifted playfield earlier i said it looks ok.
Duh. I didn't have another 1.25 fuse . Had a 3 amp. Should I
keep it powered off til I get.correct fuse . Thx. Having
family over tomorrow so would be on a few hours.

Thx so much for the quick reply. Appreciate it.

Over fusing is just asking for a disaster. Get the correct fuse!

Yep, get the right fuse.

Just did a good sized order at gpe.
Correct fuses on the way.
Thx for the help.

Our Flight 2000 developed a major problem today. Here is what happens.

1. Start a game. Ball #1 gets ejected from the outhole.
1. Get Ball#1 into the ball locker. First Stage Go. Next ball gets ejected from the outhole.
2. Get next ball into the ball locker. Second Stage Go. Next ball gets ejected from the outhole.
3. Outhole solenoid and the 5 bank drop target solenoid activates and the game thinks I drained a ball.
4. Outhole solenoid and the 5 bank drop target solenoid activates and the game thinks I drained a ball.
After a few times of doing this the game ends.

So what's going on here? I have no idea what is wrong or how to trouble shoot it.

We have checked the ball trough switches and they seem fine.

The self-test switch in the coin door seems like everything tests fine.

I would appreciate any guidance that any of you Flight 2000 experts could provide.

Thank you.

I use a paper clip attached to some spare wire.
I then put one end of the wire on ground.
I then remove one of the lamp output connectors and "ground" each pin using the paper clip.
I check to see if the correct faulty lamp light up.
I now know which pin connector position, and wire color, to faulty lamp.
Then one can back trace to faulty SCR. 2N5060 or MCR106-1.
Along with the schematics to double check.

Just an FYI here. I have worked on a ton of these early solid state Ball and Stern games and I have noticed the PF fuse clips can be oxidized and clips get weak. This causes excessive resistance and heat. If your replacement fuse feels loose or can spin easily, I would replace the fuse holder. I change these on every swap.

Need more info, when 3rd ball drains, does the game add bonus points? When you say 5 ball drop target solenoid activates, does it reset all targets and drop the targets that were dropped by previous ball? It kind of seems that the outhole switch may be stuck closed and simulating end of game.

Yes, it counts the bonus points and acts like the game is over.
I’ll replicate it again today and report back.
When one ball is left in the trough, that switch should be closed, right?
Then when the trough is empty, that switch is open, correct? I can’t remember off the top of my head.

Yea on the switch operation and there are three switches in the trough.

Take the balls out, reset the drop bank. Put the game in switch test using the coin door inside button (check manual for how many presses). This will tell you if the trough switch (or any other switch) is stuck closed.

Edit- 5th press of the self test button

Thanks emsrph.

I just did the switch test and it is showing switch #33 to be a problem. Switch #33 is the Out Hole (Right).

Here is what the trough switches look like.

The one on the right appears to be open to me, if I am understanding how the switch looks with no balls in the trough.
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Outhole is the leaf switch not the micro switches, right?

What does the other end of the outhole leaf switch look like? Make sure the switch tabs aren’t touching each other.

Edit- is there a diode on that switch? Test that diode to make sure it’s not shorted.

Thanks again emsrph.

Here is another photo of the leaf switch. It all seems ok, I'm not sure how to test the diode. I'll have to get on YouTube to check that out.

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I had a similar (but not exact) issue with the switch matrix. Turned out to be a bad diode on one of the 3-bank drop switches. I ended up just starting to replace all those little original blue diodes with new 1n4007 diodes (I’m not smart enough to know the blue one’s value or why they’re used on this game, I thought they were added by an op later but they’re the same ones in your photos).

True, could be a phantom switch closure.

Someone can probably look at the switch matrix chart and tell which other switch diodes to check.

Is it something like testing all the diodes on the diagonal from the switch in question?

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Sounds like I need to order some diodes and solder. Haha.

I assume Great Plains Electronics is the place to get these?

Is the 1n4007 diode that play_pinball used the thing for me to buy?

Sorry about all the questions. I'm new to all of this.

I just watched a video of a guy testing diodes with a multi-meter. His diodes were not connected to anything. Do I need to unsolder the diodes before testing them, or can they be tested still on the switch?

Questions are fine. Don’t hesitate to ask.

Yes GPE for those exact diodes. Get a bunch since they’re cheap and they are used on switches, coils and on circuit boards.

For diodes not on circuit boards most likely can test as is. Compare results backwards and forwards to other similar switches to verify results.