(Topic ID: 259333)

Frontier: Rollover registers multiple times

By BRW84

4 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 10 posts
  • 7 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by BRW84
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

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#1 4 years ago

I picked up a Frontier about two weeks ago, and I've gotten to the point in the repair process where the only problems left are the tiny little things that drive me insane. Case in point: The C rollover at the top of the playfield was registering twice. I tried adjusting the switch, but no luck. I did a bit of research and it sounded like a bad diode, so I replaced the diode on that switch. No change. Then I checked the switch matrix and replaced every single diode in the same row and column (including all three tilt diodes). Now the switch started either registering three or four times on a single hit, or more often, not registering at all on a hit. I texted a buddy of mine who knows more about pinball than I do, and he suggested a bad capacitor on the rollover. I checked under the playfield, and none of the three rollover switches had caps. Aha! I ordered a bunch of caps from Great Plains Electronics today, but I'm impatient, so I pulled the cap off the grizzly target standup and soldered it to the the C rollover switch. I fired up the game... and now the switch consistently registers, but it's back to registering twice. My theories are as follows:

1. The cap on the grizzly target that I pulled is bad, but this seems unlikely.
2. The rollover switch itself is bad, but I can't find a replacement at any of my usual suppliers (suggestions requested!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've dropped a solid five hours into this issue and I'm tearing my hair out. Thanks in advance!

#2 4 years ago

I was going to guess a cap but perhaps not after your test. Is the switch gapped correctly? Not too closely touching?

#3 4 years ago
Quoted from Nokoro:

I was going to guess a cap but perhaps not after your test. Is the switch gapped correctly? Not too closely touching?

I've adjusted it to the best of my abilities, which is part of why I'm leaning toward the "bad switch" hypothesis.

#4 4 years ago

It seems like you are chasing a gremlin, so good luck.

As a possible test, Have you adjusted the dip switches lately? It’s easy enough to flip them one direction then back. Dip switch 6 on the mpu is a setting that affects A and C.

Maybe the board is the problem?

Have fun, great game.

#5 4 years ago

Have you given the gold contacts on the switch a good clean with isopropyl?

Swap the C and B switches around. That will tell you if it's something mechanical with the actual switch.

#6 4 years ago

Does it still register 2-4 times when you manually push on the switch?
or is it only when the ball rolls over it.

#7 4 years ago

This is definitely a bit of an odd problem, I'd start by replacing all the needed caps with new ones first. If still no joy and you want to replace the switch (after trying quench's suggestion of swapping switches, which is what I'd try next)...i wrote a lengthy post on building new switches if you want to go that route. Parts are available at The Pinball Resource, if you want to give it a try:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/building-re-building-leaf-switches

#8 4 years ago

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! This gives me a good starting point. I'll post an update when I crack this one.

#9 4 years ago

One other thing you might want to check. Sometimes a switch wireform will bounce after a ball rolls over it and that issue can cause a switch to close twice. I have seen this happen a few times over the years. Also, no real need to place a cap on any of those ABC rollover switches.

#10 4 years ago
Quoted from BrianBannon:

One other thing you might want to check. Sometimes a switch wireform will bounce after a ball rolls over it and that issue can cause a switch to close twice. I have seen this happen a few times over the years. Also, no real need to place a cap on any of those ABC rollover switches.

I'm thinking this might be the problem. I fiddled with adjusting the switch some more last night, and I got it to a point where it works reliably about 90 percent of the time. I'm going to check out the wire form. Thanks!

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