Anyone have a link to replacement drop target decals for Sharpshooter? Finally getting the drop target mech rebuilt and will need some decals for the new targets before i finish reassembly.

Thanks!

I finally got to try booting up my Sharpshooter today and it's working! Kind of. There's a number of issues that need to be worked out, but the first I'd like to tackle is the displays. All 5 have some amount of flicker and seem to be showing garbage (random segments/digits).

Suggestions as to what might be causing this?

Thanks!

Thanks for the response! Turns out all of the displays had one or more bad MPSA13 transistors. I had enough on hand to fix 2 score displays and the credit/match display. Turns out even just one bad transistor can wreak havoc on these display boards. I was just stumped at first because i thought at least one board would have been ok. The fact that all of them were exhibiting problems made me wonder if it could have been an mpu or connector or 5v issue. Onto the next issue!

There was definitely some issues with the wiring and connector for the displays, but i straightened all that out before turning the game on for the first time. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if the problem comes back. I'll be stocking up on mpsa13's in the meantime!

I finally have my Sharpshooter working, and I'm loving it. Everyone who's played it so far wants to keep playing again and again. Devilishly difficult, but so much fun!

I've only got a couple small issues left to work out, and thought I'd try here first: one pair of pop bumpers light up nice and bright, but the other pair is very dim. I've tried nearly everything i can think of, and I'm certain it's not a problem with the LDU. (I swapped pins 7 and 8 on connector J5 for the pop bumper lamps on the ldu and got the same results in lamp test, bright pair was still bright, dim pair was still dim)

I've re-pinned connectors, i replaced one of the 2 pop bumper lamp sockets, tried different bulbs, triple-checked for good solder joints. Nothing I've tried yet has made a smidge of difference so far. I noticed each pop bumper lamp socket has a big resistor that the blue/white wire goes to. Could the resistors be causing the problem? Does anyone know the value of them? I measured 6 ohms on each one. Not sure of wattage though, they are pretty beefy. Maybe 2 watts? I'm going to replace the other lamp socket tomorrow and see if that finally gets this corrected.

Anything else it might be?

How are the voltages at the power supply? Have you reflowed the connectors on the power supply board and changed out the big filter cap? The displays run on 5v so maybe they're stressing the potentially weak 5v circuit when plugged in, causing garbage/erratic behaviour/resets/etc.

+1

Definitely replace the bushings, they're cheap and easy to replace if your taking the flipper bats/paddles off anyway...

You may be pleasantly surprised for all your efforts. Sharpshooter is a surprisingly fun, addictive game. My buddies and i have spent entire sessions just playing Sharpshooter all night!

This should be a suitable replacement: https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CCG-12000uF-25V

Is the extra ball value set really low? It might default to a low value, not sure.

Not sure what to suggest as far as that spinner though...

Maybe a locked-on transistor/scr for the game over light?

Good stuff, congrats on the fix! How do you like the game?

The connectors between the backbox, playfield, sound board, and cabinet will need to be replaced if they haven't already been. Lots of connectors to replace, but i found that to be essential in getting my sharpshooter working properly. What voltages are you measuring at the test points on the power supply board?

Here's an exhaustive guide to Game Plan repairs, came in very handy when i was fixing up my Sharpshooter.

http://www.pinrepair.com/gp/

I'd definitely start by verifying you have good voltages at the power supply. Section 2a lists the test points and voltages you should look for at them.

I have to admit my knowledge is limited, as my mpu was working when i bought my game (though it had other issues).

I would definitely keep going on the direction you're heading though, if the game doesn't boot up properly, it may be holding the blanking signal low which may result in all the coils firing (i had a similar experience with my Black Knight a while back, though this may or may not apply to this case)...

That said, you definitely want to get your 24vdc working properly or it won't boot anyway. I'd focus on that first. Check the 24vdc bridge rectifier on the power supply with your meter, shown in the image below:

Screenshot_20190904_085859_org.mozilla.firefox(1).jpg

Couple other thoughts: make sure you're dmm is set for DC voltage (I'm presuming you did)... also, even though they may look good make sure to pull all the fuses and check that they're the appropriate rating and check good for continuity. When you put them back in, make sure the fuse clips are tight.

Testing a Bridge Rectifier.
The following test will check if a bridge has an open circuit or a short.

Turn the game off.
Put the DMM on diode setting.
Put the black lead of the DMM on the "+" (positive) terminal of the bridge.
Put the red lead of the DMM on either AC bridge terminal. Between .4 and .6 volts should be seen. Switch the red DMM lead to the other AC bridge terminal, and again .4 to .6 volts should be seen.
Put the red lead of the DMM on the "-" (negative terminal of the bridge.
Put the black lead of the DMM on either AC bridge terminal. Between .4 and .6 volts should be seen. Switch the black DMM lead to the other AC bridge terminal, and again .4 to .6 volts should be seen.

Couple other things i found:

Reset Line (First Step in a Non-Booting MPU board).
Before the CPU chip will start to run, the reset line on the Z-80 CPU chip U11 pin 26 must be high (5 volts). The reset circuit of the MPU board controls the reset; Upon power-on, U11 pin 26 is held low (0 volts) for a short period of time (50 milliseconds or so). This allows the 5 volt power supply to stablize. Then the reset circuit makes U11 pin 26 go to 5 volts. This is done using four transistor QA,QB,QC (2N3904) and QD (2N4403), a 1N4738 8.2 volt zener diode, and some resistors and caps. Unfortunately the reset circuit is right below the battery, so battery corrosion often ruins this circuit. If the reset circuit of the MPU board is not working, the MPU will *not* start to boot.

With the power to the MPU board on, use a DMM and check U11 pin 26. It should be 4.5 to 5.1 volts DC. With the power off and the DMM on and connected to U11 pin 26, turn the power on to the MPU board. The DMM should show 0 volts for just a brief moment, and then jump up to 4.7 to 5.1 volts. if it does this, the reset circuit is working. If U11 pin 26 stays at less than 4 volts, the reset circuit is faulty. Start by replacing the four transistor QA,QB,QC (2N3904) and QD (2N4403). Also it's a good idea to replace the 1N4738 8.2 volt zener diode (the Gameplan parts list calls or a 1N959B diode, but use a 1N4738 instead).
-------------------------
Zero Cross Circuit.
The MPU board requires 24 volts DC (+/- 6 volts) solenoid voltage to boot. This is used for a zero cross circuit. Even though the 24 volts is DC, it is not filtered with a filter capacitor. The voltage comes from the transformer and goes through a bridge rectifier on the power supply board. The bridge "full wave rectifies" the AC transformer voltage into rough DC. This rough DC is required for the zero cross circuit - if a filter capacitor was used to smooth the 24 volts, the zero cross circuit would not work!

Ok, so the diode test is here--the triangle with the vertical line at one point: 1467050095.png

It looks like that setting has 2 functions, continuity/beep test and diode test. When you turn the dial to that setting it will probably show one of those 2 symbols on the display. Using the Func key at the top left, you can likely toggle between the 2 settings. If you touch the probes together and it beeps, you're in continuity test. Once you have it set where it displays the diode symbol (and shouldn't beep when you touch the probes together), follow the tests from the previous post. I'm leaning towards a bad bridge, but we want to make sure before we proceed.

The bridge may have markings on the sides, there will be a +, a -, and two squiggly lines like this ~. The bridge may also have a corner that's different from the other 3, that may be denoting the + terminal (i think). If you don't get that 0.4-0.6 on diode test on *any* combination of terminals, it's very likely a bad bridge. Still, we should try to do the test correctly

Looks like you're on the right track! The lug that's oriented differently is most likely the + terminal. You can also test the other nearby bridges and compare their values to see if they come up similar. I can't say with 100% certainty that you have a bad bridge, but it's looking more likely!

Nice! Hard to say it was indeed a bad bridge, but your reading looks good now. Definitely keep us posted when you get the boards back!

Hmm. Can't find anything in the guide pertaining to this specific problem. Are all the coils firing when the connector is plugged in, or is it only certain ones?

When you sent the boards out, did they verify the solenoid driver board is working properly? (or did you just send the mpu?)

Cool, sounds like you're on the right track then. I was thinking similarly. Definitely keep us posted!

Happy to help!

Have you re-pinned the connector for the switches that plugs into the mpu at J5?

Next time the problem happens, put the game into switch test and see if the game is detecting the switch. While you're at it, you may want to go around and test all the playfield switches to make sure it's the only one that's trouble.

240 is the kickout hole switch number, so it looks like everything is functioning properly. Is it possible the outhole switch needs to be adjusted so there's less tension on the actuating (upper) leaf of the switch? Maybe the ball only has enough momentum to push the switch closed if the ball goes quickly out of play, but may not have enough to push the switch closed if it slowly rolls out of play. Based on what your seeing, it seems like it's just gonna be a matter of adjusting the outhole switch...perhaps to make it easier for the ball to push the switch closed. You may have to experiment a bit, but luckily the switch can be adjusted with the coin door opened (if i remember correctly)...

Just to be clear: you're still having trouble with the outhole? That is very strange indeed. If possible, I'd like to see a video of this behavior.

When you put the game into switch test, are any switches stuck closed? Make sure to reset drop targets and remove ball before beginning test.

Also, i know I've asked but i can't remember what you said: have the connectors between the cabinet and backbox been replaced?

Ok cool-we're making some progress. Does the switch in the bonus hole work consistently in switch test? Like i said, check to be sure no other switches are stuck. I'd get a closer look at the bonus hole switch, make sure everything looks ok there--that the switch leaves are adjusted properly, wiring isn't mashed together or anything like that.

I've considered doing the same. I've always wondered if maybe the ball is lifting slightly off the pf as it flies around the u-turn, missing some of the switches on really fast shots. I don't have the problem if the ball is moving slowly. Whatever the case, I guess a 0.05 uf cap would suffice for those switches?

Have you replaced the female connectors that plug into J5 and J6 on the mpu (the switch matrix connectors)? I'm thinking maybe a bad/intermittent connection at one of them...

I can almost guarantee that's the source of your problem. If those connectors are original, you'll probably notice some blue/green corrosion on some of the pins--for whatever reason those connectors are often found in that condition. It's a lot of re-pinning, but i don't think you'll really have the game bullet-proof until you do that.

If it were my game, I'd replace the head to cabinet connectors (a must) and also the connectors at J5 and J6. It's a bit tricky, because the head/cab connectors are 0.084--a size I've only encountered on Game Plan games. The old housings can be reused, but you'd need a pin extractor for that specific size, which could be fairly expensive ($20-40?). Otherwise, you'll need new housings and new connector pins (and a whole lot of patience doing the tedious work, lol) for those connectors between the head and cab. Here's the link to my favorite electronics supplier, Great Plains Electronics. This will take you to the 0.084" connector section: https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/products.asp?cat=2

Could you post pics of J5 + J6? If they're the smaller size headers, they're probably 0.1" pins. I'll be able to tell from the pics though. Almost all pinball circuit board connectors are either 0.156" or 0.1" for the most part. GPE also sells those connector pins and housings in both sizes: 0.1" https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/categories.asp?cat=70

0.156": https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/categories.asp?cat=37

Have you familiarised yourself with the switch test? Next time the game acts up like that, reset the drop targets, and put the game into switch test. You don't want any switches closed on the playfield except the outhole switch. Do any switches come up on the displays? Each switch has a number assigned, i think each switch has a different 3-digit number.

Here's a pic of the red test button on the coin door on my sharpshooter:

IMG_20191118_095953.jpg

I have run into issues with dirty dip switches on occasion, definitely a possibility. Hopefully you found the solution, keep us posted!

Man, that's a weird one. Only thing i can really think to suggest is putting the game in switch test when the problem occurs again, reset the drops and see which (if any switches it detects). Have you replaced the capacitors on any of the switches that use them? I think the rollover buttons use them, but i can't remember...i only ask because faulty switch caps can cause weird issues for the switch matrix.

Also, you could replace the dip switches if the problem still seems connected to it. Again if the backbox-to-playfield connectors haven't been replaced, it's still possible they could be the source of the problem.

I've had a persistent problem with the memory on my Sharpshooter, seems to lose its high scores and displays a bunch of garbled stuff on the score displays when showing the high score. Resetting the high score and zeroing out all the settings straightens it all out, but after leaving the game off for a while, it inevitably loses its memory and needs to be reset to display proper high scores. Everything else works fine, and I've lived with the issue for a while since it never really bothered me. I'm getting ready to set it up at a buddies place and decided to fix the memory problem first since it's gonna be their only game there (for now... ) any advice?

The mpu on this game has been serviced by the coin op cauldron, and a memory cap was installed. I've tried different 5101 ram chips but for some reason the game will only work with the ram chips that it came installed with. I might have to reach out to the coin op cauldron to get this sorted, but thought I'd ask here in case anyone has any suggestions to run down first. Thanks!

That's a good suggestion, thanks! I have the parts to give that a try. I was reading in Clay's guide that he suggests adding a blocking diode, so I'll be sure to add that to the battery pack.

One other thing i realize i neglected to mention: the big blue 5v cap on the power supply/transformer assy was never changed, so i replaced it. Since doing that, i only had the game on for an hour or 2, so I'm thinking maybe the memory cap didn't get enough to charge fully.

My experience with memory caps has been good overall, but if the solution is a simple as adding a battery pack I'll gladly give it a shot. Thanks again for your help!

Just installed a new battery pack + blocking diode and so far so good! I ran wiring up to the head to keep the batteries easily accessible. Think that was the solution here, but I'll be sure to follow up if there's any further trouble.

Thanks!

IMG_20200716_190218.jpg

According to Clays guide for Game Plan games, Super Nova is one of only 2 games they made that use the 2nd relay socket.

From the guide: Gameplan has two relay sockets on the solenoid driver board. One SE9301 transistor (#19) drives one relay which engages the flippers during play. Another SE9301 transistor (#9) drives another relay socket which is usually not used (but certainly could be used as a GI relay or some other type of drive relay). Gameplan was thinking ahead, and only used the second relay socket on Andromeda (additonal playfield GI lights) and Super Nova (for the roulette wheel).

You'll need to find the other end of that connector you posted on one of the above pics. It's gotta be buried somewhere between the cab and backbox, hopefully you'll find it in there. Hopefully that will bring your playfield to life...

The more i think about it, I'm pretty sure i ran into the same thing on my sharpshooter years back. I think the molex plug was coming from the cabinet, and there was no mate for it in the head or anywhere else. I remember speculating it could have been wiring for a chime box or something else...as you said, it was likely a wiring harness used for numerous games, and some simply didn't use the additional wiring.

Curious to see what the solution is for your board. I had a devil of a time trying to get my original MPU to save scores. It will work intermittently at best, never could seem to come up with a solution for that one.

That's a very interesting project! Will you be selling boards once the design is completed?

Hey guys, I'm having trouble with the sound on my buddy's sharpshooter--it's not working at all. No hum from the speaker, even with the volume cranked all the way up. I have +5 and +12 at the MSU-2, and I've re-pinned the connectors at the MSU-2 and the MPU, and at the connectors between the head and cabinet.

I'm thinking of trying another speaker, anyone know what the ohm rating is for the speaker?

Any suggestions where to start troubleshooting? Thanks!

Many thanks!!! I didn't realize viperrwk put out videos for these repairs too--that video was sooooo helpful! Pretty neat the way these boards work. I'm guessing at this point either a bad volume pot or a problem with one of the amp chips. I replaced the amp chips a while back, but I'll have to double check my work on them.

Also--it appears we have an 8 ohm speaker installed in the game, should I plan on swapping it out for a 4 ohm? It's worked fine with the 8 ohm up till now, but I'll swap it out if it's possibly causing any trouble.

I'll post back when I get a chance to troubleshoot the board and share my results.

Thanks again--that video was extremely helpful!

Great info everyone, thanks for the replies! I'll keep your suggestions in mind moving forward.

I checked for power at the connector that plugs into the sound board and found correct voltages. I'll get a closer look at the board and check for cracked solder etc. Luckily I have a 10k pot among my parts, so I'll probably replace the old volume pot for good measure whether or not it's the culprit. It appears I replaced and socketed the amp chips too, so I'll have to get another look at my work there. I also found a 4 ohm speaker, so I should have almost all the bases covered parts-wise. Hopefully I'll get the board into my shop soon so I can proceed to troubleshoot. Thanks again!

That's really cool! Wish I had one of those in my toolbox

Thanks again for the suggestions and info, everyone! I plan on getting to work on it in the next couple days hopefully--I'll check back in with my findings.

That's cool! Might have to add one to my Christmas list.

Go figure, after all this the sound magically started working again.

Of course, now we're having intermittent problems with the playfield switch connector on the MPU. I replaced the headers and female connectors but this board is very fussy about accepting new solder. I'm hoping someone comes along with a replacement MPU, but I'll see what I can do in the meantime.

For now, I have to assume the sound problem is/was a connector issue and I'll treat it as such until further notice. If the problem comes back I'll know what else to try too. I'll post back with any updates.

Thanks again everyone for all the guidance and info!

Definitely go for it--sharpshooter is a surprisingly fun game! I would have kept mine but I ran out of space for games. Happily, my buddy down the street owns it now and it gets played constantly. Even "non-pinball-people" have been loving Sharpshooter! At $300 it really is a no-brainer. Good luck!

Looks like you're into something. According to Clay's Game Plan repair guide:

The second MPU LED flash indicates the zero cross over pulse is OK. If no second MPU LED flash, look for 25 volts DC at MPU connector J1 pin 3, usually because of a bad 25 volt rectifier board fuse for the coil voltage. A bad U10 (Z80CTC) can cause no second LED flash. Also check chips U3 (74LS04) and U2 (LM339). Last check for a failed U11 (Z80), U6/U7 (6551), U12/U13/U26 (Game ROMs), or U17 (8255 PIA).

Looks like a 10 amp AGC/fast-blow fuse. Might have luck finding them at the local auto parts store or hardware store. Just make sure you don't get 10 amp MDL/slow-blow fuses. If the new fuse blows, I'd check the 24v bridge rectifier on the power supply unit next.

2 things:

The sound stopped working on my buddy's Sharpshooter again. I rolled up my sleeves and got ready to bench test the sound board but first decided to try replacing the speaker...and it's working! So it turned out it was an intermittent speaker as far as I can tell.

Here's an interesting note though: the speaker in the game was an 8 ohm. On the recommendation from another poster here on the thread I installed a 4 ohm speaker. It works fine--but there is a very notable lack of bass/bottom end. Plus it makes the treble-y stuff sound extra crackly. We both think it's pretty darn funny and it works perfectly fine, but he might switch to an 8-ohm speaker. Is that an expected difference between using a 4 vs 8 ohm speaker or is something else possibly at play? Come to think of it, the magnet on the 4 ohm speaker was pretty big and heavy compared to the magnet in the 8 ohm speaker I took out (probably 2x the size and weight of the one in the old speaker). Plus the diameter of the replacement speaker is a little smaller than the original. Could that also account for the tinny/paper cup sound of the new 4 ohm speaker we're using?

Other thing: what size is the big rubber ring that goes around the posts behind the drop targets on Sharpshooter? Is that a 6" ring?

Thanks!

Ahhh ok, I was under the impression that the 8 ohm was incorrect. I never could find a value for the speaker in the schematics, and picked up somewhere else that 4 ohms was the correct value. I'll make sure to get an 8 ohm in there asap. Thanks!

Ahhh ok, I was under the impression that the 8 ohm was incorrect. I never could find a value for the speaker in the schematics, and picked up somewhere else that 4 ohms was the correct value. I'll make sure to get an 8 ohm in there asap. Thanks!

I appreciate all the info guys!

Does anyone have a rubber ring chart/list for Sharpshooter they could share?

Thanks!

Most pinball parts places have them. I usually get ones rated for 400 volts and 35 amps like this one at Marco Specialties:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/KBPC3504-L

I was thinking the same, probably around $1k-1.5k. It's pretty rare, but GP games don't generally seem to bring the big bucks. Snatch it up!!!

Agreed!! There weren't many non-Sharpshooter GP games going around in the first place and the few that would surface were probably being overlooked for that reason. It's surprising they don't have a bigger following, but perhaps that will change with these new MPUs. I think sharpshooter plays great and imagine the others are probably a blast too.

I've run into similar findings purchasing 0.047uf switch caps. Teeny tiny, but they still had the same capacitance and voltage rating. They should be fine if they're rated correctly for those 2 aforementioned categories...

I'll be following this post...I've read that Gameplan pins don't "get along" with LEDs for whatever reason. I think it may be something to do with the design of the driver board. Might not be something that can be solved in the usual fashion as other manufacturers' pins, a la adding a resistor...in fact the added resistors might be causing the new problems you're experiencing.