After starting with 100 problems or so on my Big Top, I'm down to just two, so I'll start a thread for each one and perhaps I'll have it working completely in a couple of days.

As a 2 player Add-a-Ball game, this one is unusual enough that the problems I've been having are ones that other people haven't had before here, making it impossible to search for a solution.

The latest issue involves the A-B-C rollovers on the playfield.

Gameplay:

1. The top rollover is always lit for either A, B, or C, and it changes every time it's hit.
2. Hitting that top rollover lights the corresponding letter on the lower rollovers labeled A, B, or C. So if the top rollover has "A" lit, and you hit it, then the lower letter "A" will light.
3. Hitting the lit lower rollover awards an extra ball.

The upper and lower A-B-C lights are working correctly, as are the latching relays U/UR, V/VR, and W/WR. The switches on the relays are adjusted correctly and the lights work correctly. Hitting the top rollover when lit for A, B, or C lights the correct lower rollover as it should.

Problem: Hitting the lower rollover does not award an extra ball, and the Continues to Play unit does not advance.

I'm having trouble following the schematic for this, though it appears that the L (Rollover Series Relay) and C (Continues to Play relay) are involved.

This one's probably easy, but I can't figure out exactly where I should be looking to find the solution to this.

Schematic is here: https://images.pinside.com/5/d0/ae/5d0aec1798e673fc2776bdc816244ba9c0ef8a13.pdf

letter_rollover1 (resized).JPG
letter_rollover2 (resized).JPG

Rolf,

I should mention that the game does correctly award an extra ball for points. I have it set for an extra ball at 2000 points and at 5000 points, and when I reach those scores, the Continues to Play unit does advance and the E relay pulls in and the extra ball lights on the playfield and the backglass come on and the knocker fires to let me know that I have won an extra ball.

Your questions:

You are part of the logic, brain - You manually activate the L-Relay --- do You get an added Ball ?
No. Manually activating the L relay causes the C relay to activate and it stays energized.

IF (if, if) "No Luck" --- You manually activate the C-Relay --- do You get an added Ball ?
No. If I manually activate the C relay, it pulls in and stays there, but nothing else happens.

IF (if, if) "No Luck" --- You manually activate the STEP-UP-Plunger on the Stepper-Unit --- do You get an added Ball ?
Yes.

IF (if, if) "No Luck" --- You manually activate the E-Relay --- do You see the lights light-up ?
Yes.

Rolf,

The problem has been fixed. There are two normally open switches on the C relay that appeared to be closing correctly but may not have been making good contact.

I cleaned them (again!) and adjusted them to close more easily and the game now awards extra balls for the A-B-C rollovers. It also now awards extra balls for hitting the 1-2-3-4 targets in sequence, too.

These features now work correctly.

I have one problem remaining with this game, and that involves the score reels:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gottlieb-big-top-score-reel-carry-over-problem

Thanks for the help.

Charlie