Start with the easy stuff first: check the fuses and connectors. My guess, though, is that your problem is going to be down in the bottom of the cabinet. Check your "T" relay. There should be just one switch that changes when the relay engages (goes from normally closed to open). That relay, although it is for tilt (hence the T) is what connects power to the play field GI. Check to make sure that the contacts are clean and making good contact when the relayis at rest. If they are, and the relay is staying energized (and therefore keeping the contacts open), then you'll need to check all your tilt switches and find the culprit.

Did the playfield GI work properly before? All your lighting in the backbox works now including GI? When you stripped and cleaned the playfield did you remove it from the cab or leave it in and connected? Did you solder or remove any wiring as part of the process?

Sys3 GI is pretty straightforward save for going through the T relay as pepind indicated. Knowing these other details will help with troubleshooting suggestions.

viperrwk

Yes, give the contacts on the T relay a light clean and adjust.

I have to agree there are 3 relays in the back right side under playfeild you want to make sure the tilt relay is closed it is the one in the middle. If its closed then I would definitly replace the fuse even if your meter is saying it is ok. If you do those two things I say it works but if not you should look at each bulb that is not working and look at the soldering joints on them and make sure there ok and if there is any missing light bulbs to make sure there is nothing in them then again replace the fuse. Good luck and make sure you buy the proper fuse

Is the lightstrip hooked up? You could have pinched wires or something with the lightstrip might be shorting. I'd disconnect that and see if it still blows the fuse. If it does then you know the problem is on the playfield. Unfortunately, tracking down the problem now is a real bear and SFII is one of the heavier playfields out there...

viperrwk

Had the same issue with my Cactus Jacks. You have to remove all the GI bulbs and get your multimeter ready. Youve got either a bad lamp or a shorted socket.

First, I clipped a 7 amp thermal circuit breaker onto the GI fuse holder so I wouldn't burn through a million fuses. Then I began the tedious and disheartening task of removing all the GI lights, which meant taking off all the ramps and plastics AGAIN after I had just reassembled the freakin thing. After every 6-7 bulbs, I would power the machine back on to see if I just happened to have a bad bulb. Breaker tripped every time. After removing all the bulbs, I set my multimeter to 200ohm and clipped the leads onto the underside of one GI bulb. It read 1.2 give or take .1ish. I knew something was indeed shorted. I wiggled, poked, and prodded every single damn light socket on the playfield, looking for the resistance to change dramatically. Nada. Great. At this point, I figured Ive developed a bigger problem.

But THEN, I realized there were 5 more GI bulbs I forgot about. Two in the coin door and 3 on the dancing cactus stage behind the playfield. I took out those bulbs and on the very last socket I could possibly check (Cactus #3), I saw that one of the socket's terminals was bent forward against the body of the socket. I bent the terminal away and blammo! My GI came back on and the breaker stopped tripping. I must have bent it when I put the light cover back on during the shop job. Nonetheless I was still pissed that I disassembled the entire playfield twice to discover that the issue wasnt even on the playfield. What a pain in the ass!!!

Good point about the coin door. Eliminate that as a potential problem by disconnecting the harness at the door. If you disconnect that and the lightstrip and the fuse still blows you will have no choice but to slug it out on the playfield as Drewster suggests.

Of course, it will always be the last thing you check when you find the problem...

viperrwk