I got 2 high scores on my JP 2 nights ago, and now it's paying me back by going haywire.

We had trouble with the control room (switch #37) when we first got the machine, so we changed out the switch there because it wouldn't register shots at all. It has been working fine since the replacement over a month ago, but then started again after my high score games Tues night by not registering every shot to the control room, meaning I couldn't advance the CRT modes. So I shut it down and then yesterday I popped the hood, made sure the switch was ok, unplugged the green/black wire, plugged it back up, and started up the game again. When I got the ball in the control room it registered and activated Stampede, then went nuts. (Almost looked like System Failure on the DMD and noises, until you realize that it's screwed and seems like it is about to blow up.) In switch test mode, one hit on the bunker (I believe it is #33) registeres as switches 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38. So now when the bunker is activated, it registeres 6 switches at once. That freaks Mr DNA out to the point it's rapping (dino, dino, dddddino, dino, dino, dddddino...) and basically shuts down the game.

I honestly have no clue, since I didn't touch the bunker, just the control room switch. I've searched on here and online, but can't find anything about what the issue may be. Help please?

Thanks for the advice.

I'm not home to poke on it right now, but wiggling the machine didn't do anything at all yesterday. It had to be triggered by putting the ball in the control room/bunker, or doing the switch test and hitting the bunker itself.

That switch was changed out 2 months ago and was working fine for the last 2 months, and the only thing I did last night was unplug the wire that plugs into it and plug it back in to make sure it was tight. (Since it sits right above the shaker and has been known to come loose before.) And the issue is the one beside it now, the actual "bunker" when the switch we changed was the "control room."

I'll pop the hood when I get home and double check it, but I don't know how to check a "row of switches" since the numbers are close but the actual switches are all over the board. (Lanes, t-rex, ramps.) Do you mean actually go through them on the playfield, or check underneath for wiring, or both? I'm going to give all advice to husband and hope he knows what you all are talking about.

Ok, got home from work and decided to tackle JP. Popped the hood and checked everywhere there was a black/green wire to make sure there were no shorts. Unplugged/plugged every wire from every switch I could reach that was in that circuit. Turned it back on, ran the switch test, and it was testing just the one bunker switch like it should. So I start a game to make sure, and the bunker is working just fine... but the control room isn't working at all. Sigh.

Turn off the machine, go back under the hood, wiggle a few things. Turn it on, the dino growl sound happens, and nothing else. No DMD, no lights, nothing. Unplug, replug, same thing... 4 times. Go back under the hood, take the switch completely apart, rewrap and tape the connections (I haven't learned to solder yet even though I have a solder gun,) put it all back together, and turn it on. Low and behold, it works. Switches test right, appropriate lights and sound, all ok. However, it did decide to reset to factory and erase all my high scores. So I did a test game with the glass off and hand-triggered everything to make sure all the modes worked, and got it up to 2.4B. Ha, now I'm high score again. lol (I'll erase it of course, but had to get a little payback for it being ornery.)

So, knock on wood, I fixed it. For now. I seem to be getting better at this, or it's just finicky and finally gives up when I threaten it enough and works.

Well, I went to play JP today, because it was fine last night, and now it will do the dino growl sound and a few playfield lights come on, and nothing else happens. I've unplugged it and redone the on/off switch multiple times/ways, and nothing.

Help please.

I've searched online and there are too many answers to narrow it down. I've checked the few simple ones that I know how... the tilt is fine, we put in the old chip to make sure that wasn't the issue, and I can't find anything that looks like it is shorting. A lot of answers were fuse related, so I've looked at my owners manual to know where the fuses are, and that's about all I can do at this point because I don't have a tester or any more fuses anyway.

Anyone have any better ideas? I've got an open house for my second job on Saturday, and people are looking forward to playing it. Of course it breaks now.

That's the thing. I have no idea how this problem started. The control room switch wasn't working, then while trying to fix it the bunker started registering 6 switches at once. It did the roar/blank thing twice while I was working on it. Checked the wiring, took the control room switch off, put it back on, everything worked perfectly. Played 3 games. Turned it off, slept, went to work, came back home, went to play... won't start up. I've poked all the things that I poked yesterday, but since it won't come on, I can't tell if anything is doing any good. (frustrated sigh)

Thanks for agreeing that it sucks.

Bumping this since everyone is now at work and bored.... I mean, now awake and being totally productive.

I've got to try to fix it tonight if at all possible, so any help is appreciated. I can wiggle wires all day, but I don't know where to start when it won't even start up now.

Yes, it's wrapped with electrical tape, which worked for 2 months. And yes, there's a diode on the switch. It all worked for 5 games after I got it up and running 2 nights ago, then last night nothing. I've got a soldering gun, but don't think it has the little metal strips you have to melt, but I can find those somewhere.

Yeah, the control room is the only thing that is taped, because it wasn't working when we got it and replaced the whole switch. The room worked for 2 months, and it not working 100% is why I started poking around 2 nights ago anyway. Would the switch itself be causing the game not to start up? It will come on, dino roar sound, some playfield lights will come on, occasionally it will give the chip version on the DMD briefly, then it just sits there not doing anything. I wasn't sure if I had blown a fuse somehow, because I didn't think the switch could cause it to do all that.

The wires themselves aren't wiggling. I meant that to check connections before (when it was registering 6 switches with a single contact to the bunker switch and going nuts) I was going down the line of everything connected to that particular colored wire and making sure nothing was loose or wiggling. I disconnected/reconnected them all, then it worked. That's about all I know to do now, to make sure all the connections are solid, which they are from everything I can tell. The only thing that has been a problem at all is the control room switch, but in fixing it, the bunker went haywire and would trigger all the switches on that row, then everything was working again, and now it won't power up. I'm a newbie, have no clue what to do if the machine can't tell me a particular thing is wrong in diagnostic mode. So I'm freaking a little, because I'm scared to turn it on, but have no clue if anything I am doing is working unless I turn it on. Thanks for the advice though, I need all the help I can get at this point.

OK, we went and bought fuses, a tester, and nothing was blown. Gave up, turned it on with fingers crossed..... and IT'S ALIVE!!! I have no clue what the problem was, except that it's a pissy diva.

Just in time for my business open house. Now I can let people play, but only if they buy stuff from me.

By the way... I'll be doing a non-scientific poll. I sell Pure Romance (yes, THOSE parties) and right now I've got one big room full of 'products,' one room playing Chippendales on loop, and the basement with JP. I'm waiting to see what is more popular. If anyone shows up that it.

Me, I'd be down playing JP except I've got to host and sell. I need more for my BMW's tires. Dang, they are expensive!