Updated 5/5
x - (No effect) Remove a top left solenoid light, check effects.
x - (Fine) Check condition of FU1 5A fuse.
x - (Fine) Check condition of playfield fuse.
x - (Perfect) Check TP4 voltage. 43vdc out vs 49vac in
x - (No change, left an LED in) Replace the bulb on the solenoid expander with the highest and lowest resistance bulbs i have.
x - (I removed the solenoid expander bulb and nothing changed, everything was still functional, very strange)
x - (Amperage is lower after a right gate activation, even if the relay seems to work correctly. Measuring voltage makes it so the relay never properly latches) Check voltage and amperage going to coil after the right gate switch gets activated follow by the kickback switch.
x - (done) Replace diodes on the coil
x - (no change) Clip the capacitor on the right gate switch, check effects.
x - (no change) Install a capacitor on the kickback switch
? - (doubtful) Replace the coil with one that needs less voltage.
? - (doubtful) Install a capacitor on the kickback coil.
? - (doubtful) It could be that a 43v Capacitor is nearing failure. I don't see a capacitor on the schematics. It doesn't look like the 43vdc output has a capacitor. However, nothing else has power issues anyway. If anything the 43v line is too strong.
? - (doubtful) There is a 48v relay on the pinball control module. I think it's unrelated.
? - Does anyone have a new power supply or transformer? Or both?
x - (no change) Remove right side and 20k lamps
x - (doubtful) Replace right side and 20k lamp diodes.
x - (seems like no change) add a lamp in series with solenoid expander after phase a/b line diodes and before pin connection to SEB
X - (measured 6.4) check 6.3vac voltage
tbd - check connectors between all lamp related parts. i know i sprayed them with contact cleaner, seeming like this is it.
Other operators efforts:
x - Replaced SEB board
x - New connector and re-flow at MPU J9
x - Removed (LED's) from the top left series bright lights (same transistor, other SEB phase)
x - Installed bright lights field kit
Repair guide:
http://www.techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/ballyss/rep/index3.htm#expand
x - (done) Header pins on the solenoid expander board may have cracked solder joints. Re-flow these header pin solder joints.Done - In-series diode going to the power lug of the coil may be broken, missing or reversed.
x - (done) Diode across the lugs of the coil may be broken, missing or reversed.
x - (done) Switch contacts on the solenoid expander board's relay may be pitted and may need to be filed (or the relay replaced).
x - (done) The solenoid expander board's MOC3011 opto-isolator may be bad. Replacements are available from Jameco (part #95020), or replace with NTE3047.
x - (done) Diode on the solenoid expander board's relay may be broken or missing.
x - (done) The lamp under the playfield next to the solenoid expander board may be burned out. Replace with a new lamp. Without this lamp, there isn't enough load for the SCR on the lamp driver board to activate the solenoid expander board's relay.
tbd - The lamp driver board's SCR that controls the solenoid expander board may have failed. See Locked-On or Not Working Feature Lights (lamp driver board) section for details on how to test the SCR.
tbd - The 6.5 volts provided by the power supply's rectifier board BR1 bridge may be failing. The 6.5 volts DC provided by BR1 powers the feature lamps. If this voltage is low, the solenoid expander board's relay may not function correctly.
tbd - The power supply's rectifier board R2 resistor (25 ohms 5 watts) may be broken or open. Check it with your DMM set to ohms.
tbd - Connector pins on the power supply's rectifier board may be burned or tarnished. This will create resistance which will lower the 6.5 volts DC provided to the lamp driver board. If this voltage is low, the solenoid expander board's relay may not function correctly.
Comments:
The relay isn't latching properly when the relay fails to fully activate the coil. The relay sparks and hums.
The relay still doesn't latch correctly with the kickback coil detached.
Problem is likely then related to the relay or SEB board or something before it.
A lot of you have replaced both, so it's not necessarily that.
Bad transistor?
The other solenoids are slightly leaky, about 0.01 amps were measured going through kickback coil when other solenoids were activated. But this is probably normal.
I don't have the Bright Lights Field Kit, Although I might install one now (Does your playfield have any scorch marks?)
I've tried everything I can think of to get a similar failure for another solenoid, hasn't happened.
I think this is related to a lamp or something that controls a lamp
Update 5/5 #2
With only the lamp driver and 48v power going into and out of the relay it still has the same failure related to the right gate.
I have only pins 1,2,3, and 9 connected.
It doesn't spark as much but it still doesn't properly latch. Problem is definitely not a solenoid or anything on the NO or NC circuits.
Update 5/5 #3
Problem is almost certainly insufficient current/voltage to activate the relay.