The boxes that say "RED" are just telling you the wire color (like the other boxes that say "ORN" "YEL" "GRN" etc.) Push the flipper buttons while in that switch test screen, and it should show you they are active while you are holding them in. Same with the tilt bob - knock it against the ring while looking at that screen, and you should see it activate.

When a switch hasn't been hit in a while, the game will give you an error message saying the switch is bad or to check the switch. My tilt bob gave an error because I hadn't shaken the game hard enough lately to get a tilt warning
I just tapped the tilt bob against the ring a couple of times, and the error went away.
Other switches might give the same error if they are actually not working. Then all you do is find the switch (there's a map in the manual) and see if there's a broken wire or diode. If it looks OK, but doesn't respond in the switch test, the switch itself may be bad, and is not hard to replace.
I've noticed that if you activate a microswitch and it doesn't make a definite, tiny "click", it is bad or going bad. They should have a nice crisp little "click" when you activate the switch. I keep a bag of them around for replacements. Lots of games use the same ones.

Always take your time and ask lots of questions on Pinside, and you will be able to safely and successfully keep your Hobbit running the way it should.

I do that to all my games! On The Hobbit, don't forget the switch behind the top rubber ring above the pop bumpers. This switch triggers the two upper bumpers and adds a lot of action to the pop bumpers.
Mine were kind of dead until I adjusted that switch.

It's Switch 71 in the manual - here are screenshots with the switch circled in red. It's called the "Pop Bumper Area Rubber" switch. It triggers both of the upper pop bumpers when hit.
I noticed it because the rubber ring around it was broken on mine. You have to be careful installing the rubber there because you can nick it on the pop bumper ring and then it breaks after a short time.
I thought it was just a scoring switch until I tested it and saw that it was actually an extra pop bumper actuating switch.
I put on a new rubber ring, set the switch very close so it triggers easily, and the pop bumpers got much more active on our Hobbit!

HobbitSwitchLocations71 (resized).jpg

HobbitSwitchLocations71Playfield (resized).jpg

I found this picture on a Nasa website about the James Webb Space Telescope. I wonder if the person who did this graphic got the idea from The Hobbit mode display? If it wasn't deliberate, it's a very funny coincidence...
jwst-science-themesLooksLikeHobbitModes (resized).jpg
hobbit-modes (resized).jpg

Here's a current link - they changed the graphic, but it's similar:
https://www.stsci.edu/jwst/about-jwst/science-themes
Screenshot 2022-09-12 at 07-58-33 SCIENCE THEMES (resized).png

That's very interesting! How did you find out about that?

If anyone is experiencing lifeless pop bumpers on their Hobbit, try adjusting switch 71 for better bumper action!
I've owned my LE since it was new, and early on I noticed that the pop bumper action wasn't great. The rubber ring above the top two bumpers was broken from being pinched between the ball guide and the plastic. While I was replacing it, I saw that there's a switch behind that rubber - switch 71, the "Pop Bumper Area Rubber" switch. It activates the upper two pop bumpers and gives a lot more action when it's working correctly. It was out of adjustment and didn't work even with the new rubber until I adjusted it.
My game came from JJP with the pinched rubber and misadjusted switch. It's easy to pinch and nick that rubber because of how sharp the edge of the ball guide is right up against it.
The pop bumpers are way more lively with switch 71 adjusted with a minimum gap.
I don't think the game was designed to have the ball bang around extensively in the pop bumpers. That would make it too easy - you should have to make multiple shots to get enough hits. But it helps a lot to have the "Pop Bumper Area Rubber" switch adjusted closely so that you get a few more hits each time you go up there.
My strategy for modes that require pop bumper hits is to shoot up the orbits and let the magnet drop the ball right into the pop bumpers. It will usually hit the bumper and then hit the rubber above it, which triggers the top 2 bumpers again. The rubber is close enough to the pop bumpers that the ball will be struck by the bumper rings right after it hits the switch above the bumpers. This gives you more hits because you score a "hit" each time the ball hits a bumper or when it hits the upper rubber.
Kind of long-winded, but I think this is more likely JJP's design intent for this feature. I like my games to be difficult. I've put almost 1000 plays on it and have only killed Smaug once. My high scores are only in the 1.5 million range. I think games should be set up to be difficult to beat. If you're hitting the wizard modes every game, it's set too easy IMHO.
JJPHobbitPopBumperAreaSwitch71 (resized).jpg