Is that normal?

I have 800+ plays on my Hobbit (have had none of the ramp/flaps/beasts/drops issues in this thread) and the balls still look like new. Should they be replaced anyway or just when they obviously need it?

I have a playfield protector and mine doesn't do that at all.
I don't think it would be the protector causing it anyway since the flap will sit flush to the protector the same as it would if it were resting on the playfield itself.

Maybe there is just a tiny bend or lip on that flap causing it.

All it seems to do to me is drop a beast quicker than normal if you don't want one blocking a shot.

It shouldn't make any difference if you have a protector or not since the flaps will just come down and rest flat on whatever surface is beneath them. The won't sit flush either way, but on top of the playfield so they will affect ball travel, especially slow moving balls.

EDIT: Some people had some burs on the underside of their flaps they needed to file smooth... maybe check yours for that too.

Since you are familiar with audio in these things I'll ask you this.

Any idea why I'm getting speaker crackle/static/hum constantly? It isn't loud enough to notice when playing, but when it's sitting there at idle you can hear it from across the room. I've been over it 3 times now checking for loose bits, plugging/re-plugging RCAs etc... and have had no luck.

Anyone else's do this? Mine also makes a loud pop noise when it turns on and as it boots it makes a lot of speaker feedback, almost sounds like a dial up modem.

Been like that since day 1. I never checked the ground braiding. Didn't know how it works or if it was really that important. What would I be looking for there?

Thanks FlippyD and markmon. That gives me something new to check on and try.

Similar to mine. When it starts it sounds like a dial up modem playing through crackling feedback then after it starts it has constant crackling static noise from the left speaker. I put in a ticket to JJP support 2 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back yet. Mines been like that since i received it a few months ago. I've traced it back to the left RCA connector on the soundboard thing.

EDIT: Just went and double checked and it doesn't matter what cable I have plugged into the left/white channel directly on the soundboard thing, it puts out a static crackle noise.

I'm already running on 1.94b and it made no difference to this. This isn't the popping/clipping the patch fixes. This is full crackle/static.

I'll give switching that cable a try. Would it be possible for that pink/green cable to only be sending static through the left channel though? Neither left or right cable gives static when plugged into the right channel so I know it isn't the barrel connector at the case. It's coming direct from the left channel connection.

Well I tried a different 3.5mm cable from the pink jack to the green jack on the back of the box = no difference. Static still there
Unplugged sub cable = no difference
Tried running the RCA cables directly from speakers to the sound board = no difference
replaced the RCA cables with other cables = no difference
Wiggled around the USB cable thing a bit, but didn't remove itas I was afraid something might blow up = no difference

Well one difference. I now have static coming about evenly out of both speakers where before it was just the left speaker. It isn't super loud, but from 30 feet away across a silent room you can hear it.

Are pinball machines supposed to have that static/crackle hum all the time? Or are they supposed to be dead silent like when I hit the mute button on the front?

Still haven't heard back from my JJP ticket.
EDIT: JJP support actually did get right back to me 2 weeks ago. I just didn't know the response would be to the ticket itself so I never checked it, I was expecting an email. The delay is all my fault.

Mine is set at 6.9 and my pops work as expected, although the ball rarely stays in there all that long before coming out. I have had it go in and come out without any action a several of times over 800ish games though

so JJP Support sent me a new sound board and cable (quick help through the support portal by Victor!), but after switching them out I still have the exact same speaker static/crackle. So far nothing has worked Switched out both sets of RCA's, switched out the 3.5 cables, cleaned all cables, switched out the board itself and nothing made a difference.

LTG or anyone else have any ideas at all on anything I can try? I've spent hours looking under the PF for anything loose or disconnected and have never found anything. It's driving me crazy.

Yeah. Tried using completely different sets of all cables and have also run the cables straight to the soundboard skipping the barrel connects entirely. Tried cleaning everything etc... nothing made even a slight difference.

No this isn't the popping. This is static/crackle, like feedback from somewhere and it's been there since the moment I first powered it on pre 134 (was it 112?)
JJP shipped me out some new parts today. So far their support has been fast and good.

EDIT: I should mention that this is really the only issue my machine has had, and it doesn't affect playing it. It needed a couple minor adjustments out of the box, but everything worked, and has continued to work, perfectly since day one. It now has 900+ plays on it I think and going strong.

Here's a tip for those with a playfield protector:

If you ever get spots under the protector that looks like it is wet or oily those are called Newton's Rings and caused by static. I got them after lifting up my protector and cleaning underneath it.

If you get it don't panic. Just take dryer anti-cling sheets and attach them to something long and thin, then slide that under the protector from down between the flippers and push it all about to remove the spots. I used a long, over-sized zip tie and also a Slim-Jim with the sheet wrapped around it.

Silly rabbit.

A ruler shaped piece of really, really thin metal with a hook on the end. They make them to slip between a rolled up window and a car door so you can pop locked cars open.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_jim_(lock_pick)

Yours look exactly like mine and after hundreds of plays they still look as they did when I opened it.

That's fixed in .194

It was made available on the JJP Owners forum the day before Thanksgiving.
They asked that it not be given out outside of that forum, so if you want it you need to go get it yourself.

Sounds like that might be what JJP Support shipped me (isolation transformer) as i have the exact same issue (rest of the game is perfect).
First they sent me a new sound board & cable, but it made zero difference. After reading your post I'm really hoping this is the fix!

I can easily backhand both ramps (and right hole) with authority. That's actually how I tend to shoot them. My flipper power is one notch down from the factory green setting i think. My table is at 6.9 degrees.

You could just use yellow electrical tape. Would only cost a couple bucks.

Crazy. I've never gotten a ball stuck there. Had it fly off the rail a couple times though.