I installed all these capacitors on Evel Knievel switches and ....

After doing some reading on these forums, I replaced missing, absent or snipped capacitors (.047uf / 100V / 10%) across all these switches
on my Evel Knievel:

- both sides slingshot switches
- three right side stand up targets switches
- center stand up target switch
- all three pop bumpers switches

I had read differing opinions whether these capacitors are required or desirable but I thought I would try and see the difference.

As a result, the game seems to be more responsive and faster in general. Now I am wondering is this just my imagination or why
doesn't everyone do this cheap quick mod to make their game faster and more responsive?

Secondly, am I doing any potential harm to the components in the long run if I use capacitors where they are not needed? I am not getting
any "phantom" switch triggering or other problems.

#2 5 years ago

WFC

Billc479

Pinside+ Frequent

Pleasant Plains, IL

9y 79,800 3,131 15

Just my guess, but I don’t think adding the capacitors will make the game faster.

I agree with adding a capacitor to the center target- I think sometimes I hit it so hard that the switch closes and opens too fast so I don’t always get the credit for it.

I don’t think you’re going to hurt anything with the extra capacitors, but let’s hear from others.

#3 5 years ago

237

slochar

Pinside member

7y 86,550 6,874

On Bally games, they are required for any fast-react solenoids (that's slings and pops) to ensure that you get the score for the fast react solenoid. (Without them, sometimes you will only get the solenoid reaction and not the score as they are 2 different routines in the code). The slings and pops could seem to react faster with the caps because it would always activate on the first 2 reads of the switch instead of possibly the second and third (which is a normal switch response).

They should also be on any standups where there is a possibility of a very fast hit, like the standups, or sometimes rollovers. Those switches are not read by the fast react routine so there's no 'faster' reaction time; in this case, the switch pulse is longer, lengthening short switch hits slightly to ensure they aren't missed.

It won't hurt anything but be aware that sometimes stray EMF from holding a flipper up can be picked up by poorly made caps causing a phantom firing of the sling or pop when you let the flipper down. You won't get the score from the pop/sling but it can fire seemingly randomly.

Key post

#4 5 years ago

BJA

lowbeau67

Pinside+ Frequent

Mount Washington, KY

6y 105K 1,211 5 6 1

I did this on my SBM and it made a big
difference. Well worth the time to do it.

#5 5 years ago

AMR

BigAl56

Pinside+ Frequent

Palatine, IL

7y 64,800 1,654

As Solchar says, they are needed on fast hit targets. Not so much required for slow hit switches like drop targets and saucers. Believe me, if an engineer lost money because a target didn't register during an in-house tournament, there would be extra capacitors on the switch the next day!

#6 5 years ago

???

AdjustFailure

Inactive member

Very good, thanks.

#7 5 years ago

TEB

homebrood

Pinside+ Frequent

Glenview, IL

17y 81,300 1,309 12 10

Quoted from lowbeau67:
I did this on my SBM and it made a big
difference. Well worth the time to do it.

Yes, SBM really needs them as it's so fast and the standups will not always score on fast hits without the caps.
Slings too, but especially that center N target in front of the horseshoe. Mine seemed to score about 40 percent of the time before I put a cap there.

Tom

#8 5 years ago

DRL

QuietEarp

Pinside member

Stroudsburg, PA

11y 87,300 708 9 26

I have a stack of replacement caps for older Ballys. If a stand up switch doesn't register replacing the cap makes it much more responsive.

#9 5 years ago

BUZ

Buzz

Pinside+ Frequent

Anybody have a part # and link to these. I noticed snipped ones on mine, but had no luck with the part# on them. Thanks for any help and thanks for this thread.

#10 5 years ago

???

AdjustFailure

Inactive member

Quoted from Buzz:
part # and link to these

I got polyester film (although I understand ceramic disc work too) capacitors .047uf / 100V / 10% from ARROWNAC.COM. They seem to be a good source, and free overnight shipping. I got this p/n QYX2A473KTP on the Arrow site. Or generically you can use a 473J capacitor.

I replaced/installed on all the switches for stand up targets, sling shots and pop bumper capacitors. These are not polarized.

Note that these are spec'd for Bally early SS games like Evel Knievel, the Williams etc are different spec capacitors.

#11 5 years ago

CJB

Topher5000

Pinside member

Thorold, ON

10y 45,300 900 1

Are caps any use on other brands, like Gottlieb?

#12 5 years ago

BUZ

Buzz

Pinside+ Frequent

Thank you. My early Ballys have some of them clipped and going by the numbers on them I wasn't having any luck or knew why they were there or why they were cut. Knowledge is power and thanks for the thread.

#13 5 years ago

???

AdjustFailure

Inactive member

Quoted from Topher5000:
Are caps any use on other brands, like Gottlieb?

I just looked at my EM Gottlieb game El Dorado, there are no capacitors on any playfield switches.

But I would assume later SS Gottlieb games would use them.

But makes me wonder, would putting some .047uf caps on the El Dorado sling shots, pop bumpers and stand up & roll over switch might make them more
responsive? Anyone tried that on EM game and/or know if may cause other unintended problems ?

#14 5 years ago

BUZ

Buzz

Pinside+ Frequent

https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CCD-0.047uF-100V

They are out of stock but can't wait till there back

#15 5 years ago

DAN

riverinapinball

Inactive member

Junee

12y 26,400 87

Quoted from Buzz:
Thank you. My early Ballys have some of them clipped and going by the numbers on them I wasn't having any luck or knew why they were there or why they were cut. Knowledge is power and thanks for the thread.

I have done this on my games until i get a chance to replace the caps.

They have been clipped, because they are probably faulty and shorted. If they were left in place , they would have caused continuous scoring. Just replace them and you should be good to go!

#16 5 years ago

PEZ

pacmanretro

Pinside member

12y 95,800 3,406

Quoted from Buzz:
Anybody have a part # and link to these. I noticed snipped ones on mine, but had no luck with the part# on them. Thanks for any help and thanks for this thread.

Wouldn't these ceramic ones from Ed work?

Screenshot_2019-04-11-09-40-47 (resized).png

#17 5 years ago

WFC

Billc479

Pinside+ Frequent

Pleasant Plains, IL

9y 79,800 3,131 15

Yes - for Bally. Somewhere along the line, I got a bag of 1000 at an estate sale. They are pretty cheap, and with that many, I install new caps on all the Bally machines I work on. Based on what I have been reading, I've been adding caps to switches that I think need them, just like the OP.

#18 5 years ago

BUZ

Buzz

Pinside+ Frequent

When I saw the % I wasn't sure. If those would work I would definitely get some. I order from him for all my molex stuff, TIP's and diodes. Always been treated great.

#19 5 years ago

BUZ

Buzz

Pinside+ Frequent