Could use some tech advice from owners: The chest in my production model (unlike the proto I was babysitting) swings forward, mounted only on the left side. There’s a bit of friction keeping it from swinging, but nothing else. Is that correct? Repeated ball hits definitely push it around and presumably out of the proper ball lock launch path. I’m trying to troubleshoot ball lock issues reported but that I can’t reproduce. Wondering if this chest is sneaking out of place...

Second thing: Suggestions to make POTC harder via pf adjustments? I have a PAPA tourney coming up I’ll surely be asked to reduce ball times for. I can’t even figure out how to make the right outlane harder — I can remove the rings but that rubber on the posts bounces the ball in to the safety of the shooter lane a lot.

Are you saying it should be attached on the right side? I’ll inspect when I get back over to the location.

Owners: I need your help. Is the chest supposed to be mounted somehow on the right side? Mine swings out freely from the left side. The ball lock shot knocks it way out of place. I cannot see where hardware would hold it down on the right side. For now it’s idiotically zip tied.

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Wow must be a manufacturing error — I don’t have the bracket attached to the chest or even those nylon nuts. Just some bare threaded mounting posts on the plastic to the right of the chest.

Spoke too soon -- I found the bracket, it's just broken. But installed!

FYI:

The POTC I have on location has had a bunch of really confusing chest problems (in addition to the chest mounting bracket being broken). Balls kept (reportedly) jamming right at the exit, yet the switch and coil work totally fine when tested. I finally caught the problem in action while I was there and, with the ball up against the lock arm, I could hear the coil clicking (receiving power), but the arm wasn't moving. I believe the gap between the arm's magnetic plate and the coil magnet was too great, and the magnet couldn't overcome it.

I used the little tab on the metal plate the coil attracts to close that gap and I *think* it's working now. I have turned on virtual locks to reduce the problem -- note that this only makes balls not lock in the chest, but the forks still launch balls into the chest. It would be nice for operators if we could fully bypass the chest device if it has problems. Future code update?

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This is a production model. This isn’t a chest opening issue, it’s a ball locking issue. Even in the proto (which I operated, briefly) the balls still lined up in the chest, Simpsons couch-style. It’s the same now, but the chest is stuck open.

Good to know! Thanks!

Well I completely melted an LED I replaced in a spotlight — they are 12v wedge lamps, as I now see in the manual. Good to know!

I think I have one of the first 20... what should I look for? I’ve seen ball hangups on the ramp out of the ship, two different ways: One where the ball rests on the one way gate. The other is when it wedges HARD in the start of the wireform.

My spotlights are slowly getting knocked out. They get hit and the bulbs just crumble — usual wear and tear. They are 12v lamps like flashers, but serving as GI. I’m looking into adequate replacements that aren’t ultra bright, but haven’t found any. LMK if any of you have replaced with anything cool!

Ok where the heck are these from? Found in the bottom of the cabinet under the pf.

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Woah! Why are they midway back in the cab

I’ve had two moderate fork issues keeping it from retracting, some minor ones, too:

1) The actuator, a small white cylindrical plastic piece that hits the up position switch but also keeps the fork mech on its track, fell off, so it wouldn’t depress the switch when it was in the up position. Easy fix, but the actuator screw couldn’t get a good grip in the threads of the fork mech and I had to replace the whole thing. If it happens again I’ll modify it myself.

2) The fork release coil (technically a relay) was getting jammed with the magnet too far away from the plate it attracts. This also happened with the chest lock in my game above the pf. I had to bend the tab that allows for play in the relay to reduce the gap.

Smaller problems in the proto I had before this model had me bending the up position switch a few times.

If you hear it clicking in test mode but not retracting, and you can dislodge the up position relay lock with your finger, then it’s the tab.

Is there a repeatable (describable) way to get the ball into the cannon once it’s lit that you’ve all figured out?

I’ve been working on a backhand from a left flip trap but that rarely works. Lucky shots from the tip of the right work, but getting it there is hard. What have you all discovered?

I have the same VUK chipping. Was hoping it would last until Cliffy came through. Not sure how there are games from the 90s with no chipping in similar scoops. Bummer.

Aiming issue: My ball was hitting the wireform on the way out, had to bend the deflector down a bit. It was hard to tell that’s what was happening.

JJP did not make a protector this time. However, PF Protectors did. Mine has arrived. Extra thin new product. Installing this weekend and will report back!

Holy crap that was a lot of work.

PF protector installed. New super thin model. Seems great. Raised the spinning disc a smidge. Pics indicate what we had to remove for your reference. It was a lot.

I really think this should be offered in the factory again. This would have prevented some really bad chipping in at least the scoop. Noticed some other chipped spots around a sling post (!) and of course the map hole. For $8500 I really need this game to keep its value on location. Hopefully this will help

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Yes. Here are some wear spots from our SE on location.

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I spent 20 minutes getting the ship back into place last time I removed it. Hey LTG can you give me your step-by-step for getting the ship back in? SOMETHING was resisting me popping it back into place, but I still don't know what. Is it an angle thing? Should I title the ship?

Thanks!

Duplicate post

Mine was hitting the ship return wire form! Bent the deflector down a bit.

Every single spotlight LED has exploded in my game at this point — losing the diffuser sometimes but mainly just shaking apart to the point of failure. I replaced them all with warm Comet flashers (they are 12 volt bulbs, take note!). I’ve had my game on location for 14 weeks and it has a lot more action than others. Similar thing also happened to the ship spinner optos. The housings shook apart to crumbled little pieces and I had to replace entirely. Heads up.

Getting the ship back in is really a struggle every time for me. I have no tips. I’ve done it 3 times and it just *doesn’t seem to fit* back in. Until it does.

The arm is attached to a mounting bracket with the relay that pulls it back. You can bend that whole bracket easily with your hand. I’ve had to adjust mine. There are further adjustments you can do if the relay (coil magnet) isn’t pulling the arm sometimes.

Get in there and bend bend bend. It’s a really easy mech to adjust.

I’m getting CRAZY amounts of flipper dust from the upper playfield. What is flipper dust? I will rebuild but man so dusty.

Unfortunately the opto wire cannot be reattached in any reasonable way.

I’ve had three optos crumble to little bits so far, the entire harness, opto, and connector assembly must be replaced. It sucks. It plugs in below the pf, to answer your Q.

I had JJP send extras the last time, keeps knocking the game out of service at my location. I wish at least I could work on the C-shaped switch itself but, like new Stern node boards, they are not made to be worked on.

The optos will need to be re-engineered, methinks.

All of mine have failed. Recommend replacing with flashers (reminder these are 12v!!!) that don’t have two parts to separate.

https://www.cometpinball.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=8SMDFLASH

Argh wish I had a pic but I had a ball trap wayyyy up in the wire nest under the Pearl! Totally invisible until I pulled the ship.

I have one installed. It does the job and no gameplay problems have arisen. Looks nice after a few months of high play. I did have to wipe out all the flipper dust from underneath the protector in he back right. The ship just rains it down. Would recommend for ops to protect your investment. For home? Meh!

Since someone asked, the idea here is to remove the wood screw holding the metal bracket at the pictured post’s location and replace it with the post, thus applying pressure to the side of the subway. You don’t drill a new hole or anything.

How do you actually start the purple spinner multiball?

Once I see that spinner shit arrow insert flashing white/purple (and the little multiball insert) I start shooting forvtge spinner. The multiball never seems to start, and I’ve seen the purple arrow stop flashing. So confused!

No idea where this came from. Operatable without it?

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