Hello all from a relatively new owner. Does anyone's auto plunger actually make it all the way around the back? Mine will get the ball out but rarely even makes it to the ship. It does seem as though both sides of the auto plunger are in contact with the ball.

I need to take my ship off. I am getting an EOS error for the left mini flipper.

Going to be installing the disk silencer kit this weekend.

I have discovered the "switch history" screen and it is awesome for tracking down phantom switches! I wish all modern games had this feature.

I have version .98 on the game. Is it worth updating to .99 or would you just wait until the new version comes out supposedly soon?

Thanks!

I took the Black Pearl completely out and it was BOTH wires on the left EOS switch broken off at the lug. Easy fix. Also cleaned the plungers and coil sleeves for the mini flippers while I had it off. Taking off the BP was pretty straightforward. Had it off in about 10-15 minutes.

I installed the disc silencer kit from the Mod Couple with mixed results. The kit was a serious PITA, mainly because the triangular foam pieces would not release the backing paper. Even using an exacto knife to try to separate the layers. Finally got all that done in about 2 hours. The disc was substantially less loud. But the results were short lived. After 10-15 games I started getting a new noise. I am unable to really tighten the set screws that hold the gear to the motor shaft. I am using a 1/16 allen screw as listed in the instructions, but as soon as the set screw begins to get tight, the tool slips. I cannot see anything wrong with the tool. I was thinking of trying a brand new 1/16 tool or maybe a 1.5mm would work? Anyone have any success being able to really tighten up those screws? I know that is my problem because in the motor test, I can put just the slightest amount of pressure on the disc and the motor spins freely while the disc is stopped, causing a nasty screeching sound.

I have not updated firmware yet. I need to get an 8gb usb stick. All the ones I have are either much smaller or much larger than that.

I used a 1.5mm hex key to tighten the gear to the motor for the spinning disk and so far so good. If they loosen again I may try some lock tight.

Check the wire colors on the right flipper switch and compare to the left. Sounds like the wires may be reversed. Also check the switch gaps and compare to the left. In the "dedicated switch" test it will tell you the wire colors.

Thanks! I added a washer on the right side of the shooter forks and it works much better. Auto plunge will make it to the ship and sometimes all the way around to the upper flipper.

Mine is wired exactly opposite. In the pic, the yellow/red wire is going to the opposite lug. The other wire that looks like solid yellow is actually yellow/orange. If you go into dedicated switch test and slowly press in the button, you will see your switches are wired backwards.

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This is extremely simple. You need to swap the position of the two yellow wires on the right flipper switch.

Someone on the production line soldered the wrong wire to the wrong lug.

FYI, check your optos for the two spinners on the Black Pearl. I was waxing today and noticed 1 screw missing and the other 3 extremely loose. I found a suitable screw and tightened everything up. Surprisingly, both spinners were working fine in this state. Also, I discovered the option to upload a photo to the game. Pretty cool feature!

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Several times now I've gotten a switch error for the upper slingshot switch stuck closed(the one under the BP ramp). What happens is the taller front blade of the switch gets pushed all the way back and gets stuck under the ramp. All I have to do is pull the switch blade back out from under the ramp and it works fine for a few days, then it happens again. Does anyone else have this problem and know of a fix?

I have thought about removing the switch and cutting about 1-2mm off the end of the front switch blade.

I just ordered the post kit from JJP. Do you think they will send it free of charge even if I'm not the original owner?

Well, JJP contacted me via email. The kit will be free but they need a CC# to cover the shipping.
I'm looking at the Titan Silicone washers now. I think I will be ordering 6 of them.
Here's a pic of the left slingshot. Very minor now, so I want to try to prevent it from getting worse.

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Well, getting some really poor communication from JJP. They asked me in an email to call and provide a credit card number to have on file for the shipping. I called and left a detailed message including my cell #. No reply, so I called again, no answer. So against my better judgement I replied to the email and provided my cc#. Not a word in 4 days.

I just ordered 6 double star posts and 6 silicone washers from Titan and they've already shipped. Thanks Titan Pinball!

Left flipper going a little higher and feeling weaker. Could be a loose or bad coil stop. Remove the coil stop and take a look. #3 in the picture.

coil stop (resized).JPG

Just out of curiosity I clicked on "Pinball Parts" on the Suzo-Happ site. Holy crap, like 41.45 for a Stern flipper kit to do ONE side! LOL. 7.21 for 8oz bottle of Novus, 2.99 for a single pinball. Ha! And I just thought Marco was expensive!

My plunger problems were not as severe as yours. Most of my auto plunges would make it as far as the Black Pearl, but never all the way around the orbit. I cleaned the plunger and coil sleeve and added a washer. Now, about 90% of the auto plunges make it slowly around the orbit to the upper flipper. Another small adjustment I made was to angle the exit of the wireform slightly to the left.

Do you mean it is stuck all the way up in the ball lock position? Or is it just not going all the way down so that the forks are not fully under the two slots in the playfield?

There is also an adjustment in the menu's under "coils" where you can increase or decrease the timing for the chest release. You can easily check for magnetized balls. Take them out and place them on a table. See if there is any attraction between the balls. Even carbon core balls can eventually become magnetized.

I had a similar issue with the left rubber. That whole area is a bit of a pain to get to. I was able to fix mine by just pulling the rubber to give more slack in the front.

I agree about the slings being too powerful. I had to go with the larger double rung star posts due to some slight chipping. I do have the rubbers on the lower rung. Even with the slingshot power turned down as low as it will go, I still got CRAZY air balls to out lanes from the slingshots. It got a little better when I changed to regular 2 1/2" black rubbers.

If I put the rubbers on the upper rung then the kicker gets on the outside of the rubber in no time. I even tried two rubbers, one on both rungs. Same issue.

I have never really had any issue with balls getting stuck inside the slingshot like yours.

What about adding external springs to the plungers to give some resistance? I remember reading about someone doing that to their flippers on Deadpool.

Could just be the opto pair is not in alignment. This opto pair has to cover a fair distance. Could be the opto itself. Could be a loose connection at the board. Ck and re-seat this connection at the opto board.

I think to get a good look at the opto pair, one is under the ship, right next to the VUK. The other is under the ship ramp, near the pops.

Capture (resized).JPG

I thought for a long time that something must be wrong. But they finally started showing up, probably on about a third of my high scores now. The first one that came up for me, I closed one eye and made a pirate face. Now does that actually have anything to do with it? I have no idea.

This right here is what makes the JJP service menu far and away better than anything else out there. Glad you got it figured out!

Question for any of you who have added the Tortuga Cliffy protector. I just received mine and intend to install it over the holiday break. Do you have to remove the pop bumper or pop skirt to get to all the screws? I have been able to tighten up the scoop screws before no problem, but for the Cliffy there will be a post and 2 screws to remove and I have significant chipping in that area. Any tips from those that have done this already?

Thanks! I just read that post. Looks like mine will be even easier since I have the SE. Thanks again.

An intermittent issue I've had has returned. I will be playing along and hear the Depths kick out solenoid activate for no reason. Going into switch test, The Depths opto and the Maelstrom ramp enter opto were flakey, going off if I banged on the playfield. I cleaned the Depths opto and slightly re-routed the wires and The Depths appears to be fixed. But the ramp enter opto has been more difficult. I found that I could make it go off just by wiggling the wiring harness between the board and the opto. It does not seem to be the connector at the board. I cut a bunch of wire ties and found that if the cables are held upwards(towards the flippers when the playfield is raised) the problem goes away. So I cable tied the wires up in this position and it has worked for a long time. Now the problem is back. Should I just order a new opto pair? LTG

Man, this problem sounds eerily like mine, just a different opto.

I realize that not everyone is able to do their own maintenance on pins. But for anyone who is the least bit comfortable changing rubbers, lamps, etc, taking off the Black Pearl is really quite easy and I recommend all owners to get used to doing it. It gets really filthy under there!

Plus when the inevitable wire comes off a flipper coil or EOS, you'll already be familiar with it and it will be easy for you.

Congrats! As far as your switch problem, no I have not had an issue with that. But as Lloyd said, that would be in dedicated switch test. To test the trough, go to Tests/Device Tests/Trough.

Check the spinner optos(especially the right one) to see if the screws are loose or opto has been smashed by the ball ejecting from the VUK.

Sorry if this has been asked before. Anyone know the best place to tap into a 12vdc source on POTC? I would like to add some 12v LED strips to the flipper area. I've been playing LZ a bunch and now when I walk over to POTC the flipper area seems extremely dark.

Thanks!

Is there one that is just plug and play? In other words, all connectors the same as the one that comes with the game?

The Black Pearl is notorious for wires coming off the flipper coils and EOS. There is not enough slack in the wires and all that rocking back and forth doesn't help either. The best thing you can do is remove the Black Pearl and inspect underneath. Every owner needs to know how to get the Black Pearl out. After you've done it once or twice it becomes easy. If you've never had it out, you won't believe how dirty it is underneath.

The switch history is one of the greatest things in the JJP test menu. It is super helpful in diagnosing switch issues and it would be awesome if other manufacturers would implement that.

Dead Mans Chest behavior is normal. If it uses a ball from the chest, you do not have to relock balls. For your other question, I would check the shooter lane switch. Put the game in switch test mode and actuate the switch with a ball, not your finger.

If the game doesn't see a ball at that switch, it's not going to fire the solenoid to launch a ball it does not see.

May need to bend the switch arm up slightly so it closes better.

Check switch history right after you experience the problem. You should see one or more switches that you know you didn't shoot. Causes could be an opto that is out of alignment, a dirty opto, or a loose/flaky opto connector on a board.

I don't think it's a fuse or you would have other things out as well. Check this connector number and also look for a wire that has come loose.

potc spotlights (resized).JPG

Make sure to get the right spinner opto protector from JJP. Mine didn't have it and the opto got smashed. All fixed now!

And the opto is not too bad to replace. The protector is super easy to install.

I would love to try out the new code! Just waiting for it to be released to the public.

You might try rebuilding the flippers or at least disassemble the mechs, clean and replace the coil sleeves.

If it is actually a power problem, I would reseat the appropriate connectors on the driver board and maybe try replacing the transistor for that flipper.

According to the manual, here are the specs on the power supply.
ATX Power Supply, 80 Plus Bronze, 450W
JJP part number 16-000013-00

I'm not super familiar with these, but here are a couple I found on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/APEVIA-VENUS450W-Auto-Thermally-Controlled-Protections/dp/B077BQ76TP/ref=sr_1_4

https://www.amazon.com/FSP-Solution-Bronze-Certified-FSP450-50SAC/dp/B07T2G4XWQ/ref=sr_1_13

This is what you want under your new slingshot star posts. I went with double star posts and I ended up getting some airballs in the slings when using clear titan rubbers. I changed to black perfect plays from PBL and the airballs mostly went away.
https://www.titanpinball.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=154&search=silicon+washers

One of the only must have mods is the Cliffy on the Tortuga scoop. Sounds like you have that on order.

I will NOT be doing the cap mod. My flippers are turned up in adjustments, not even maxed, and they are plenty powerful to make the ramps and the chest lock.