I just bought JP and it needed some long due attention. What I can't figure out is why the ball popper/top eject is firing anywhere between 1 - 5 times but usaully 4-5 times while the game is being played and there is no ball to be popped up. After the 5th pop the launcher will sometimes give one shot too .The switch seems to work properly and I cannot find any wiring issues. It never pops more than 5 times. The CPU has the 4.04 version, is that an issue?
You might have to consider the whole switch matrix, not just one switch if it checks out okay.
A switch wired wrong, diode on backwards, a short to switch wiring at the switches or elsewhere, can give phantom hits on other switches.
LTG : )
All the crazy stuff on my DE machines has been related to the ball trough switches.
HAve a good look at them. Reckon youll find a bent lug or 2 causing the VUK to fire.
IVe got some better notes somewhere. Happy to help more if needed
SCOTT
It's on the right side from the 6 ball trough to the launcher. I've adjusted the lugs of the ball trough switches but they seem to be good in a switch test. I've also filed around the low spot where the last ball goes into the trough as the ball was sometimes stopping before the switch in the trough.
Quoted from Doozie:
I've changed countless dides in the switch matrix with no luck.
Why change diodes ?
LTG : )
Is the Q46 ever the problem?
Not from your description.
Something keeps signalling a switch closure and then it keeps firing.
LTG : )
I may not of mentioned it but it only happens in multiball...Changed the shooter switch along with the switch of the coil that sends it to the shooter(the ones thats going off) So what is left to cause it to think a ball is there??
Did you read the SB53 Problem 1.) ?
http://www.sternpinball.com/downloads/sb53.pdf
I think, there is the problem.
- Ingo
If it is only happening in multiball, then it sounds like all of your trough switches needs to be checked. The game think it hasn't given you the proper number of balls for the multiball, as one of the trough switches is likely remaining closed.
take all the balls out of the machine and enter switch tests. I am guessing one of your trough switches will still be indicating a ball is in the trough. If that doesn't find the bad switch for you, then take off the apron, take all the balls out, and enter switch test. Then just play with the trough switches. Including rolling a ball through the trough and seeing what the switches do.
I adjusted the trough switches, changed their diodes, replaced one and moved a different one off each time...checked the switches in switch test...played with them..rolled the ball through...............and were perfect each time....and if it thought there was a ball in the trough the coil on top of the trough would go off....but it doesn't ...only the vuk to the shooter and the shooter goes off..
Just to clarify - you don't get anything funny in the Switch test?
If it only occurs during Game Play would that indicate a board issue?
You're getting exactly 5 kicks of the solenoid every time aren't you?
Scott
It has to be a switch. If they are working in test mode then you need to see if there are situations where they are been triggered or not triggered when the opposite should be occurring. For the switch above the coil that kicks a ball into the shooter, mine appeared to work, but would sporadically, so in test it would work like every 5 time I pressed it. In addition, it was bent slightly so that ti was not getting fully depressed when a ball was present.
Essentially you are looking at 7-8 switches that could be having an issue. If it was my machine, i would personally shotgun the problem and just replace all the possibly bad switches. I know its overkill, but it is not like those switches are that expensive. Then you know they are all new and wired correctly (assuming you know what your doing).
Here's another twist as I thought it was unrelated. I may have neglected to say that the shooter coil had locked on and burnt out. The coil was replaced and the Q5 on the board was replaced to fix this coil issue. My current problem was there before and after this happened.
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East Saint Paul, MB
Hopkins, MN