I just recently got my Laser Cue up an running. All is working well except the drop targets have developed a small problem.

These 5 drops are the kind that have to dropped in order starting with Number 1 and finishing with Number 5. When #5 drops the cycle is complete, all targets are raised back up and the cycle begins again. Except my Laser Cue does not work correctly.

All 5 targets raise back up as normal. Except, now after I knock #1 down and it stays down as it should, the bell does not ring. When I drop #2 down #1 will pop back up. Then I knock #1 down and #2 will pop back up. It is back and forth like this until I manage to hit some other targets. At some point, I have made the magic combination and the bell rings the nI can go back and attack the drops and all will be normal for one more cycle.

I don't know if it is a micro-switch problem, but my thinking is there is something on one of the circuit boards that is out of whack.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Keep the ideas coming. Today has been a long day. I will check out what you are saying tomorrow.

But here is the circuitry. Switches #33 (drop target #1) and #34 (DT #2) from column 5 and rows #1 and #2 travel to connectors 2J2 and 2J3 on the power driver board.

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Would the problem be coming from 2J2 and 2J3 in the upper right of the driver board? Can this be as simple as replacing some resistors and capacitors in this area?

Or do I have to also consider IC15, IC 16, IC 17 and IC 18 ?

Laser Cue_3 (resized).jpg

I bought mine to fix up and sell and now that it is playable, I'm nit sure I want to sell it. It is a blast to play. There is a lot to do here and I don't know half of how it is supposed to work. I'll have some questions soon.

Ok. I think I'm starting to figure it out.

1 Drop targets #1 thru #5 in sequence.

2) Shoot flashing #6/14 stand up target

3) Shoot flashing #7/15 stand up target

4) Shoot flashing #8 up in the back. A buzzer buzzes. A bell rings. This resets the five drop targets so the sequence function is active again.

5) Shoot #9 thru #13.

6) Shoot flashing #6/14 standup target

7) Shoot flashing #7/15 standup target

This completes one rack of 15 balls and lights the 1st of 3 racks.

If I fail to achieve 2), 3), and 4) the drop targets will not reset for sequential dropping.

Is the way this pin is played?

Both of you have Laser Cues. Why are there different operation descriptions going on here? It is confusing me.

On mine, if I knock down #1 it stays down. If I knock down #2 in order it stays down. If I knock next knock down #4 or #5 before I knock down #3 they will pop back up.

When the ball drains, all 5 drops go down and the bank resets and any targets that were down will return to down position at the reset.

And then the original reason for this post: I knock down #1 thru #5 in sequence and then it seems the sequencing function for the 5 drops is disabled until I achieve targets #6 , #7, and #8. After #8 is achieved then the sequencing function is made active again. This is how mine is behaving. I don't know if this correct operation but it makes sense that you can't just stand there and keep hitting those same 5 targets all of the time and expect good things to continue happening. And the loss of sequencing is telling you it is time to move to the next flashing target ? As stated, I'm not sure if this is correct operation, but it makes sense to me if it is correct operation.

I thought this pin was going to be a pushover to play but I am discovering that it is rather complex.

You may be right about a switch. I may have discovered a glitch. I'll detail this when I get back home.

I'm starting to figure some things out.

First time thru, the #1 light will be blinking telling you this is the one to hit.

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What happens in next pic is something I don't know how it happens. But now I know how to get out of the situation. In this pic, the #2 and #10 light are blinking to show you that #2 is the active target. Since this is a photo, you cannot see lights blinking, but that are. Trouble is that the #2 target is dropped with no way to get back into sequence. If I hit #1 then #1 goes down and #2 pops up. This will go back and forth like Whack-a-Mole.

I found out how to get out of this Whack-a-Mole trap. You have to go all around the play field and hit stand up targets "B", "A", "L", and "L". As soon as you spell B-A-L-L target #2 pops back up and the sequence mode is in play again.

This part of the post needs to be separate. I'll continue in the next post.

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On my machine, what I have discovered is:

On the first time thru, #1 will be the blinking target to hit. The #9 in back is lit solid. This will progress all the way up to #5. #1, 2,3,4, and 5 will be blinking as the active target. #9, 10,11,12, and 13 will be lit solid.

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Also, one the first time thru, after you achieve #5 target, #6 target will be blinking and #14 will be lit solid.

And............................................................................#7 target will be blinking and #15 will be solid.

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#8 acts like a place holder but moves the action to the 2nd round.

The second time thru is a reverse of first time. This time #1 will be solid and #9 will be blinking. It is same way all the way down. #1,2,3,4, and 5 will be solid and #9.10,11,12, and 13 will be blinking.


.

The third time thru is different.

This time, only the #1 thru #7 will be lit up. And they are not blinking. They are lit solid with no blinking.


.

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The 4th time thru is like the 2nd time thru.

I don't yet know what is normal behavior for this pin. But this is the way mine is working. Maybe I have a bad switch or something bad on the driver board. But discovering that I can move around the play field and light B-A-L-L and get out the the 1-2 tag team trap is a big plus.

Have not done just a switch test, yet. I really need to study my manual to understand how to move thru the testing procedure. There is a lot there.

Would that be a bad switch or something on the driver board? I ask because the switch is a micro-switch and I don't know if micro switches have intermittent type problems, or not.

Mechanically, everything is tight. I had the targets out of the assembly yesterday adjusting the flat copper springs and cleaning things up.

I think, in my Joe Shadetree way of troubleshooting stuff, I am going to swap switch #2 with switch #4 and see if the problem moves to #3-#4 instead of #1-#2 where it currently is.

If the problem moves I will know I have bad switch. If the problem stays where it is at then I have a board problem or a wiring connectivity problem.

I am going to have another couple of questions for you all, but I'll deal with one item at a time.

I appreciate you talking about it. Hearing what others say always helps to try and figure out what is going on.

Already swapped. The wiring is straight forward on these switches. Switches are swapped and no change in behavior action. I'm guessing I have something wrong with my power driver board; Somewhere in those drawings I added yesterday.

But i'll study on how to do the switch test before I start ordering parts.

I finally got to see it in action. This is easier when I know what to look for. Short story: If drop target #2 drops before #1 (out of sequence) it says down instead of popping back up. So, the issue is with drop #2. It works like this: #2 goes down out of sequence and stays down. #1 has the blinking lights and when #1 is hit it drops and the blinking light moves to #2 only #2 is still down and there is nothing for the ball to hit leaving the game stuck until I can light up B-A-L-L.

I had all of the drop targets out of the assembly yesterday. The small coil "pull down" springs are all in good condition and pull the targets down as designed. I adjusted the flat copper "forward locking" tension springs with the least amount tension. The targets drop like stones.

While I had the targets out, I went ahead and loosened the individual drop coils and cleaned the sleeves and plungers. So, basically, I have had the drop assembly all apart and back together.

I wish it was something mechanical, but it is not. I know this because I did create a mechanical malfunction that I had to go back in and correct.

I thought you had it with the action you described with B-A-L-L. I have something different going on.

Doing that switch will be tomorrow's project.

I'll have to study up to learn what setting 34 is. Thanks for this tip.

I have the factory printed manuals with prints. Thank you.

While I work on this issue I am going to post my other problem.

The other, and possibly, the last issue I have with this Laser Cue is something different.

Across the top of the play field are 4 lights that spell out P-O-O-L. These lights are dark until to you shoot the ball up to the top and hit the inlane rollover wires. Like some other Williams games, using the right hand flipper you can rotate which of these 4 lights are on.

My 4 P-O-O-L lights work OK. But there is a glitch that just started yesterday.

When I turn on the pin, when I make a cold start, one of my POOL lights comes on and stays on. It stays on for about 3-4 minutes or for the first couple of games. Then it goes out and my P-O-O-L lights work as normal.

When I was swapping switches, I went ahead and replaced the diode for that light. It made no change.

So, I'm trying to figure out what it could possibly be that is having a thermal effect with this light. Once the machine heats up all is well. Strange stuff. I'm used to stuff braking down thermally when it gets too hot.


.I turn on the pin and this light comes on and stays on until the electrics start warming up and then it goes off. Beats me.

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Yes, I know, and as soon as the game warms up it behaves normally. This light is only staying on when I first start up the pin. When it is cold.

I'll have to look at the switch matrix and see if this #2 coil and the POOL light have any connection.

I am going to have plenty of time to study. I was playing the pin and had a coil stop break. And wouldn't you know, it is the coil stop for drop target #2.

I don't have any extra Williams parts in inventory. I'm going to have to work up and order for Pinball Life and order some spare coil stops. Geez.

Yes, I understand what you are saying. I originally traded for this pin with the idea of fixing it up and selling it. But I'm enjoying it so much that I'm thinking about keeping it. My girlfriend told me to keep it.

I love these 50 volt flippers that kick like mules. I am setting at 7.5% slope. It is playing fast and hard. Great sound sets. Simple rules with lots to do.

This thread needs closure.

The problem with the #2 drop target not working turned out to be a bad transistor on the driver board. The P-O-O-L light sort of fixed itself but it is a long story.