Hey guys... RCT noobie here (I posted in another thread - got a nice machine for $400 from a family member!) - I'm just trying to work out a few gremlins and I think this would be the best place to start (if you have a minute to listen to my rambling...)

My machine is working pretty well, 100% of the bulbs are good, sound is great, machine is in great shape. BUT - (there's always a but...) the ghost door does not trigger... so I thought it was the ghost door, but on a simple test from the menu, found that the door did disengage / engage correctly. So that leads me to believe that the ghost standup narrow yellow target is what triggers this function, but is not working. I went into switch test, and tried simply shorting that yellow switch with a wire to make a connection but was unsuccessful. I have ordered a replacement for it never-the-less as it looked relatively worn, more-so than most of the machine. BUT then I realized as I was testing all of the other switches, that there are three other switches not working, and they are (33, 34, 35 in the manual) Left Ramp Return, Center Ramp Made and Right Ramp Made. All at the very back, all on the clear plastic ramps, in the same vicinity as the ghost button that isn't working. I also could not get these switches to short with a switch test.

This makes me wonder if these are in some sort of series or related to each other? The game is great, but without those switches triggering I'm sure there are great sounds, scores, etc that we are missing out on. Plus the entire ghost feature is not functioning.

I can't bring myself to believe that it's the actual switches that have failed, as it's these three in the same area, whilst every other one on the playfield works like a charm.

Can anyone possibly help me with a next step / process of elimination?

The other thing that isn't working is the sweeper OPTO on the back right (facing the unit.) So the man gets stuck up, the ball ends up behind him just sitting there, and the machine has to do a ball search and reset before play can continue. I see that there's a red light on the unit, so I am guessing the transmitter is fine, but the receiver board is fried. Opening the unit up I see the poor choice in location and insulation on this one, as someone had wrapped part of it in electrical tape to try and avoid it shorting out. I have ordered another Stern OPTO receiver board and hope to have that fixed in a few days. I'll put a piece of adhesive insulating tape or something on the back to ensure it does not short out again.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. I appreciate anyone who can assist on that group of non-functional switches. I'm thinking it'll really make the game more enjoyable to have everything 100%.

Thank you!
Adam Hicks
DFW / Texas

Ok thank you.. I'm thinking now it might be the failed OPTO board causing all of this. These all apear to be running inline with the mentioned switches (plus a few I didn't even know existed) plus the Sweeper OPTO. If that board is disconnected due to failure, I'm assuming that all of the other switches inline would cease to function? I currently have that OPTO board disconnected awaiting a replacement. I wonder if I can short two pins in the 4 wire connector to bypass the circuit... need to look at that diagram and make sure I don't do anything stupid first

Luckily my machine came with the original manual and paperwork. Even the French addendum for whatever that's worth.

Sigh. Replaced the OPTO and it's working (get a flashing light when I run my finger through it) but none of the switches on that column register with the onboard test. I've heard that it could be one of the 'Q' transistors on the board that is blown. Trying to find a way to test that without an oscilloscope.

Ok... I think I'm talking to myself here, but at least it'll be on record.

I took a wire and shorted the pins between CN5 and CN6 which are the switch column and row connections, while in the switch test screen. I was able to get switches to respond on all but pin 6 on CN5, which corresponds to all of my switches that aren't working. I feel like this tells me that the entire playfield is most likely ok, and that the break is not in the wiring but at the 'Q' transistor on the board.

Now to replace my first transistor and hopefully not blow anything up!