(Topic ID: 102265)

My machine started to melt - HELP!!!!

By tommyp

9 years ago


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  • 13 posts
  • 8 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by MSN22
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 9 years ago

Playing my whirlwind tonight before bed, as any good pinball junkie would...a ball that drained wouldn't kick over and cycle a new ball. Just sat in the apron. Heard the game...groaning almost from the backbox. Tried, didn't work. Game was on. Lights were flashing. Nothing. Turned it off, back on...ball still sat there. Still heard the weird noise. Then i smelled the dreaded smell..melting plastic. Killed the power quick, opened the back box, and was greeted with smoke.

I got absolutely no clue if the game is screwed, if i can fix the board parts that messed up (i've never tried to solder on a board), if I can replace the board. I need some help please. Pics of what melted are attached. I should also mention - i have absolutely no clue WHY it happened either. I've had no issues with the game except the ball lock switches since i purchased it in Feb, which i replaced with brand new cherry switches.

So i need help 1) knowing if / how to fix the board, and 2) what may have triggered that so it dont' happen again.

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#2 9 years ago

Don't panic!
It's salvageable.
Q33 is fried. It's a TIP-122, which can be replaced with a TIP-102.
Q33 drives the, you guessed it, outhole kicker and the bottom right flasher.
My guess is that your outhole coil may be toast too.

It's tough to tell which failed first, the coil or the transistor. When one fails, the problem can cascade to the other.

Use your DMM to measure the resistance of the outhole kicker. If it's less than 2 ohms, it's considered shorted. Or, just see if the plunger will still slide inside the coil. Usually, they melt pretty good, but you also generally see smoke from the area.

Q33 definitely needs replacement. There could be other problems upstream of that transistor.

That's the long and short of it.
If you don't have the proper tools, experience and technique, send the board to a pro. There are several folks qualified to fix it, including me. Drop me a PM if you'd like me to take care of it.

If the coil needs to be replaced, it should be a AE-23-800.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWikicom - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

#3 9 years ago

That burned area around the transistor really looks bad. I have done my own board repairs, but one of the guys that works on them all the time should be better able to let you know if that looks fixable.

It is possible that one or more of the fuses was not of the correct rating.

#4 9 years ago

It's fixable. Relax and follow Chris' directions.

#5 9 years ago

I would definitely double-check your fuses as o-din suggested. That fried transistor looks bad but I doubt it messed up the board beyond all hope of repair. Make sure the coil is good before trying to run the game with a fixed/new board (personally, I'd just replace it whether it appears to be okay or not, just to err on the side of safety).

#6 9 years ago

My concern would be the PCB in that area would be damaged badly enough, that even replacing the component may not fix it.

Tim

#7 9 years ago
Quoted from nagamitsu:

My concern would be the PCB in that area would be damaged badly enough, that even replacing the component may not fix it.
Tim

That is always a concern, but that meltdown looks pretty typical

#8 9 years ago

Iso will clean all that up. Usually looks worse than it is and people who do not know how to fix them right or use the wrong tools are more likely to do more damage than a blown transistor provided the correct fuses were used . Chris and vid are right as usual should be an easy fix if you are set up to work on circuit boards.

#9 9 years ago

Shouldn't the fuse have blown first ? does it have correct fuse for the circuit.
Board still looks ok

#10 9 years ago
Quoted from MSN22:

Shouldn't the fuse have blown first ? does it have correct fuse for the circuit.
Board still looks ok

Sometimes...they don't. We'd like them too, but if they worked like that, we'd never see a melted coil.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

#11 9 years ago
Quoted from ChrisHibler:

Sometimes...they don't. We'd like them too, but if they worked like that, we'd never see a melted coil.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The new place for pinball repair info

Chris your right, I had a Roadshow with a bad transistor and coil, some idiot decided to put a 16amp fuse instead of a 5amp and when I replaced the coil and switched it on…………… well flaming resistors

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