Hey all, had an issue with my dr. who mini pf opto's... while playing a game it would light all the lights on the main pf...below the mini pf (all the 5x3 lights) (positions 31-35, 41-45, and 51-55) (page 2-45) they usually light when you hit the opto buttons when the pf is raised to the middle pos. had a test result on start up that said r mini opto #71 had an issue, so I replaced the opto sender and recievers with new. I don't think I actually checked the optos by hand before I replaced them, but now #74 and #72 work and 71, 73, and 75 don't. also never had an issue with the optos for the ball locks but now I do... the right lock see's a ball sometimes, and the left one never see's a ball... both kickers work for the ball locks. took the opto control board (opto switch 10 pcb pg 3-12)out and re flowed all solder for connectors. checked for voltage on j1 and j2 was 12v (black lead on j1-9 ground, red lead to all j2 pins)until you push an opto button, then it would drop out to about 4v or so... except on 1 of them only dropped to 10v...(j2-3 #71) the weird thing about that is that 71 is right opto #1, but when I push the left opto #1 button it registers on j2-3... went into test mode and opto 71 shows open... all the rest are closed, and only 72 and 74 open when the button is pushed...(72 is r2, 74 is L2, (pg 2-46) and they are in the correct pos. when I am in test mode) meaning when I set it to test switch 72 and push the right #2 button it opens... I also stuck my finger in the ball lock holes to break/ open those optos and the left one never responded, the right one would, then wouldn't... it's almost like the plug from the mini pf to the harness is upside down...I just checked it.. it's not any ideas? thanks. Jeff

made another observation in test mode... test for r1 opto shows open... (no box) if I press the other opto buttons the test grid on the dmd drops r2 and l2 out (each switch/opto pos. shows a box on the screen) when I set it to test r1 and press the rest of the buttons box r2 and box l2 activate or go off the screen... I did this for all optos and found that:
r1 is open and not working...shows no box but drops the boxes for r2 and l2
r2 good and and drops the box for l2
middle closed and not working...drops box for r2 and l2
l2 is good and drops the box for r2
l1 is closed and not working...drops the box for r2 and l2
added some pics... the first one shows: at the top of the row to the right that box should be for r1 but there is no box...
pic 2 is for l1 and pic 3 shows what happens when in l1 test and I hit the opto button for r2... the box for r2 drops out to show open...

100_5363.JPG 100_5365.JPG 100_5366.JPG

so I'm trying to bump this back up so someone might see it and can give me some direction to go in... thanks, sorry for the bump...

after I put it back in the mpf and it acted funky, so I took it back out and shot it with the meter, all looks good... even checked each wire to the plug... no grounding to the frame either... I'm puzzled.

ya I wrapped mine with elect tape as well....

put in brand new from mad amusements... wondering if one of my other boards isn't acting up... lost 3 optos... left, middle, and right... and also the ball lock optos... and I never had an issue with those...

any early birds out there that might be able to point me in the right direction? thanks for any ideas

just going back through these... light on the opto bank would show a constant closed state right?
I guess I need to figure out why my (far right) opto #71 r1 is showing open... and why when I test with a meter r1 is in the L1 (far left) pos. that's really screwy....
the other 2 (left 1 and middle) being closed all the time could be a light issue
I'm going to pull the mini back out and recheck solder and light issues...
any ideas on why r1 would show open? anything I could check on a board (readings)?

cool I'll check that... checking the opto 10 board and I may need to get with great plains to get some new connectors... I could "wiggle" the connector and the #71 opto would close... just can't get it to stay closed.... I will def. check the output optos... thank you. I'll also check the other side on diode mode... I'll let you know how it goes.

ok, checked the transmitter side and all lights are on...
checking the receiver side something weird... checking the old one and if I meter from common to each e1/q1, e2/q2, etc. (I put the end of my flashlight over the receiver to block light) I get 2 - 4 meg ohm, then when I click on my light it goes OL to k ohm...
checking the installed one (disconnected and on the table) e1/q1 it starts out with OL m ohm and when I click the light on it goes to 3 m ohm... all the others act like the removed one...is it possible the installed this upside down/ backwards?...well, not that each one has a tab and all the tabs are in the correct pos. maybe I should put the old receiver back in and try that...

put the old receiver back on and found:
r1 is still open... may be a connection issue at the board...
r2 still works,
middle works now,
L2 is still working...
L1 is still not working

I remember that... you helped me out with the pf wobble I had several months ago...
checked and all wires ring out correct and in the right place per diagram.

yes... everything worked as it should... also checked all the commons, and they were good as well.

if I check at the opto 10 board
j1-3 to j2-3 for #71 (R1) 12.5vdc to 6.5vdc approx...when you depress the button
j1-4 to j2-4 for #72 (R2) 12.5vdc to .6vdc
j1-5 to j2-5 for #73 (M) 12.5vdc to .9vdc
j1-6 to j2-7 for #74 (L2) 12.5vdc to -.427vdc
j1-7 to j2-8 for #75 (L1) 12.5vdc to -.682vdc approx...when you depress the button

j1-3 to j2-3 is the only one showing open opto (#71) all buttons react but 71 is the only one with voltage present on the pushing of the button... could I have a bad diode on the board maybe?

j1-1 to j2-1 (R) ball lock opto 12.4vdc to 7.5vdc
j2-1 to j2-2 (L) ball lock opto 12.4vdc to 8.5vdc

so 71 shows open and that is the only fault the machine shows

71 and 75 don't work but the voltage changes when operated
ball locks (L&R) do not work but voltage changes when operated

re soldered diode on opto 10 board and 71 is closed and works now
75 still inop as well as ball lock opto's
back to the drawing board

after the diode resolder I start up the machine and get no errors...
the left button (L1) is inop, as well as the ball lock on the left side...
I tried a game and the right ball lock works and then doesn't work so I think my issue will be with the opto 10 board which everyone is out of

thanks for all the help and getting me to think

I may have a line on an opto 10 board... just waiting for a reply... my main board and cpu boards were, or are pretty hacked with old repairs... I would prob just have to replace those if they go out... I don't know why the opto 10 boards are so hard to find... after I fixed the diode on the opto 10 board I actually show no errors but my ball locks are not working and opto button 75 is still inop... thanks for the input... I may send my board to him for repair, the opto board was never touched thanks