Old Chicago Alternator Relay not activating

0

#1 3 years ago

OP

???

JeffThanksYou

Pinside member

Richmond, VA

3y 22,300 62

Hello- new to Pinside- researched this but didn't find anything specific - hope you can help

Machine recently was moved- had been operating pretty well for quite a while- now two major issues- playfield lights- although believe a fuse holder (replacement - not Bally original) has worked its way loose and in turn affected the connection.

Of more concern- lane lights and upper 2 bumpers switch between 10-100 points has stopped - checked match unit in back unit- seems to be operating properly- alternator relay not advancing/operating with each point played- did very gentle cleaning of alternator switches- no change. Coil appears to be 70+ ohms.
Thoughts to try?

thanks

0

#2 3 years ago

SDM

EMsInKC

Pinside member

Kansas City, MO

10y 79,550 4,022 22

The 00-90 unit is stepped every time there is a ten point score. The alternator unit is energized/deenergized via a cam switch on the 00-90 unit. When the switch is open the alternator unit is not energized. When it closes, the alternator relay energizes. There is a make/break switch
on the alternator relay that changes state and lights the bumpers and the upper lanes alternately. There are more make/break switches on the alternator unit that change the scoring of the lanes and the bumpers.

If the alternator unit is not engaging it has to be the cam switch on the 00-90 unit. That is all there is in the circuit. The unit stepping properly doesn't mean the cam switch is working properly. That's the first place to look.

On the playfield lights there is a normally closed switch on the game over relay that controls power to quite a few of the playfield lights, but the GI are not in that circuit, so depending on what is not working properly the fuse could also be the issue.

0

#3 3 years ago

HOW

HowardR

Pinside member

Boulder, CO

7y 78,050 6,257

OP
Quoted from JeffThanksYou:
alternator relay not advancing/operating with each point played

The 00-90 Unit Stepup solenoid should activate when you score 10 points, not 1

0

#4 3 years ago

OP

???

JeffThanksYou

Pinside member

Richmond, VA

3y 22,300 62

Quoted from EMsInKC:
The 00-90 unit is stepped every time there is a ten point score. The alternator unit is energized/deenergized via a cam switch on the 00-90 unit. When the switch is open the alternator unit is not energized. When it closes, the alternator relay energizes. There is a make/break switch
on the alternator relay that changes state and lights the bumpers and the upper lanes alternately. There are more make/break switches on the alternator unit that change the scoring of the lanes and the bumpers.
If the alternator unit is not engaging it has to be the cam switch on the 00-90 unit. That is all there is in the circuit. The unit stepping properly doesn't mean the cam switch is working properly. That's the first place to look.
On the playfield lights there is a normally closed switch on the game over relay that controls power to quite a few of the playfield lights, but the GI are not in that circuit, so depending on what is not working properly the fuse could also be the issue.

Thanks for your comments/ideas- I will try jumping that switch - somewhat certain I have the playfield lights covered but will check both.

0

#5 3 years ago

OP

???

JeffThanksYou

Pinside member

Richmond, VA

3y 22,300 62

Quoted from HowardR:
The 00-90 Unit Stepup solenoid should activate when you score 10 points, not 1

yes- you are of course correct - I should have said 10 as there is not single point scoring - I meant the most frquesnt scoring index which is 10- thanks d=for the help.

0

#6 3 years ago

BLM

wizardblom

Pinside member

's-heer Hendrikskinderen

11y 56,650 411 8 19

Check for broken wires, it is a common problem with the plastic coated wires.
Just pull them, most of the time there is a broken one, not visible at first sight...

0

#7 3 years ago

OP

???

JeffThanksYou

Pinside member

Richmond, VA

3y 22,300 62

Quoted from wizardblom:
Check for broken wires, it is a common problem with the plastic coated wires.
Just pull them, most of the time there is a broken one, not visible at first sight...

Thanks- do you mean on CAM switch or relay? Or both?

Quoted from EMsInKC:
The 00-90 unit is stepped every time there is a ten point score. The alternator unit is energized/deenergized via a cam switch on the 00-90 unit. When the switch is open the alternator unit is not energized. When it closes, the alternator relay energizes. There is a make/break switch
on the alternator relay that changes state and lights the bumpers and the upper lanes alternately. There are more make/break switches on the alternator unit that change the scoring of the lanes and the bumpers.
If the alternator unit is not engaging it has to be the cam switch on the 00-90 unit. That is all there is in the circuit. The unit stepping properly doesn't mean the cam switch is working properly. That's the first place to look.
On the playfield lights there is a normally closed switch on the game over relay that controls power to quite a few of the playfield lights, but the GI are not in that circuit, so depending on what is not working properly the fuse could also be the issue.

EMs

OP
Quoted from JeffThanksYou:
Thanks for your comments/ideas- I will try jumping that switch - somewhat certain I have the playfield lights covered but will check both.

Hmm- still stumped- cam switch appears good- contact is good when closed vs alternating open position - tried jumping switch and still no life at alternator relay.

0

#8 3 years ago

BLM

wizardblom

Pinside member

's-heer Hendrikskinderen

11y 56,650 411 8 19

Broken wire on the relay?

0

#9 3 years ago

???

pinballdaveh

Pinside member

Unknown

10y 38,800 1,970

Has the relay coil been tested? It’s probably bad.

0

1

#10 3 years ago

OP

???

JeffThanksYou

Pinside member

Richmond, VA

3y 22,300 62

Finally found success- was pretty much convinced WizardBlom had the right idea- and that a wire connection somewhere was the culprit. Turns out our old friend the JONES Plug was the culprit. I had checked and cleaned the correct one in the backbox twice- particularly as those plugs got pulled recently when we moved. Just out of exasperation I pulled and cleaned the one in the lower cabinet a second time ( it hadn't been touched in the move) and that did it. Clearly the relay and cam switch are good- I suspect I will have to keep an eye on that Jones plug connector down the road. Thanks to you all for very sound advice and help.

J

By JeffThanksYou

3 years ago

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