GI looks great!
(Topic ID: 69394)
1 week later
Hi all, and thank you (again) for all your detailed replies! I am pleased to report renting a cargo van from Uhaul was reasonably priced (no mileage!) and it had PLENTY of space for the machine. The floor even had this sorta rubber-y coating on it so I didn't have to worry about anything getting scuffed in transit.
As far as the machine goes... she's a little rough around the edges, but still got it where it counts. I found the seller neglected to mention it needed a new lockdown bar, but by the time I got to his place and saw, I was already in it for 4 hours of driving and the cost of the rental van, so wasn't a whole lot I could have done at that point (grr, there went another $75 for a replacement).
At the top of my "fix list" now is definitely the playfield. It's a bit more weathered than I expected (you can see more if you zoom in on the pic here), with some noticeable cupping and planking, and some spots of paint seemingly wearing away more with each game I play. I know a full playfield swap is pretty complicated, but is it something an inexperienced (yet determined) greenhorn might be able to accomplish solo? I've looked into options, and was wondering what you all might recommend- just sticking on an overlay, or should I wait and drop the coin for the next restock of a CPR Repro? A hardtop overlay unfortunately isn't an option for Paragon (yet), or else I'd likely go that route.
Last question (for now) is what kind of wax/playfield cleaner should I use? Would a cleaning/waxing help reduce cupping/planking effects and paint getting worn away so quickly? I see options from GameRoomGuys and Mill Wax, while other threads mention Novus 1... don't know if there's any "preferred" type?
I'm also hoping to rehab the upper pop bumpers and kickouts too, but I'll save those questions for another time. For now, here she is all set up with my Big Ben and Stop-N-Go. 
PXL_20201204_194838332 (resized).jpgPXL_20201204_194858240 (resized).jpg
Any Carnuba Wax will do. I use McGuire's on my Galaxie and my PFs.
Definitely clean that thing and wax it.
I usually do it in sections to make removal/replacement on topside parts easier to manage/remember (until I have had a machine apart a few times).
Then play the hell outta that thing. As far as PF wear / Damage goes, yours doesn't look too bad (unless it has been touched up, can't tell) at all.
Congrats. Such and awesome machine. Don't think I would part with mine.
Ottawa, ON
1 week later
Asbury Park, NJ
Quoted from pinster68:A final pic of my NOS playfield before it goes out for clearcoat...[quoted image]
Edit: just an FYI, it’s heading to Ron Kruzman. Long story short, I exchanged messages with Ron SEVEN years ago about doing this pf. Stuff happened and it took a back seat. I’ve never met Ron or seen his work first hand, but based on communications with him alone I’m certain this playfield will get the treatment of a lifetime, and from a genuine good guy.
Quoted from pinster68:Edit: just an FYI, it’s heading to Ron Kruzman. Long story short, I exchanged messages with Ron SEVEN years ago about doing this pf. Stuff happened and it took a back seat. I’ve never met Ron or seen his work first hand, but based on communications with him alone I’m certain this playfield will get the treatment of a lifetime, and from a genuine good guy.
You won't be disappointed!!! Ron does exceptional work
1 week later
One of my Paragons I've been working on was working great with an alltek MPU in it. I took it out to use it in another game and decided to drop the Original untested MPU in. This MPU looks pretty clean and the battery has been removed.
When I power on, everything boots as it should and the game goes into attract mode, credit switches are adding credits, self test button works as it should, but the credit button does nothing.
Cannot start a game... ideas?
Quoted from FLASHBALL:One of my Paragons I've been working on was working great with an alltek MPU in it. I took it out to use it in another game and decided to drop the Original untested MPU in. This MPU looks pretty clean and the battery has been removed.
When I power on, everything boots as it should and the game goes into attract mode, credit switches are adding credits, self test button works as it should, but the credit button does nothing.
Cannot start a game... ideas?
Credit switch is connected to MPU at A4J3 pin 2 and pin 14. There is also a diode in series with the switch. Check those connections on the old board, and check the diode. Believe there is an open circuit there. Please report back.
Quoted from JethroP:Credit switch is connected to MPU at A4J3 pin 2 and pin 14. There is also a diode in series with the switch. Check those connections on the old board, and check the diode. Believe there is an open circuit there. Please report back.
Bingo. Found cracked solder on the header pin for that switch. Now to hunt down my other gremlins.
I am randomly getting TILT during game for no reason.
Removed tilt bob.
Playfield tilt is wide open.
Coin door tilt is wide open.
Ball roll tilt is resting where it should be.
Also sometimes my (2x 3x 4x 5x) drop targets are not resetting. Should reset every ball I believe. I repinned the connector on the SDB and checked that the header pins were not old/ cracked. Still happening. Do transistors start to get intermittent when they are failing or are they more like all or nothing type of behavior?
Thanks for the help guys.
Pic just to show off my new clear Titan Rubber kit.
received_863713654431672 (resized).jpegQuoted from FLASHBALL:I am randomly getting TILT during game for no reason.
You may have a bad capacitor at one of the tilt switches. Try clipping one of the legs on each of the capacitors at the tilt switches and see it it solves that problem.
Quoted from FLASHBALL:Also sometimes my (2x 3x 4x 5x) drop targets are not resetting. Should reset every ball I believe.
If you are using the original MPU I don't believe you can change whether or not the drops reset after each ball. There may be a setting for this on the aftermarket boards. If you are having an intermittent problem with the drops resetting I would have a look at the drop mechanism. Maybe clean the moving parts and targets of old grease, etc. and check that they operate smoothly. Check the solenoid plunger and sleeve for cleanliness. And of course, check all the electrical connections to and from the reset solenoid.... SDB J5 pins 7 and 14.
Quoted from JethroP:You may have a bad capacitor at one of the tilt switches.
Thanks for the tip on the Tilt capacitors. I think that fixed it.
As for the in line drops. Sometimes they reset at beginning of game and sometimes they stay down. I recrimped the wire on the SDB J1 pin 2 per the manual. Made sure the header pins were all good too. The mechanism moves freely and the wires for the coil are soldered on nicely.
Still hunting...
Put a new Rectifier Board (Pinball Life Replacement Kit) in my Paragon last week and I can't seem to sort out my GI. The original was hacked and pretty well toasted (working though).
Everything else is working fine, just no GI Illumination.
Anyone install one of these before? I was wondering if the E7 and E8 leads need to be seperate or if they can share contact? I had my tech burn this one in while I watched and then I repinned the connectors when he was finished.
Thanks for any help.
Quoted from guitarded:Anyone install one of these before? I was wondering if the E7 and E9 leads need to be seperate or if they can share contact?
Not sure what E7 and E9 are. If this aftermarket kit is pinned out the same as the OEM power supply, and it should be, then you can refer to the power supply schematic for Paragon. It shows:
GI bus as J1 pins 5 and 8, J2 pin 1, and J3 pin 10 and 11.
GI returns (ground) are J1 pins 1 and 2, J2 pin 5, and J3 pins 1 and 2.
Does this help?
Thanks JP. They are the solder points on the replacement board I sourced from Pinball Life.
They are the GI Buss Hot (E7) and the GI Bus Neutral (E8) solder points.
Can't tell from the instructions whether or not they should / can be bridged or if they have to be separated.
I was careful about the Re-Pin and had the Schematic open to check all of the factory wire color codes and locations as I wanted to clean up the hack job when I got the board installed finally.
So, I figured I would check and see if anyone here had installed the same board.
Quoted from guitarded:Thanks JP. They are the solder points on the replacement board I sourced from Pinball Life.
They are the GI Buss Hot (E7) and the GI Bus Neutral (E9) solder points.
Can't tell from the instructions whether or not they should / can be bridged or if they have to be separated.
I was careful about the Re-Pin and had the Schematic open to check all of the factory wire color codes and locations as I wanted to clean up the hack job when I got the board installed finally.
So, I figured I would check and see if anyone here had installed the same board.
OK. Well I wonder if you're calling bus neutral what the Bally drawing shows as ground? If so, the hot and ground (neutral) definitely must stay separate.
I got that. On this board there are 2 pads per at each point. My guy bridged the E7 (Hot) pads. Just wanted to check and make sure that isn't where I am running into the problem before I start rechecking my repin.
The E8 (Neutral) pads were not bridged (and I have checked to make sure there isn't a stray wire / short there).
[Edit : I screwed up, the GI on this replacement board are soldered to E7 and E8]
So back to the original problem. You have no GI. Have you checked for voltage at the pins mentioned in post #864 to confirm whether or not each combination is working? Each of the GI bus should all be connected to the same hot source, and each of the returns should all be connected to the same return source.
I appreciate the effort but you might as well be talking to your dog about this sort of thing.
If I am doing things right, there's power at J1 [5 + 8 ] but none at J2 [1] and J3 [10 + 11].
AM EDIT :
Running a meter on headers is not something I have much experience with and literally no idea what I am looking for or how to go about finding answers that way.
As for the Neutral / Ground distinction, I am just reading you the words on the pages (board install instructions and schematic).
My question was simply asking whether or not the solder points on the replacement board (the Black one at Pinball Life) for the Gen Illumination Buss [E7 - Hot and E8 Neutral] should/could be bridged. Because the tech I paid to install it bridged the Hots.
Since there is no way for me to see where the traces on this board go, I don't know if that is koser or not?
Fixed. One of the (2)blue wires coming from the Transformer had not been cut back far enough I am guessing and had most of the leads broken inside the insulation. I cut them back and resolderd them into the new board and that did it.
To answer my own question, that pair at E7 can be bridged without issue apparently.
She is fiully glowing now, though. Thanks for the help.
This type of stuff is not my specialty and my self effacing humor landed like a brick apparently.
2 weeks later
25 pin SCSI connectors! Is that so you can remove the head without disconnecting from all the boards and feeding the harness down into the lower cabinet? Hilarious! 
Shepparton
Quoted from JethroP:Better than this method of removing the head?
[quoted image]
I had to do this on the fly when I picked up my Paragon.
Luckily it turned out well.
So I noticed something strange about my game, after I clipped the tilt bob capacitor I cant tilt the game at all.
As im in there trying to make it tilt by touching the bob to the ring, I notice that if im touching the bob with one hand and the lockbar with my other hand the right pop bumper fires.
It does the same thing in switch test, but no switches appear in the window.
How would you guys go about diagnosing this issue? Id like to have a working tilt again.
16115163155372888768242442936580 (resized).jpgQuoted from FLASHBALL:So I noticed something strange about my game, after I clipped the tilt bob capacitor I cant tilt the game at all.
As im in there trying to make it tilt by touching the bob to the ring, I notice that if im touching the bob with one hand and the lockbar with my other hand the right pop bumper fires.
It does the same thing in switch test, but no switches appear in the window.
How would you guys go about diagnosing this issue? Id like to have a working tilt again.
[quoted image]
Switches can trigger when you're touching ground and one of the switch matrix lines. This is probably not a malfunction.
First make sure switch 07 in the switch matrix is working. Connect the tilt bob wire and the ring together with a test lead, then look for switch 07 in test. If a lower number appears, check and open the lowered numbered switch.
The inside of the ring, and the hanger bracket and rod, need to be clean. I polished mine to a shine with Novus 2. You also need the cap in there to catch very short contacts. Get a new cap and install it.
Quoted from RoyGBev:The inside of the ring, and the hanger bracket and rod, need to be clean. I polished mine to a shine with Novus 2. You also need the cap in there to catch very short contacts. Get a new cap and install it.
Bingo! The ring, bob and rod were incredibly dirty. After cleaning them up it works just fine!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Quoted from pinster68:Edit: just an FYI, it’s heading to Ron Kruzman. Long story short, I exchanged messages with Ron SEVEN years ago about doing this pf. Stuff happened and it took a back seat. I’ve never met Ron or seen his work first hand, but based on communications with him alone I’m certain this playfield will get the treatment of a lifetime, and from a genuine good guy.
I had Ron clear my NOS playfield. You are in for a treat. It’s simply stunning.
1 week later
Hey Pargon guys. I have a question regarding a restoration I have done.
Just installed a CPR playfield, and I have a NASTY issue with the right (Paragon) saucer kicker. When it kicks, the ball goes straight into the Beast Lair every single time without fail. Sometimes it will go straight through and drain. I cant see that being normal because the old crap PF did not do that.
Any ideas to fix that short of bending the tip of the kicker arm?
Thanks
Threads the pops and straight through the Beast Lair each time, huh?
Maybe adjust the mounting of the unit if there is room?
If not, bending the arm would prob be the easiest fix.
Mine hits the Pop below it just a hint left of center.
Its now fixed. My solution was to remove the rear screw for the assembly and clock it a bit more towards the bumper. Now its tagging the bumper right out of the saucer like it should. My guess is that the markings that CPR placed on the PF were just a bit off, and that made the ball go straight into the beast lair.
BTW the CPR Pargon PF is fantastic through and through.
One more question regarding play. Is it a "designed-for" shot to be able to flip the ball through the spinner, traverse across the PF, through the gate and enter the waterfall lane? Looks kind of like that was designed in there. But whether it really happens is another story. Would certainly take a boat-load of luck. Just curious.
Thanks again.
Quoted from wrd1972_PinDoc:One more question regarding play. Is it a "designed-for" shot to be able to flip the ball through the spinner, traverse across the PF, through the gate and enter the waterfall lane? Looks kind of like that was designed in there. BUt whether it reall happens is another story. Just curious.
Thanks again.
Yes, this is a great shot. On old worn out pf's it's harder to make. But I'm guessing on the new CPR pf it zips through there.
Quoted from wrd1972_PinDoc:One more question regarding play. Is it a "designed-for" shot to be able to flip the ball through the spinner, traverse across the PF, through the gate and enter the waterfall lane?
I think so. On my machine it is markedly easier to do from the upper flipper. From the lower, I usually catch a Pop.
Such an awesome machine. Can't imagine how sweet a new PF would make it!?
I love the way it can lull you to sleep with the floaty widebody action and then the next second just go absolutely insane with the action.
It looks awesome. EVERYTHING on the PF is new except for the plastic posts. Its funny that with the old PF and worn rubbers, I was able to role the scoring at 999,999. Now the table is a ton harder than before. Have not yet played a serious game, but I dont think I will be rolling it again.
Anyone interested in the original plastics send me a PM. They are NOT broken, have very few scuffs on the artwork, but are yellowed as one might expect. I can send pics if interested too.
Oh and its not floaty at all. But I do have the angle set to 5 degrees. Is that too much for the era pin?
Quoted from wrd1972_PinDoc:It looks awesome.
Congrats on the new playfield! Can you confirm whether it was silk screened or is printed using CPR’s new digital output?
Quoted from zombywoof:Congrats on the new playfield! Can you confirm whether it was silk screened or is printed using CPR’s new digital output?
Guessing silkscreened. How can i tell?
Normally I’d look at the halftones, but I’m not sure that there are any on Paragon. Use a loop or a nice magnifying glass. Is it continuous ink?
Quoted from zombywoof:Can you confirm whether it was silk screened or is printed using CPR’s new digital output?
it's Digital
Regarding the question of the printing process. I simply can not tell one way or the other. Also I hit the spinner/waterfall shot three times tonight. Man I am gonna hate sending this one out the door to the client. Attached are some pics of the final resto.
a (resized).jpgb (resized).jpgc (resized).jpgd (resized).jpge (resized).jpg
Par1 (resized).jpgpar3 (resized).jpgpar2 (resized).jpgIf I am more that 5 miles from the house, I can almost imagine trading/selling my Paragon.
The minute I walk into the basement, though...nope.
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