I set all of mine at factory tilt then . 3 ball, super steep, everything rebuilt and snappy...the first two Pinbots I had I played without the center post but I’m keeping it in this one. I must suck at pinball cause I have never turned it over

Add another to the list of "suckers". I have never turned mine over either, (5 balls and factory except a 30 second drop target timer). It must be that I am old. But I wasn't old when I first got it.

///Rich

I took the board out today in preparation of doing the upgrade and to my surprise, it seems it is an upgraded board and my MJE1503 and MJE15031 transistors are good to go where the others are already with no need to fuss with crossing the pins on this board and that this one time, I am lucky. Or even better, there is no need to change the updated transistors as they are working perfectly and already the newest? Do transistors wear out? I would think not but you guys are the experts.

I am assuming the extra pin holes are if someone actually had the older transistors?

Note that Troxel has the parts kit if you are interested. https://troxelrepair.com/product/williiams-system-3-11c-high-voltage-pinball-repair-kit/

///Rich
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Is it possible to turn off the attract mode? I see a setting for sounds, but nothing to disable the motor from running.

True, it’s in the coinbox usually NIB. Two out of three of my pins where routed, so they came with them already installed but my Family Guy was set up when it was unboxed and then fine toothed combed by Stern’s own factory techs before being placed in the Flip Out tornament at Chicago Expo back in 2008. I bought it off Mike Pacak NOB at the end of Expo with 257 or so plays on it. Stern set the tilt to half bob, so as close to a “Stern factory” setting as it gets. A single Stern tech set the tilts on all 9 games played in the tournament that year to ensure they were all set the same (3 FGy, 3 SPOTC, and 3 Spideman) But on the subject of factory recommended tilt, I was told that the ring midway on the bob is considered a starting point and so is pretty much what I call “factory”, and seems to be a pretty common way to set it. I set it tighter when I need to get ready for a big tournament. Ymmv

For those of you that have used the grid decal and insert decals are they easy to install? I saw some on Ebay and wondering if these are a quality product? Also, would I be able to lay clearcoat on top of them? Just wondering if this would be easier than trying to touch up that area with paint and save some time going the decal route. Thanks

Mine came with a decal on it but it is lifting in the corner, and of course, inevitably, wax gets on it and it will gradually get worse. I finally just tracked down a good restorable playfield on eBay and am planning to do a swap in the future.

I personally am wary of the idea of clearing over a big decal like that, seems extremely likely that you will get ghosting/separation over time. If you just want to take the quick route to getting the playfield a bit more presentable (after all, many pin bots have that whole chest area scoured down to the wood), it’s not a bad way to go at all for a “keepnit running” players game. If you want to do a really nice restoration job and reset the cloak on the game’s lifespan, read up on Vids Guide to playfield restoration and get it just right. It really depends on what you are after.

As to applying the decal, I would approach it similarly to doing cabinet decals - position it with blue tape, keep one half held down while you roll back the other half, then peel off that half of the backing paper and cut it off with scissors. Burnish the decal down with a felt squeegee. Now lift the other half and squeeqee the rest into place removing the paper as you go.

But, again, I would advise against this if you are clear coating.

What size rubber are you guys using here? This is actually a question for a Jackbot, whose manual specifies a 1" rubber, the posts are the same as Pinbot and a 1" is way too tight. The Pinbot manual has a rubber list but there's no "map" to where they're used, the only comparable sizes mentioned are 1¼" and 1½", so it's got to be one of those. The one on my Pinbot is an "ABC" brand, which doesn't show a size on it, plus it's all stretched out and dried up.

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I am still on the fence about whether I should replace anything other than the ZR2 and ZR4 Diodes with the 1N4763A to add a little life to the displays. Do any of those other parts actually wear out? I have the parts but if it's not necessary, what's the point?

So I took the opportunity to add the Special Solenoid Fuse Board. 20 minutes for a bit of added protection.

///Rich

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How many hours per day do you have the game on?

No more than an hour a day. Most days a lot less and many days it's not turned on at all. Occasionally when the grandkids are here, it's on for a couple of hours.

I am interested mostly in reliability. Do those diodes get less reliable over time?

///Rich

Then leave them alone.

1 1/4"

I'm not saying that's the correct answer. It's what was on my game and it worked. I'm currently cleaning a Pin*bot and I'm filling in the "map" as I go. I'll post my full results when I'm done.

So to be clear and for me and everyone else. The Power Supply board capacitors degrade over time and should be replaced. The transistors, diodes, rectifiers and resistors for the high voltage outputs don't degrade and unless there is a problem, there is no need to replace them. AND, unless your machine is on for hours each day, there is nothing to be gained from replacing the ZR2 and ZR4 Diodes with the 1N4763A to add a little life to the displays.

Bottom line, for the high side of the power supply, don't fix it if it ain't broke.

///Rich

PS-Not even lifting the Q1 and Q3, cleaning the pad and redoing the heat transfer compound?
PSS-Please just tell me to let it go and get to rebuilding the drop targets and cleaning and waxing the playfield. <G>

Yes the electrolytic capacitors dry out and degrade over time not the disc capacitors.

Yes they degrade but in a different way, but no need to replace them until a problem. 1980-2000 electronics may also be of a better quality then China replacements of today.

This is what I believe, also if you have a tired display in your machine and you drop the voltage it may not light up on the lower voltage.

Yes. Again this is what I believe, also I don't care for LED displays and all my machines are still running plasma displays on standard voltages.

Waxing the PF and using new balls is the single most important thing you can do for your machine.

I hear ya. Thanks.

I don't care for LED displays either. But I do like the LEDs on the playfield. Luckily a year and a half ago I bought 3 new 7 digit NOS display glasses on eBay. 2 numeric and one alphanumeric for $32.65 each. I soldered the one in that I needed and have two left for when the time comes. Hopefully they will have not gassed out when I need them.

First rebuilding the drop targets. Then the full clean and wax. Thanks for allowing me to take advantage of your experience.

///Rich

Just curious what type of wax do you use?

Add me to the Pinbot club. It will go right next to my Bride and now just to find a Jackbot to complete the collection.

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Welcome to the club

Are you asking me or Grumpy? His opinion has weight. Mine doesn't but since you asked, I have Blitz. That said I use P21S on my car and it's amazing but I like the Blitz on the playfield.

///Rich

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Does anyone have an extra set of the plastic retaining clips that hold the coin mechs in place for the Pinbot wico coin door? I'd also like to find a good pair of the original style plastic mechs. I'd like to finish my machine off someday.

There are several plastic brackets for Wico coin doors at Marco if you do a search for "coin door".

https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=coin%20door&VIEW_SIZE=60&VIEW_INDEX=0&view=card&sortOrder=SortKeywordRelevancy

I can't tell you which wax is better, because I have only used the same can of wax that I got when I purchased my first pinball ( High Speed ) machine. I don't even think that is still made anymore. Most likely some sort of synthetic wax today. Anyway I still have that same pin and I have to admit it hasn't gotten any worse then when I first got it. I pulled the mylar off when I shopped it in 1990 because it had bubbles, lost some key lines around some inserts where it was bubbled but after 29 years with just wax and new balls it don't look to bad.

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I use this. It wipes off very clean, does not dry off like other I used and smells delicious!
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I also use that kind but in the paste form and not the liquid.... and I too love the smell lol. That’s funny you said that.

I used to be a fan of the liquid wax but not any more. They are all far to messy. Once you go Blitz you never go back. It is pricey but looks great without getting your posts all nasty.

Thanks for the advice, gonna try the paste. Haven't waxed my pins in a looooong time.

Unfortunately they've always shown out of stock when I check:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/15-808600

I need two (new or used) someone has to have some.

Why do I have a black vortex ?

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Nevermind, google helped me to determine that it was from another machine.

That’s a jackbot ramp.

Holy shit!! That’s a Proto pinbot!!!

Rare, rare find. Think Willy Wonka and golden ticket.

Time to flip it for 5x what I paid !!!!! lol It is machine # 549 though so early build at least

All Pinbots are game #549. What's the full # on the serial sticker?

My bad, 02338 serial

Where would I find the serial sticker?

On the back of the cabinet, right below the headbox latch.

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Since it's called game #549 does that mean it is the 549th pinball game that Williams made?

There's also a similar sticker inside the cabinet on the right side, and in the head each board should have a smaller sticker with the same serial number. Sometimes boards have been replaced and you'll find a different serial numbered sticker, sometimes even from a different games (like a Space Shuttle power supply board in a Sorcerer).

I don't believe Pinbot should have a latch from factory.

Small sample size I know, but mine has one that looks factory as can be...as did the previous one I owned, and one I picked up for a friend.

The manual doesn't mention anything about it during game assembly but it could be a simple omission since the hinged backbox and latch were relatively new things to Williams pinball machines.

Richard

It's the model number of the game. Essentially, the 549th title that was developed past a certain point - doesn't mean a game was produced for every number. There are plenty that never saw production. Some looked very promising, others looked like instant flops. The games were also not produced/released in strict sequential order from model number. IPDB.org is a great resource for more info on game model numbers, production status, etc.

Probably also worth mentioning (as I'd forgot until I just looked at the IPDB list) that Williams abandoned this numbering scheme at the end of the System 11 era. WPC titles began a whole new numbering scheme.

Richard

That is interesting. I have owned 3 Pinbots and none of them have had the latch. They were all fairly early production so maybe the later production ones may have had a latch?

Anyone looking to leave the club? (Temporarily) of course. Been in twice and looking to get back.

Pinbot seem to be the one pin that is hard enough and punishing enough to draw you back. It’s brilliant in design.

Looking to buy.

Is anyone interested in a Pinbot NOS playfield second? PM me. I bought one 25 years ago, never used it, just left the mylared one I have in mine. This thing has registration errors in the top right corner under the spiral ramp and has planking, And there is a shadow were the guy marked the price on it. It may even be warped after 25 years, but it is a factory original, however it is NOT pinned or drilled, just routed and screened. Just trying to gauge interest and determine is it better used as wall art or sell it to some one in desperate need of a replacement.

Beats me, but possibly. Mine has serial # 12575 which is a higher number than claimed production of 12001 so either the production # is erroneous, or the serial # isn't sequential from zero. If you know off hand of any production dates I might find in the machine other than the playfield edge ink stamp (I have a second run NOS playfield that was made years later - 1990 IIRC) then I'll be glad to check.

Also if it means anything at all, my example came with the typical stamped steel Coinco(?) door that I've since replaced with a late System 11 style Entopy door with the W logo between the coin slots, while my other one had the heavy cast aluminum Wico door. Not sure if I have any pics from that long ago, 2000-2002 or so, that are clear enough I could read the serial # of that machine.

Richard

Serial #'s don't seem to be sequential from zero, but I can't quite figure out where they started to number their games from either. The lowest Pinbot serial numbers are 01XXX, so theoretically I'd guess they started with 54901001. But then if you look at games like Grand Lizard, the lowest serials are 35XXX, or Road Kings which are 45XXX, or High Speeds which are 75XXX. I would have guessed that the serials ran sequentially from game to game, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.

FWIW my Pinbot s/n is 05525 and it shows no evidence of ever having had a head latch. I'd love to know the story behind those Wico coindoors though (mine has one), it's such an anomaly as Pinbot seems to be the only Williams pin to get them.

The Wico door thing might have been a simple supply issue. There were a few video game companies that used them as well, though the CoinCo doors were far more common (as they were on pins of the era.)

Richard

hi guys can anybody help me to see if this pinbot they are offering me has a working multiball?i have a video of it

Sure, post the video to youtube and send the link!