(Topic ID: 280647)

Plasma Display and LED Replacement

By Dakine747

3 years ago


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  • 13 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 3 years ago by Dakine747
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    #1 3 years ago

    I was recently gifted a fully-functional Bally Playboy in remarkably good shape. Complete newbie here, but I've been obsessed ever since and I'm now constantly poring over pin repair sites and YouTube vids. Many questions, but just today I replaced the Player #4 plasma display with a new Pinscore LED six-digit panel. Four plasma displays remain untouched. Easy to do, but now noticing some unusual display as a result. When the game is on and the display cycles normally between high score, blank, previous player's score, and four-player "00"s, the new LED display is inconsistent with the rest. The zeroes are the same, but when high score displays, the first three are correct, but the LED is 22,000 off. In the couple seconds the displays are normally dark, the new LED panel displays 888,888....and repeat. When I ran the display test from inside the coin door, the original four ascend normally from 000,000-999,999. The brand new LED panel displays all ZEROES when the rest display the 2's, all ONES when the others display 3's, fours and fives display normally on ALL five panels, FOURS display when all others display the 6's, FIVES display when the others show 7's, and the eights and nines display normally on ALL five panels. This grasshoppah has MUCH to learn, but any advice from the masters here??

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    #2 3 years ago

    There's four signals from the MPU board to all displays that select what number to display.
    The signals daisy chain from one display to the next and they are a binary encoded number system.

    Unless that display is faulty, check pin 18 (Blue-White wire) on the connector at that player 4 display. The display is not receiving that binary signal resulting in the wrong numbers you're getting.

    #3 3 years ago

    Thanks for your tip. I unplugged the display and inspected all the wiring as best I could, and saw nothing seemingly out of the ordinary. Moved the wire harness around a bit, and the issue still persisted. I did have one extra new LED display that I swapped out for the new display I installed initially, and the problem was exactly the same, leading me to believe that the issue is in the wiring somewhere.

    #4 3 years ago
    Quoted from Dakine747:

    leading me to believe that the issue is in the wiring somewhere.

    The issue is at that connector.
    The display signals are routed from player 1 to player 2 to the credit/ball in play display to player 4 and ends at player 3.
    If the issue with that signal was anywhere else you'd see the problem on multiple displays.

    Did you try moving the LED display to say player 1 location and moving the player 1 plasma display to player 4?

    If that connector is a Molex crimp style, shine a light through it to see if the crimp terminal at location 18 has gapped open too much. Eg:

    IMG_1402c.jpgIMG_1402c.jpg

    #5 3 years ago

    I checked the connector. I assume a "Molex" connector has a translucense since you suggest backlighting it, which I did with my phone's flashlight. What I noticed though is that (like your visual) every position in which a wire isn't present was clear, and that every position that wasn't clear had a wire leading into it. One of the positions wasn't dark like all the other positions, but wasn't CLEAR either. In other words, your illustration above shows a gap in the terminal. This one didn't - let's say it was sort of "grey", however, the position DID have the blue and white wire leading into it! I can attempt a photo if that will help. Not sure how to proceed to correct the issue, but thank you VERY much for the insight you have provided thus far!! MUCH appreciated!

    #6 3 years ago

    Corroded contacts?

    #7 3 years ago
    Quoted from G-P-E:

    Corroded contacts?

    Not entirely sure. Can that connector be opened and somehow adjusted?? Like I mentioned, I've never had a pin before, but I've been immersing myself in YouTube tutorials, and I am definitely LEARNING!! Just today, I successfully fixed a star rollover that was not scoring as it should, after watching a couple videos of leaf switch adjustments, and using the leaf switch tools I just bought online! As silly as it sounds, I consider that an ENORMOUS personal achievement! LOL

    #8 3 years ago

    Never had the "joy" of working on connectors before? You're in for a fun time.

    When you have a pinball problem - very often connectors are to blame.
    They will often bend out of shape like photo that quench posted. And you will often see corroded contacts, broken contacts, burnt contacts.
    The plugs have a limited number of insert/remove cycles. After that, they start getting sloppy. And if my memory is working tonight - it is a pretty low number, something like 20 or so. Once they start getting sloppy - the problems start. Usually Intermittent connections or high resistance connections resulting in burned connectors.

    There are many, many types, sizes and pin counts of connectors used in pinball machines--
    No easy way to describe the types - easiest would be to browse through main types of connectors as shown here:

    https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/categories.asp?cat=35

    The one shown by Quench is a Molex KK style, 15 pin, 0.1" contact spacing, part number 22-01-2157 as found on this page:
    https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/products.asp?cat=68
    These used to be "brick red" in color as shown in Quench's photo but now they're mostly white.
    This connect shown has one keying plug (15-04-9209) plus contacts such as 08-52-0123 or 08-50-0114.

    In your machine - you will see several 0.1" and 0.156" connectors plus a few 0.093"

    And you will need a crimp tool. Lots to pick from and lots of choices out there. At that website - I would go with the 1026-CT or 1028-CT from Sargent. But there are several choices on Amazon and other places as well. Some people go with the Waldom W-HT-1921... I hate them.
    You can find some choices here:
    https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/categories.asp?cat=138

    First thing to do - Look at your connectors for burned spots, that's frequently the first sign.

    If you don't know what a connector is - post a photo in this forum and somebody will be able to identify it.
    Another good place to look for information is pinwiki.com

    Edit -- ok, 22-01-2157 is out of stock and isn't on that page. Closest is 22-01-2155. There is also sub CS100-15-LR

    #9 3 years ago

    Thanks GP. I will now go into the other room, swallow a Xanax, chase it with a shot of bourbon, and see if Rosetta Stone makes a language program that I can cram to learn whatever language you’re speaking up there! Seriously though, I will study your post and see what I can come up with. I’m also a new retiree, so I find myself with some time to learn. I’m looking forward to the challenge. Again, thanks for the patience, as well as the advice. Cheers.

    #10 3 years ago
    Quoted from Dakine747:

    I can attempt a photo if that will help.

    Yes, please post some pictures of your connector if possible so we can see which type you have so we can guide you. Bally used two different types of connectors at the displays during the production run of Playboy.

    Ed has given you great detail about connectors above.
    Note, the connector picture I posted above is of a 0.1" connector (the pins are spaced 0.1" apart) - it's just the picture I have on hand. However these displays use 0.156" connectors (the pins are spaced 0.156" apart).

    #11 3 years ago

    You might want to check this thread for a quick lesson on connectors.

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/advise-for-early-solid-state-owners

    #12 3 years ago
    Quoted from oldschoolbob:

    You might want to check this thread for a quick lesson on connectors.
    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/advise-for-early-solid-state-owners

    Thank you! This forum has been extreeeeemely helpful so far! That link looks like a great resource too. Again, thanks!

    2 months later
    #13 3 years ago

    UPDATE: After many tutorials, forum advice and some practice with the parts, I FINALLY repinned the connector to the new display, and I’ll be darned....it WORKS, and it works like it’s supposed to!!! I guess I didn’t realize there were two wires per crimp, but I took my time with it, and I got faster towards the end. Not very electrically inclined, so I was actually amazed. LOL

    THANKS for all the help!!

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