Start button = Replay Switch

Capture (resized).JPG

The numbers in boxes are wire colors. These are coded, and there is a legend printed somewhere on the schematic.

First digit = solid wire color
second digit = tracer (little line stitched in)
Dash
Third digit = number of times this color combo has been used previously.

The first and second are for identification, and the third helps you understand that a wire --over here-- isn't the same as the one you're looking at --over there--.

If the start button does nothing, what happens when you hit the coin switch briefly?

As a Williams, there should be a limit switch on the credit unit (in the head) that tells the game credits are at max. Jumpering or adjusting this switch to closed will give you free play, if that's what you're after.

The numbers in the box are the wire colors. There should be a chart for those on the schematic.

Do you have credits on the game, or is the game set to free play? There is a zero position switch on the credit unit that has to be closed for the start button to function. You don't want to jumper or bend the max replay switch closed. It should always be closed except when it reaches max credits, when it will open. It simply prohibits the game from adding more credits, it will not allow the game to be on free play.

One thing to look at first are the switches mounted to the score reel - if the game actually started and scored correctly, it's also possible that the score reel (plastic) is not aligned properly. Check the zero position switches - when zero is displayed, the switches will actuate in a particular way. Look at the neighboring reels that DO show zero and it should be apparent.

Your game over problem is related either to the ball count unit or the game over relay (if this game has one).

Yes, if there are no credits on the credit reel, then the start button is effectively useless.

If you have your Jones Plugs set so that one coin = multiple credits, then it should put more than the initial game up on the credit reel.

Otherwise, it auto-starts - single player - why wait? The button is for playing replays, which is why it is labeled as 'replay button' on the schem.

If you want it to be free play, you'll need to observe the credit reel - you'll see one to two stacks of switches mounted to the backside of that reel.

If you manually press the credit add solenoid plunger (press one and look from the front of the game to make sure it says '1' - if it doesn't, press the other). When the credits tick all the way up, they will actuate one of the switch stacks. This is a configurable limit - so it might be 18, 24, 20, or other.

When the switch stack is actuated, you'll see a switch in the stack closed - this is the switch to jumper if you want free play.

The credit add and subtract solenoids will continue to fire as normal with this method, and you can reverse it easily if you choose to do so.

That means that either you have a switch that is out of adjustment on your score motor, or, more likely, the reverse issue to setting the machine to free play - the zero limit switch is being hit and telling the machine that there are NO credits on the machine.

I'll take a peek at the schematic snippet and see if it's there.

Yep it is - look at the top part of the schematic (farthest left portion).

That is the 110V section - you have a coil marked the Replay Relay - work your way down from that coil and you'll see the switches in line...

1) Lock Relay Normally Closed switch OR Game Relay Normally Open.
2) Replay unit zero break switch (that's the likely candidate mentioned above)
3) Replay switch (the button itself).

Check those and see if you can follow what I called out. Make sure you check with the game off as these are 110V switches. If your game does not have an off switch (it's probably just the kickoff switch) - unplug it before checking.

Here's the situation with switches on the credit unit.

No credits on game: Zero position open, max credit closed.
Credits on game: Zero position closed, max credit closed.
Max credits on game: Zero position closed, max position open.

Again, the max position switch has NOTHING to do with free play. All that switch does is keep the credit unit from advancing any further. The zero position switch, which is open when there are no credits on the game, is the switch that needs to be jumpered or bent closed permanently to allow for free play.

There's a n/c lock relay switch in the path to the replay relay. A motor 4B is in the path of the replay unit reset coil.

Whoops - yep, EMsInKC is correct regarding free play. My mistake.

The switches I mentioned above are in line with the replay relay (that lets you play a replay), and the stepdown coil on the credit unit is pulsed by the 4b switch he mentions above.

Hey Piere,

About a year and a half ago, I was in your same boat...

...I, too, was really kind of in a haze about how to use a schematic.

But through the help of many benevolent pinsiders (not the least of which, BingoPodcast, is commenting on this thread already...so you're in good hands), I was able to make some steps toward understanding these electrical road-maps of our games. I did a couple write-ups, from a VERY BEGINNER PERSPECTIVE here:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/williams-swinger-restoration-and-eventual-retheme/page/10#post-2801567

~and a little further down that thread~

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/williams-swinger-restoration-and-eventual-retheme/page/11#post-2807045

Perhaps that will help a little.

To my surprise, I recently used the aforementioned schematic reminders to work my way through a recent bout of trouble-shooting all by my lonesome. It was pretty empowering.

All the best with your new acquisitions!
Ryan

Except when he's wrong! Sorry for the confusion.

Schematics are a funny thing. When you first start looking at them, you're going, WTF is going on here? What does all this mean. Then someone give you a shove in the right direction, and all of a sudden the light comes on, and it looks so simple and straightforward to you. Now, there's still some of the circuits that are complex and you won't understand them as readily, but just keep working on it, you'll get there.

Lamps are an easy thing to troubleshoot. First make sure the machine is unplugged. By taking a 9 volt battery with a jumper, contact each lamp socket to test the bulb and socket. If the sockets spin from the support, it's best to clean a small area at the base of the socket and apply solder to "bridge" the socket to the support.

Whoa. I just had a 2" cut across my forehead finally heal up. Was down in a game and turned the wrong way and bam.
You might need stitches. ??

When I acquire a machine, the first thing I do is remove the play field and lower board and go through them on the work bench. Much easier to see and get into areas to de-solder and solder new lamps, coils, etc.

Hello we also have a Moulin Rouge pinball machine but the game will not end or restart we have no idea how to fix that so does anyone have an idea on how that could be resolved?

Smurphy -
I suggest starting a new thread, and let people know where you are located - US, Australia, Germany, etc. Give us a little bit of extra information - did this just start happening, you got the machine this way, etc. We can help, but we need to know more information.