Premium model - failure at 985

Plays: 985
Serial: 338108C
Build Date: June 23, 2022
Balls Played: 1974
Power on Time: 1373 hours
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The game plays with a bad Node 10 in place - it just takes a while to boot because it searches for a while and gives a tech alert if you go into settings.

I've been playing mine near daily since December 22nd with the dead node still in place and connected. My ramp is unplugged and wedged up.

Does anyone have a time stamp to George's comments about these issues in the recent stream? My replacement node is still on order, I wanted to follow up with my distro to see if my ticket with Stern will include whatever the new fix is that he references asking Stern for, or if we need to create a new ticket. I wanted to send him a timestamped link just in case he wasn't familiar with the interview/comments from George.

Absolutely - I've sent Greg @ FnO an email asking if he knows anything about the additional fix and if he can see about getting it attached to my ticket, I'll update here if/when I receive it or not.

YTMND, many thanks.

One would think node boards that lit themselves on fire would be evidence enough, but you're probably not wrong.

Sounds like George may have misunderstood the question, or jumped the gun a bit - he’s not over “support” so it makes sense to me that he may not be 100% in the loop.

Paraphrasing the response received from Stern regarding a motor fix IN ADDITION to my existing node replacement ticket, Greg at FnO said that Stern gave him a “we’re working on it - nothing permanent has been developed - stay tuned” as a response to Greg’s question about George’s comments.

I too received this package today! Interestingly, my new ramp motor doesn't have any zip ties, but it definitely has more appropriate pins

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Welp - there goes Node 10 number 2! I had the new motor with the "fixed" pins as well.

Stern wanted the last one back, but if they don't I'll be shooting you a PM, ChrisHibler - you're just down the highway from me. I've actually got a couple games here that Chuck had you work on on behalf of Troy at Tilt, based on the tags on the MPUs. Unlike my RUSH, THEY don't try to light themselves on fire!

I'm no stranger to surface mount work, but I don't generally work on things that are quite as crispy.

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Right - I was in the early attempt at a fix with a motor that had a 4 pin connector that connected into the existing harness to the node. Based on what Ten31 just posted, it sounds like I was in the small window where they were sending replacement motors, but not motors with the entire wiring from motor to node. Womp Womp.

I ran the situation past Greg at FnO (second popped board, potential third fix without the connector in the middle) - waiting on a response.

In the meantime, I had to upgrade my "gorilla tape and rough cut shim" wedge to keep my ramp up. Just played a 750 million point game with a ton of multiball action - it's rock solid!

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention - once installed, you'll likely need a piece of masking tape to bridge the gap between the tip of the ramp and the time machine, otherwise balls might hung up on the gap. Depends a bit on your playfield pitch and ramp/time machine positioning.

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If anyone wants the file, it can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5913092

I don’t know WHY I didn’t think of that shape/means of wedging when I made my wedge. Looks like it doesn’t even require disassembly of the ramp! That’s brilliant.

Got my kit today along with the replacement for my blown node 10, contents in pics:

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New node and improved motor installed - so far so good, but it's only been a couple games

Wanted to note that my node did NOT arrive with the dip switches set. From left to right they should be off-on-off-off (down-up-down-down would be another way to look at it).

You received the old motor - I wouldn't plug that into your new node 10!

I guess my cabinet decided it was a little too quiet around here! Little early for Halloween, but here's a fright for y'all: the Spring 2023 fix isn't the definitive fix.

Installed April of 2023 after the latest ramp motor fix was in place. Failed mid-game about a half hour ago. All connectors solid, no pinching. I'm now outside of my first year of ownership, so... this'll be interesting!

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It stopped working but didn't give me a tech alert until the game was rebooted. Upon reboot it failed to find a node 10. Same thing as the first two boards.

Yep - I have the motor Stern sent out with the supposed proper connector and the cabling that runs directly from the motor to the node board.
I had just exited a multiball in which the ramp worked as expected. Plunked around a minute and hit a 1-2-3 combo. The ramp didn't lift for the combo, I opened my coindoor, and smelled the magic smoke.

I think at this point, the only fix is a redesigned board with appropriate protection.

This one definitely wasn't as "spectacular" as others, but it does look to have cooked that heavier trace coming off of C9. If Stern tells me to kick rocks, I'll get in contact with you to take a closer look for sure. I can fumble my way through larger pitch surface mount ICs, but I haven't attempted anything this fine. You're absolutely right though - a repaired board will fail just the same, based on all of the evidence we have.

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At this point, I probably won't plug in another node 10 beyond testing to see that it works unless Stern presents a redesigned board. That said - I do want to have a working board "just in case", preferably without coughing up $300 for a replacement that we all know will fail.

I'd assume it's a case of "vocal minority" at this point. Owners only say something if their board dies, not if they've had no issues!

No crazy draws on that circuit - I went through and flipped my panel of breakers to find the "big stuff" a couple years ago. Lightbulbs and my wife's PC (it was idling/not pulling crazy power) are on that circuit, that's about it.

Game was on for.... maybe 2 hours before it fried.

Only electrical mods are Stern parts - shaker, expression lights, and the topper. ELs and topper installed in June with dozens of plays and dozens of power on hours between install and the third board frying.

Just to follow up - Stern is replacing this board despite the game being over a year and a half old. Not sure if this is Stern's way of saying "we know there is still an issue", or if this was Greg at Flip N Out's excellent customer service pushing through an out-of-warranty repair. Either way, I'm being taken care of and I really appreciate it!

When I receive the new board, I'm going to test it to make sure it works and promptly unplug it until Stern does aboard revision or until I just "HAVE" to have a working ramp/clock.

Magnetic dust with that placement kinda sounds like the fan failed and started eating itself. Does the fan on that PSU still work? I’ve had similar magnetic dust appear in datacenter equipment when a fan fails or just gets really old. If the dust is magnetic, it will conduct electricity and eventually cause havoc to whatever it coats.

The fact that we're at the point the end-users are going to support for the individual ICs on the board, rather than hearing anything from Stern, is disappointing.

I'd be fired if people were so upset with the platforms I own for my employer that they were having to go around me to get support from the vendor.

Good luck and thanks for sharing with the community!