Space Station
Williams, 1987You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider RonSS.
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Here I am, the new guy that just picked up a Space Station. I've got some missing GI which I'm told is going to be a J16 connector or something.
I just removed the 2006 batteries... 
I think I got lucky.
Also, take a look at this toastyness!
20210527_180355 (resized).jpg20210527_180602 (resized).jpg20210527_181006 (resized).jpgQuoted from radium:Lucky? Looks pretty corroded to me. I’d clean that up. Maybe it’s just the blurry picture.
Yeah, it's not as clean as I remember it being. On the bright side, only B3, right? 
Quoted from reconsider59:...my Q73 was blown up, too!!!
Think it's salvageable? Or am I shelling out $500?
Thanks. I may take a deeper look tomorrow.
Hoping I could just repair.
Yeah, remote or NVRAM is top of the list.
Pinball is fun, right? 
Quoted from ajfclark:There's lots of ways to make a pinball machine catch fire.
System11b were the last of the System11s to use direct activation for the special solenoids. There's two switches on the special solenoids on Space Station, a 5v scoring switch, and a high voltage activation switch that's wired directly to the transistor. The idea was that the CPU was too slow to notice the switch closing and fire the solenoid on things like pop bumpers and slingshots. The downside is that if the switch gets held closed, the transistor stays on. All 6 are controlled by the same fuse, so the fuse is sized so multiple coils can activate without popping the fuse. So the switch gets stuck on, and pop, crackle, burn...
They really should have been individually fused, and various people now make board that can be inserted in the circuit and provide just that: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/special-solenoid-saver-board-for-wms-3-7
Later in the 11b family, they moved away from these direct activation switches altogether and only used the MPU control of special solenoids but there was some back and forth in the middle of the family. Check the last column on this table of 11b games to see which do and do not make use of the direct activation switches: https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Williams_System_9_-_11#System_11B
System11c games don't use the direct activation switches at all for the special solenoids... which makes them less special and much more like the controlled solenoids really.
Excellent explanation!
Thank you.
Of course, now I may be spending more on a board to prevent forest fires!
Took a closer look at my cpu tonight. Guess I'll try to order some transistors and see what happens.
FYI, the game was booting and playing as bought, just missing GI from what I could tell.
Any recommendations gladly accepted.
20210602_182028 (resized).jpg20210602_182106 (resized).jpg20210602_182119 (resized).jpg20210602_182134 (resized).jpg20210602_182204 (resized).jpg20210602_183630 (resized).jpgOrdering some capacitors and resistors today for my cpu.
Can I substitute 560 ohms for the spec 580 ohm resistor?
It's #45 on the CPU parts list page from the manual: 580 ohms , 5% , 1/4w , C.F.
Everything is the same except the 580 would be 560.
Spent some time neutralizing my MPU tonight. I have a battery holder on the way, hopefully by Saturday.
Does Space Station need a diode, or is there already one on the board?
Thanks in advance.
So good news, bad news.
I didn't repair the board because I found a burnt fuse I apparently missed first round. Boom, GI activated!
On the down side, no green mode light action.
I looked at the relays quickly, but they look OK, I think?
Is the Green Mode connected to that Q73 that's burnt? I don't mind going in but was hoping I didn't have to.
20210615_174751 (resized).jpg20210615_174756 (resized).jpgQuoted from ajfclark:Those relay boards are horrendous for cracking solder joints. Pull it off, check that the coil in the relay shows an appropriate resistance (~660 ohm from memory), reflow all the header and relay connections and try again.
Here's a couple of examples on one board:
[quoted image]
Thank you.
Quoted from ajfclark:Those relay boards are horrendous for cracking solder joints. Pull it off, check that the coil in the relay shows an appropriate resistance (~660 ohm from memory), reflow all the header and relay connections and try again.
Here's a couple of examples on one board:
[quoted image]
I pulled the relay.
Here it is.
I also tested for continuity. I found something strange. At least I think it is. BOTH of these pins flow to this single joint. One reads 600, the other 000.
20210623_164753 (resized).jpgQuoted from RedFlash:The Green Mode is controlled via Q9.
Color of the wire is brown-red on J3-10
Greetings Jürgen
Thank you. I had seen that, and checked it with a DMM (ground braid and tip). Read 1, so all good.
My J3 is looking toasty, so just checking as I bought new connectors, but if it ain't broke, , ,
Thanks again. I'll try reflowing today.
Had some luck today, green popped on dimly for a few seconds after I reflowed.
I only reflowed the connector pins, like an idiot. Guess I'll go at it again tomorrow.
Reading comprehension, not my strong suit. 
Ha ha! Well, as I had some "warm whites" lying around. They aren't exactly warm... I threw a few in the bottom right sling. Wow, what a difference! I'll check for flickering tomorrow before proceeding.
I'll still need to grab some greens as the condoms won't stay put over the leds I have.
Next issue, find out why when I trap 2 balls in the left dock it doesn't register. Time to dig in, cause this game is worth it!
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Olympia, WA