Star Explorer
Cic Play, 1977
Wonder Wizard CB Charlie
Sentinel, 1977A slight diversion while I await my parts care package from dudemo.... A local friend gave me an old Van d Graaff generator which didn't want to do anything. I shined it up and cleaned everything, as well as adjusting the spraying and collecting meshes. Now it at least levitates sheets of tin foil. I'm off to borrow the neighbor kids, who have fine, straight hair, to see if we can do the hair trick!
IMG_1642 (resized).JPGThat is super cool. Hope you get it working! I have an old Lab Volt bench variable power supply I was considering doing something like this with.
Also I love that you still have the old magnet bottle/can openers on your fridge. That's old school cool.
Quoted from KenLayton:Keep it away from pc boards and your stash of transistors and ics.
Yeah, I don't need to incinerate anything with a big spark.
Wow, I adjusted things "just so" and the little Van de Graaff generator now makes 4" to 5" sparks! Have to keep it in isolation from the pinball supplies!
Days pass... and the Star Explorer gets a home-made prop stick system. I cut some bits to glue on the bottom of the cabinet, as well as one under the playfield, and glued them on with carpenter's glue. Then I cut a prop stick and beveled the ends to match the tilt of the playfield and cabinet bottom. It's not fastened to anything as it would be on a "real" pinball table, but the bevels keep it from sliding around.
Now I can prop up the playfield and inspect or work underneath without crimping the wires under an edge, and without the playfield trying to tip over or slide out of position. It seems to work.
IMG_1670 (resized).JPGIMG_1672 (resized).JPGIMG_1674 (resized).JPGWire dressing aside, I fired up the game yesterday after a couple of weeks of disuse. The ball kicked out after 4 - 5 seconds on one game, 7 -15 the next and 20 - 25 on the third. I let the game sit over night and tried this morning - about 12 second between ball arriving in outhole and kicking back out.
What kind of component would deteriorate after it has been powered for just a minute or so? Is it possible I have capacitor(s) which test OK cold on a multimeter, but charge too slow to work right in the game? Transistor(s) which deteriorate as they warm up under power?
I don't know how to test components when the board is powered on.
Yesterday I removed the driver board, unsoldered transistors Q303 and Q304 and tested them. Reassembly and installation of the driver board resulted in no ball count or kick-out at all. Ever.
I wonder if a solder joint came loose under the mother board - it flexes quite a bit when the vertical boards are removed/installed. Or, perhaps I did poorly soldering the transistors back in. Anyway, it all comes back out again for another look.
No broken solder joint, as tested with continuity tester. Speculate the 2 transistors didn't survive their removal and reinstallation.
So, I'm taking my machine to a friend who's a professional pinball and arcade repairer for some expert attention. It's time to call in the cavalry!
Sorry been away for some time. I do have soldering iron but have used it mostly for fuel tank repairs. I tinker with military vehicles as a hobby but have ne experience fixing electronics . Is there a place I could it to for repair ?
Quoted from Chuckh:TIP 102 transistors and 5 pre-driver 2N4401 transistors Is the board pictured the one you are referring to that needs these items replaced?[quoted image]
dudemo, forgive me for butting in if you're there, but you've been silent for a while. Anyway, the answer: yes. The 2 rows of 5 transistors at the top of that board, each numbered with a "Q" at the beginning.
Quoted from Chuckh:Thank you for the reply. Where should I get these parts?
You're welcome. eBay has 'em if you don't have a favorite pinball supply house:
ebay.com link: 2N4401 General Purpose NPN Amplifier Transistor 20 Pack
ebay.com link: 5 pieces TIP102 Darlington Transistor 8A 100V USA FREE SHIP
Entertainingly, I have the same set of transistors to replace this week. In my case, I had a pair failing and when I took them out to test and put them back in, the heat from the solder/desolder killed 'em.
Your other hobby has you way up at the heavy-duty end of the soldering spectrum!
I'll be very interested in your results. "dudemo" has 4 or 5 of these games and I expect his advice will be helpful.
Quoted from dudemo:Believe me, I'm checking OfferUp. Flying Aces is on there... $500. Nope. Not even brand new. I got less than that into the 3 I already have.
The Bally home edition Elton John is on there... $4,500. For real?!
CB Charlie is on there... Not working: $350.
For real, you guys in Chicago have a great selection but your prices are outrageous. Machines I find in Detroit are regularly $500-1,000 cheaper than in Chicago.
Heres an Alive for sale in Chicagoland if youre still looking for one.
https://www.estatesales.net/IL/Algonquin/60102/2714226
Also have a coworker who is looking to sell his Fireball Home Edition home edition, hes the original owner-bought it new. He might even have the original paperwork.
Quoted from clodpole:dudemo, forgive me for butting in if you're there, but you've been silent for a while. Anyway, the answer: yes. The 2 rows of 5 transistors at the top of that board, each numbered with a "Q" at the beginning.
I'm glad you took over. I apologise for my absence. In the past weeks, i have lost my mom, step-dad, and two little brothers to a vehicle accident. I had to go to Michigan to attend to that. While in Michigan, I had an issue involving Covid-19, in which I contracted Covid-19 and was hospitalized. I was intubated, ventilated, and medically comatose for 9 days.
I am still hospitalized. I am in Ann Arbor, at the University of Michigan.
clodpole can you text me? I will PM you with my wife's cell phone number. She has your package ready to go.
Quoted from KenLayton:I have updated the Star Explorer independent flipper modification thread:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/star-explorer-1977-modification-for-independent-flipper-action
Thanks, Ken.
I'm awaiting CD4093 chips in the mail to try replacing the timing chip on my game. It's still waiting a minute before spitting out the next ball.
Quoted from clodpole:I'll be very interested in your results. "dudemo" has 4 or 5 of these games and I expect his advice will be helpful.
well I got the parts replaced and installed and it didn’t make a difference. The bumpers do not function and no flipper function. The ball will kick up to the shooter and the bumpers move when you push the far right reset button on the back. It does score properly at all locations.
I did get one hit from the top bumper but this only happened one time and could not be duplicated .
Any ideas on what to try next?
Quoted from dudemo:I'm glad you took over. I apologise for my absence. In the past weeks, i have lost my mom, step-dad, and two little brothers to a vehicle accident. I had to go to Michigan to attend to that. While in Michigan, I had an issue involving Covid-19, in which I contracted Covid-19 and was hospitalized. I was intubated, ventilated, and medically comatose for 9 days.
I am still hospitalized. I am in Ann Arbor, at the University of Michigan.
Clodpole can you text me? I will PM you with my wife's cell phone number. She has your package ready to go.
Sorry to hear of your issue Hopefully thing will improve soon.
Quoted from Chuckh:well I got the parts replaced and installed and it didn’t make a difference.
Any ideas on what to try next?
If it's any consolation, I replaced those pairs of transistors and got no improvement as well. I was hoping maybe Ken Layton (the patron saint of these little games) would notice your post and pipe up. You could try Pinside Messaging him and see if he's got a suggestion. I think Dudemo's out for the time being.
I installed my new CD4093 timing chip today, and it didn't fix the problem of long delays between balls. It did, however, speed everything else up. Now, bonuses are awarded much faster and to a very up-tempo warble from the sound system!
Quoted from KenLayton:Did you try replacing IC106 (CD4017) yet?
Yes sir.
I got several of those chips at once, I suppose I could try a different one. Another friend suggested replacing all the electrolytic caps. What do you think?
KenLayton has been helping me in another thread . I bypassed the circuit breaker but only had a 2.0 amp fuse for my inline fuse holder. (Not enough amps I think) It promptly popped then I (maybe should not have )I eliminated the fuse/circuit breaker all together by tying the wires together . Everything on the machine worked perfectly . I removed “my repair” and plan to install a proper breaker set up. I hope this will fix it. I suppose the bridge rectifier could be what is causing the fuse/circuit breaker to pop but it checks with a multi-meter and I didn’t burn anything up when straight wired for a minute or so. I’m hoping a 2.5 amp fuse will be good. If that pops I guess I’ll change the bridge rectifier or what should I be looking for? All the coils seem fine and are working .
Quoted from Chuckh:I eliminated the fuse/circuit breaker all together by tying the wires together . Everything on the machine worked perfectly . I removed “my repair” and plan to install a proper breaker set up. I hope this will fix it.
That's an interesting idea. I may try to skip the circuit breaker on the display board and see what happens. Anyway, I'm glad you're making progress; the little games are fun to play and look neat. Not, maybe, as neat as a 6-wheel troop transport in your driveway, but neat.
clodpole @kenlayton. I got my 2.5 amp slo blo fuses in. Hooked it all up and the fuse blew almost immediately. So I straight wire again. The top bumper coil was really heating up so I’m going to replace it with a williams AE-23-800-01 coil like the pin wiki suggest an while I’m at going to go ahead and replace the bridge rectifier with the radio shack 276-1181 version. I already have the new rectifier. It sure looks much larger I’m assuming the leads fit in the board.
Am I missing anything else?
What is The best to check/test the coils?
Check the coil with an ohm meter to see if the coil is shorted or the diode on it is shorted. Sounds like that coil is locked on from bad driver transistors or else the coil was wired incorrectly which then took out the driver transistors.
KenLayton How can you check the driver transistors with a meter? I have replaced all of them but it is definitely possible I burnt some of the new ones up.
What sort of reading should I be looking for on the diode when checking with the meter ? Thanks for all the assistance
KenLayton got the rectifiers replaced and still blows the fuse . On to the coil now. Got to be getting closer. The volume on the machine works but I noticed the volume control contacts may be broken. Could that blow the fuse for the coils and the flippers?
Volume control couldn't blow a coil fuse. Bad connections of the volume control's terminals would create intermittent sound.
Hopefully, you installed the new bridge rectifiers correctly and matched the proper terminals up.
You could likely have a shorted diode on a coil or a coil itself is shorted. Or the wires to the coil are on the wrong terminals which would have also blown a coil driver transistor.
KenLayton first of all thank you so much for the help with this. The coil in question And wiring is original from the factory and has never been removed or Modified. Even for the short time circuit breaker is closed it seems to generate a little warmth to the touch as compared to the others. The replacement coil I ordered has a diode attached. I’m assuming this will replace the diode and coil on the factory setup. Is this correct? Here is the coil I have to replace it
B90F121B-B462-402C-9ECA-DFD66B981DB8 (resized).jpegKenLayton I’m confident the rectifiers have been installed correctly but who knows the machine still functions the same as before. Here is the Replacement driver rectifier and a pic of the original coil in question. Ps I have had a military aviation electronics specialist install the components.
6C0ADF65-1F2A-47AD-8633-1F17643241EA (resized).jpegB24B58C0-65C5-4789-9453-652667E65B1C (resized).jpegI thought that diode looked like it was broken in half. An open diode would certainly take out the driver transistors and blow a fuse. Yes, you can buy just the diode (type 1N4004 or 1N4007 is what you need). I buy them from Jameco Electronics in the 1,000 quantity for less than a penny each. All of the usual pinball parts suppliers will sell them (probably around a quarter each price wise). You could try swapping out the coil with the new one, but pay attention to which wires are going to the banded side of the diode (this is important).
I'd send you a couple, but they're cheap and fast on eBay anyway:
ebay.com link: 1N4004 10 pcs 1A 400V Rectifier Diode from USA
...and here's how to test a transistor with a multimeter:
You're welcome. It still cracks me up that a guy who plays with half-tracks is having to fool around with teeny diodes!
You know, if you survive the Star Explorer experience, you might find yourself an electromechanical pinball machine from before 1976 or so. No solid state stuff, only relays, solenoids, stepping units, etc.. Possibly like what you're used to seeing in your military surplus equipment. I much prefer EMs to solid states!
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Fort Wayne, IN
dudemo