Push Start.

Truthfully, that is what I do on my gottlieb Freddy. Just start a multiball and steal all of the balls before they drain.

I... take the glass off, pull off the apron and take them out?

There is a ball eject in the menu somewhere. I can't remember how to get to it though. Someone will answer this though.

Yeah, I mean... I suppose you could run a solenoid test on 34 and kick them out that way. I just pop off the apron.

How is popping the apron easier then using the menu?

I just turn the machine off and fish them out with my hand.

in diagnostics, there is the option to use the flipper buttons to eject all the balls.

I don't keep mine screwed down.

This won't work since the pulse timing on the coils in test mode isn't long enough to release the balls.

I'd love to know exactly how to get to this as I never found it in the manual and it's not obvious from the menu system. Neo please share the details while you're digesting turkey!

viperrwk

Certainly is and certainly does. I've done it on accident a number of times and just checked it again to make sure.

It's solenoid 27, not 34. 34 is the switch not the coil. My bad.

the button inside the coin door. I think you have to have the switch in the up position then hit the test/enter button. Should put you in diagnostics. open the coin door. Look to your left inside the cabinet. Should be right there.

I would really like this to be true but unless there is a secret switch combination it is not there. The tournament switch is a left-right slider, not up/down. There is no documented option I've seen in the diagnostic, bookkeeping or adjustment menus to eject the balls from the trough. If you have the secret switch combination please let us into the club!

If your machine releases the balls when running the solenoid test consider yourself lucky. I've owned three different System 3s and none of them released the balls when testing the ball release solenoid. The pulse width on the solenoids is just too short in test in general.

viperrwk

Huh. You learn something new every day, I guess! My Lights... Camera... Action pops em out too, so I never gave it any thought.

Could be your playfield angle. If it's less than the recommended 6.5 degrees it might be shallow enough to allow the balls to be released in test mode.

viperrwk

A couple other ways to do this with games that don't have a ball eject feature in the menu system:

1. On some games the ball trough setup will allow you to push the coil plunger by hand to eject the balls.

2. Buy one of those flexible magnetic pick-up tools and pull them right out.

I don't remember how it's done anymore, as I don't own stargate at this time anymore (but will eventually), but there is a ball release mode. I used to do it all the time.

With gottlieb you have to pull them with the magnet wand from the back as the outhole has a lock to keep the balls from pouring out when you lift up the playfield. Very nice feature until you want to get the balls out.

Neo is correct. I also owned a Stargate, and ejected the balls from the menu.

So you guys are saying there's some type of clear ball trough function in the menu system a la Stern? I'd be curious to know how other current owners have found this functionality.

viperrwk

it's the exact same way you get into diagnostics. I think it's the first part of diagnostics. Hit both flipper buttons and out comes the ball. Do it 5 more times to get them all out.