(Topic ID: 195414)

Stern Ball Trough Assist

By GPS

6 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

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  • 19 posts
  • 5 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by GPS
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 6 years ago

Hi Guys

Seems like I may have an intermittent in my Ball trough on Austin Powers. Would like your input please.

During game play the back will drain and the game will. It seem to recognize this right away. Then the game goes into Ball search mode where all the possiblenplaces it could be hiding are activated. Of course nothing is found. Maybe this will happen again (most this will happen so far is twice) and then the machine seems to find that th Ball has indeed drained and then the game continues.

Thinking this is an opto that is in process of failing. Maybe just dirty?

Your thoughts. Ever happen to you. What was the fix?

Thank you

George

#2 6 years ago

Hate auto correct. Fist line should read Ball will drain and the game will not seem to recognize this right away. Sorry

#3 6 years ago

Either bad switch in trough or opto boards are failing. Test them in switch edge test.

#4 6 years ago

Hi Fellas,

Well I think that I have narrowed this down to the opto board assembly. I reaplced all three roll over switches in the trough and the machine is acting the same. Talked to Steve at PBR about Stern Opto assemblies and he advised that Stern outsourced those so he can only supply the complete assembly. He said that he does not know the specs for the optos although one could try those that Willaims used and see. Any thoughts here fellas would be most appreciated. Dont want to have to spend the money on a whole new assembly if a couple optos will do the trick.

Guess Im cheap.

#5 6 years ago

I have checked the opto assembly in switch test mode and the optos are working as they should. Just thinking that the opto assembly could have more intermittent possibilities associated with it. This does not happen every time the ball drains but it is occurring more often and taking the game longer to "find" the "lost ball".

#6 6 years ago

Stern has an excellent ball trough specific test. Don't use the switch test. Once in the test you can hit the start button to simulate and see what is going on with the trough switches. No these optos are not interchangeable between Williams. You should still be able to get a whole send side Moses for $15 or so. Good luck.

#7 6 years ago

Any time I have had trough issues, it has been the connector to the trough board, either whole connector is loose or a wire in the connector. I'd reseat the connector and make sure it is tight before I would replace opto boards.

#8 6 years ago

Hi Fellas

Thanks for jumping in. I did reseat both receive and send wire connectors for the boards. Again this seems to be intermittent. Guess I need to play with it a bit more. Have to look in my manual and see where that trough specific test is.

Thank you

#9 6 years ago

Are there optos in the trough or physical switches? It seems you've mentioned both here. I thought it was an either or thing. Are you sure the balls aren't magnetized?

#10 6 years ago

In switch test mode, watch what's happening. If it's intermittent, you will see the optos going on and off on their own. Feed balls into the trough and eject them while in test mode and watch how the optos register. Make sure the balls are also fully seating properly in the trough too. Roll a ball into the trough, do all the switches and optos register? Simple things first.

Is this the same opto board that's in your game? They fail a lot.

20170812_090211 (resized).jpg20170812_090211 (resized).jpg

#11 6 years ago

Hi Fellas

Yes, there are both physical switches and two optos in the ball launcher. All three physical switches have been replaced. I'll look to see if the optos are working in the test mode. Yes, the board that you pictured is the same as what isbin the game. Maybe that is the culprit as it is an intermittent situation though happening more and more. Thanks guys

#12 6 years ago

I just replaced the balls with the good ones from Titan.

#13 6 years ago

As far as balls registering, the physical switches seem to all be registering. This seems more and more like it would be an opto issue

#14 6 years ago

Update. Ok maybe there is something tobthe balls being magnetized though they are brand new from Titan. Maybe need other balls that do not suffer from this as much?? Suggestions??

As for the opto, the bottom seems to be registering every time while the upper opto, which does not seem to have much affect on this situation, only registers every other ball or so as it is in the process of being ejected into the shooter lane. Hmmm. May still have an opto issue with the upper opto but changing the balls seemed to dramatically help!!

#15 6 years ago
Quoted from GPS:

Update. Ok maybe there is something tobthe balls being magnetized though they are brand new from Titan. Maybe need other balls that do not suffer from this as much?? Suggestions??

Did you get their shiny ones? Those magnetize very easily.

#16 6 years ago

Get anyone's standard balls. Not the super shiny ones. Should be good.

#17 6 years ago

Hi Chuck,

Yeppir. I thinki they were the super shiny. Trying to do right by the playfield. Live and learn. Thank you

#18 6 years ago

Chuck Wurt wins the prize this time. Seems like one cannot use Titans shiny balls in Austin Powers at least and I might think any other game that employs magnets. Thank you All and especially John!!

George

#19 6 years ago

Balls purchased. Thank you for the suggestion.

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