Thanks

looks good!

I’m working on a master display board for my Firepower project. Can someone confirm if this cut in the circuit is a mod or intentional? I’m referencing pic of other used boards and I see a burn or break in a few other boards.

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I believe its intentinal. I wondered the same thing myself.

The cut on the master driver board is an amendment that was done when the game first came out
; forty years ago. Just like what Viggin900 said.

Thanks guys!

Yep, just checked and mine is the same.

image (resized).jpg

Follow up with the display boards. This project has a severed bunch of wires to the left of the master display board. What goes here?
Also what do these 4 single wires connect too?

And when I look at the plastic housing for the connectors the pins inside all seem to be different. I can’t seem to find a list of the pieces of metal, the pieces of plastic to order.

And even the other wire harness connectors are different.

Pretty much need to buy every connector for this entire game and need a parts list and site that has them in stock

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That is the "keep alive" circuit... you should have a brown/with white wire that has 4 female
plugs on it. The wires are normally tucked behind the master display.
The other cut wire are for the voltage input into the master display.
Boy, somebody was vicious and evil...

Hey all, I bought new cliffy metal lanes for my firepower. Anyone know any tricks to get the posts out of the old ones without damaging them too much? Thanks!

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I would use a drill and lightly tap the bucked end of the riveted head.
Then carefully pull the bell spacer out. You can use a round
post fastener to help reshape the head of the bell spacer
to help it fit the new lane guide.

Entering Diagnostic Mode challenges...

All, from what I understand, the dip switch should be in the "down" position while I hit advance to start running through the options. I cannot get the switch to do anything currently. Note that the "high score reset" still does work.

Is this a function of tracking down this wire and looking for a short? Trying to troubleshoot this first as I also have sound issues and trying to troubleshoot those solenoids. I have no speech and sound either.

Done a lot of lurking and searching, but no silver bullets yet.

Note I have a rotten dog mpu/driver board and no 40 connector pin.

The 1J4 Cable had a loose wire. Repinned plug.... and in business on the solenoid test. Timely lessons but starting to learn!

I used a file. It worked pretty good, but it scraped the old ones up, if you care about that.

On another note, if I screw the top of my replacement left lane guide down, the ball won't fit in the outline. I have to unscrew it a little and lift it up. I would be curious to know if you have the same issue with your new lane guide.

--
bernie

Would anyone be able to confirm if either of these are the female plugs needed for the “keep alive” for my displays? I’m not sure what to order to get this fixed.thanks!
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Or if anyone would mind posting pics of how that wire runs from the harness to the plugs. I’ve looked at probably 100 pics of the displays online and there are no clear pics or descriptions of where that brown and white wire goes or comes from. Even looking on firepowerpinball.com I’m not having any luck.

Officially Part of the Club?!

Just bought my second pin and it is FIREPOWER! I loved this game as a kid. My first pin was High Speed. Two oldies but Goodies. I will post some more pics tomorrow--

IMG_0173 (resized).JPG

Firepower sound troubleshooting?

Hi again, posting some questions to make sure I'm going at troubleshooting the Sound / Speech board correctly. I'm currently not getting any speech or sound out of my FirePower pinball machine. Secondly, my skills in circuit board repair are non existant, and I'd say I'm a novice at soldering.

I've gone through the diagnostics on the machine and validated through solenoid testing that none of the sounds are working along with the credit knocker and credit lockouts. I'm assuming when those solenoids are tested I should at minimum hear a credit knock which I'm not.

Given the above, I've started looking at solenoid drive 9-16 (2J9). Should I repin these connections as most of the solenoids on that are not working first? I'm ok buying a new sound / speech board for lack of circuit testing skills, but want to understand if there's any thing else I should check before making the purchase.

The sound / speech test directly from the board results in no sounds. When I turn the "volume up" I do hear a louder hum off the speaker.

Thanks for any help anyone can give!

Here is a write up that Dan from Main Street Amusements in Lafayette Indiana did for my Firepower speech issues.

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I might go this route on my resto. Any thoughts, anyone use these?
https://www.retrorefurbs.com/shop/firepower-alternate-design-pinball-cabinet-decals/

that's a great option.

Yep - used them on my restore. Turned our great!

FP-1 (resized).jpg

aztarac Is that paint or powder coat on the trim pieces and what gloss level is it?

Powder coat - semi gloss with a slight texture

Thanks.
That FP looks great!

Agreed, that game looks REALLY cool in black trim. Might have to consider that if I get bored in the future!

Awesome thanks!

Yeah those look great on the game!

That Firepower is dead sexy.

I need 3 new stand up targets (minimum) for my Firepower. I am looking to replace the entire switch and not mess with drilling out rivets. Any drop in replacements available?

You can use these. The mounting screws are in different spots but they should work.

https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-round-stand-up-targets-rear-mounting.html

So drilling is unavoidable then? So weird that Firepower of all pins doesn't have replacement targets available.

Are you looking to replace the switches for cosmetics, or function?

Cosmetics. One target is gone. 2 are broken in half.

To crujones4life
I'll put myself on a limb...
If you can't find anybody in your area
that can help...
I can be a last resort.

I have a target on FP2 that needs to be replaced (ordered it, it is waiting until my current project is off the rotisserie).

I remember seeing both front and rear mounted targets...probably at pinball life, maybe at Marco.

You should be able to find what you need and replace without drilling.

I think that if you are replacing the plastic disc, drilling is the only way. I am not sure if 100% new targets are available. If they are, there’s a few Power targets I need to replace...

Having problems with the top right pop bumper locking on. Is this 1n4004 diode facing the right way?

IMG_20200118_195025 (resized).jpg

These are the switches you want. You just clip the resistor and rearrange the fiber stack, they can mount front or back.
They fit perfect. I replaced every one of mine couple of years ago and have still never had one single issue or malfunction. (knocks on wood)

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/25460-6R

Thanks for all the great info guys!

That Diode will not cause your pop to lock on. That half of the switch is in the switch matrix for scoring and sound effects, etc. The half further back in your picture with the capacitor and resistor is what directly triggers the transistors and fires the coil.

Try removing J13 from the driver board and see if it still locks on. If it does, you have a driver board problem. If it doesn't, you have a switch and or wiring problem.

Thanks. It still locks on when I remove 2J13 so more driver board problems. I sent all my boards away for repair but this issue keeps arising. I changed q5 &q6 and also ic8. Can you confirm my resistor, diode and capacitor in the pic are the right way round?

Is the + side of your capacitor facing down? From your pic it looks like my resistor is the wrong way round and I can't see your diode?

The resistor and capacitor on the switch are to make a more complete switch closure so the coil can fire fully. The capacitors (one on each pop switch) are nearly 40 years old and should be replaced. They sometimes fail closed and are often cut out of the circuit as an easy fix from a lazy operator.

After the board comes back, does it lock on right away or does it take time to fail? If it locks right away, the switch capacitor is likely shorted or the switch is adjusted too close.

If it takes time to fail, I would replace the diode on that pop coil. I'd probably replace it anyway. With the driver board disconnected, measure the resistance of the pop coils. Try the probes in both red/black orientations on the terminals (one way the diode will conduct and make the measurement near zero). All the higher resistances should be close to each other. You are looking to see if the problem coil has partially shorted and overloading the driver transistor.

The first time the boards came back it was fine for a day or two then failed. I replaced the two transistors for the pop bumper and it came good. The second time I got the boards back it worked for weeks until it went out again with the locked bumper and this time no sound or speech. I replaced the processor chip on the soundboard to get that going and replaced the two ic's on the driver board but nothing. I had already replaced the diode on the switch stack. I also had a technician out who reckons the boards are just old and will keep stuffing up even though I spent close to $600 having all boards repaired and apparently 'bulletproofed'.

I would replace the diode on the coil (not the switch). Pay attention to the orientation of the wires and the stripe on the coil. The diode on the coil is there to protect the driver transistor.

Then repair the transistors on the driver board.

Okay I will, thanks. Hopefully the switch diode, cap and resistor are all in the right direction as well.

Does anyone know if the center bullseye target is front or back mounted? Also it just as easy to replace the whole switch or replace the plastic with a rivet? Thanks