Hi KingofKoopas +
this post is about my understanding parts and my NOT-understanding other parts of the collecting bonus feature. I hope You agree with my "understandings" and I also hope that You can help on my "not yet fully understanding parts of the feature".

On the lower part of the JPG I see "I-Bonus-Score-Relay actuated" makes the L-1000-Points-Relay to give 1000 or 2000 or 3000 points to the Score-Drums. Giving points only can be done in the FIRST (and 2nd and 3rd) closing of SCM-1A (Score-Motor-Switch-1A, within a turn of 120 degrees: The switch is closed 5 times).
The marked "rosa / pink" stuff shows: The "rushing through the Bonus-Positions to find a position with a dropped target" is done fast - on every closing of SCM-1A and "J-Relay not actuated" and I-Relay not actuated". The detection of "position WITH dropped target" can happen on ANY closing of SCM-1A --- so sometimes the feature must pause so the Motor can turn - motor comes to end of turn and with / in the next turn: The giving points (L-Relay) then can be done on 1st (2nd 3rd) closing of SCM-1A.
On top of the JPG - my big black question mark: I believe this switch is to keep the C-Relay STAY pulling --- the rivets on the bonus-unit hop from one position to the next position --- and "my question mark switch" makes the relay stay pulling for the short period of time "hop-has-no-connection" (?).
"Marked light-blue" - The I-Relay is made pulling very late in a turn of 120 degrees - the SCM-2B closing (and the J-Relay pulling) activates the I-Relay (at the very end of a turn) - then the next turn the I-Relay can make the L-Relay to give the points to the Score-Drums (closing 1st and 2nd and 3rd SCM-1A) - the 4th closing of SCM-1A has nothing to do with the I-Relay but then just after: The actuating of (dark-blue) SCM-3C lets the I-Relay drop-out.
The mentioned "4th closing of SCM-1A" is at the same time with "closing of SCM-1B" - the Bonus-Unit is stepped forward one step - to eventually get to the very next position with a dropped target to start the stuff (start by actuating SCM-2B) again.
"Marked lemon-green": The J-Bonus-Score-CONTROL-Relay is allowed to pull-in ONLY / AFTER the I-Relay has finished its duty - THEN the J-Relay can pull-in.

"My lemon-green question mark": I believe to understand that the switch is needed to finally make the J-Relay quit pulling --- but I am confused about it and I also
am confused about parallel / semi-parallel off-set / sequence-succession on actuating / stepping J-Relay / I-Relay / Bonus-step-coil in combintion with "rushing through the positions (Bonus-Unit). Thats why I suggested (post-42) "Test-Lights for to show actuating stuff" visible with Score-Motor turning at the same time --- to see the pattern on "mostly working feature" - realizing what causes the fault.
Greetings Rolf

0Hot-Shot-Work-08 (resized).jpg

Hi KingofKoopas
it is a hobby - You work on the pin when You have time and lust.
Thanks for the Video in post-52. The light made by the constantly pulling C-Relay is very shiny - kind of "covering" the other lights. Nice - I see the C-Relay-light beeing lit all the time - never a (slight) flicker --- this confirms my assumption of "C-Relay must and does constantly pull".
I made an "pinside-search" with the words ... Hot Shot ...
(Smile) Hot Shot Bonus-Stuff has been a mystery to me for a long time, well: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gtb-hot-shot-3-questions-understanding#post-3091865 IMPORTANT is CactusJack 's (post-3) "The run out switch rides along the outside bakelite cam of the bonus stepper where there is a valley to keep it moving to the 15th step 2 cycles per rotation". To his writing: In the schematics the stepper is shown with positions Zero,1,2,3 ... 12,13,14 --- the drop-targets are numbered 1,2,3 ... 13,14,15. Not clear to me is his "2 cycles".
Anyway - this "rides along the outside bakelite ..." suits my imagination much better then (my faulty thought in the last couple of days: "Plunger on the unit closes (my black question mark) switch".
KingofKoopas - please have a short look at the bonus unit --- do You see the switch "rides along the outside bakelite" ? Please write about --- as the C-Relay works properly (I am 99.9999% sure of) - for further testing: Please take away the "light on the C-Relay-Coil" so we can better see the other lights.
To help us on the "random ?" question of the fault happening: I'd love to have one of the HOME-Positions of the Score-Motor have an paint-mark --- and every new test is made with "starting the test having the motor in "paint-mark-HOME-Position" as this helps on answering the question "is the fault truely random ?".
I made an "pinside-search" with the words ... Hot Shot ... here https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hot-shot-bonus-reset-issues#post-3071486 a nice tip - the last sentence in the post --- in post-18 vreference reports "have found the fault - a maladjusted switch on the J-Relay".
I made an "pinside-search" with the words ... Hot Shot ... here https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gottlieb-hot-shot-1973-bonus-count-incorrect#post-1820391 a topic all about --- in post-5 DirtFlipper gives an explanation --- hmm it is not detailled enough for "our" problem and I am not sure about the last sentence (For example, ...) - BUT: was144 reports in post-6 the problem as fixed --- "adjusting motor-1B to a shorter make-time" --- hm, surprising.
I hope for luck --- in post-8 jasonsmith wrote (a good post) almost at the end: "I relaxed the tensions on the switch leafs on J-Relay" --- KingofKoopas: I hope for luck - You do the same - and hopefully the problem in Your pin dissapears.

Some other place in pinside I read: "Bonus feature in Hot Shot is one of the trickiest Gottlieb features".

To the JPG here - and my problems of understanding.
What I do understand: Lets let the pin "rush" through the positions - oops, a "dropped-target position is reached" - J-Relay pulls-in and stops the "rushing" due to opening its switch --- the motor turns further - "my burgundy-red G" (closing of motor-2B and switch closed by the pulling J-Relay) makes the I-Relay pull-in and a new turn of the motor starts --- nice the "burgundy-red A,B,C" happens (points are given) -I also am happy as the "burgundy-red D" makes the Bonus-Unit do a step reaching an "non-droppet-target-position or maybe an dropped-target-position" (motor-1B makes the bonus-unit step because the I-Relay still is pulling). Then comes the "burgundy-red E" - the I-Relay is made quit pulling. The "burgundy-red F" does not make the bonus-unit to step - as the J-Relay is still pulling --- the pulling J-Relay quits pulling when again Home-Position is reached - motor-1C thrown.
And now comes my problem of understanding: "burgundy-red G" takes place - J-Relay is still pulling AND SO the I-Relay is made pulling --- but the position of the bonus-unit as the result of "stepping burgundy-red G" may be an non-dropped-target-position ...
This problem of understanding - I got not really a relief from the pain of me not understanding by the fact "The fault in Your pin is NOT ENOUGH Points to the Score-Drums" - my problem of understanding would cause "sometimes too MANY points given".

My brooding on my problem made me think of "sneaking in an EOS-Switch on the Bonus-Unit-Step-Coil-Plunger - opening when the Bonus-Unit fires - opening the "Self-Hold-Circuitry (see my burgundy-red lines)" on the J-Relay OR simplified: What for is this wiring - what happens when You take the wiring away ? Of course: Do NOT take this burgundy-red wiring out of Your pin - but I'd be interested in the behaviour of Your pin when You sneak-in a stripe of paper in-between the switchblades on J-Relay-switch - to permanent keep the switch open. This switch is easy to locate:
From one side of the Coil on J-Relay runs a short wire to "Switch mounted on the relay" - THIS is the switch - want to try (?) "sneaking-in a stripe of paper" and write about the behaviour of Your pin.

Further testing: Please take out of the view of the camera the "C-Relay-Coil-Test-Light" --- please ONLY do tests with "everything dropped" --- please paint-mark one of motors HOME-Positions - do all the tests starting with "motor is in paint-marked Home-Position" (((we still do not know if the "random happening" is caused by differences in the three 120 degrees mirrowed motor))) - please make an new video.

Do You happen to have an box with spare parts --- an complete, working 24VAC-Gottlieb-Relay ? (((We may try a "little cheating on the pin"))). Greetings Rolf

0Hot-Shot-Work-10 (resized).jpg

I've never had to do this but if there's no motor disconnect plug you could unsolder one of its wires and rotate it by hand.

Hi KingofKoopas, Howard +
the motor running slower or to be turned by hand: The schematics of Hot Shot shows no "Service Jack" to unplug to completely / permanent cut the connection to the Motor. I do not like to turn the motor by hand --- I would like to have a steady turning - but much slower - kind of "stutter / stammer / splutter (words from a dictionnary)" - steady turning but much slower --- I was thinking of making me a help --- see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gl%C3%BCcksrad_(Spielshow)#/media/File:Wheel_of_Fortune_Navy.jpg and see the JPG -
a lid / a "stop-blade" is rhythmically moved (toc, toc, toc, toc, toc ...) - I mount an switch to close (and open again) - so I can fire short pulses to the Score-Motor to turn - stuttering but overall: steady, slower.
Instead of a wheel turning (see the above) I thought of a cascade of relays: Relay-A is activated - it moves its switches (this takes little time as the switches are adjusted "late closing") - a switch on the Relay-A closes and activates Relay-B ... Relay-C -D -E -F -G -H -I -J -K -L --- the Relay-L activates the Score-Motor --- Relay-L also cuts the circuitry on the Relay-A etc --- the progression / cascade is done again and again and again.
Instead of --- simple version: A friend rhythmically press and let go a pushbutton - this is the stuttering. Greetings Rolf

0Gluecksrad (resized).jpg

Rolf,

When I said 2 cycles per rotation, what l meant was that the stepper is symmetrical. The 15 steps are duplicated. One bonus collect cycle uses one half the unit. The next collect process uses the other half.

Your purple highlighted circuit is the hold circuit for J. At the start of a score motor cycle, if a DT is detected, the J relay is pulled in. Then, the hold circuit insures the J relay stays in as the stepper is advanced to the next rivet position.

Hi CactusJack
thanks for the clarification "2 cycles". I agree with You on "purple highlighted circuit is the Hold-circuit for the J-Relay".
Hi KingofKoopas
You have found the fault in "my thinking" - it is Your (post-58) "( 3: ) ... THE 4: AFTER the SCM-2B made the I-Relay to pull-in: THE SCORE-MOTOR REACHES HOME POSITION AND THE J-RELAY DROPS OUT". My faulty thinking had the I-Relay AND THE J-Relay steady pulling when the points are given --- and then I run into my problems "J-Relay is still pulling ..." (((and so I tried to find an work-around to make the J-Relay quit pulling - thanks to You: The J-Relay is "since long" no-more pulling - I do not have to make it quit pulling - IT HAS QUIT PULLING))).
Greetings Rolf

Hi KingofKoopas
from CactusJack we learned: The Bonus-Unit is made of two halves - one time collecting bonus uses the first half of the Bonus-Unit --- the next time collecting bonus uses the second half of the unit. The Score-Motor has three Home-Positions - to do a test again and again and again: You should always use the same "half of the Bonus-Unit" of the new test and also have the motor in the same Home-Position (paint mark).

I refer to the JPG in post-42 - I am very interested in the "Test-Light on I-Relay" and on "J-Relay" and on "Add-Bonus-Unit" --- look in post-53 in the JPG the "encircled rosa/pink Add Bonus Unit" and to the right of it: The Make-and-Brake-Switch on the I-Relay - so on every test: The "Test-Light on Add Bonus Unit" IS NOT ALLOWED to light up within the time the "Test-Light on I-Relay is shining" --- IF (if, if) it faulty lights up: This Make-and-Brake-Switch is faulty. Greetings Rolf

Hi KingofKoopas
thanks for the video. A fault always happening is not fun --- a fault that looks as "random / happens sometimes" is worse. So my suggestion "paint-marked Home-Position of the Score-Motor - always start a test with this Home-Position" - and my suggestion "Bonus-Unit has two halves they should be identical - always start a test with the same half" --- on both: I do not know if there are differences in the faulty collecting bonus - my suggestions were hoping to eliminate the factor "random" as far as possible - finding a pattern.
(((I once had a "seldom / random" fault on an Extraball-feature - sometimes given - sometimes not given --- after hours of searching and testing I have found: One of the wires to the coil had broken-off the solder-lug - but stayed in place (connection) --- a bit of shaking / vibration: Broken-off end moved a bit to the side (no connection) - vibration again (connection) and on and on --- BUT the fault in Your pin is "too often")))

You have found "how it works in a fully running pin" - Your description in post-58 - there is nothing I can add to the theory. I believe You have had a good look at every switch in the wirings to the relays / Unit - what can I add to "checking switches, checking wires" ?
I feel uncomfortable to suggest stuff to do - make You "do work / spend hours".

(feeling uncomfortable-A) - the last sentence in post-56 - a friend helps and slows down the fast turning of the Score-Motor (?)
(feeling uncomfortable-B) - mounting a Test-Light on the "coil on L-1000-point-relay" - and take this new light also in sight of the camera - testing on the last ball when the pin should give THREE times bonus and so we could see: does the faulty stepping on Ball-Count-Unit happens on pulses of Motor-1A "first - second - third (the same time as the three times thousand points are given)" --- or faulty stepping on the last two "fourth - fifth" closing of motor-1A (?)
(feeling uncomfortable-C) - taking the Test-Lights to the Score-Motor so we can see the motor turn and also see the lights ?
(feeling very uncomfortable-D) - unsoldering wire-brown-mingled-with-red - away from the motor - for tests SLOWLY turn the motor manually --- I have never done this and I feel very uncomfortable about doing it.
(feeling very uncomfortable-E) - checking all the switches again.

Maybe I see something when You do "uncomfortable-B together with uncomfortable-C" - one more video. Greetings Rolf

Someone may have adjusted the blades in such a way that the relay would not open completely. Therefore, their fix for their error may have been a heavier spring.

How does that spring compare to other relays?

These battle scarred not so perfect pins grow on you after a while.

Thanks for post rolf and kingofkoopas.late to this topic but very interesting.i also have hot shot I'm going thru now.have switches on c.i.and j relays that are burnt.even wires were burnt about 2 inches back from lugs.going to replace wires and switches with new ones.question.? Are you still having issues or have you solved problem.i havnt powered on machine yet. Looking at switches here I'm really intimidated.please respond .also could i get closeup of wires on each relay so i know they are not crossed.yes I have schematics.but it says some wires may not be colored correctly.thank you.

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Hi pinballbrian
I do not own an "Hot Shot" - I am not an pinside-official. By now the topic has more than 70 posts --- think of "some time in the future a fellow pinsider looks for stuff helping him on his Hot Shot" --- I prefer topics with an good title - and the topic +/- stays on one problem - problem then is solved (hopefully) in some 10 to 20 posts. SUCH topics are a help for fellow pinsiders.
In short: Please start Your own topic - think of "NEW topic" is much more attractive (than an warmed-up old one). Greetings Rolf

Thank you rolf.good to hear from you my friend.you helped me with my aladdins castle a while back.will start new topic.hope I can call on you if I need your help.wires were burnt and I have short in lighting circuit.was first wanting to see if wires were connected correct.again thanks.