I don't remember...is there a switch between the gumball exit and the proximity sensor?

Page 1-37 in your manual (45 of the .pdf)
A.2 26 No Powerball
In case there is no white powerball to use in the game, set this adjustment to "YES". The game
will simulate the powerball with every 2nd ball delivered from the gumball machine.
This may also be useful in the case of a defective steel ball sensor (there are two, one located
by the ball shooter kickout, and one located by the slot machine kicker).
If one of these sensors is defective, you may remove the white powerball from the game
(replace it with a steel pinball such that there are still 6 balls in the game), and set this adjustment
to "YES".
Settings: YES
NO
Factory Default: NO

If the LED is lighting up, but the game does not see the switch activate (i.e. In switch test, roll a ball into the piano), then you have a wiring issue, or a bad chip on the prox board.

You will need to do tests to check operation. Likely, a wire got pulled out of the connector to the Prox board.

The referred to setting is meant to tell the game that you do NOT have a powerball installed - in your case, it won't help here, just mas the issue.

You can link to a YouTube video.
Have you done a factory reset to rule out some weird software setting?

How do you cause it to happen again?
Turn game off, then back on?
Take all three balls out of slot machine?
Exit and re-enter switch test?
Is it the *same* pinball ball or do you mix them up?

If #2, what happens when you drop a 4th ball down there? (And yes, you are correct on the #58 switch; that's expected in this case.)

Okay, go into T.3 Single Switch Test, and isolate #57.
Do the test and let me know how it acts on the three balls.

It's SOUNDING like it's still a board issue, but..

Edit to add: Running standard WPC hardware? Any boards been replaced?

Which software version are you running?

I was asking about the boards in the backbox - i.e. Are you running RottenDog boards, PinLED boards, etc.

Since the Prox board is on the same switch column as the slot kickout, trey this test - roll one ball down, watch it not activate. Then remove the ball from the slot machine kickout - without exiting test mode - and then roll ball #2 down.
If ball #2 is also not detected, then you likely have a loose column (green-black) wire aroudn the slot switch. If ball #2 is still detected, then.. it looks like the board may be bad.

If a board is bad, though, it'd likely be the prox board. Likely, U2 the optoisolator.

If you can't find a replacement, then you will need to do more work..
Get a logic probe, and watch the signals on the anode side of D2. It should strobe when the red LED is on. If it is not, that means that the optoisolator is bad. Replace it, D2, D1, and C4, just to be safe.

Okay, so that means it's related - likely, the pink terminal there (grn/blk wires) is loose, wires pulled out slightly, etc. Try reseating it. If no good, pull the wires and solder them directly to the switch, or get a new blade socket to crimp on.

J206 & J207 are mirrored - pinouts are identical, so you're good.

Its so awesome there are so many helpful people on this platform....

Unlikely this will cause any change. You can TRY it, but be prepared for failure.
It makes no sense off-hand.

Try this - I'm curious. Force-close one of the other switches on the playfuel, like the 'Gumball Exit' switch. (Visible from the top of the playfield, just past the exit of the gumball machine.) Do NOT close the slot kickout switch, and see if a ball on the prox switch registers.

Okay - switch CPU boards. Transfer ROMs over.

Likely the issue will go away. It seems like the Prox board can't lower the voltage enough alone to cause the LM339 to flip. But when the column is already held down by another switch, it can.

Baking soda does nothing to neutralize or remediate alkaline damage. You need a mild acid.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/terrybs-guide-to-repairing-alkaline-battery-damage

Sounds like you have an aftermarket board. I don't see any dip switches on the Rottendog, does yours look like this one? http://www.rottendog.us/MPU089.html

I'll let others take care of the battery damage, but yeah - that is likely your issue there. Glad you at least found the issue!

If you're considering sending the board out for remediation you should consider ChrisHibler He is one of the best.

and for gods sake get those batteries off the PC board

I know I'm resurrecting an old post, but I'm out of ideas.
I am having similar powerball/nonpowerball issues as BMW had above. The only difference is that I have replaced my mpu board to no avail.
The game is crazy, after replacing the board, it will play normally (no powerball confusion) for a bit, then start malfunctioning as before regardless of the mpu board (have tried original, new board, even a third)...same result, so it can't be battery corrosion on the mpu.
I have tried different roms, no joy.
I have replaced both eddy sensors, no joy.
I have replaced the small board which both eddy sensor boards connect to, no joy.
I have messed with the eddy board wires, no joy.

I guess I'll try soldering the wires directly as mentioned above, but I am unsure if you guys are talking about the connectors on the eddy board or on the slot kickout switch? Which? Or all of them?

Someone please help!! Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
This game is mint. Literally never played home game, one owner. I got really lucky in finding it. Paid a fair price for it, but it's like brand new. Unbelievable!
Other than the clock being finicky, this is it's only issue.

Assuming the game is not going into 'fake' powerball mode ('POWERBALL' screen black inversed when animation plays), then I would do this first, before wasting all the money and time switching out all the boards.

The wires to solder is the short, 2-wire cable between the trough prox board and the trough prox sensor.
Also make sure the sensor board is mounted correctly.

Thanks Coyote for helping in advance. I'm at my wit's end! This, I believe to be the first issue. See first pic. Keep in mind this prox board is brand new. Why is the light on all the time? Shouldn't it only light when a ball goes through it? And notice when the old prox board is plugged in, it is not lit? (2nd pic).
Answering your above post, it goes into powerball mode wrongly, but it doesn't do the black screen inversion when animation plays, to my knowledge. It just goes into the mode incorrectly, and powermania
incorrectly.
It is not a setting, that has been checked and it's not an mpu issue, as three have been tried with same results.
My slot switch wires are already soldered, apparently from the factory.
I want to perform the two tests you mentioned above to BMW.
Your thoughts? Please help.

PXL_20210126_220155395 (resized).jpg

PXL_20210126_220431661 (resized).jpg

I just did the two tests you mentioned above to BMW. The slot prox is functioning normal (and so is the slot kickout switch) with reference to steel vs ceramic balls. But then I turned her on to play and the first ball out of the gumball was the ceramic and the it didn't proc powerball? WTH?

Can't answer that, as it depends on the person/company that makes the board. They could have designed it so the LED is backwards/reversed or always on or flashes to a tune of the Nation Anthem for all we know. So, can't go on that.

This then means there is a flaw in your testing. Put it in Single Switch mode, select switch 57. It should NOT be Active. Then drop a normal ball into the trough in front of the gumball machine. You should hear a 'beep' from the game as the ball passes. Do the same for the powerball, you should NOT hear a 'beep' from the game.

Since you are using a 3rd party board, too, and that board looks to have an adjustment dial on it, did you properly adjust the dial before installing the board?

This test done, confirmed. Works. Then playing the game, temp working fine...fingers crossed. 2nd game, metal ball sent up right sling to gumball, "powerball", and powerball mania starts. WTF. Thing is possessed.

I put the original back in, so this should not matter.

I will now try to solder the 2 wire connection from the trough eddy sensor and board as you suggested. I don't understand how this would be the reason for the gumball false positive powerball above, or the subsequent no detection on the slot eddy of the powerball? The optos work on the sling on the way to the gumball as well, verified...

So my PF hasn’t been placed in the cabinet yep because I’m testing everything after a restore. Seems like everything is working now. I’m new to TZ gameplay. How do I test the Powerball sensors are working correctly…

CF9E9827-C0D0-4E5F-A4D5-713B84DBE89B (resized).jpeg

Switch test, with a ball. The sensors respond to the metal ball, they don't respond to the ceramic ball.

The sensor coil at the ball trough should not be touching the ball, the impact will destroy the coil on the sensor board!

For the sensors with an eddy sensor board that has an adjustment pot, the LED should be off, adjust the pot until it is on, then back it off until the LED is off. Then the presence of a metal ball will cause the LED to be on.

Switch test, with a ball. The sensors respond to the metal ball, they don't respond to the ceramic ball.
The sensor coil at the ball trough should not be touching the ball, the impact will destroy the coil on the sensor board!
For the sensors with an eddy sensor board that has an adjustment pot, the LED should be off, adjust the pot until it is on, then back it off until the LED is off. Then the presence of a metal ball will cause the LED to be on.</bl
Thanks, the LED's is working as they should with a metal and white ball. I guess everything is good to go. Thanks for the straight forward explanation.

Hi TZ lovers!

So, my TZ happens to magnetize my standard steel balls every 30-50 games.

So ofc I considered buying carbon “non-magnetized” balls to make sure all goes well and that i don't have to replace magnetized balls every other month..

ONLY PROBLEM here is that for some odd reasons the subway eddy sensor almost EVERY time does not register the carbon ball and call for Powerball.. this is so annoying.

If i replace all 5 carbons by 5 steels, all fine with the subway sensor.
And then tonight i tried to put in another set of 5 brand new carbon “non magnetized” balls and same issue: subway sensor doesn't register and calls Powerball….

I then immediately replaced them with 5 new standard steels and it works like a charm again…
… but ofc in a few game those will be magnetized and i’ll have to buy new ones once again.

What could be wrong do you reckon?
- faulty subway sensor board?
- poor quality carbon “anti-magnetized” balls?
- my game just happens to have taken a detour, in the Twilight Zone?