(Topic ID: 63352)

Twilight Zone Owner's club

By Caucasian2Step

10 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 15,091 posts
  • 942 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 minutes ago by jrcmlc
  • Topic is favorited by 498 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

Pinside_market_174448_16 (1) (resized).jpg
PXL_20240324_225901432 (resized).jpg
PXL_20240324_225930656 (resized).jpg
PXL_20240324_225912893 (resized).jpg
PXL_20240324_225925287 (resized).jpg
switch_cover_clip (resized).jpg
switch_cover (resized).jpg
IMG_5104 (resized).jpeg
IMG_5105 (resized).jpeg
twilight-zone-escape-clause-youre-the-devil-1_resize.gif
IMG_5096 (resized).jpeg
20240227_093351 (resized).jpg
Eddy board (resized).png
Screenshot 2024-03-02 at 8.44.39 AM (resized).png
Screenshot 2024-03-01 at 5.00.06 PM (resized).png
IMG_9941 (resized).JPG

Topic index (key posts)

8 key posts have been marked in this topic (Show topic index)

There are 15,091 posts in this topic. You are on page 145 of 302.
#7201 4 years ago
Quoted from Durzel:

I'll probably end up doing this, but at the moment the only things using 12v in my TZ are - as far as I know - ColorDMD, a TV mod and this gumball light mod. Everything else is either clipped on or connected via Molex plugs in series with inserts, GI, etc.
I've already done something similar to what you're suggesting on my TAF using a mod power board supplied by a guy here in the UK:
[quoted image]

Plus the opto boards, and the 8-Driver board. There's a LOT of draw on that power board back there. Tax it as LEAST AS POSSIBLE.

#7202 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

Plus the opto boards, and the 8-Driver board. There's a LOT of draw on that power board back there. Tax it as LEAST AS POSSIBLE.

Do you mean the DC motor board at the bottom right of the playfield? Or the power board in the backbox?

I only have a Gumball light thing plugged into the DC motor board (not by me). I wouldn't be offloading the opto boards and 8-Driver board off the main power board surely?

#7203 4 years ago
Quoted from Durzel:

Do you mean the DC motor board at the bottom right of the playfield? Or the power board in the backbox?
I only have a Gumball light thing plugged into the DC motor board (not by me). I wouldn't be offloading the opto boards and 8-Driver board off the main power board surely?

ALL those come from the 12v circuit on the power driver board. Regardless of if the mod is plugged into the motor control board or not.

#7204 4 years ago

Hi, wondering if anyone has a decent shape speaker panel plastic that they would be willing to sell.
Pm me if you do. It would be greatly appreciated (I believe the original part # is 31-1420-50020 if that helps reference the part I need)

#7206 4 years ago
Quoted from ranchero:

Hi, wondering if anyone has a decent shape speaker panel plastic that they would be willing to sell.
Pm me if you do. It would be greatly appreciated (I believe the original part # is 31-1420-50020 if that helps reference the part I need)

If you really want to go all out: https://lightedpinballmods.com/product-category/lighted-speaker-panels/?swoof=1&product_tag=twilight-zone&paged=1&really_curr_tax=18-product_cat

#7208 4 years ago

Ya, found that out too late.

#7209 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

Plus the opto boards, and the 8-Driver board. There's a LOT of draw on that power board back there. Tax it as LEAST AS POSSIBLE.

The power expander board mentioned here is one of my designs.

It uses a separate 12v power supply to off load the current draw from mods away from the ageing wpc driver board. Stopping most game resets in their tracks. The board itself has 8 outputs using the std wpc 12v and 5v pinout layout, fuse protection, small footprint, power leds

Available here :

https://mypinballs.com/electronics/store.jsp

2 options std 12v only or 12v and 5v if your an older color dmd product.

Fused at 4A though the max current draw possible (from the psu) is 5A before safety cutout.

Sold many to happy pinball people

#7210 4 years ago
Quoted from applejuice:

The power expander board mentioned here is one of my designs.
It uses a separate 12v power supply to off load the current draw from mods away from the ageing wpc driver board. Stopping most game resets in their tracks. The board itself has 8 outputs using the std wpc 12v and 5v pinout layout, fuse protection, small footprint, power leds
Available here :
https://mypinballs.com/electronics/store.jsp
2 options std 12v only or 12v and 5v if your an older color dmd product.
Fused at 4A though the max current draw possible (from the psu) is 5A before safety cutout.
Sold many to happy pinball people

Hi Jim, I’m one of the happy customers. Guys, this board is absolutely well designed and a must to off load draw from power board. I bought it the 12v/5v. Totally happy with that.

#7211 4 years ago

Yup, same. Have got one in my TAF, which powers my ColorDMD, flipper button LEDs, cloud topper LEDs and mini TV mod, and have bought another one for my TZ.

Even if some of those things don't draw a lot of power it's nice to know that it's offloaded from the main boards. @applejuice's mod has its own fuse which means if one of those mods starts playing up then the worst its going to do is take that out, rather than other functional stuff on the main power board.

Plus it's a lot cleaner than daisy chaining different things off the power connectors on the main board.

#7212 4 years ago

Where does this belong on my TZ?

BEBE4C1B-B15A-4BC7-8381-9DC04F82BBB0 (resized).pngBEBE4C1B-B15A-4BC7-8381-9DC04F82BBB0 (resized).png
#7213 4 years ago

It screws into the back top right corner of the clock:
e969ecd2b86414bfc832569af6db7152ec58d359.jpge969ecd2b86414bfc832569af6db7152ec58d359.jpg

#7214 4 years ago

When I saw the catalog listing my first thought was: Why would I want to buy and install a ball trap?

#7215 4 years ago
Quoted from pzy:

It screws into the back top right corner of the clock:
[quoted image]

Thanks pzy!

#7216 4 years ago

I’m getting EOS errors on all Four flippers. I have replaced one broken EOS switch and cleaned them. Checked for loose or unattached wires. All looks good.
Flippers are fully working. Anything I should else I should give attention to? I’m new at repairing pins and would appreciate some feedback. Thanks

#7217 4 years ago

And new at writing the English word!

#7218 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

I’m getting EOS errors on all Four flippers. I have replaced one broken EOS switch and cleaned them. Checked for loose or unattached wires. All looks good.
Flippers are fully working. Anything I should else I should give attention to? I’m new at repairing pins and would appreciate some feedback. Thanks

Ok first is the pin new? Check to make sure the EOS switches are normally not connecting. The flipper mechanism, when extended should close the EOS, but that’s the only time. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve also gotten this error when the flipper buttons themselves are triggering the flipper switch

#7219 4 years ago
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Ok first is the pin new? Check to make sure the EOS switches are normally not connecting. The flipper mechanism, when extended should close the EOS, but that’s the only time. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve also gotten this error when the flipper buttons themselves are triggering the flipper switch

Yes it is new to me. None of the switches are touching unless the flipper is engaged

#7220 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

Yes it is new to me. None of the switches are touching unless the flipper is engaged

What do they show in the switch test? Are they showing on or off when at rest? Is there a change of state when you move the flipper mech?

#7221 4 years ago
Quoted from merccat:

What do they show in the switch test? Are they showing on or off when at rest? Is there a change of state when you move the flipper mech?

I’ll check for that this evening. Thanks

#7222 4 years ago
Quoted from TheRudyB:

When I saw the catalog listing my first thought was: Why would I want to buy and install a ball trap?

It's to STOP balls from flying off the metal ramp and landing between it and the clock. It's an ANTI-ball trap.

#7223 4 years ago
Quoted from merccat:

What do they show in the switch test? Are they showing on or off when at rest? Is there a change of state when you move the flipper mech?

Not sure what you are referring to!? I don’t see a switch test as option

#7224 4 years ago

Switch edges?

#7225 4 years ago
Quoted from merccat:

What do they show in the switch test? Are they showing on or off when at rest? Is there a change of state when you move the flipper mech?

Okay I figured it out! Ha...... So, at rest it reads “open”

#7226 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

Okay I figured it out! Ha...... So, at rest it reads “open”

And do they close (activate) when you hit the flipper buttons?

#7227 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

And do they close (activate) when you hit the flipper buttons?

On EOS phase they do NOT indicate close when I hit the flippers

#7228 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

On EOS phase they do NOT indicate close when I hit the flippers

Ok cool. So what that tells us is that were not looking at a situation where they are stuck closed or otherwise shorted. Somehow there is a break in the signal to the board. I don’t have a manual in front of me at the moment but I want to say those are dedicated switches and not on the matrix?

If they are on the matrix I would look at the mpu closely for battery corrosion first.

Otherwise my next step would be to triple check connectors and even start continuity tests (game off of course).

Comfortable with a multimeter?

#7229 4 years ago
Quoted from merccat:

I want to say those are dedicated switches and not on the matrix?

They're not direct, but also not on the matrix. These optos are driven by the Fliptronics 2 board. Each switch should haven a orange (common) and an Blk/? wire leading to them. I would start with the plug on the fliptronics board, and work your way down. Likely it's the common (orange wire) broken. Check the EOS connection for the Upper Right flipper - I believe that is the first switch the orange wire is joined to.

#7230 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

They're not direct, but also not on the matrix. These optos are driven by the Fliptronics 2 board. Each switch should haven a orange (common) and an Blk/?

I figured you’d know off the top of your head and get the right answer. . Me, I was feeling too lazy to dig up the manual and look.

Quoted from Coyote:

Check the EOS connection for the Upper Right flipper - I believe that is the first switch the orange wire is joined to.

Good thinking on the common. It may look ok but if theres only one wire connected it’s not since the common is basically daisy chained. The exception being the last flipper in the chain would only have one.

It’s also an easy thing to overlook as it might look connected but has broken due to vibration.

#7231 4 years ago
Quoted from merccat:

I figured you’d know off the top of your head and get the right answer. . Me, I was feeling too lazy to dig up the manual and look.

Good thinking on the common. It may look ok but if theres only one wire connected it’s not since the common is basically daisy chained. The exception being the last flipper in the chain would only have one.
It’s also an easy thing to overlook as it might look connected but has broken due to vibration.

Hee. I only remember the EOS switch colors because they're *BACKWARDS* (in my mind) - Orange being common, and the blacks being the signals. (And the direct switches are the other way - black is common, and the orange colors are the signals.) But yeah. It **is** possible the circuit on the Fliptronics board is dead, but.. unlikely.

#7232 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

They're not direct, but also not on the matrix. These optos are driven by the Fliptronics 2 board. Each switch should haven a orange (common) and an Blk/? wire leading to them. I would start with the plug on the fliptronics board, and work your way down. Likely it's the common (orange wire) broken. Check the EOS connection for the Upper Right flipper - I believe that is the first switch the orange wire is joined to.

I found this unplugged. Guess previous owner was working on something and didn’t plug it back in. It has no EOS errors now. Thanks for your help guys!

#7233 4 years ago
9D217DE3-92C9-4A77-B3DB-52336F16565B (resized).jpeg9D217DE3-92C9-4A77-B3DB-52336F16565B (resized).jpeg
#7234 4 years ago

I have one more issue with this TZ. The trough sensor has been stripped off, including the bracket that holds the sensor in place. Does anyone know of a place that sells the bracket? I can’t find one. I could probably make one but lack the tooling to do it.

#7235 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

I have one more issue with this TZ. The trough sensor has been stripped off, including the bracket that holds the sensor in place. Does anyone know of a place that sells the bracket? I can’t find one. I could probably make one but lack the tooling to do it.

https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=527

It's unobtainium as far as I know. You'd probably have to approximate something yourself unfortunately.

#7236 4 years ago
Quoted from Durzel:

https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=527
It's unobtainium as far as I know. You'd probably have to approximate something yourself unfortunately.

I just bought one from Marco, along with an additional replacement sensor

#7237 4 years ago
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

I just bought one from Marco, along with an additional replacement sensor

I believe I saw that on Marco. Was it $68 or something like that?

#7238 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

I believe I saw that on Marco. Was it $68 or something like that?

Looks like yes. The coil alone was $20
I think

#7239 4 years ago
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

Looks like yes. The coil alone was $20
I think

Thanks I may have to buy the the sensor and all. Didn’t want to because I already have the sensor. Guess I’ll have a back up

#7240 4 years ago
Quoted from Green-Machine:

Thanks I may have to buy the the sensor and all. Didn’t want to because I already have the sensor. Guess I’ll have a back up

That’s what I did, and soldered the new cool to my existing board just In case

#7241 4 years ago

What's the proper tactic to the power mini-playfield? Whenever I play I always gets confused about how to do it best and mostly activate the magnet closest to the ball and end up failing.

Should I aim to activate a magnet when the ball is above it to "suck it down" and get a higher speed rebound up and hope it will be enough to reach the upper hole?

#7242 4 years ago
Quoted from Lhyrgoif:

Should I aim to activate a magnet when the ball is above it to "suck it down" and get a higher speed rebound up and hope it will be enough to reach the upper hole?

That's how I play it. You get extra switch hits and the ball heads for the top which is the object.

#7243 4 years ago
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

I just bought one from Marco, along with an additional replacement sensor

Whoops ok.. I looked at Marco and it was showing out of stock, unless I looked at the wrong part number.

#7244 4 years ago

just for the records-might help someone at some point:

my TZ was driving me crazy with following sympthoms:

- ending the game altough ball was still in play
- firing a coil (ball feeder?) during game in play
- sometimes feeding 2 balls into shooter lane

after some investigations and struggles I cleaned the ballthrough, readjusted the switches but finally it seems the balls were manetized which caused the balls to get "stuck" in the through and not moving to the far right end...all the issues were gone after exchanging the balls with some new low magnetic ones...

#7245 4 years ago
Quoted from Lhyrgoif:

What's the proper tactic to the power mini-playfield? Whenever I play I always gets confused about how to do it best and mostly activate the magnet closest to the ball and end up failing.
Should I aim to activate a magnet when the ball is above it to "suck it down" and get a higher speed rebound up and hope it will be enough to reach the upper hole?

This is what I do - sometimes. It depends on how much time I have left.

But - one thing I notice with everyone else's playing - they treat the flipper buttons like.. they're playing with flippers. Since these are magnets, and the 'pulse' of the magnet DOS varfy depending on how fast you hit that button, I've found I do MUCH BETTER if I 'slap' the flipper buttons and not try to just 'press' them.

#7246 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

This is what I do - sometimes. It depends on how much time I have left.
But - one thing I notice with everyone else's playing - they treat the flipper buttons like.. they're playing with flippers. Since these are magnets, and the 'pulse' of the magnet DOS varfy depending on how fast you hit that button, I've found I do MUCH BETTER if I 'slap' the flipper buttons and not try to just 'press' them.

I alternate taps. You want to cause a fling effect. I have maybe a 50% success rate.

I’ve tried the “flip like there’s a flipper there” and if doesn’t work as well for me. Maybe if I practiced it...

#7247 4 years ago
Quoted from Coyote:

This is what I do - sometimes. It depends on how much time I have left.
But - one thing I notice with everyone else's playing - they treat the flipper buttons like.. they're playing with flippers. Since these are magnets, and the 'pulse' of the magnet DOS varfy depending on how fast you hit that button, I've found I do MUCH BETTER if I 'slap' the flipper buttons and not try to just 'press' them.

Good advice. I tend to use the left magnet to “grab” the ball, let it go and use the right to “fling” it. I don’t usually get the ball in using the left magnet but it goes directly there about half the time as soon as I press the right

#7248 4 years ago
Quoted from Lhyrgoif:

What's the proper tactic to the power mini-playfield? Whenever I play I always gets confused about how to do it best and mostly activate the magnet closest to the ball and end up failing.
Should I aim to activate a magnet when the ball is above it to "suck it down" and get a higher speed rebound up and hope it will be enough to reach the upper hole?

I have found the best strategy for the power pf is to press when the ball is at its lowest point on the pf, when it hits the lower rubber, just under the magnet. A quick press launches the ball with the highest momentum. I can often one-shot it with the right magnet after the ball first drops in. If I miss I try to use the magnets (sometimes button mashing to save the ball) to create a vehicle path with the ball, which will allow me to try the same approach. That being said, some games I'm at 80%, while others I'm close to zero.

This is part of the reason many see this game as the best ever made.

#7249 4 years ago
Quoted from Tranquilize:

I have found the best strategy for the power pf is to press when the ball is at its lowest point on the pf, when it hits the lower rubber, just under the magnet. A quick press launches the ball with the highest momentum. I can often one-shot it with the right magnet after the ball first drops in. If I miss I try to use the magnets (sometimes button mashing to save the ball) to create a vehicle path with the ball, which will allow me to try the same approach. That being said, some games I'm at 80%, while others I'm close to zero.

This is part of the reason many see this game as the best ever made.

Exactly the strategy I've been playing with great success - but when I miss it on the drop in, I'm frantically scrambling to figure it out from there. I actually kinda like that scrambling - but not when I miss LITZ because of it.

Which reminds me: I think my #1 best feeling when playing TZ is starting LITZ from the power field. There are lots of ties for #1.1, but starting LITZ by defeating The Power is my #1.

#7250 4 years ago

Bonus multiplier , can someone explain how the bonus multiplier is activated during play? I noticed it the other day during a game and never noticed it before. Rule sheet says its activated by the right in lane "when its lit" lit for the dead end, spiral and left ramp. Can someone shed some light here...I'd like to get this going again!

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
From: $ 649.95
Lighting - Led
Pin Stadium Pinball Mods
Led
There are 15,091 posts in this topic. You are on page 145 of 302.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/twilight-zone-owners-club/page/145?hl=harig and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.