Not sure but it has always just worked whether it be a regular ball (or the power ball). I did read about some having an issue with that or even that a magnet mod is offered to help prevent it. On this game the ball just tucks right next to it. I’ll look at it closer to see what detail/angle of the setup may be helping it work.

Still waiting for a pic of your mini playfield. Always nice when pinball bring more to the community than just to say that they have the item.

Thanks, any insight would be great. Mine sucks!

I still want to know what ArcadeAction 's secret is for a good TZ diverter catch, but today I started working on a prototype mod for the issue. Adding a magnet works pretty well, but it doesn't help the Powerball. The Powerball also moves faster so it is really prone to bounce-outs.

I think a one-way gate is worth looking at, so I made one.

tz diverter gate prototype (resized).png

I don't have a 3d printer, but I do have a laser cutter, so when I make stuff I have to think flat pack Ikea designs. This is just made in scrap acrylic, and the wire is actually .030" from my model airplane supplies. None of this is right for a final product, but the prototype actually worked really well!

tz diverter gate prototype in game (resized).png

The main problem is that a very fast ball can still bounce back out. I had to use my phone to take some slo-mo video to see what was happening. It looks like the ball can bounce back out before the gate has swung down from gravity. You can see a slomo here:

https://imgur.com/a/O4rpLgN

It is already a big improvement and I am optimistic that with some tweaks it can become highly reliable.

• Thicker gate wire, so it won't flex (.050?)
• Gate placed bit farther from the entrance
• Gate maybe slightly longer
• Adjust gate shape/angle so the ball barely gets under it
• Momentum killing foam where the ball impacts (but a one-piece stick-on design is more elegant if possible)
• Open to ideas!

Of course if someone already figured this out and sells the mod, give me a link.

Lastly... I think part of the problem on my game is that there is a lot of play in the diverter mech. I can wiggle the diverter up and down about 1/4". I think a fast-moving ball can bounce back out under the gate sometimes due to this slop, possibly plus wire flex. Can anyone confirm if this amount of play is normal or not?

https://imgur.com/a/zdXlam5

Just pulled it out, it's a repro. I hadn't really looked at it just knew it in the parts when I bought the game.

20220112_222400 (resized).jpg

One thing that helps is his flippers aren't as strong as others, possibly including yours. One of the first things I did to my game was full flipper rebuilds: sleeves, bushings, everything. I've also got a nice tilt to my machine so it pays nice and fast, no slow rollers back down the playfield. If I didn't have a magnet on that diverter, the ball would bounce out every single time. Even my piano flipper is crazy strong now.

The magnet that's on mine is just the regular black kind you can get at most hardware stores. Use some 3M Outdoor double-sided foam tape and it'll good to go for years. Don't use a neodymium(rare earth) magnet as they're too strong and most likely won't drop the ball upon release, let alone it'd really magnetize your balls super quick.

I used a magnet for a long time... I found a magnet from a hard drive that was perfect, not too strong. But I am determined to make a gate work now.

I'd be interested in purchasing one once you perfect it !

fast_in_muskoka if it comes together, one way or another I will find a way to make them available.

Sweet, maybe a counter weight above the pivot point would help trap the ball better, not certain, or maybe a spring

A spring might be needed, yep. It's tricky because you don't want the spring force to be so strong that a very slow ball can't make it through the gate. There's definitely a lot more goofing around to do. Hopefully it can be made to work with no extra parts.

Just got my TZ back together... Played a few games. So far the only issue I am finding is with the power ball. When the power ball is launched it is not recognized by the game...but then when I am playing a regular ball all of the sudden in the middle of the ball it thinks the power ball is out and goes through the "put it back" and other call outs....What do I check for this? Thanks!

Switch #26 the sensor at the end of the ball trough. Reseat connectors, check in Tests - Switch Edge - roll a steel ball to it and see if it registers on the screen.

LTG : )

thx

There are 2 proximity sensors - one in the trough (switch# 26) and one in the subway (switch# 57). The reason that it discovers the powerball is in play once it is out on the PF is because the ball has been shot into either the camera or piano and the subway switch has detected it.

Hence the issue you have is as LTG has indicated with Switch# 26

ok looks I have switch 81 out....Lower magnet. Its the orbit back to the gumball....Opto switch.

**update. Entire row is out 11, 21, 31 up to 81....the mpu is new so now it looks like I need to troubleshoot the white/brown row wire and see where Im not getting continuity with my DMM. Anyone else lose this row? Been 5 years since I did a switch matrix hunt for issue....Ill dig into it this week

Yes, start over new both sides is best.

Check them first for wires broken off of the opto.

LTG : )

ok fixed issue...prox in trough now working perfect.

Three thoughts for you part:

1) What would happen if you bent that rod that shoots up, down so it parallels the top? Wouldn't it further limit backwards/unwanted directional travel more?

2) When you are done with the functionality side of it, pare down the edges so it matches the top of the diverter perfectly, then also see if you can put some sort of TZ related design either cut into it or on a separate cut out you could add on top. In fact, you could probably have a number of designs for people to choose from, including a blank option, so people would have a choice when ordering.

3) I don't know what kind of laser cutter you've got and what kinds of materials it can pierce, but once the design is done, if you could make one out of stainless that fits directly on top of the factory piece and cut to the same shape, I'd bet it'd look so good that people would think it was a factory piece. Seems like you could cut the piece out and only have to make a couple 90deg bends then put the rod in place and you'd be golden. You could even put a design in that, too, if people wanted!

Lots of options for your part, my friend. Good luck!

Lots of good thoughts @miguel351, thanks!

Bending that part to reduce reverse travel is the next thing I am going to try. I think the ball is bouncing out while the gate is still pushed in, but the gate swings too far up anyway. I'll also be trying some thin foams to tame the bounce.

I can only cut wood and plastic, up to 1/2" max, but I get the best results at 1/4" and less. If I were to produce this myself I would probably make it out of 1/8" black delrin and then find a way to decorate it as you suggested--lots of possibilities there. Acrylic is cheap and good for prototyping but not very strong... a bad bounce could shatter the pivot points.

Unfortunately I cannot cut metal myself, but we're thinking the same way for steel!

For ball bounce back, another method that may work for the ramp depending on how much bounce there is would be to put a bit of this or similar foam on the metal contact part where the ball hits. I'm not sure if I'm linking to the correct product, but the one I'm intending is a rubbery foam and was in an isle next to the felt pieces: https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Basic-Crafts/Craft-Foam/Black-Foam-Sheet---12%22-x-18%22-x-5mm/p/111098

I also like the other suggestions above, and the latch/wire swinging back to catch the ball from bouncing back as shown in the photo seems like a very nice pinball way of doing it too. Basically functioning almost like the skill shot on the ball launch in a way.

I have never really been concerned with the ball bounce back on my game. It works as it should 95% of the time. Only a hot shot will bounce out. To be honest the bigger issue is the ball flying off the ramp before it gets there. I just figure it is part of the game. "Hey - it's only pinball"

Definitely worth a look! A one-piece solution would be more elegant but I suspect that momentum killing foam will ultimately be required. I checked out my foam stockpile and I have a couple of decent candidates to try. I may even have the exact stuff you linked, looks just like it... it's 5mm dense EVA craft foam. 5mm is probably too thick so I'll have to shave it down. (I can also probably make the foam surface into a shape other than flat, like a down-facing wedge. That might help a lot. But, odd shaped junk in the diverter might give the ball a bad path once it's dropped down onto the playfield...)

Parts sites used to sell "drop dead foam" but I can't find it anywhere any more, people seem to be adapting various kinds of stick-on weatherstripping product and I am not sure it is the same.

It's funny how different all our games can be. I can't remember a time I had a ball fly off that ramp. Mine acts like it is on rails, and if you hit the ramp cleanly it carries hellacious speed into the diverter.

As part of doing my restore I wanted to use my 3 button coin door and make coin inserts similar to what McSquid did on his.

Here is the fruits of my labors. Feel free to re-use.

I wanted to make a few different kinds since I had 3 buttons to fill up, but also because my friend wanted some and he only has a two button door.

I was targeting this for wpc coin door inserts, obviously. No idea of different insert sizes are required for different button types.

IMG-6726 (resized).jpg

Speaking of which, the clear pinball life coin door buttons as well as what's on several of my other WPCs are 3 cm high x 1.6 cm wide.

Be sure to print at 100% scale.

Enjoy,
Steven

tz inserts.png

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

Mine works pretty much flawless with magnet. I did have the problem of ball flying off ramp in the past. Discovered the ball was coming in contact with one of the ramp's cross beams when it rolled across. Replaced the ramp and never had issue again.

As jawjaw posted the ball can clip the support brace under the wireform - here's a pic of the ball actually resting against the cross brace. A slo-mo video would definitely confirm if this is where the ball is coming off the wireform or at least unsettling the ball causing it not to enter the diverter correctly.

TZ right ramp wireform (resized).jpg

I’ll have to see it that is a “thing” on my game. If memory serves I think it takes flight before that but it is very seldom. I always thought the hook in the ramp caused enough spin to pop of the rails. You have certainly given me something to look into.

Will do!

Hi all, my slot machine stopped working a few days ago and I am in debug process now. I have a few questions for the collective:
1) When I measure the voltage at the input to the driver circuit it is 71V, while the manual's schematic say it should be 50V. Is this normal?
2) Does anyone have a "full" schematic of the driver board? The manual only shows an example for each solenoid driver. There is no information how to trace signals back from the power transistors (which I can find easily) to the IC driver and to the connector that goes to the controller.

Thanks very much for any advice!
Richard

Yes, that's exactly the problem I had. Ball should travel smooth across entire ramp, hit diverter, bounce back, and then settle in diverter. Game delays the diverter dump to give the ball time to settle. Mine works great even with strong hit up ramp with powerball. Replacement is fairly cheap if you have any issues.

http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GS-TZ12-7104&Category_Code=RMPW

Stopped working completely? or ball goes into the slot and you have to wait for ball search to kick it out?

1) 71v is fine. It will drop closer to 50v under load (solenoid activated). Sounds like the rest of the game is working, it's just the slot kickout?

2) You can always find copies of the manuals online. WPC games have the manual (game specific info) separate from the board schematics (common among games)
https://arcarc.xmission.com/Pinball/PDF%20Pinball%20Misc/Williams%20WPC%20Schematic%20manual.pdf

Go into the Diagnostics->Tests->Solenoid Tests and advance through to find the Slot Kickout to see if it's working at all. If it is then it may be a bad switch that tells the game to fire it. In which case you'd go Diagnostics->Tests->Switch Edges and see if the switch is working.

Thanks for the link to the full schematics - that is just what I need.
Yes I have run diagnostics and all the solenoids fire except the slot machine so I am sure it is either in the driver or the solenoid itself. Tonight I will cross wire another driver to the slot solenoid to see if it activates and also cross wire the slot driver to a known working solenoid to check both parts. It is most likely a bad transistor but I want to make sure before I take the board out because there are a crap-load of connectors on that board. I am a high voltage power electronics EE so I will have no problem finding and replacing the bad component now that I have the full schematics.

Before doing the cross over tests, here's a few simple things to check (if you haven't already):
Check you have voltage at the coil - should be 50-70V?
Check that no wires have come off the coil lugs (this is a quite common issue on coils due to the vibrations from the plunger firing).
Check the resistance across the coil (as the coil wire could have a break in it)
If you've verified the above, then briefly ground the metal tab on TIP-102 transistor Q82 if the coil doesn't fire then you have a broken wire (violet-brown)/connector (J130-1) between the coil and the transistor. But if the coil fires then you've verified that all the wiring and coil is correct and the issue is on the driver board (most likely a transistor has failed open)

Couldn't get the coils to fire by grounding the transistor tab - but I did check the driver by crossover method and it is fine. The wiring is also fine but the coil measures open so I have ordered a new one. That should do it for me. Thanks to all who offered good suggestions!
Best Regards,
Richard

Here's the diverter one-way gate mod, Mk II. It's working very well now and is also a lot less ugly... Instead of trying to make it small, I gave up and made it the same shape as big as the top of the diverter. That gives space to decorate--and more surface area for the special double-sided mounting tape. (I was torn between white stars on black or white on blue, like the ramp stickers.)

mkII-3 (resized).png

The main design change was moving the gate farther uphill. This gives the gate enough time to fall and trap the ball. If the gate is too close to the ball as in the first prototype, the ball can still bounce out before the gate swings back down. I played around with different gate shapes and foam to stop the ball, but it didn't pan out. Just making the thing a little wider was the easiest way to get it to work. The whole contraption is therefore larger than I wanted... but it does seem to work! No matter how fast the ball is going, it gets trapped and dropped cleanly.

mkII-2 (resized).png

If the Powerfield is lit, a ripping fast ball can still hit the diverter before it is fully open and fly off... but I don't think this mod makes that existing problem any worse.

If more than one ball is on the wireform, they take turns ... but the movement of the diverter can still bump the waiting ball in such a way that they roll back just in time to have the diverter smash 'em and knock them off. Well, that could happen before too.

Good progress! The glass is back on ... I will just play with it for a while and see what else happens.

Nice work - well done!!

Working on my own TV mod. Thought I would share the link to the family.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tz-making-my-own-tv

Going to tackle my TZ clock board. Heard you should get time to 1200 to remove arms and board. Since mine is broken how can I get it to 12. Move the hands manually?

Pulled several of them apart and never needed to worry about where it was set before the teardown. I bet it's because folks don't understand the re-assembly process.

[EDIT]
The manual has reassembly instructions but I find them cumbersome to understand. Ed Cheung's site made it a snap but you have to scroll down almost to the bottom to the "Reassembling the TZ clock gears" section
https://www.edcheung.com/album/album08/pinball/tz.htm

Thx!!! Since Im not messing with gears and just swapping board will I even need to worry about this? I thought I just read a few yeats back to make sure clock is at 12 before changing board.

If you're just swapping/pulling the boards, then just note the time and crack it open, swap, and re assemble. The only time you'd run into an issue is if the large gray hour gear (last one in the stack) were to come out of position. You'd need to re-index everything to 12 o'clock in that case.

If this game is new to you, you may want to consider complete disassembly so that you can clean and re-lubricate the gears with a small touch of white lithium grease. It's amazing how much it quiets down the clock.

http://www.installationinstructions.com/103501.pdf

Instructions step by step.

Love it. Looks factory made! Very nice.

I recently finished up (for the most part) shopping my wife's childhood Twilight zone. She was adamant about keeping it "feeling" like the Twilight zone she grew up playing. I removed and deep cleaned all the ramps, plastics, subways, swapped it to comet sunlight leds, added some supplemental lighting, reinforced stand-ups etc. I was able to sneak a few minor mods in, like the door panel board mod, some lighted pop bumper caps and titan rubber and posts.

She is extremely happy with how it turned out. So much so that she has opened to the idea of a color dmd. (The orange display really looks like a wart now that the rest of game is bright and lively.)

My question is this: As i understand it, i would need to update the game ROM to the home ROM version to support the Color DMD. Will she be able to notice differences in gameplay? I'm really not wanting to make our classic twilight zone feel like a different game.

Thanks in advance.

The home ROM adds some features like pause and a way to cheat and start LITZ for fun, but if you just play, it isn't a different game.

Here's a ROM revision history with all the details. If your ROM is very old, there may be some changes you notice but they should all be good stuff like bug fixes.

http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/Williams/tech/roms/twilight.html

I'm looking at a way to make my diverter one-way gate mod out of metal... it would be thin stainless, but still stuck to the top of the diverter like this plastic prototype. While it would still be possible to add decoration, in this format it should blend in nicely with the existing parts.

If I can get this made I will have extras and I would like to send a few out for testing. If you are interested in getting one, please send me a PM. The best candidates are those of you who think "@#$&*% diverter bounce-back!" during every game.

If testing goes well I may be able to offer these for sale, but one thing at a time!

tz-gate (resized).png

Why not use an off the shelf wireform bracket and bolt/rivet it on to your 3D printed part? just search Marcospecialties for 'wire gate' and there are tons of options.

(interested in this solution as ours bounces back terribly)

I didn't even think of looking at pre-made gates since I was sure it would take some fiddling to get the right shape. I'll have to see what they have.

So far the gate itself has been pretty easy to make so if there's not a pre-made solution or shortcut, it won't be too bad.

you know Mantis makes this divertor, I'm sure with a small cad change he could incorporate this into his remake...reach out to him...Kerry is the owner's name...Matisamusements