Twilight Zone
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Quoted from nerdygrrl:I hate to do it, but I think it's magic eraser and simple green time tomorrow.
I'd start with Simple Green and avoid the abrasive. Only use the abrasive for stubborn dirt that you want to remove. Remember that the dirt will come back as the game is played. It will come back faster if you don't clean out the subways on the game.
Quoted from Jason_Jehosaphat:Okay, so which of the three pads on the right is for the silver end of the diode?
I don't know what the product is or what the front side of the board is but I would always suggest you start by contacting the manufacturer of the product.
spdt_switch.jpgQuoted from Damonator:Does anyone know of a source for the 3rd magnet kit now that Pinbits is no longer in business?
(Or if anyone has one lying around that they aren’t going to use that I can buy)
Quoted from SuperMica:I'm also looking for a 3rd magnet kit,. If anyone has a lead, please PM me.
https://iobium.com/third_magnet_project.htm
You should be able to buy the hardware from various merchants. I have a plug-in (piggy-back) board that will allow you to use a standard opto transmitter/receiver pair. The board performs the functionality of the specialty board in the kit.
Quoted from Jason_Jehosaphat:Is this my next step or is it wiser to first replace the U20 chip on the MPU?
Mechanical problems are typically not solved by looking at the electrics. Electrical problems are typically not solved by looking at the mechanics.
Central (board) electrical problems are typically not solved by looking at the peripheral (playfield or wiring) electrical problems.
Since none of the switches in a column are registering that sounds like an electrical problem so you are at step 2. Closely read the Pinwiki instructions and see what you think they are trying to accomplish.
Hints
Same deal. You won't find the playfield wiring issue on the board and you won't find the board issue in the playfield wiring. The playfield wiring starts at the connector (J207/J209) all the way to the microswitches or the opto board under the playfield.
Quoted from horseflesh:My TZ was a little flaky with resets for a long time but re-pinning and re-connectoring J101 helped... then wiggling J101 helped... but now the game won't even boot and the 5V LED is out. So, maybe J120 was a red herring, or just one of the problems, as 5V is now completely gone.
J120 is a red herring. That's GI output. The generation of 5V on the board is a fairly simple circuit. Not a lot of components that can be causing this - if it is a component. It could be a connection. The single most common cause in my experience is connectors and headers. I have been asked to replace BR2/C5 by people who had their reset problems persist. I re-pin the headers and connectors and the reset problems disappear. I have provided brand new loaner boards that work fine in every machine they have been used in and still their machine has reset problems.
Quoted from horseflesh:I do have a Kahr board knocking around.
I would not recommend this board as a long term solution. You are simple covering up the real problem. It is not a solution. It simply shifts load to a different circuit. That circuit may fail in the future as well. At that point you will have TWO failed circuits that need repair.
Quoted from horseflesh:(I don't have a passion for maintaining the original circuits, so if there's an easy way to add a reliable external 5V supply, that would be interesting too.)
This works. It's ugly but it works. I have seen these in machines that I have purchased and I immediately rip them out.
If you need or want help reach out. I am located in a neighboring city.
Quoted from horseflesh:I am happy to report that TZ seems to be fixed.
Great job! 
Quoted from horseflesh:With what I learned, hopefully fixing my resetting White Water will be pretty easy.
If you get stuck you can (obviously) post on this forum (in a different thread) or feel free to holler.
Quoted from noitbe1:This should not be the opto board because my TZ has 2 optos boards and I swapped the 2 and I still had the issue.
Quoted from arthurrag:Check the connectors on the Custom Opto SW10 PCB. J1 & J4.
2x 7-opto boards indicates a prototype Twilight Zone. The wiring and connections for the custom 10-opto board in the manual does not apply here.
Quoted from jid:Enjoy the view of the hacked board![quoted image][quoted image]
That board suffered a leaking electrolytic capacitor. The capacitor was replaced (from axial to radial) but the electrolyte probably destroyed some traces. The electrolyte clearly caused damage to the mounting brackets. The jumpers are there to restore continuity. The problem is that it appears the electrolyte damage was not neutralized nor removed.
Quoted from PinballHaven:Here’s what I see current wiring…….which doesn’t seem to match the manual? Thoughts on this?
d1c4f91d41e3833a208d4547a097868a5fa75769.jpg
01_flipper_wiring_colors.jpg02_flipper_wiring_colors.jpg03_flipper_wiring_colors.jpg
Quoted from BadBrad97:I do have the 2 boards. What is weird is that there are 2 connectors that are not connected to anything. One is a Orange with red (and gray) and one is orange with blue (with gray). The manual says that orange and red is the switch for the upper magnet. Could it be as simple as connecting optos to these? I have the correct connectors.
Third magnet is switch 82 (ORG-RED). Switch 86 (ORG-BLU) is NOT used.
Quoted from BadBrad97:I think everything else is hooked up correctly. These look like they were never plugged in from the factory for the upper magnet. The holes are there for the optos in the ball guides, but you can tell that screws have never been put into an opto there. I will have to put some in there and see what happens. I can test it out underneath before I put everything on the playfield.
The 2 pin connector (GRY/ORG-RED) is for the receiver (the blue opto board). You will need to find the connector for the transmitter (the green opto board). This should be a GRY-RED/BLK female connector. Typically these connectors are four pin connectors not two as the transmitter and receiver are paired for functionality. You can see one (further away) in the image that you posted.
<disclaimer>I have never worked on a sample Twilight Zone. I have never seen one. The manual is written for production machines and does not document anything about the sample machine. Everything here is based on the manual, observations from any images that you provide and deductions based on those observations.</disclaimer>
Quoted from BadBrad97:Ok. That makes sense. I noticed on my other magnets that they are split into 2 different connectors. left magnet= (GRY/ORG-BLK) with the transmitter (GRY-RED/BLK) and the lower magnet=(GRY/ORG-BRN) with the transmitter the same as the left magnet (GRY-RED/BLK)
- The left magnet (switch 83) transmitter is GRY-ORG/BLK and receiver is GRY/ORG-BLK.
- The upper right (3rd = switch 82) transmitter is GRY-RED/BLK and the receiver is GRY/ORG-RED.
- The lower right magnet (switch 81) transmitter is GRY-BRN/BLK and receiver is GRY/ORG-BRN.
I don't see another (GRY-RED/BLK) transmitter connections anywhere.
The board (front) that is visible in your image looks to be the column 8 board. The switch matrix connector has what appears to be a GRN-GRY wire indicating to me that it's column 8. The two connectors on the other side appear to have 6 orange wires and 6 gray wires off both of the connectors. These would be the six rows (81/83/84/85/86/87). I can't see anything further as the image resolution and lighting prohibits it. I don't see anything at opto 2 on the receiver side but there does look like there's a ORG-RED wire in the nearby bundle.
Quoted from BadBrad97:In looking at the add-on kits, it looks like I can daisy chain or split off one of the other transmitters. All 3 of my magnets are already connected to power, so I should be able to connect the receiver to the (GRY/ORG-RED) and the transmitter to the (GRY-RED/BLK) split off another opto, correct?
No need to. You have all the circuitry there to be able to simply insert or connector a wire from point to point. The (standard) custom 10-opto board for Twilight Zone supports 5 switches in column 7 and 5 switches in column 8. The sample machine used 2x 7-opto boards to support 7 switches in column 7 and 7 switches in column 8.
You are at the physical machine so you will have to do the digging around. The only way I can help further (other than the descriptions above) is for you to take more images of the wiring bundles and connectors. If you separate things out and take in focus and well illuminated images I can help you further.
Quoted from BadBrad97:Thanks for the help. Here is what I have. I have the 2x 7 opto boards. I tried to fan out the wires so you can see which ones are there.
Thanks. Excellent images. In focus. Well illuminated. Perfect.
You have all the wiring there. You will have to trace where it goes in the wiring bundle. I can't do that remotely. Just a reminder that there are TWO sets of ORG-XXX and GRY-XXX wires. One for each opto board. To be sure you are dealing with the correct opto board you will need to use a DMM to confirm the continuity.
For the most part you can ignore the BLK (kathode of the transmitter LED) and GRY (collector of the receiver phototransistor). Those wires are the same for all of them and they are all wired in parallel for distribution.
For the GRY-RED wires ... one goes to the rocket opto. That corresponds to the "left" opto board (as viewed when the playfield is raised). The other GRY-RED wire you will need to trace where it goes. It should go to a 0.062" 2-pin Molex female housing. Unless the wire wasn't stripped and just terminates somewhere in the harness. Again ... I've never seen one of these machines so I don't know what to expect.
For the ORG-RED wires ... one goes to the rocket opto. Same as above for the GRY-RED wire. The other should go to that 0.062" 2-pin Molex female housing shown dangling. Verify this with continuity.
Once you've located both the 2-pin Molex female housings you can simple install the transmitter and receiver opto boards on the top side of the playfield, drive the wires down underneath and crimp 0.062" male pins into a 2-pin Molex male housing and mate the housings.
Quoted from BadBrad97:Found it. I traced it and it terminated in another connector with nothing plugged into it.
That connector makes sense. The GRY-BRN and GRY-RED service the optos for the two magnets on the right. The BLK wire is common so it is daisy chained at the cathode (K) on the transmitter board. The 3-pin housing keeps the relevant wires together and also serves as a potentially different connector to avoid confusion when reconnecting.
Quoted from BadBrad97:You are way smarter than your screen name would suggest.
Common expressions:
Glad to have been able to help you and any other potential sample owners in the future.
Quoted from BadBrad97:Sorty, I was talking about the pass through on the playfield between the piano and the slot machine.
Can you post some images of this area? If possible without the plastics. I only ask without plastics to see if there are any dimples for an opto that would have been installed but was not. If there are metal guides are there holes for an opto? Again ... more images allows more analysis.
I have a thought about this but would like to see some evidence before making any claims.
First off: most all of the information you will ever need to service your WPC pinball machine (not just Twilight Zone) is in the manual. I think most people don't read the manual because the information can be daunting. My advice (not that anybody solicited it) is to read the manual, read the manual and then read the manual. The more you read it the more information will sink in. With enough information you can deduce things.
Thanks. One picture has the evidence needed.
This is the image from the thread. The wire color gives it away.
This is the image from the machine (@BadBrad97) that was first posted. The connector is for the receiver. I suspect there is another connector somewhere that is for the transmitter. The right 7-opto board has the wires for this and that opto board is column 8.
This is the switch matrix.
It's unused. The software registers the state of switch 82 and describes it as "NOT USED" and it will probably register this switch (86) when closed (actually open if an opto). It may not actually have any coding that uses the switch state. You would need to look at the disassembly of the software to see if there's anything there. Perhaps Ted Estes or Coyote would know. It probably got removed early in sample/prototype production.
Perhaps cost cutting? Perhaps the fact that the machine used 13 optos (2x 7-opto boards) and maybe at the time Williams didn't have the 16-opto board or at the very least did not have it at the time the machine was manufactured and re-wiring everything to use a 16-opto board just wouldn't work? Perhaps another reason or combinations of any of those reasons?
Column 7 has 6 available switches but only used 5 (switch 71 is unused although it does have the wiring). Column 8 has 7 available switches and all 7 were used. However, the 3rd magnet (switch 82) was removed leaving 6 switches used. That means 11 optos are required but an 11-opto board did not exist. The problem with supporting 11 optos using the LM339 quad comparator is that 10 optos use exactly 3x LM339s. To support the extra opto would require an extra LM339 and only one of the units would be used (leaving 3 unused units). That's a waste. Not only that it would require another new board. Instead ... remove switch 86 leaving 5 switches used for a total of 10 optos required. Make a single custom 10-opto board to support this and use 3x LM339s and a custom board that supports 5 switches in column 7 and 5 switches in column 8. Plus ... you save the cost of the wiring and the transmitter/receiver boards.
The above is pure supposition. I don't know the history. I only see the evidence of what is present and what can possibly explain it.
I believe that engineers (and most people) often choose to do things with a very good reason. Figuring out the reason why is the puzzle. Expiring minds want to know why.
Quoted from LTG:Set the time on your game so midnight is happening during the time you do play your game. Hours faster or slower as needed.
I believe it is only Dwight Sullivan games (and not all Dwight Sullivan games - especially not the early ones) that have this feature. I'm pretty sure Twilight Zone doesn't have this feature. The only feature it uses the RTC for is to show the time on the clock after the game is idle (has been in game over mode for a certain period of time).
<disclaimer>
I do not know this for a fact.
</disclaimer>
Quoted from mbaumle:With batteries in the game, the CPU has a “real time clock” that can keep track of the time and date even when powered down.
The RTC is in the ASIC. The ASIC is always powered by VBATT.
Quoted from mbaumle:When you switch over to NVRAM, the real time clock doesn’t run, so the time won’t be correct when the playfield clock sets itself during attract mode.
There is a jumper on the CPU board that allows U8 (RAM) to be powered by either VBATT or VCC. Factory setting is W7=VBATT. If you remove W7 and install W6=VCC then U8 is powered only when the main power is applied. This reduces the draw on VBATT when the power is off but allows for the RTC to continue to operate extending the life of the RTC on batteries.
You can have the best of both worlds - i.e. RTC still running off batteries when power is off and NVRAM holding settings but not drawing any power unless on mains. It is still recommended to mount the batteries remotely.
Quoted from Gorgar666:Ok thanks guys! Gonna switch MPU’s with Johnny Mnemonic. As that one has Batteries.
Johnny Mnemonic is WPC-S so the CPU board is incompatible with Twilight Zone.
Quoted from Gorgar666:Ok…sooo this is board I have with NVRAM installed….just add the Battery pack and keep the NVRAM. Set W7 off , W6 on, and all is good? I guess these are the small toggles switches on the MPU.
That board uses the traditional 0 Ohm jumper offset slightly (overlapped) with a common pin. You will need to either cut the currently installed 0 Ohm jumper and install a new one in the desired position or remove the currently installed 0 Ohm jumper and install it in the desired position. Board designers who have put at least some thought into their boards use shunt jumpers that are much easier to switch configuration. You can argue that these kinds of configuration changes are rarely (if ever) made so a shunt jumper is overkill. Fair point. There's no right or wrong here. Simply preference. My preference is a shunt jumper. It's what I use on my board.
Schematic (for reference) is shown here.
wpc_cpu_voltage_supply_select.jpg
You can leave W7 installed but this means that there can be a power draw on the battery while the IC is in standby. Consult the datasheet for the installed FRAM IC on your board to be sure if there is a power draw in standby. To eliminate this possibility switch the jumper from W7 to W6.
Quoted from Gorgar666:My Bad bro…this is the actual board that I have from Ksarcade.. https://www.pinsound.org/products/rocket-cpu-wpc/
I can't see an image with decent resolution that I can read the silkscreen or see the board to make assumptions. It should be safe to switch W7 to W6 but this board looks to be different (in layout at least) from the OEM board.
You should probably reach out to the board manufacturer (or vendor / distributor) and ask them to see what they think. I can help with OEM boards and the boards I make but it always make sense to contact the manufacturer of the board before you change something (particularly on a new board) in case you void your warranty.
Quoted from Sugar:[quoted image] (STOP IT)
Ok, sir. This will be the last post on this issue from me. Apologies for disturbing the peace.
Quoted from simonlindsay:I am considering replacing the bridge rectifier and C30 capacitor myself. I know that the original BR is 35A, 200v and that a 600v replacement would be suitable, however, would it matter if I replace the BR with 35A, 800V or even 1,000V?
You can use 200V, 400V, 600V, 800V or 1000V.
When removing the radial snap-in capacitor take extreme care to not pull the plated through holes with the capacitor leads. This will break continuity between the component and solder of the board and result at the very minimum in excessive AC ripple. I have repaired a few boards where an owner who does casual repairs (or asked a less competent repair technician to do the work) replaced both these parts and caused more harm than good. In your case here, however, you cannot cause more harm because the rectifier is shorted so you can't use the board at all. Just be aware of the through holes and if you pull them either install a stitch or appropriate jumpers.
Quoted from simonlindsay:Manny65, following on from your last message, would the failed BR5 cause the fuse to blow or could it be something else on or off the board.
Manny65 is on the road today (always great to meet more fellow pinball enthusiasts!) so I'll jump in to help.
The rectification circuit is not very complicated.
If the rectifier is shorted the fuse will blow every time without any intervention.
I actually have two of Ingo's boards from years ago (must be at least six years now). I have yet to install them.
In the meantime I have gone on my own board making adventure. I have avoided making my own clock board to avoid stepping on Ingo's domain (out of respect for the reputation earned!). The shortage going on in Europe has gone on for a while now so if there is some form of demand for another alternative and I can find the time I would consider making another option available.
This would be a different electrical solution from the OEM and other non-Ingo boards. The other non-Ingo boards all use the same design as the OEM (from what I can see from publicly available images). My solution would probably be more along the lines of Ingo's solution which will be similar to what I've already done for other opto and slotted opto boards I have made.
Currently, all of this is just gossip and vaporware without a demand assessment.
The unused switches are the ones that you want. Sample machines used 2x 7-opto boards. One column. Seven rows.
I don't know this for a fact but only from deduction based on previous posts.
Quoted from LTG:Only one 2X7 opto board in it.
Quoted from LTG:#71 unused you can figure where it goes on the CPU, not on either 2X7 opto board.
Makes me wonder if a 2X7 opto board can be added ?
Quoted from LTG:I've attached two pictures of two boards hanging under the playfield. One looks to be the 7 opto driver board with big resistors, not sure of the other board, didn't see it mentioned in the manual.
The images show you have 2x (quantity 2) 7-opto boards. They are the same board. The components might be slightly different (purple vs brown resistors) but they are the same. They have a single 0.156" connector (to the switch matrix) and 2x 0.100" connectors (one for the transmitters and one for the receivers).
Quoted from LTG:My game has the cut outs for #71 and #71 but no optos behind them. It is an early sample game and has the other sample features. Build was around the 1st of March 1993.
Does have #81 and in test comes up as right magnet. #82 is there and registers as not used.
I don't see a spot for #88 , any idea where it can be ?
The 12 pin connector (J3) on the 7-opto board should have all 7x WHT-XXX wires in it. You will need all 7. Both of them. You can differentiate the two boards by the GRN-XXX wire that is in the connector. The column 7 board is GRN-VIO. The column 8 board is GRN-GRY.
The column 7 board should have 5x GRY-XXX and ORG-XXX wires. The column 8 board should have 7x GRY-XXX and ORG-XXX wires.
If the column 7 board has 6x GRY-XXX and ORG-XXX wires then it's probably ready and all you need to do is install an opto pair (white plastic and black plastic opto). Otherwise with 5x wires you will need to wire it up.
When dealing with opto pairs, the wire colors to focus are not the standard GRN-XXX and WHT-XXX of the switch matrix but GRY-XXX and ORG-XXX of the transmitters and receivers.
If you're unsure then post images of the connectors to each board. Good resolution, well illuminated and in focus.
Quoted from LTG:1 of 2 posts. This is the board hanging on the left under side of the playfield.
LEFT = column 7 7-opto board. The GRN-VIO wire in J3 is the reason why.
tz_sample_7-opto_board_left.jpg
There are 7 WHT-XXX row wires. Completely wired. There are only SIX opto pairs driven by this board. They are SW71-SW76. SW77 and SW78 are physical switches (stand-up targets).
Since SW72 = "Auto-Fire Kicker". Since there was originally supposed to be two of these opto pairs, the other opto pair was probably nearby. You will have to trace the GRY-BRN and ORG-BRN wires to their destination. They should travel as a pair. They will likely terminate as a pair in a 0.062" Molex female housing. Probably in the vicinity. I really don't know because I have never seen a sample game. I am only operating on presumption and the common method these machines are wired. Coyote will probably know the exact location for sure.
Quoted from LTG:2 of 2 posts. This is the board hanging on the right under side of the playfield.
RIGHT = column 8 7-opto board. The GRN-GRY wire in J3 is the reason why.
tz_sample_7-opto_board_right.jpg
SW82 = "Not Used" but this is the 3rd (center) magnet opto pair.
SW86 = "Not Used" but this is the opto pair between the piano and the slot machine scoop. This detects the "4 Way Combo" = left ramp, right ramp, between the piano and slot machine into the camera.
The game will probably not register the actual name of the switch but rather register them as "Not Used". The switch number will identify the actual switch that is detected as closed (remember these are opto pairs so this is opto beam interruption).
Quoted from LTG:Still need to know where switch #88 would be please, and on the playfield.
I think you are thinking of SW86 not SW88. SW88 = "Lock Lower" and is a physical switch (microswitch). SW86 is an opto pair between the piano and the slot machine scoop. There should be cutouts for the opto housings in the metal ball guides.
Quoted from LTG:And I hope it hasn't been as confusing for you as it has for me.
If you show me (post an image) of what you have I might be able to help. Remember, I have never seen a sample game but the wiring can be deduced from the known switch numbers and the wire colors.
SW81 transmitter = GRY-BRN / BLK
SW81 receiver = GRY-YEL (or GRY) / ORG-BRN
SW82 transmitter = GRY-RED / BLK
SW82 receiver = GRY-YEL / ORG-RED
SW86 transmitter = GRY-BLU / BLK
SW86 receiver = GRY-YEL / ORG-BLU
The physical transmitter (white plastic housing) and physical receiver (black plastic housing) may either not be in the correct position in the playfield or have the correct wiring. For example, if the transmitter in the physical location for SW82 is GRY-BLU then either that transmitter should be moved to the physical location for SW86 or the wires should be reconnected to the transmitter in the physical location of SW86. The transmitters and receivers are the same. It's the wiring to them that matters.
For SW71 and SW72 I have no experience with what the Molex housings are so I need to see what you have to able to figure out where things are supposed to go.
Note: You can use whatever GRY-XXX wire you want for the transmitter as they aren't strictly detected. They all originate from the same +12VU source after being run through the 270 Ohm current limiting resistor. It's the ORG-XXX wire that has to be correct. The board directs the result of the receiver to the appropriate comparator whose output is wired to the switch matrix harness.
Quoted from LTG:If #81 and #82 are registering in the right order, then their receivers are good.
Agree. What matters is what registers in the switch edge test.
Quoted from LTG:And I know the connector that is empty but there for #86's receiver. Just need to know if I can tap onto #82's transmitter wiring for #86's transmitter.
You can. All the transmitter wires are the same. The trace/stripe color is there just for consistency.
Quoted from LTG:#72 shouldn't be a problem if I can tap onto #71's transmitter. Then just use the two unused connector spots for the receiver.
Just be careful if you tap off a transmitter (GRY-XXX) wire. Each LED should have its own current limiting resistor. The value of the resistor (270 Ohm) is chosen to produce a certain amount of current through the IR LED. The current affects how bright the IR LED is. If you put two IR LEDs (in parallel) with the one resistor, it will split the current path and divide it in half. The same applies if you tap from the SW82 transmitter for the SW86 transmitter. The opto pair may still work but it's not working exactly as it was originally designed to.
Quoted from LTG:Coyote may know more.
He sure will!
Quoted from LTG:I appreciate your help too !
As with Coyote's comment, it's about time someone else paid you back for all the help you provide.
Quoted from ramegoom:Rottendog seems to be the only replacement.
There are actually quite a few immediately available solutions. The order listed is below is not an endorsement of any manufacturer or vendor. The exception to this is repair. Repair is often cheaper than replace unless abatement of alkaline damage is extensive.
Quoted from ramegoom:I see it is shipped without a CPU, wondering how they test the board prior to shipment.
The processor, ROM and ASIC are socketed. The ICs can be placed in a board for verification and removed after verification. This is what I do. Rottendog are known to ship boards that were clearly not tested. I have a local contact that purchased a new MPU9211 and the PIA was installed in a socket with a bent pin. Clearly this board was never tested before being sent out.
I also have boards available but Coyote is correct about the wait. Do your research about the manufacturers and vendors. Come to your own conclusions with regard to the available options. Product support is something often overlooked by potential buyers.
Quoted from Coyote:Hhhmm.. Okay, that COULD be the MPU then, yeah! But.. in case it's not, be prepared to change that little volume pot IC on the sound board.
U5 = Williams part number 5432-12726-00 = EE Prom Pot x9503
Quoted from ramegoom:I'm surprised the RAM isn't socketed from the factory though - those seem to act up in time.
Good job on the IC removal! The boards were not meant to last much longer than the machine. They weren't expected to last more than a few years so why bother adding cost to the BOM for no gain.
Note that you have a 62256 so if you intend to replace that SRAM with NVRAM you will need to acquire a 62256 compatible NVRAM. You can acquire a 6264 and install R93/remove W3 on the board change the RAM addressing configuration.
Quoted from PinJim:The snap caps put a lot of force on the through holes even when the solder is liquified. Oh well, I've made it standard practice to add jumpers, regardless of how well things went. Call it insurance.
I conjecture that the OEM boards were manufactured with a through hole diameter that was slightly too small. This was probably deliberate in order to ensure that the snap-in capacitor did not fall out during wave soldering. It could also be that the commonly used Marcon capacitor leads were a little too big for the holes.
I just built one of my reproduction boards and (stupidly like a DumbAss) installed one of the snap-in capacitors incorrectly. I had to remove it and correct it. Granted the solder was fresh but I had absolutely no issue removing it. My hole diameter is 2.032mm but there is obvious variance (tolerance) with manufacturing. The datasheet for Nichicon LLS series recommends 2mm +/- 0.1mm with the widest point of the lead being 1.5mm +/- 0.2mm.
Removing capacitors from OEM boards is a tight fit. I do not install jumpers but rather use a through hole stitch for a much better cosmetic finish. Through hole repair (or a rivet / grommet) is the truly professional repair. When asked to re-repair boards with jumpers installed for ripped through holes from a previous repair (attempt), I always remove the jumpers and use a through hole stitch.
Quoted from Pinkitten:I wanted blue, but I can't find one.
Quoted from Miguel351:I've been trying to get my hands on a completely transparent/glossy clear housing for a while now.
So are these TZ clock housings unicorns?
Can't remember where or when I bought them. I want to say I got them from Kerry (Mantis) because I found them in a bunch of Mantis parts.
Quoted from GILV:I went into test mod and slings and pops work great, it's in single switch test mod that something weird happens..... is'nt there supposed to be only one spot per switch activated? check the video, there is one whole line of switches activated and if I press each of the pop bumper switches, it's a whole line that lights up.
Consider disconnecting the Custom Opto SW10 board (A-16807). Disconnect J5 and try your switch edge test again.
Quoted from GILV:I found this on Pinwiki, what do you think?
Since it's one whole row (green/orange) in the Switch matrix that is blown, maybe it's a CPU chip?
Shotgun replacement of parts without proper diagnosis is generally not recommended. Isolate the cause to a location (CPU board, Opto board or playfield wiring) and then dig in further.
Quoted from GILV:Tried the custom opto board SW10 board test you suggested and I still have the same results/problem, so now I know the problem comes from the CPU..... Right?
Disconnect the connectors at J206/J207/J208/J209. Repeat your test. If you get the same results then you know with fairly high certainty that your problem is on the CPU board. If you disconnect J212, run the test again and get the same result then that will give you 100% confidence. Disconnecting J212 may result in a "check fuse" message that you can safely ignore.
Quoted from ProjektPat:The only issue stopping the game from being play tested now is the auto launcher just fires continuously from the moment the game is switched on.
Check your switch matrix active switch state (switch levels). This may possibly due to the software thinking that there is a ball present due to an opto switch state error. If there is an error in the state then it could be either the opto pair or the logic that detects the opto pair state.
Quoted from GILV:This is the mod I bought: flasher lights activate when ball hits the slings, these are 50V bulbs that are connected to each sling coil, the switch went and touched the wire form that relates the 3 bulbs together under the slingshot plastics and "boom", the ULN2803 chip (U20) blew.
Wow. That's definitely an interesting way to connect a modification to the system. I would NOT recommend using that method. There are other ways to achieve this functionality without such risk.
Examples:
Quoted from GILV:Yeah, what if I did add a relay to the coil to illuminate the lights from the GI (I would need to swap bulbs to 6 volt bulbs of course) , would a contact between the GI voltage power and the switch still cause the ULN2803 chip to blow?
You would wire the solenoid of the relay in parallel with the solenoid drive wire. You will need a 50VDC relay solenoid. Strictly, every inductive load requires a diode for the collapsing magnetic field (the flyback or tieback diode). Since the relay solenoid is parallel with the actual solenoid and WPC machines have the diode on the power board, a diode at the relay is not required.
You wire the lighting side to the C and NO contacts of the relay. Make sure the relay supports at least those two terminals. You can use a SPST (1 Form A), SPDT (1 Form C) or DPDT (2 Form C) relay.
There is no contact with the switch matrix wires and therefore no risk of blowing the ULN2803A on the CPU board. Make sure to use fully insulated connections whenever possible. Relays can have 0.187" quick connect tabs and you can use a fully insulated connector in this circumstance.
Quoted from GILV:What I meant was that if the same thing happens again, the leaf switch that touches the wire form under the slings...... would that blow the ULN2803A even if it's only 6 volts ?
The datasheet knows all. Solenoid voltage is nominally 50VAC which is about +70VDC (RMS).
uln2803a_overview.jpguln2803a_specifications_absolute_maximum_ratings.jpg
Here's something to chew on.
wpc89_low_voltage_power_schematic.jpg
The fuse is 8A. It is supposed to protect the bridge rectifier. On the Rottendog board this is a discrete diode bridge.
If there is a problem with +12VR (12V digital) consumption then F115 should blow. If F115 does not blow then the problem has to be before that fuse. This leaves the LM7812 (+12VR regulator), the lamp matrix (+18V consumption) and the bridge rectifier. It is also possible some of the capacitors or the LED is shorted but that is very unlikely.
Quoted from Flato:unpluged 114
I assume you mean J114. This will disconnect the +12VR consumption. If there's a short in the consumption F115 should blow.
Quoted from Flato:unpluged 116 117 and 118
I assume you mean J116, J117 and J118. These are irrelevant. These headers supply +12VU and +5V. The circuit in question produces +18V and +12VR.
Quoted from Flato:114 blew after 40 seconds give or take 115 and every other fuse is fine, if its not the board what should i check next?
I assume you mean F114.
This still doesn't exclude anything. You need to exclude +18V consumption. Disconnect J136, J137 and J138. There may be unused headers. If the fuse continues to blow, that indicates the bridge rectifier (discrete diode bridge) is likely to be your problem. If the fuse no longer blows then re-insert the connectors one at a time and test for fuse blow. If the small 3-pin connector is causing the fuse blow then look at the cabinet. If the larger 8-pin connector is causing the fuse blow then you likely have a short of lamp power to ground. This short could be on the board in the lamp matrix drive or the playfield with an errant connection to ground.
Note that 40 seconds is a LONG time for the fuse to blow. I would observe the backbox and watch for the fuse to light up. If it starts lighting up from power on there's a definitive short. If it only starts blowing after a period of time, you should try to isolate the event that triggers it. Use the single lamp matrix test and check for correctness.
Quoted from GILV:If your TZ is all orginal, I'd like to see it, could you post a picture please if that's the case?
I can't speak for Davi. I haven't played my TZ is a LONG time. It's been on loan forever. I had to service it today to get it ready for the local (to me) Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show coming up in early June. My friend discovered it didn't have a power driver board so I needed to put one in. That's the only non-original board. Apart from header and / or connector repairs and the Pinnovators headphone jack product, it's "original".
Playfield is also stock (except for some additional lighting) and the modification described in the next post. The wireform ramp is not a spiral but the main ramp is a clear ramp. I did not take an image.
Following on, one thing I did to my Twilight Zone is change the wedge lamp sockets above the piano to bayonet. The lamps kept coming out while the public was playing the game and I got sick of either putting them back in or finding the bulbs that would get stuck where they got stuck (outhole, slot scoop or other places).
I did something similar to my The Addams Family for the same reason. The chair lamps kept coming out. Since making that modification the lamps have never come out. See https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-the-addams-family-club-tafmembers-fans-welcome/page/104#post-7185533 for details on that (although it is not relevant to Twilight Zone).
I know. The red blub needs a condom.
Here is the information for the flipper cabinet opto boards.
00_tz_flp_cab_opto.jpg01_tz_flp_cab_opto.jpg
Quoted from GILV:Are they supposed to get hot after a few games?
Quoted from LTG:No. But they look like after market boards, so something ain't right.
Yes. They are supposed to get hot. The installed resistors are 470 Ohm (YEL/VIO/BRN/GLD - discolored from heat). The +12VU circuit is around 14VDC. This dissipates ~0.4W for a 470 Ohm resistor. This is very close to the 0.5W MAXIMUM rating for the resistor. Ideally, it should be a 1W resistor or a 680 Ohm to dissipate less heat.
Quoted from GILV:If not, what does it mean that they get so hot, what are the repercussions of them getting hot?
Quoted from LTG:I'd get rid of them so they don't cause other problems.
You can't get rid of them as they are the current limiting resistor for the transmitter side of the slotted opto pair.
One major problem with the heat is that it can cause a cracked solder joint at the resistor. I have seen many boards with these current limiting resistors that dissipate heat into the board instead of dissipating the majority of it convectively to the atomosphere.
Quoted from Tranquilize:You can test the inbound current based on the schematic and fix it or replace the hack with OEM circuitry.
There's nothing to "fix" and this is not a "hack" because it is the OEM circuitry.
Quoted from GILV:Thanks, those resistors getting hot after a few games did'nt bother me much in the past 2 years, but now they cause the magnet optos to suddenly stop working, but before they stop working, they go crazy at every flipper button press, then, and only then, they go out, I turn the game off for 15 minutes, time to cool down those resistors and everything works great.
Are you sure it is THIS board that is causing the problem? When you turn off the machine, everything cools down. If you want to run a better scientific experiment then just disconnect the connectors at the flipper cabinet opto boards for 15 minutes, plug them back in and see what happens. There are 270 Ohm 2W resistors on the Custom 10-Opto board that get hotter than these 470 Ohm 0.5W resistors. The 10-opto board is responsible for managing the other machine opto pairs.
Quoted from GILV:I just bought these for 71$ CAD shipping included for a pair.
Note that the board you purchased is pretty much the same as the OEM with respect to the level of heat dissipation. It has 470 Ohm 0.5W resistors installed flush to the board. In the long run, the board will have the same level of heat discoloration.
Quoted from GILV:Could it be a cracked solder joint that causes the magnet opto problem when they get heated after 15 minutes?
Not likely. The cracked joint should only affect the flipper cabinet opto board. Note that the board you have looks like a phenolic single sided board so you can't see the solder joints as they are on the "back" side of the board.
If you want help with your magnet opto problem then you should probably describe it in detail so other people can offer you advice on what to do. This single most important thing is to assess the machine state when the problem has manifest since it only seems to manifest after a period of time.
Quoted from LTG:I didn't mean the resistors, I meant the whole flipper button opto board. They didn't look original.
Ah. Apologies. The non-descript "them" was referring to the board not the resistors. My mistake.
Quoted from GILV:do I need to replace all of the smaller resistors as well on the board.
The 0.25W resistors are not going to be the problem. They rarely, if ever, fail. You can measure them (in circuit) and they should be in specification. Even the large 2W resistors rare go out of specification and need replacing. The real reason to replace the 2W resistors is to install the new ones with the body raised off the board to allow convective cooling to the atmosphere rather than the board substrate.
Quoted from Mad_Dog_Coin_Op:The capacitor on this board found on the bottom of the playfield.
[quoted image]
That board is incorrect. The board shown is A-18159 and is NOT compatible with Twilight Zone.
Twilight Zone uses the Custom Opto SW10 board. Part A-16807 (as an assembly) as mentioned above. There are (cheaper) alternatives available.
Quoted from Mad_Dog_Coin_Op:Tough crowd. I just grapped the first image I found online.
Your willingness to help is appreciated by everybody. The more people that help, the better off the community is. If you learn something and provide the help back online, that is "paying it forward".
The issue I have is that someone may look at that image and assume that it is used in the machine. A lot of people don't read the text and just look at the images. I think that it is better to spend the little bit of extra time to find the correct image than be the first to post the help with potentially incorrect information.
I have learned that if it is possible to make an assumption (and make a mistake) then someone will do it.
Quoted from Mad_Dog_Coin_Op:Fair point but I always thought those two boards were interchangeable. Is that not the case?
They cannot be interchanged.
Quoted from wrd1972_PinDoc:Anyone know of a 5v source under the playfield
Quoted from Coyote:There is none, as far as I'm aware - all the boards under there (optos, 2x motor boards) ran off of 12v, and the last - the 8-high power driver board ran off of the coil voltage.
Agree with this. There is no GRY wire (representing 5V) that leaves the power board at any of the connectors for J116/J117/J118.
Therefore, this requires any board that needs digital logic level (TTL) to have a 5V regulator on it. Low loads use a 78L05. Higher loads use a L7805.
Quoted from Coyote:GI voltage would be your closest bet, but it would be PWM'd at times (or off), and wouldn't probably work very well.
One can also do full wave rectification on this supply. If regulation is required then use a 5V regulator as the rectified voltage is likely to be close to 9V.
Quoted from wrd1972_PinDoc:that I can wire a mod into.
What you can do depends on the mod and its (electrical) requirements.
Quoted from Coyote:In that case, you have a loose wire. Either where the +50v connects to the coil, or on the coil lug itself. Since the hold coil isn't keeping the flipper up, it's not likely the power coil drive wire..
It could also be a failure in the drive transistor circuitry controlling the hold winding.
Quoted from atg1469:Any idea what to look at next?
An image of the assembly will help with diagnosis.
Quoted from Coyote:I disagree; not in this case.
You're probably right. You know the software. I have not seen the software at all.
Quoted from Coyote:Based on the video he posted, and the fact he says it happens in test mode as well - it looks like it's a loose connection due to vibration
To me, the video shows the flipper cabinet buttons are being used in test mode. There are two distinct tests. One for input (T.1 = switch edges to test the flipper cabinet switches) and one for output (T.12 = flipper solenoids to test power and hold windings separately). Using the flipper cabinet buttons does NOT distinguish between anything. You may as well start a game and do the same thing. The diagnostics are there to help the operator differentiate between potential causes.
Quoted from Coyote:Of course, I'm assuming the hold coil is working - it COULD be that both hold driver wire AND power driver wire are loose, but.. if that's the case, buy a lotto ticket.
That's the difference between my approach and most everybody else's approach (on this forum). I try to take into account all potential causes. I agree that the most common causes happen commonly (it's an odds game) but without an easily performed differential, it's just a guess. Why guess when you can be better informed? Would you trust every doctor that said a headache was caused by a migraine but missed the low percentage malignant metastasis?
Quoted from atg1469:Happy to provide pics, but do you want pictures of the coil/flipper assembly or the flipper board in the cabinet?
Flipper assembly. The most likely place a wire has come off is at the flipper solenoid. The flipper board (fliptronic) will not be of much use since I don't have electron vision and neither does your imaging device.
Quoted from atg1469:I did notice that one of the thin wires you alluded to is significantly thinner than the other two and does seem a bit fragile looking, but I’m not sure if this is the cause of the issue or not? I’m guessing if it is I’d need to replace the coil?
Set your multimeter to Ohms (200 is fine if not range sensing). Measure the resistance between:
Report your findings. It is important to measure since no human has electron vision. You can do this in circuit as there is nothing in the circuit that should interfere with measuring.
Quoted from GILV:I have no idea which component is faulty on that board, can someone point me out what component just died on the board so I can replace it if it's possible to do so?
It doesn't work like this. The Custom Opto SW10 board (A-16807) has no diagnostic capabilities. You need to do the diagnostics yourself using either a DMM or logic probe.
The board consists of two discrete sections.
The transmitter can be "visually" inspected using a camera that does not have an IR filter. You can also infer potential functionality by measuring the voltage drop across the resistor.
The receiver must be tested electrically. The receiver itself may work but the detection circuit (comparator) may be at fault. You need to separate the two.
There is no "this component died that is causing your problem and you need to replace this component". Well, actually, you could state that the components on your board died and you need to replace the board. I guess that would work. 
Quoted from GILV:All 3 optos that have the green/gray wire don't work, the gumball enter opto, lower right ramp opto and the left magnet opto, when they were glittering (last few months) all of those 3 optos, worked at the same time, or, did not work at the same time, I don't think it's an opto problem but if just replacing the board is a solution, I'll do it.
What about the other opto switches in column 8 (GRN-GRY)?
It could be the J5 connector or the wires in the IDC. If the wire in the IDC has become loose then the rest of the switches (the mechanical switches) in the column will work.
IMHO: There's not enough evidence to make a recommendation. Any recommendation at this time is a form of shotgunning. Nothing wrong with shotgunning. You are free to do it if you want. I don't recommend it.
Quoted from jrcmlc:Maybe whomever is supplying the new board can advise....So perhaps where you are buying the board can help more?
^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^
A lot of people come to this forum looking for "free" (immediate) support. They buy the cheapest board available (cough often RD cough) and don't bother to ask the manufacturer (or merchant). A lot of these manufacturers only make the board to make $. That's all they care about. A lot of people buying these boards only care about the $ as well. The manufacturers want the most they can get and the purchaser wants to pay the least. You get what you pay for.
I was only asked to chime in and help. Perhaps I won't bother doing that next time - even if asked.
For those that aren't aware, most of the replacement boards currently available are pretty much circuit identical. When something goes wrong then YOU (the machine owner) has to do the diagnosis with a tool such as a DMM. If you're scared of the DMM then perhaps you should consider a board that has at least some diagnostics included. Great Lakes Modular had similar visual state feedback. Spending time trying to make a compatible product that not only works but improves the board with simple diagnostics is worth it. IMHO. Your (forum member) opinion may differ. That's ok. It's ok to disagree. If $ are all you care about (I don't get this because you spent thousands of $ on your machine but you want to save $5 on a board?!?!?!) then purchase the cheaper board. This is also why I stopped bothering to help since there are solutions available that are better than the "status quo".
Quoted from PinJim:Anyone know the manufacturer and part number?
Coyote suggested I use these kinds of LEDs on my reproduction clock board. So I had to research them. They are tough to find. Those big box merchant search pages are information and option overload. I did manage to find something. I expect the product will work with Ingo's board. I doubt he would have chosen to have a custom component manufactured for his board.
What you want is Cree CP41B (datasheet = https://downloads.cree-led.com/files/ds/h/HB-CP41B.pdf). You can search for "cp41b" on a big box merchant and you should get a narrow enough result so as not to be overwhelmed. The list will have different viewing angles, color, color temperature and other parameters. Consult the datasheet for the differences.
This is what the cool white 9000K bulb looks like.
Quoted from PinJim:I wrote Ingo and got the following reply on what LEDs were used on the clock board:
LED Super Flux, 7,62x7,62m.m, warmweiss, 900-1200mcd, 180°, 30mA
Finding them now, that’s a whole different issue. But it does give some basis for finding a viable replacement.
That's great information. The piranha LED (the Cree referenced above) is 5.08mm x 5.08mm so they are incompatible with 7.62mm x 7.62mm. You will need to find something other than the Cree.
Sorry. The information I provided was wrong and based on an assumption from image matching not actual physical dimensions.
EDIT: I left the above in place rather than removing it so the history is better understood.
There is some confusion here on what is actually being measured. Is 7.62mm the dimensions of the body or the dimensions of the lead spacing? You will need to check with Ingo what the 7.62mm refers to.
I use 5.08mm to reference the lead spacing NOT the body dimensions.
Reference:
Quoted from mbaumle:I think a great “LED niche” to fill would be a 2700k or even a 2200k LED to better match incandescents.
Quoted from mmr61184:any leds out there that for the warm white category that would mimic the mini incandescents
The CP41B I use is a wide angle cool white (9000K) as shown. Cree does not make a warm white in this form factor.
The board I have does accept a standard 5mm LED. Cree does make a warm white (min 2500K but typical 2800K) 5mm LED. This is the C513A. I bought a few of these but haven't built a board with them since I have had no demand for my board. People seem to purchase the Casper or Pindora Box boards as they're much more readily discoverable. I don't know what color or color temperature those boards use.
First post in the thread I created has a list of boards. It can be considered long so please scroll through if you’re interested. It’s mostly up to date but at this time there are a few things not yet added. Otherwise, messaging can clear things up.
Quoted from iamabearsfan:So replace U1 on this board?
Why not test it first?
See https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Williams_WPC#Cabinet_Flipper_Switch_Detection_Problem_Diagnosis_for_Pre-FlipTronics_Games and scroll to "Testing a 4N25 Opto Coupler".
It could also be a shorted drive transistor on the 8-Driver Auxiliary board. It could also be a problem with U3 (the 7432 OR gate IC). You can go ahead and shotgun replace the 4N25 but every time you touch a board there's risk of damage to the board.
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