Nice work - thanks for posting this. I'm sure it'll be particularly helpful to folks wading into the project for their first time. Good refresher course to read through for more experienced folks, too.

+1
I replaced all 3 Jack*Bot's pop bumpers last January. I'll download, and read plus look at pictures too. Thanks

Hi All,

Just a few questions if anyone can help please

On my HS all 3 pop bumper coil diodes are at the top by the plunger stop, and some of the other coils like hideouts but some are like the Flippers, away from the stops.

So the question is, is this right or should I mount all the coils like the flipper coils with the diodes at the opposite end to the plunger stop.

Also my manual doesn't have the wiring for the pops, so I don't know what caps to order. As the ones on there look like they've seen better days, so if anyone one has the wiring for the pop bumpers would be great.

Thank you for any help on these questions

I just rebuilt the pop bumpers on a friends Future Spa. This guide was a huge help. I followed it pretty much exactly. 2 issues. The new bayonet lamp sockets don’t seem to hold the bulbs as tight as the old sockets did. I tried pushing up on the little tab. It seems some bulbs just fit tighter than others. Also, trying to slightly lift the old staples to reuse them is much easier said then done. I need to invest in a stapler. I gave up trying to pry them up. I wound up soldering the new lamp legs to a piece of the old legs that I left under the staples.

So I’m rebuilding Gorgar pops. I labeled the wires, but is the lamp socket directional? If I put led lamps in does that effect it?

Does not matter the direction of the lamp socket, just make sure the exposed wires arent shorting on anything. No real issues using LEDs, just make sure they aren't too big to fit under the cap. Some LEDs have polarity so if they dont work the first time after putting one in, flip it around in the socket.

Thanks!!

How much of a difference does installing new capacitors make to 80's Williams pop bumpers?

1586402860411923698513 (resized).jpg

Da-Shaker I don't think it will change performance. I just do it because the caps are 30+ years old, so they would be at risk for failure.

what are those caps+resistors even for in the first place?

zacaj I'm not a electronics whiz, but I believe it "smooths" the signal to the mpu when the pop is activated. Someone like GRUMPY would know a lot more about it then me.

A quick look at the schematics tells me they probably determine the shortest length of time that the special solenoids activate.

I purchased them from Pinball Life, because the description says it'll bring your old pop bumpers back to life and give them more pop. I thought I'd give it a shot

What is the part number of the flat metal plate in Data East pop bumpers? It's not listed in any manuals I could find.

Attached is a picture of the plate in question. The plate is circled in red in the picture.

Data East pop bumper metal plate (resized).jpg

The bumper housing is the blue plastic piece on the extreme left side of his picture and the metal yoke is the slotted metal piece on the extreme right side of his picture.

I believe the P/N for the backplate (which is used to mount the coil) is 535-7419-00. Good luck finding one! The old Stern "Thumper Bumper" (P/N B-695) from the 80's is a similar design and used a plate (P/N B-695-9) that looks eerily similar and in fact may be interchangeable but I wouldn't guarantee it. Your best bet is Steve at PBR - he's probably got both assemblies laying around or can tell you if they are interchangeable.

stn-thumberplastic (resized).jpg

On my Scared Stiff the insulate tubing seems to only be on the “driven lead” (black+*) which is connected back to the board which grounds rather than the common +ve lead (red+white)....

I was just wondering why only one lead? Surely either can short?

If rebuilding would you add shrink tubing to both leads?

Thanks

Jason

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535-7419-00 seems to be the same as Homepin # 16 Pop Bumper Solenoid Mounting Plate.

I have no idea what that is without a drawing but if it's the same, you got your part.

That part number is in the Thunderbirds manual on pages 29 and 30.

Would that be for Thunderbird 1 or 2?

72ED0BF2-0F74-41CF-AF3B-1BDB4C33CDD1 (resized).jpeg

It's in this Thunderbirds manual (dated October 2018):

http://www.homepin.com/kits/TAG_Service_Manual_Oct2018.pdf

Did you install them. I just ordered some for my Williams Comet that I'm rebuilding pop bumpers on. My question is the original were non-polar/bi-polar and I can't tell from their website if these are bi-polar aka non-polar or polarized. I'm just wondering how orientated them?

I just swapped some on my blackout, and it made a noticeable difference in the pop strength. Not crazy but, enough that I'll definitely be doing it on all my Williams moving forward.

AFAIK, they're polarized. One end of the switch is connected to ground (black wire), so that's the side the negative lead of the cap goes to. I used 22uF, 50v electrolytic caps.

On a game like TAF, going in there and soldering/unsoldering 5 pop bumpers (not to mention keeping track of the wires) is a real pain in the ass. I'm redoing a set now, and I'm thinking of using something like a Molex connector when I re-install them so I don't have to solder underneath the playfield each time - much easier to unpin/repin a connector IMO. Anyone done anything like this?

High End Pins (HEP) does this on almost everything. he's got a big thread going and I'm sure there was a TAF in there somewhere. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hep-this-week-9-17-18

That’s become my standard practice for pretty much everything - pops, slings, flippers, drops, etc. It makes future maintenance SO much easier.

Just realized I was a bit unclear - for the general wires, I am already putting on Molex connectors. What I'm considering is, doing something similar for the LED wires that normally get stapled and soldered.

My last few pop rebuilds I've been snipping those stiff factory legs off and replacing with 2 long pieces of braided wire, and just soldering it someplace more accessible than half an inch from the pop assy.

I've also seen guys do that and just use a short pan head screw for the connection instead of soldering.

Yeah that's along the lines I was originally thinking. Now I'm thinking of using something like this splice connector: https://smile.amazon.com/Connector-Solderless-Connectors-Stripping-Electrical/dp/B08929GXGK/
Then I can just pop it open to loose the wire if I need to service the bumper. I'll probably switch over to the insulated wire-type sockets, since I'm not sure the standard thin flat metal leads will hold well in the splice connector.

Holy &@$@ vid!

Glad you’re back. K used this guide to rebuild pops and tweak the spoon to register the hits better!

Great to see vid1900 is back in force. I wanted to call your attention to two new products I had the molds created for. Both in PolyCarbonate in several colors. Unlike previous parts; we offer both pointed and un-pointed skirts.

Pop Skirts Skirts w/ Points
Pop Bases

More details here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-product-lollypop-popbumper-skirts-amp-bases

These would match our pop bumper bodies:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/transparent-sternballywilliams-pop-bumper-bodies
Pop Bodies

Awesomeness! Can’t wait to get a new game to mod up and use them

Ill have to second this!

There's also two different heights for the newer narrow bodies

The modern reproduction opaque bodies were made a tad bit taller so that an incandescent bulb won't burn/melt the bumper cap.

I am rehabbing a Target Alpha (Gottlieb 70's EM) and the metal rings on my pop bumpers randomly stick in the energized position after either of the bumpers is triggered. I've checked both switches on both bumpers - neither are sticking closed. I've checked the switches on the related scoring relay - gapped correctly and cleaned, not sticking. The action on the metal rings is smooth when operated manually - there doesn't seem to be any mechanical issue. The rings, skirts, plastic housing on each bumper is all new. When they stick, I can manually (with some effort) unstick them but it's as if the coil is still magnetized or something. There is resistance.

What could cause this behavior? Is there a specific gap on the switches that I should be adhering to?

Thanks

so the lower switch on the pop bumpers (further from the playfield) is visibly opening on both bumpers when the ring is stuck down? Do they release if you turn the game off?

Yes and yes

Noticed that the stuck rings release when I press my flippers.

The coil stop on the pop bumper mounting bracket could be magnetized. Sometimes you can use an old tape head demagnetizer to remove the magnetism from the coil stop.

In stubborn cases, I cut a small circle of self stick clear mylar (like from those pop bumper protection rings) just big enough to cover the coil stop face. Before sticking that piece to the coil stop, I thoroughly clean and dry the coil stop so the mylar will stick properly. What this does is prevent "metal-to-metal" contact. Therefore, no magnetism to "stick" the plunger in the down position.

I swear, These vid guides are absolute life savers. Thanks Vid!

Question on the spoon/leaf switch replacement assemblies.... My Jack*Bot manual is calling for a B-12030-2 replacement, however multiple websites including PBL & Action are listing the A-12030-3 as the correct replacement for J*B. Is there any difference between A-12030-3 and B-12030-2?? Will either one work? 

On Actions listing for the A-12030-3, they note:“Can use #B-12030-2 and reverse the mounting bracket.” So I presume the only Difference between the two are the mounting brackets??