Sounds like one of the switches is wired wrong with the diode on backwards.

For weird shit like this I just replace any diode I unsolder to test because they're cheap, I have a ton of them and why not? The next thing I would do is ensure the problem is either the board or it's on the playfield, though I think this is almost certainly on the playfield. If you have some jumpers and diodes you can remove all the row and column connectors and use the jumpers with diodes to simulate the same switch closures to isolate the problem to the board or the PF.

That was my next step to manually test the board with test leads. They are on the wat via prime, I could have made them but I needed a day’s break after 5 hours chasing in circles! Thank you!

This is what was coming to mind for me as well. I had this issue on my AFM, where someone had soldered the banded side of the diode to the wrong switch terminal.

So OP, have a look and see if the diode and/or switch wiring is oriented the same. One might stand out as being not like the others.

As for the “box” trick.. i’ve used this method before. I use switch test and mark any switch that does nor behave like it should (shows incorrect or multiple switches registered). Test every switch, not just the ones in the same row or column. Then also mark down any switches that are closed, ie the trough switches if you have the balls loaded in the game when you do it. In fact make sure the balls are in the trough since they would be in game play. Of course you can have balls locked somewhere too but i’d start off simple. Once you mark those switches, now draw a box or potentially boxes around them. The culprit should be the switch in one of the corners. Bad diode, or terminals touching / shorting against something or incorrect wiring. Hard to say but the method is to help narrow down the problem and get you to look in the right place. I can’t find the youtube vid that showed me that. But it worked for me to track down a switch matrix issue on a Comet, and the AFM issue i first mentioned.

What’s the p/n on the diodes (Marcos has many)? The diode on one of the the suspicious switches tests fine but looks different (smaller). May as well change it out!

1N4001 diodes are used on switches, but I order 1N4004 or 1N4007 as they are rated higher and can also be used on coils if need be. Don’t use 1N4001 on coils or you will regret it.

RobbyIRL5

The bigger the diode the more amps can hold. They all same whit the exception of the glass diodes (fast acting diode). Diode is a one way electronic switch. That means power can go back to cpu The reset you’re having is most likely caused for power going back to cpu due to a faulty diode.

Found it. The same damn switch (64) that we knew was the issue ended up being wired backwards (white and diode on wrong outside lead), somebody here called it. It sure didn't look like it because they had the diode wired backwards with it.

I'm learning from people smarter than me on this, but its quite interesting that one switch can wreak havoc on a switch matrix!

Good job and thank you for reporting back on what the issue was. The switch matrix serve(s)(d) the industry very well for a long time but I love that the games using PROC no longer rely on the switch matrix, so much easier to T-shoot and not possible for one improperly wired one to wreck the hole game.

anyone who can learn something new everyday is a very smart person. The switch matrix fix that you just learned will help you in the future for many other repairs in many different games.

Excellent! Inheriting a problem can be a nightmare. Inducing a problem is bad enough, but at least you have a starting point. Your experience (shared with all of us) goes to show how intricate the switch matrix really is. Going through this with you on here keeps all of our pencils sharp. I remember learning about Matrices in college. It was difficult to grasp because I had no idea at the time what they were used for and their practical application. Had I known then what I know now, I would have paid more attention in class on this subject!

What's the feedback on the ringmaster protector offered by Revolutionary Pinball? Comparable to the famed Orbit Pinball ones??

I was lucky with my miswired switch in my CV I bought. RM up was wired backwards and a menagerie hit caused a slam tilt.

That made it a lot easier to figure out.

Will the ColorDMD LCD board fit in CV? I just bought it and it has the LED DMD in it.

72008352-DFBC-42D9-8DD2-33E6589E8DC6 (resized).jpeg

Nope . Wish it did

If anyone needs a new playfield I have this one listed for sale..

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/112639

Thanks

Please help

1). Ball travels up left ramp
2). Side show activates
3). Game freezes and resets.

Thoughts? Thanks.

Switches. You know how to run a test so?

Test switch

Thanks. Which switch?

You have to run a switch test Test switch is when you open the door and use the 4 buttons dto do it. Do you have any idea how? In there you’ll see the ones are bad or also could be a diode at any switch (is shorted ) or a shorted switch.

Go back a few posts I just dealt with this for weeks. My solution was 3 of the switches were wired backwards (including diodes). But start with switch 64, ramp magnet. In the switch edges test, hit the switch and see if it activates more than one switch. If not, hold it down along with the lock switches and see if more than two switches go off (this was my issue, when two switches were triggered, it activated 3-4 switches).

I thought it was just deja vu when I read their post, what are the odds?

Here’s a video of me doing what you guys suggested. Any thoughts?

Check for one or more switch / diode wired backwards from what it should be. See the top of the switch matrix below for how they should be which is the Green/othercolor wire (column) to the N/O terminal of the switch and the White/Othercolor (row) to the N/C terminal / non-banded (anode) side of the diode.

pasted_image (resized).png

Deja Vu for certain. That is exactly what happened to me. If you follow in my footsteps you’ll learn a lot but I’d like to try to help you past that. Hit switch 64 (ramp magnet) and 61 (Lite standup target) on the front left of the ramp. Take a slow mo video of your DMD so you can see what switches activate (for me it was the colum 2 switches that were getting wrongly activated). I’m going to take pictures of 61, 62, and 64 and you can compare to yours. All three of those were wired backwards on mine. Give me a few.

I’m wondering if there is a CV restorer out there not doing these correctly. The odds....

My first picture is from mid playfield of switch 64. Pay close attention to the orientation of the wires. Green in middle and then the direction of the diode (which side has the white band on it).

The second picture is of 62 (light lock standup at the bottom right of the ramp). I’m embarrassed by my soldering, but white on the bottom, green in the middle (offset to left) and banded side of diode on top. 62 (standup to the left of ramp) should look identical.

Those were what cause my problems, would be really odd if you have the exact same issue but worth a look.

If those look fine, and you hit 64 (ramp magnet) with a switch not in column 6 (anything other than the ramp and lock switches), does it trigger a 3rd unwanted switch? Mine did not which allowed me to isolate column 6 as the offender.

7716205B-FE07-467A-B355-F2DA429FBF7C (resized).jpeg

90D95FFB-CEF7-407A-8504-50E5AFA27687 (resized).jpeg

What's the history ?
Do you own this game for a while and did it work correctly before ?
Or did you just buy it like this and are you troubleshooting it ?

If you've owned the game and it used to work and all of a sudden stopped, try re-seating all of the connectors at the bottom of the MPU board (board on the left in the backbox), and then check the u20 chip, make sure it looks ok.

Thanks. I’ll try all this tonight. I just bought the game. The previous owner says this did not happen prior to him selling it.

Yeah, thats what they all say...

hi. Ok before you do anything. First. Did you check for plugs in backbox? Are All snuggled in properly? Try removing them 1 at the time Just remove it for 1/16 of an inch out and then press them properly In. First alway do the easy things. For next time you ask you have to provide all the info at once ( you just got it and bad switches ). So is easier to troubleshooting. Let me know how you made up. Good luck.

Has anyone used MRS switches for the high wire lock switches?

That may be the best idea ever! I just ordered some for Rick and Morty…I’ll evaluate them and see if they could work.

I tried roll over switches but don't get them right. Do they have to be permanently activated by the ball or do they just have to be triggered one time ?
Any ideas of adjustment ?

Reedswitches could be a good idea

MRS need a magnet to get activated . Ball is not magnetic. Maybe the smaller can work. If someone does it please keep me posted. Thank you

When the ball is sitting on the lock the switch should be engaged. Try changing the roll arm mounting point or just bending the arm.

The reed switches' magnetivity is affected by the ball's steel. Ball over the MRS causes the switch to close and override the magnetic poliartiy keeping the reed together.

I had no idea that works like that. I’ll get done and try. Thank you

Just out of curiosity, what would the benefit of this be? It’s certainly cool I get it, but the rollover switches work just fine on the locks. Is it that it’s lower profile and may look better (more hidden)?

My dv was
Moved and now I’m having a $&$&& of a time getting the lock switches adjusted so they don’t prevent the balls from leaving the high wire ramp.

How thick is the service bulletin washer for the middle highwire support post as that’s my next attempt at correcting this.

Check that the TOP of the wireform - that hangs OVER the balls - is not lifted up, and is as low as it can be to blow any vertical movement in balls.

On my two sample CV's I had, I used a pair of large pliers (protected by towels) to squish the top of the wireform down. Once I did that, no issues at all. With original switches, too.

When I got my CV it was clear that it needed a cleaning, but the underside was also very dirty. Most of the mechs were covered in a sticky brown film which kinda reminds me of flux residue. This was unacceptable so I removed all the mechs, disassembled and cleaned everything. I’m wondering a couple things as I am done this process.

1. I’m considering cleaning the switches that still work, is there a best/easiest method? Not desoldering and ultrasonic cleaning I assume?

2. Has anyone encountered this brown sticky film before? I don’t notice it on the topside, kinda stumped.

3. There doesn’t seem to be a good schematic or drawing of all the top side assemblies/plastics/hardware. Seeing all the hacks under the play field has me seriously doubting the topside, ideally I would like to restore the top side too, how do I determine what is missing/out of place?

Not sure it matters but I also discovered after buying that this game was re imported and was originally 220v
0C147F02-B445-46D8-8C62-1FE90B379383 (resized).jpeg48428342-680F-4D3C-AA15-3B161A5F2746 (resized).jpeg4F838043-E0FE-4178-844D-E15A1A58B94C (resized).jpeg793CA31E-D6FD-4AD9-8284-93CF9B56DAF9 (resized).jpegB1EC8DE3-4B72-40E8-8006-E0A2424451A1 (resized).jpegBE5EC8FA-2ED4-4D10-B874-F7035C8F6235 (resized).jpegD84B251B-3289-4053-A250-2F2BCCC14A3A (resized).jpegE7C7271D-4F93-4061-BF94-2F225FAD8EEA (resized).jpegF9C7DE87-CBB3-40FD-8685-9A0E6557D0C6 (resized).jpeg

6F2884B1-2405-4986-B311-209F715FB7C1 (resized).jpeg

I never cared that a game was a reimport. I only care about cosmetic condition. For me, that is the most difficult thing to fix. Mechs and electronics are easy.

The brown stuff is not normal. Only a couple spots call for lubrication in the manual. That grease usually goes brown.

Top side there isn’t really that much too it. What are you have doubts or concerns about. Just post pictures and the club will help you out.

Awesome stebel I will do!

Here's my top-side teardown photo gallery. It was about 2 years on the calendar between starting the project & finishing it, so I needed to document everything as I went.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cirqus-voltaire-cv-playfield-restoration

Thanks,
-Jason

My balls were ever so slightly magnetized. Barely perceptible but enough to create rolling resistance

Your cleaning/repair looks fantastic! The only time I've seen anything like that it was from cigarette smoke on the inside of a computer. I wonder if your CV was on location in a smoky bar or something?

For anyone interested I got Jady swinks Pinball to make the very hard to find LHS Ball bumper guide!!

Someone on here was charging way to much (as I'm in Australia so the conversion was killing the deal for me), so I contacted Jady and he got this 3D printed!! $32AUD was perfect!

Amazing work and thanks to swinks

All you need to do is tap or thread the hole to 2.5mm and then go to any hobby store for the grub screw and your done!!

Highly recommended!

So happy I can finally play and not worry about killing that guide rail or my balls.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/YL9VL2VWV/04-10253-1-lhs-ball-bumper-guide-pinball?optionId=202657515&li=shops

CV1 (resized).jpg

CV2 (resized).jpg

awesome mate, great to hear that it worked and got you back up and running - enjoy