Ok yes, i could have done a better job at describing the issue in the title. I just thought that was pretty clever lol. Now that we’ve covered that, here is the real issue.

Picked up a Whirlwind from a great pinsider. This game is getting a complete restore. Eventually. My first rule of restore club is always make sure the game plays 100% first. That way if something doesnt work after the restore i wont second guess if it was like that before. Known issues when purchased.

1) no displays
2) one GI string in backbox not working

Other than that the game would play. So i swapped in a set of pinscores to enable me to see again. Checked fuses for blown ones and for proper value. Replaced a blown one, corrected a few wrong values and fired it up. Displays work and blown fuse was for GI and voila game looks good. Plays well. Until i start the spinning disks and game resets. And fan topper does not come on.

So i pull the power supply and order a bunch of caps from Ed. I’m a sucker for GPE’s bulk discounts so now i can rebuild several power supplies. But what i notice now which i missed when i checked fuses was a completly vacant F5 fuse on the board. Dont ask me how i skipped over it. So i throw a 7amp sb in there and fire it up - watch that new fuse glow and pop and take out a couple other fuses with it. All starting to make sense. Fuse was missing for a reason. So tested the two large resistors that someone else had replaced. I could tell they were reworked. Still good. Tested BR1 and found the short. Got those on order now.

So new caps are on, Aux power supply board done as well. New BR on the way. But what i’m not understanding is why the game played without F5 installed? Resetting makes sense when part of the 5V section has failed. I just would of thought nothing would work in that case. Displays i havent ruled out as still being good. Pinscores dont use high voltage. Once i get PS board back together i’ll test originals back in the game.

Sorry for the long windedness. Just wanted to splain where i started from and where im at now.

Yep i got a manual - just wasn't clear to me what was downstream of F5 (or how game was . Now only one side of BR was shorted (between positive and AC). So maybe that's part of the explanation. Once i get the BR in I can test voltages. I haven't played it since i got back, just at pickup. Started with the fuses and pulled board to do caps. Then found bad BR and that's where i'm at lol.

Ok quick update. Rebuilt the power supply and now the game no longer resets when the spinning disks start. One less thing!

Still no fan starting - will look into this next. Everything else seems normal now otherwise. I’m going to swap the original displays back in to see if there ever was an issue with those next.

Don’t think this will take too long - anyone see whats wrong with this triac driver assembly? Other than the 5amp fuse where a 1amp is sposed to be lol

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Exactly. Where did R1 go. No C2 is not optional. Its a 100uf 100 watt cap. Looks like it was taken off (or could it have fallen out?). I have the cap i need - and wouldnt of if GPE had the power supply kits in stock. Instead i bought them in bulk and had extras . Not so fortunate with the resistor though .

Good advice. Will check that before i pull my hair out if this triac rebuild is unsuccessful lol

Ok so old display was not dead - but is showing some strange behaviour with some characters. Likely fixable but for now the pinscores will stay in. Blower is set for on in the adjustement menu so i’m optimic once i get R1 back in we should be in business. All the other resistors tested fine, reflowed the headers and one of the fuse holder pins was lose so fixed that too.

Well after replacing R1 and C2 that were missing, testing the other 3 resistors and the diode (all ok) - we had wind. But inly until the fuse on the triac driver board blew. But it’s progress.

So the only tjings left to replace on this board is the U1 3030 triac driver or Q1 triac ISL. Or perhaps the issue is in the fan motor? I have a new U1 but not a Q1.

I think i’ll connect the board with the fan motor disconnected and see if i blow another fuse when the storm starts. If it doesnt im not sure it tells me anything really... but if it does perhaps i’ll get closer to figuring this out.

So fuse only blows when blower is connected (J3).

The fan runs for a few moments then fuse blows. The manual says 1amp slo blow. But there is a sticker on the top of the head beside board that says “5 amp SB 50V flipper power” (when i touched sticker the right half fell off). I’m not sure if this is a misplaced sticker - or they upped the amperage on the fuse and manual is now incorrect.

Can anyone confirm what fuse rating is required on this little board?

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After a bit of digging i have come to the belief that the manual is incorrect and its underfused at 1amp. With a 5amp the blower works great, and game no longer resets. Xpins remain in the game but i’ll play around with originals and see if i can get them to work properly. But that will be another thread - i’ll consider this one resolved.