So are you saying that you have the switch 26 error but when you play a game and the powerball is the first ball in the trough and it gets put into the shooter lane the game says "powerball" and starts the powerball mode? If it doesn't (and it shouldn't) then that's what would be fixed by correcting the switch 26 error (either repairing or replacing the sensor board).

It's possible that you have the switch 26 error, the game doesn't recognize the powerball in the trough/shooter lane but when the powerball goes into the subway then it gets recognized correctly, like it would if it were coming from the gumball machine.

With a switch 26 error, the game shouldn't recognize the powerball when it's in the trough.

That board working correctly fixes that problem. When the powerball is in the trough and the board isn't working then it doesn't recognize the powerball and won't start the powerball mode until the powerball is sensed in the subway. Switch 26 is the sensor board and without it working, your game won't properly recognize the powerball in the trough.

Once you fix it, and the switch 26 error is fixed, your game will work the way it's supposed to.

Sometimes I just need to pull the connector off and put it back on (I think it's a two wire connector if I remember correctly) and it will start registering correctly again. I keep hoping that Great Lakes Modular will come back and make the replacement boards for it as they were an improved design that seemed to permanently fix this issue. Unfortunately, he's been gone for a couple of years and while his website is still active, I'm guessing he's not coming back...