I would be interested in one of these if you reproduce it.

hmm, so i thought i got my xenon all working but its doing a weird reset thing at random times.

new power board, new sdb, altek mpu

will play then just randomly everything will turn off except the gi.

i thought I had it fixed by replacing a connector on the power board. let the game sit for 4 hours yesterday in attract mode and it did not reset. played one game and it just randomly reset.

fiddled with connectors this morning to see if something was loose. had it in a game and locked a ball and left the other ball in the shooter lane.

game sat like that for maybe 30 minutes and then it turned everything off but the gi.

what would be a good place to start trouble shooting?

What does it sound like when it resets? Does it make a sound like one of the slam switches is hit? You can manually trigger that to check.
If so, I would ask if you ever have any false bumper or sling shot firings while playing, even if only occasionally.

If it silently resets like you power cycled it, chances are it is a power supply issue.

no sound, everything just goes dead with just GI still on.

havent had any false firing of slings or pops while playing.

it is a new board installed in it but it was installed by a previous owner. I wonder if there is a bad component on it perhaps?

Did you repin the connectors? That's the first thing I do on early bally pins.

Check your 5V supply level and make sure it is not too low in case the new SDB is not working right.

I'm with Drewscruis on this one. New power board, SDB and MPU should eliminate rectifier/regulator/logic issues, which leaves connectors as probable suspects.

It sounds to me like the MPU is losing power momentarily and the program is jumping off track, locking up the board. I would for sure repin J4 on the MPU and J3 on the SDB. These control power distribution after the rectifier board to the regulator and MPU. On this design of rectifer board the connectors don't usually burn or break so you're probably good there.

Thanks everyone. I'll buy some new connectors and go from there . Cheers!

Mpu sound settings questions on Xenon. Setting display on ball in play to display 18, then choose 03 for all sounds and all speech. Is it just me or does anyone else see the setting for 18 goes up to 07 if you keep scrolling? Has alteck mpu so is this just because other games use the same board or is there something wrong here?

The count to 7 is part of the Bally operating system (v 40) used at that time. What you're seeing is normal. I haven't checked but the functionality likely wraps around after 03, i.e. 00 to 03 settings are probably the same as 04 to 07.

I just acquired my 3rd Xenon, the first 2 are long gone so I can join the group lol. Xenon was my second pin and my first resto. I did it 10 years ago and restored 7 more games since. This latest addition is rough and I haven't powered her up yet. I plan to do another full resto on this one. I just got the 2019 CPR PF and it's stunning. The game has a nice backglass so I'm good to go except for the cab. It is badly bowed on one side. I have a wood shop local that will gut custom pieces for me but I will have to strip everything from the cab before I can bring it there. I will update with pics as I go.

Ouch!

Ooops cut not gut

That's odd, are you sure it's a Xenon cab? Does the serial number on the side start with EXE?

The speakers are a always questionable... I have a Bally Flash Gordon with two speakers.
As I recall, Bally and others, would put whatever was available, at that time, to keep the
assembly line going. So... if one supply house was going on empty they would use another.

It's my understanding that in the early FG production, the sounds plus board was changed to the Squawk and Talk board. I had an early FG serial number in the low 1000's and it had 2 speakers and sounds plus board. And all the FG's I have seen with Squawk and Talk boards had a single speaker so I always assumed that was they way they were made, but it makes sense that they probably used what was available at the time. I'm sure 1 larger speaker is cheaper than 2 smaller ones and it's 1 less hole that needs to cut. I often wondered if the 2 sound boards are plug and play interchangeable? Or is the cab wiring different?

Looks like the main connector on each sound board are pin compatible.

I've created these custom apron cards, and am making them available for $10 per set, including US postage. I print these on a photo printer using OEM ink (no cheap third party) and OEM ultra gloss photo paper. I then cover in 3 mil clear gloss laminate, and razor cut to size.

Please PM me if interested.

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Joining the club!

Playfield is trashed, are there any hard tops out there?

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Let the fun begin! They usually have trashed playfields. If it's within your budget, CPR just did another repro. They have gold and silvers left. I just got a gold and it's really nice with no flaws. What game are you hiding behind the Xenon?

Thanks! The other game is a Space Station that my friend received in part of the deal.

I'm going to look into the CPR playfields

Picked up a fully working Xenon the other day with brother in law. Excited to join the club and figure this machine out!

From post #368 I asked Mr_Tantrum to come up with an apron card set for Xenon. In less than a week, designed, printed and received. Here pics in a Merf's rerpro apron. These are heavy and glossy so no need for the acetate film on top. A nice added touch to my next Xenon repro! Size 5.5 in by 3.25 in fit's perfectly.

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Hello fellow Xenon owners! I had a few of these Xenon skateboard decks made. So if anyone is interested in some cool wall art for their game room please shoot me a message. Price is $100 each plus shipping and includes a special wall mount to hang it in your game room. I have a limited quality of these and once they are gone they are done. Please let me know if any of you would like one! Thanks!

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The dishwasher vs Xenon

When I bought this I noticed prior to beginning the full restoration and new playfield swap the wring didn’t look right. There was a large purple wire that went from the large orange G.I. wire by the left side slingshot lights that went all the way down to the wire braid just past the last light on the left where the plastic tube exits. This purple wire also was connected to the tab on one light socket.

Problem was all the Mota lights and the xenon circle lights were all on constantly. Saw how they were supposed to work in a few videos. I spent a lot of time studying the conversation Quench and Tomdrum had about all his feature lights being struck on. I threw money at the problem with new lamp boards, this brightened the lights a little bit. Also finally took the time to get new Molex housing and eliminate the oem style 40 year old connectors.

So cut out the purple wire out and removed two bulbs thinking the G.I. and feature light circuits were possible crossed. This made the mota and xenon lights go very dim. The right hand side feature lights were still on.

When everything went into the dishwasher it was a tangled up mess coming out. Some of the braids were broken. I had drawn the paths on the old playfield but I expected to be in a world of hurt since I knew going in it was hacked with the purple wire someone had added and I never had played or seen a good working xenon. Did the best I could to piece it back together.

So thinking a bad solder joint between the left and right hand sides of the wire braid now... I grabbed one of the alligator clips jumper wires I bought earlier and picked two random points on the braid from right to left. Holy Shit! What a difference. All lights were brighter and the spinning rotation effects I had seen in videos was now working.

I had also tested there was no continuity on anything from the rectifier board j1 plug unplugged between G.I., switched, and returns.

I expect the using this jumper and simply moving it along he route I will find the bad break or weak solder joint in the braid.
But What i need to know is: Which lights on the left side are G.I. and which are switched?
I think it is a mix. Without looking I think there are 5 or six from the plastic tube exit to just below the side saucer.

I show which lamps on the left side of the playfield are GI and which are controlled here:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/xenon-with-comet-leds-and-custom-upgrades

Thanks Bill,
that thread explained it. I think a previous owner hacked it to make all of them G.I. but he never removed them from the switched circuit positive. Nothing like chasing a problem caused by two issues at the same time.

Think I will add the boob lighting when I’m finished. Btw the chick between the boobs.... Might add another light for for her butt!

I was staring at those controlled lamps by the tube exit thinking about putting them in the GI circuit. You guys have convinced me. They are worthless as they are and the GI is dark over there!

Seems like the ROM should be modified so those left side lamps are normally ON and flash off instead.

Yeah it just wasn’t thought out very well. Someone should’ve come up with the idea to put flashing lights above the playfield.

As I said before, I’ve been playing this game for over 30 years and I never noticed they flash so the effect is completely lost. Might as well be GI.

Yes, thanks mine are now!

I thought the same. I ended up putting red led's in those 2 switched lamps by the side eject hole and in the 2 by the shooter gauge to have a better effect.

Also the 2 ball multi was added very late in the design.

I remember them discussing that in the Xenon presentation at Expo a few years ago. At lunchtime one of the designers/engineers would play test the game and would throw a second ball on the playfield because he liked the multiball play. So they adopted multiball into the rules.

Nevermind fixed it

Can anyone tell me how to turn on attract mode on a xenon? Thanks in advance.

It's one of the dip switches on the mpu. Can't remember which but it might be listed in the back box tech sheets. Power down game before changing and settings.

Mine's coming together!

Does anyone have any scans of the plastics or backglass?

Looking for the Guide Wires for the lower flipper feed. Mine snapped and I haven't found any that are the right size. Any ideas other than bending my own?

As far as I know, unless you find someone parting out a playfield, you're bending your own.
Marcos has a decent jig and wire you can use to start with.

That's what I did, and added more flow at the same time.

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I did the same thing on mine, I happened to have a Fireball Home Edition and the rails were an exact match ( not sure what the part number would be or what other tables would be the same )

note: I JUST SWAPPED the lower half with the little bend on it
ebay.com link: Bally Fireball 76 Pinball Machine Home Ed Playfield Metal Ball Guides Wires

Another Xenon owner here.

I bought the boards and displays and got the rest free! It is missing the backglass (so if anyone has a good scan, it would really help me out). It was left in a damp unventilated place for about 6 years. It has the dreaded woodworm, even on the playfield! The seller was going to burn it. I'm currently drying it out and treating the woodworm, and then putting in quarantine until I am sure it's cured.

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Good luck with the restoration... Congratulations.

Thanks, I have started a shop log on pinside https://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/bally-xenon.43907/

I have a question about post colors, I see that most people are using blue posts, but the originals are more of an orange/yellow color. Is this just a color preference? Has anyone used red or clear posts?

Also, are there any playfield/side art/backglass scans available online?

Xenon OEM post color was a light blue color.
The post colors over the years have gotten oxidized.
The ribbed post reproduced today is of a darker blue color.
Xenon might look fantastic with clear posts.
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Note: Xenon came with red filters for the G.I. lamps...
----1) Four red filters for the top arch.
----2) Four red filters for the 1,2,3,4, behind the D/T.
----3) Two blue filters for the left G.I. flasher FX.

I'm getting my 3rd Xenon restoration under way. I completely stripped the base cabinet. It was really rough, huge chunks of wood missing on the rear corner and lower front middle. One side was bowed inward. So I decided to get a new cab made. I had to take it apart in order for the wood shop to copy the 4 sides, cross members for the bottom and behind coin door. Also redoing the mount for the back box. So it will basically be a new cabinet when complete. Here's today's damage. I'm also taking a poll here. For the bottom do I use 1/4 inch ply, MDF or pressed hardboard?

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1/4 ply or pressed hardboard, not mdf!

Does anyone have any color codes for painting the cab? I am making my own stencils, but finding it hard to match the paint as the cabinet has faded.
Would Rust oleum brilliant blue and cherry red be correct?

Thanks,
Dom.

I just found this a couple months ago for the blue it's Rustoleum 2X satin Oasis blue. Judging by the cap it's a real close match. I haven't tried to match the red yet. Reds are pretty easy though, maybe rustoleum apple red? You want it on the darker red side I believe. I'm impressed that you are making your own stencils, why not use Pimp's? I made my own for F2K and was a ton of work, luckily F2K doesn't have intricate artwork. What material are you using for the stencils?