It was me! Farfalla finally showed up today, very happy to have her here.

Tried booting up quick, and has a few issues. Can add credits but not start a game. So I ran tests quick...displays: good. Switches: good. Lamp test: nada. Solenoid test: nada.

Checked the incoming voltage to the power board, and the green and white wires at CN1 are showing 0V. So I guess I'll start there. I'll take a look at the connector and the board, but seems like maybe an issue at the transformer?

In any case, super excited to be here. My first Zac.

Yeah. I will give those a peek tomorrow.

I saw some of the replacement boards that you make on the pinballsolutions website, they look interesting.

Also, this is fun!:

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Here's a dumb question...I was checking fuses in my game, and when I pulled the front fuse out of the transformer, I didn't make note of how the plug was situated in the socket. I assumed it gets plugged in with the pin going into the 115V hole, but wasn't sure since I failed to notice. Is it not the 115v option for some reason? (I am in USA).

Cool, glad to hear. I am considering upgrading to the new board(s) as well. Seems like an easy way to keep things rolling smooth for a long time. Once I can get my game fully trouble-shot, we'll see how dire the situation is...and maybe I'll have to buy one sooner rather than later

Oh sweet, I am going to order one of those up. Thanks for the links!

** And an update on my power driver issue:

I confirmed everything tied back to the transformer properly, so took the board out and did some closer examination. The fuses checked good, but some of the clips seemed suspect, so I replaced them across the board. I also reflowed solder on the CN1 header. Several of the resistors were also testing strangely. So far I've only replaced the R1 resistor. Now she boots up and plays/tests normally! Next one to go might be that piggy-backed resistor at R5

There are a few bulbs out, and a couple finicky drop targets but we'll get that sorted. I'll give it some more plays and search out other bugs before we dive deep into a shop job

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The displays on this machine look good, but the LED replacements are tempting.

On to my next issue... I'll start troubleshooting it tonight, but thought I'd ask here in case anyone has had a similar issue.

I am experiencing an issue on Farfalla where after a playing normally for a little while, the game randomly semi-shuts down. The playfield controlled lamps, displays, and coils go dead. GI stays on. And then it just stays like that. Even if I power the game off and come back and turn it back on, it stays like this.

Seems like maybe something is going on with the power driver, but not sure. Any initial thoughts?

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^ Not sure if the missing battery may have played a role, but I attached a remote battery pack and gave it a few flips and it played through without failing. TBD if the issue persists.

Interesting. I actually did replace all of the fuse clips on the power board (some were a bit corroded), so I should be safe there. I still experienced the issue sporadically after I installed the new clips. But haven't had it happen since I installed the CPU battery, for whatever that's worth. Though it's only been a day. I've also been noodling around in the backbox and removing/checking connectors, etc. so who knows... maybe I set something straight without knowing it.

I didn't replace it but I did reflow the solder to make sure the connections were solid. I plan to replace the IDC connector housing with a crimp-n-stuff as well, but haven't yet.

Roger that, thanks for the knowledge.

Please do advise if you have any other common points of Zac maintenance I may want to address preemptively. Cheers!

I will make a note, thanks for the heads up.

Nice one! I am going to put LEDs in mine as well. Do the Zacs accept LEDs without modification?

I did finish up a deep clean on my Farfalla yesterday, and replaced all the bulbs with Comet 1SMD warm whites. They all work, but I get some flicker on the inserts as CaptainNeo mentioned. I will try some other bulbs I have on hand, but I would be curious to know what kind of bulbs are being used that don't flicker.

Can anybody explain what the appropriate bumper lamp behavior on Farfalla should be? I get two bumper lamps coming on at a time, which seems purposeful. But a third glows dimly (new bulbs, good socket), so unsure if it is supposed to be on or not. Appreciate any insight. Cheers!

Oh sweet, thanks for the video. That helps. I will give that a look and see if I can get it working proper.

Has anybody tried eliminating LED flicker in controlled lamps by adding a resistor to the socket? I'm going to experiment with this today a bit, but thought I'd ask.

Yeah, just curious if anyone has tried and had success.

I haven't tried them yet, no. But I will give them a run at some point

Interesting. I tried Comet 2SMD Warm White and I get flickering.

They might be 1SMD, actually. Now I have to go check

Also, can anyone confirm for me what transistors drive the pop bumper lamps on Farfalla? I can't read the number on the schematic scan I have.

A pair of the lamps in my pops aren't working. One is very dull, the other has no light.

Appreciate it!