Star Tech Journal

Issue: 1990-July - Vol 12 Issue 5

Wnis Black Knight
Faulty Switches
Willianis Whirlwind I""
LED Fade Out
Evan Wessel
Mercury Amusement
Havertown, Pennsylvania
Kevin T. Lee
B&S Music Company
Rome, Georgia
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
If you're having intermittent switch problems or
worse: Check the wire bundles under the upper
playfield for cuts and nicks.
We received a service call on a three month old
Whirlwind pin game. The complaint was that the
information across the LED's was fading away.
CAUSE
SYMPTOMS
The wires hang very close to sharp metal loop
ramps on the lower playfield and may short from
vibration.
The+ I 00 volt supply and the -100 volt supply on
the power board was reading lower than normal
(about+84voltsand-86volts). The 1N4764, 100
volt zener diode was going bad in each section.
SOLUTION
Williams made this game easy to service just by
removing one screw. This will allow the upper
field to swing open for full access to the upper
playfield hardware.
CIRCUIT
The+ I 00 volts is dropped 20 volts on the master
displayboard through DI andD2 (IN4740A, 10
volt zener diodes) and fed into the anode drivers, ~
Ul3, Ul4, Ul 7 and UIS.
TEMP
Data East Time
Machine Lock-Up
Todd Tuckey
TNT Amusements
Southhampton, Pennsylvania
PROBLEM
Game locks up 2 balls, third ball doesn't eject.
CAUSE
Factory wiring error.
SOLUTION
Put game in switch test. Push the switches on
the time lock one at a time starting at bottom.
They should read I, 2 & 3. If the 2 and 3 are
reversed on your game, exchange the white/blue
and the white/green wires on the second and
third microswitches and problem is solved.
Fix
I had no I 00 volt zeners with me, so I jumped out
DI and D2. This raised the supply voltage to
these drivers enough to keep the LED's bright
until I could return with the correct parts.
SOLUTION
After replacing the 100 volt zener diodes and
removing my jumper on the master display
board, the LEDs returned to normal brightness
and the game has worked fine ever since.
)
Sega System 24
Ganies Floppy
Data East Wacky
Gator Lost Dividers
Phillip G. Stewart
Data East USA, Inc.
San Jose, California
Darl Davidson
Sega Enterprises
San Jose, California
SUBJECT
PROBLEM
Just a friendly reminder to back up the floppy
disk in this game and use the Back-up disk in
the game. We sell a lot of Game Disks for this
system and I don't know why.
We have some reports of the dividers between the
gators being lost.
PROCEDURE
You can back up the disk by holding in the
service switch while turning on the game. Make
sure you have a 2.0 Meg high Density 3.5" disk
ready when doing this. The screen will walk you
through the Back up procedure, (In Japanese).
THE SYSTEM
24 GAMES ARE:
Hot Rod
Scramble Spirits
Crackdown
Super Masters
Gain Ground
Preniier System
BOB Bad Displays
Frank "The Crank" Seninsky
Alpha-Omega Amusements & Sales
Edison, New Jersey
Symptom
All the segments on the display are half-lit. Even
though the numbers are still readable, it is
annoying for the players and could affect the
/.-,, game's income.
Solution
Replace the shorted VRl. It is a IN4737A, 7.5
volt zener diode. Cany a spare with you.
CAUSE
On the first run of games, the dividers are held
by bolts that are counter sunk into the top. We
are changing to bolts that go all the way through.
SOLUTION
• To make this modification you must
remove the top control unit, remove the 4
alien head screws and lay the control unit
back on a table or cart about the same
height.
• Second, loosen the Nylock nuts that
secure the slopes and move them off to
the side.
• Third, unplug the 3-pin connectors and
remove the gator units. The top board is
held down with 2 latches which you ac-
cess through the coin door, unlatch and
lift the playfield up about 2-3" and pull it
toward you.
• On the original game the dividers were
held by two recessed 3/8" bolts. Remove
the bolts and replace them with 3 /8" by 2"
bolts and fender washers (use the lock
washer). Do not over tighten or you may
pull out the inserts.
• On the two front to back braces, mark a
line 6" from the front and cut down 1/2"
and back for 4" (this is to clear the bolt
heads).
* !I
operate.
• .. ;o,•;!.•,•;o ...........
••'•'• ............ , ••••• :::

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