Star Tech Journal

•
STAR*TECH Journal
Data East
Pin Simpsons
Vertical
Upkicker
RoweR-92
Phono Shut
Down Error
#39
November 1991
Gottlieb
System BOB
Piggyback
Board
Reinhard Bangerter
Nickels & Dimes
Laguna Hills, California
Robert Russell
Williams Enterprises, Inc.
Enfield, Illinois
OPERATORS LAMENT
PROBLEM
SYMPTOM
I've been having failures with the
upper right vertical upkicker on
the Simpsons pinball. The coil will
weaken after 6 weeks and not
have enough strength to kick the
ball out. Everything looks clear &
it's not rubbing on the playfield.
Phono shuts down and show error
#39 in display. Under trouble-
shooting chart, error #39 says to
refer to modular troubleshooting
charts under "transfer starts and
runs continuously" which lists
several probable causes but not
the one I encountered.
Board does not run, unless pres-
sure is applied to the piggy back
socket adapter.
Service Department
Pinball Connection
Orlando, Florida
CAUSE
Broken solder joints on the solder
side of the piggy back board
(2764).
PROBLEM
We had a similar problem with
Simpsons pinball. As the game
would get more play, the upper
right VUK would fail to lift the
ball.
Which was that the right toggle
coil did not shift its plunger to the
left like it was supposed to when
playing B side (flip side) of 45
record.
PROBLEM
Cannot remove piggy back board
without tearing up the lands and
traces.
SOLUTION
CAUSE
SOLUTION
I found the problem to be quite
simple. If you look directly down
on the VUK ball cup, you will
notice its' aim appears to be more
toward the two lead wires of the
wire tube that are near the
mounting hardware at about 11
o'clock. The ball will actually hit
the tips of these rods and start the
ball to rattle -robbing it of upward
force.
Check wiring from mech control
board to toggle coils. The problem
I encountered was bad wiring con-
nection at spade connector where
it was crimped on.
SOLUTION
Merely bend the two rods (part of
the Green Wire Tube) toward the
mounting screw to help funnel the
ball into the tube. At the same
time, do it to the two rods near the
3 o'clock mounting hardware. I
did this long ago and the VUK has
been performing fine ever since.
Also check to be sure that the
plunger in the coil works freely
and is not sticky.
The new socket adapter board
made by Pinball Connection by-
passes this troublesome board.
By inserting this adapter board
into the open ended Prom One
socket and connecting three
jumper wires, you have a more
stable and easily removeable base
for your Eprom. No more
intermittents.
NOTE
This problem could also occur in
earlier Rowe phono's before the R-
92's.
*
* *
For more information, call Pinball
Connection at 407/249-1022.
* * *