TECH: TOTAN Ramp Magnet Coil and Ramp Divertor Problem

[Michael Belofsky]

My ramp magnet coil does not work. I went into solenoid mode. I went to coil
8 (Ramp Magnet Coil) and went into repeat mode (with the coin door buttons
in). Coil 21, the Ramp Divertor coil (in swirl ramp) fired (moved then moved
back).

I went to coil 21 (Ramp Divertor coil) in solenoid test and it correctly
fired (moved then moved back).

I checked continuity from the power wire on coil 8 to J133-1. It is there.

I checked continuity between the Violet gray wire on coil 8 (magnet) and
J116-9. It is there.

Coil 21 (ramp divertor) to J133-2 (power) is good, as is J111-5 (Blue/Green)
is good.

I tried cross checking them to see if they were linked. They do not look
like they are.

I attached a wire to the ground braid and shorted R117 which is supposed to
go to Coil 8 (magnet). Coil 21 (divertor) fired.

I also a attached a wire to the ground braid and shorted R55 which is
supposed to go to Coil 21 (divertor) and it fires correctly.

Here is something interesting:
I removed the connector to the magnet. In coil test mode (as well as
shorting R55), the divertor coil (21) fires but stays activated until I
leave go of the coin door buttons.

This may explain when I got the game why the first thing I did was cause the
divertor coil to fry. I should have realized that it was holding in from the
time a game started. But I thought the smoke effect looked very realistic as
part of the theming for the game :) Really, I immediately turned off the
game and disconnected the wire. Tonight I replaced the coil (AE-30-2000) and
was testing it.

I am not sure if there is a wiring problem, a driver board problem or both.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Michael

[Lloyd Olson]

If you have a manual, first thing I would check the solenoid ( and magnet )
wiring to the solenoid driver board and be sure the wires are in the right
spots on the connector. LTG :)

"Michael Belofsky" <mbel...@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:JaudnXkOYtZ...@adelphia.com...

[martin]

There is some kind of cross-coupling going on. If it is not in the
wiring, it has to be on the power-driver board.

The next thing I would do is put my meter on the ground braid and 70V
supply for the magnet. Then, fire the diverter coil and see if
something funny happens to the 70V supply. I am sort of leaning towards
the PD board, most likely in some kind of rework area. Based on our
earlier conversation, it doesn't sound like a logic problem.

[Mark_in_PA]

Hi Michael,

I had this exact issue when I received my TOTAN. I was able to pretty
much determine it was something in the PD. I could not figure out
exactly what and ended up shipping it to Clive. I don't remember
exactly what he did but it came back and has worked great ever since.

Not sure if this is any help to you but thought I'd toss it out.

Mark

[Michael Belofsky]

I took the board out and looked for bad fixes, etc. Saw none. I noticed F104
which controls J133-1 was blown.

I replaced it (with a 4 amp). I went into test mode. The Ramp Magnet Coil
worked and did not engage the Ramp divertor. The ramp divertor coil also
worked correctly.

I started a game. The ball went to the magnet, was caught by it (so it
worked) and a millisecond later the fuse blew and the ball released onto the
wire ramp.

I am getted closer. I assume I should order a new magnet coil (about $25).
The TIP36C transistor looked good, but I am wondering if I should replace
the TIP36C (Q65)transistor and the pretransistor (Q61) TIP102?

Finally, I noticed that a wire has been added from the middle leg of Q61 to
the left leg of Q65 (looking from the front seeing the plastic and then
metal on top of it). I just want to ensure this is correct?

Thanks
Michael

"Michael Belofsky" <mbel...@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:JaudnXkOYtZ...@adelphia.com...

[martin]

But none of this explains why the diverter fired when you activated the
magnet connection. The magnet and transistors are all presumed innocent
until we figure that one out.

I am really thinking P/D board here.

next step is to check the voltage at the banded end of the clamp diodes
for coil 8 and coil 21. These are the diodes associated with TIP36C
output transistors. They should be 70V with the fuse in, almost nothing
with the fuse out (for coil 8).

I am expecting to see something at the diode for coil 8 with the fuse
out.
Here's the distillation:

a) Both drivers appear to work because we can fire them by grounding
the resistor
b) Driver 8 also fires coil 21 with the magnet connected but no magnet
fuse in place
c) Magnet connected, coil 21 fires but does not release
d) Magnet disconnected coil 21 fires and releases
e) Magnet fuse is OK until magnet fires, then blows.

on b) does coil 21 fire when you activate the driver for coil 8 but the
magnet is disconnected?
With the machine on and magnet connected, if you manually move the
diverter over does it stick until you open the coin door? This would
indicate a current flow through the magnet to the diverter coil.

[Michael Belofsky]

Martin:
I think c and d are backwards.

Here is a table with all the tests. Hopefully it will display correctly when
you open it.

Fuse 104 Blown
Fuse 104 Replaced

Attract Mode (door closed)

Magnet Connected

Ground R55 (Ramp Diverter) Coil 21
Coil 21 fires and releases
Coil 21 fires and releases

Attract Mode (door closed)

Magnet Connected

Ground R117 (Ramp Magnet) Coil 8
Coil 21 fires and releases
Coil 8 pulses (LED 105 flickers)

Test Mode (door open)

Magnet Connected

Test Coil 21 (Ramp Diverter)
Coil 21 fires and releases
Coil 21 fires and releases

Test Mode (door open)

Magnet Connected

Test Coil 8 (Ramp Magnet)
Coil 21 fires and releases
Coil 8 pulses (LED 105 flickers)

Attract Mode (door closed)

Magnet DISCONNECTED

Ground R55 Ramp Diverter) Coil 21
Coil 21 fires and STAYS ENERGIZED (Need to turn off machine
immediately)
Coil 21 fires and releases

Attract Mode (door closed)

Magnet DISCONNECTED

Ground R117 (Ramp Magnet) Coil 8
Nothing
Nothing

Test Mode (door open)

Magnet DISCONNECTED

Test Coil 21 (Ramp Diverter)
Coil 21 Fires and Stays ENERGIZED until I stop pressing coil door
buttons
Coil 21 fires and releases

Test Mode (door open)

Magnet DISCONNECTED

Test Coil 8 (Ramp Magnet)
Nothing
Nothing

I also manually moved the diverter with the magnet connected and
disconnected and the fuse blown and new fuse (4 tests), the diverter
manually moved back to the resting position.

The two questions I have are:
1. Why would disconnecting the magnet affect ramp diverter? I though these
were on two totally different circuits.
2. Since the LED105 flickers and gets dim for the split second that the
magnet pulses, and then in game play the fuse 104 is blown, does this mean
there is a bad magnet? I did order one today. Would a new magnet solve the
fuse blowing problem?

Thanks
Michael

"martin" <martin....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137284833.5...@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[Michael Belofsky]

Sorry, the table did not work. I put it on my web site at:

http://pvillepinball.com/TOTANCoils.asp

Thanks
Michael

"Michael Belofsky" <mbel...@adelphia.net> wrote in message

news:W7SdneRf5v7...@adelphia.com...