Fish Tales Pinball Machine Keeps going back to Factory Settings

stotzbotz

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:35:48 PM9/14/09

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Hello and thanks in advance for any help. I have a Williams Fish Tales
pinball machine that for the most part works great. When I bought it
the FREE PLAY setting was set and stayed that way every few days when
we would plug it in and turn it on. The game sat for about a week
unplugged and when I went to play it the display came up saying
"Factory Settings Restored". I figured out how to reset the FREE PLAY
function and hit ENTER to save it but now when I turn it back on after
only a day it has gone back to Factory Settings again. I have noticed
that the ESCAPE button does not seem to do anything when I reset the
game back to Free Play and want to exit out of that mode. With this
game, you're supposed to push the Escape button after you are done
setting whatever function you are adjusting so that you can back up or
I believe exit the set up menus. If anyone has any ideas as to what I
need to do to keep this game in the FREE PLAY mode I would greatly
appreciate it. All of this started after letting the machine sit for
about a week unplugged. Thank you for your time

beachcomber

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:38:44 PM9/14/09

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Have you changed the double AA batteries in the backboard?

tomdotcom

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:40:27 PM9/14/09

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Batteries could be dead or have corrosion on it. Start there :)

PINAHOLIC

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:41:05 PM9/14/09

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On Sep 14, 8:35 pm, stotzbotz <playstationh...@aol.com> wrote:

did you try putting new batteries in?

beachcomber

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:41:43 PM9/14/09

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> Have you changed the double AA batteries in the backboard?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The AA batteries should be changed once a year while the machine is on
to save your settings. They keep your settings when power is off. If
not changed they can leak and cause alot of damage.

Lloyd Olson

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:45:03 PM9/14/09

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Factory Settings Restored - bad batteries, bad battery holder, or battery
damage. It gets the diagnostic stuff first. That may be why you can't
escape.

There are two wires on the escape button - ground and the other. Short the
other to ground to be sure the wiring to the cpu works and the cpu works -
if so, then check for broken wires, broken switch, back of switch shorting
to metal. LTG :)

"stotzbotz" <playsta...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:3e71c391-1c93-459c...@p23g2000vbl.googlegroups.com...

Fuey

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Sep 14, 2009, 8:46:07 PM9/14/09

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In article
<3e71c391-1c93-459c...@p23g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>,
stotzbotz <playsta...@aol.com> wrote:

Replace the batteries for the MPU?

-Mike

stotzbotz

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Sep 14, 2009, 9:47:45 PM9/14/09

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On Sep 14, 8:46�pm, Fuey <pilgar...@remo-ve.comcast.net> wrote:
> In article
> <3e71c391-1c93-459c-94ff-1e28e18cb...@p23g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>,

> -Mike- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks everyone. The batteries look older and have just started to
corrode. Changing them and cleaning the contact points should fix the
situation. Man this is a great site.

stotzbotz

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Sep 16, 2009, 11:15:58 PM9/16/09

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On Sep 14, 8:35�pm, stotzbotz <playstationh...@aol.com> wrote:

Just letting everyone know that the memrory batteries were replaced
with new ones and I was actually able to take 2 better than average
tacks, stick them through the holes in the battery housing connectors
that corroded away and bent them clamping them tightly in place. I
then soldered them from underneath. It worked great to replace the
thin metal plates that crumbled away from the battery corrosion. The
Escape switch was taken off, sprayed at the opening on the side with
WD-40 then pushed about 200 times. It now works great. Thanks again
everyone for your help.

pinballking arcarde

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Apr 12, 2022, 9:21:17 AM4/12/22

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Todd Carter

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Apr 18, 2022, 3:16:37 PM4/18/22

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NO W40. do not use any where near a pinball machine