TECH: 3-Drop Targets

Pinball Poor

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Oct 27, 2005, 11:03:33 AM10/27/05

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The 3 Drop targets on my Williams Space Station will not reset when you
start a new game. The solenoid test will make all three of them pop back up
ok though so I know the solenoid is good. They also will not reset during
game play so when all three targets are dropped, they will not pop up
anymore till I run the solenoid test.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

Action Pinball

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Oct 27, 2005, 11:14:50 AM10/27/05

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Check the operation of the drop target optos in the game's switch edges
test. Put game in switch test, then manually knock each target down. Game
should report a switch closure for each target dropped.

If not, then you probably have an opto problem where the opto switch on the
PC board on the back of the target unit isn't seeing the target fall.
Therefore the game doesn't know the targets are down, so won't reset them.

This is a very common problem in Williams system 11 games like this and is
most commonly attributed to bad connections on the connector pins on the
back side of the small opto PC board. Remove/reseat the connectors and
check for loose wires and cracked solder joints on the back side of the pins
to make sure everything is healthy. If it still doesn't work in switch
test, you could have a bad opto(s), or a bad LM339 IC chip on the PC board,
or even a power or ground problem.

That is another common problem with opto and other 12v devices in these
games- ground issues with the connector pins on the power supply board.
Remove the power supply board in backbox and check for cracked solder joints
on the backs of the connector pins- especially those along the top edge-
long 15 pin connector. An intermittent ground connection here can make
optos and other 12v devices (space station motor/turntable) not work.

Ray J.
--
Action Pinball & Amusement, LLC
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Web: www.actionpinball.com

We're serious about pinball. Anything else is just for fun!

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klevens

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Oct 27, 2005, 11:17:25 AM10/27/05

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The game is not "seeing" the targets down.
This could be caused by a bad switch, diode, or connection.
Test switches and check connections to start.

Lee

seymour...@excite.com

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Oct 27, 2005, 2:02:19 PM10/27/05

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follow the other messages' advice but also make sure that the solenoid
chain is correct in terms of the A/C relay - my swords of fury had a
problem with 2 targets resetting, they worked fine at the start of the
game and in test also, but they were wired to the wrong side of the A/C
circuits so in game they would not reset (only at the beginning of a
ball). Doesn't seem right they would reset at all, the wire was jumped
to the wrong side and the right one was just hanging.

Matt Mckenzie

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Oct 27, 2005, 4:13:05 PM10/27/05

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On My Space Station - had the exact same problem... And like Ray Said
in the second part, it was the Power supply board. After reflowing
some pins - whamo - all working again.

Are you having any trouble with the single drop target? If you are,
it's 99.9% likely to be the power supply board.