Here is a stumper for you!

[atariaction]

1k 3k and 4k bonus inserts (the yellow ones) flicker and flash exactly to the backbox lights. When I unplug the aux lamp driver the problem goes away. Replacing the aux lamp driver board with a different one does not solve the problem. Any suggestions?

 

[thewebexpert]

I personally feel that it is a grounding issue, but I am in no way an expert....

 

[atariaction]

OK cool thanks!

 

[pindude]

Trying to isolate the issue, so unplug your coin door, and see if it continues.

 

[atariaction]

Interesting! Ok I'll try that and see what happens! On a side note I also swapped MPU's with a new altek, and lamp driver board (and auxillary lamp board) and problem still persists. I will report back thanks!

 

[pindude]

Good to know, thanks. I believe I have experienced this before, but my memory fails. Need to start taking notes. LOL
I'm interested to here the outcome of unplugging the coin door.

 

[atariaction]

Haha yes! I started a game, unplugged the coin door but problem still persists

 

[pindude]

I would now check my lamp driver board and make sure none of the SCR's metal tops are touching each other, as it can easily happen, and it can cause issues such as this.

 

[atariaction]

Good call! I checked and they are all good. I also swapped lamp driver boards last week with no change.

 

[pindude]

Short of viewing the schematics, my only other suggestion would be to change the backbox bulbs back to incandescent, and see if the issue resolves.

 

[atariaction]

Thanks for checking! There are no LEDS in this game but I can see how the video can be misleading

 

[pindude]

Thanks for checking! There are no LEDS in this game but I can see how the video can be misleading

 

[pindude]

Well I would next examine the schematics and see if there is a common denominator with the affected lamp circuits. If nothing, then perhaps in the past a couple of SCR'S were dead, someone tied the ground lines in series to a working one, so lamps lit. Just a thought.
I would track back each line from the 3 affected bonus lamps to see if they are going to their proper pin on the edge connector.

 

[atariaction]

Ok cool. I will check that and see what I can find thanks!!! When I unplug the power to the auxiliary lamp driver the bonus lamps work fine and as they should so not sure what that means but I'll check the wiring and report back.

 

[atariaction]

Think I might be finally on to something. Found a common denominator. 1K lamp goes to pin 0 or 11 on U1 of lamp board (not sure how to read that on the schematic). 2k goes to pin 0/11 on U2, 3k goes to pin 0/11 on U3 and 4k goes to pin 0/11 on U4. I will upload pics shortly.

 

[atariaction]

 

[sylvain]

I would check the 0.100 Molex pins inside the connector housing for J1 on the MPU, especially the pins for controlled lamps data, address and strobe. One pin might be broken or not making firm contact with the J1 header pins.

Good luck!
-Sylvain.

 

[atariaction]

Wonderful. Thanks Sylvan. I will repin those two pins at least ans see what happens!

 

[atariaction]

Update: added a new connector and pins on j1 on mpu but problem still persists.

 

[pindude]

If the lamp driver was changed out, and the issue continued, then the wire terminals, and housings changed, still it continues. I'm going to suggest it's a issue on the playfield, or bad signals sent from your CPU.