Tech - Williams System 9 Pop Bumper wiring

[pkjensen]

This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...

My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle. I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not. I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.

Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?

Thanks!

[Bob in Phx]

I just popped the playfield on my space shuttle... A look at the pops showed
me that there is clear tubing, with a Diode inline. Is that what your
talking about???? Transistors have three legs and diodes only have two. On a
diode, the legs come out the end of the cylinders and Diodes will have a
band of gray on one end of the cylinder.So, if its diodes your seeing, yes
you need the diodes. yes the diodes need to be oriented (the band) going the
right direction. Yes the diodes must be connected to the correct colored
wires too!!!

I can take pics of mine if you want...

bob in phx...

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle. I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not. I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[pkjensen]

Yes, diodes, not transistors. Fortunately I have a spare (completely
trashed) PF that I can pull some extras off, as I seem to be missing
one of the diodes. Hopefully there is at least one good one in the
lot. Something tells me these pops are going to be the death of me.

Thanks for the help.

Post by Bob in Phx
I just popped the playfield on my space shuttle... A look at the pops showed
me that there is clear tubing, with a Diode inline. Is that what your
talking about???? Transistors have three legs and diodes only have two. On a
diode, the legs come out the end of the  cylinders and Diodes will have a
band of gray on one end of the cylinder.So, if its diodes your seeing,  yes
you need the diodes. yes the diodes need to be oriented (the band) going the
right direction. Yes the diodes must be connected to the correct colored
wires too!!!
I can take pics of mine if you want...

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle.  I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not.  I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[Bob in Phx]

no problem!!! just take it slow and double check your work!!!!

bob in phx
"pkjensen" <***@sprynet.com> wrote in message news:88cd94a8-8e43-4700-b031-***@j8g2000yql.googlegroups.com...
Yes, diodes, not transistors. Fortunately I have a spare (completely
trashed) PF that I can pull some extras off, as I seem to be missing
one of the diodes. Hopefully there is at least one good one in the
lot. Something tells me these pops are going to be the death of me.

Thanks for the help.

Post by Bob in Phx
I just popped the playfield on my space shuttle... A look at the pops showed
me that there is clear tubing, with a Diode inline. Is that what your
talking about???? Transistors have three legs and diodes only have two. On a
diode, the legs come out the end of the cylinders and Diodes will have a
band of gray on one end of the cylinder.So, if its diodes your seeing, yes
you need the diodes. yes the diodes need to be oriented (the band) going the
right direction. Yes the diodes must be connected to the correct colored
wires too!!!
I can take pics of mine if you want...

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle. I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not. I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[beaver]

Space Shuttle is a great machine. Glad to hear you acquisition.

System 9 should not have transistors under the playfield. Each lamp
should be on the lamp matrix, and are controlled by the CPU. The pop
bumper coils should not fire the lamps.

Edward Cheung CARGPB26

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle.  I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not.  I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[pkjensen]

SS was my favorite game in college back in the mid-80's. I've had
this one for about 6 years, but it spent about 5 of that in storage.
The first PF I had was completely shot, but I've accumulated two more,
one which turned out to be usable, the other one was also thrashed,
but that gives me a lot of spare parts if something goes out.
Unfortunately the best ramp in the bunch is fairly beat up, and the
only Shuttle toy I have is really bad. I did some touch up on the PF,
so it looks OK, but just OK. Waiting on repros or John Greatwich's
direct ink and then I'll rebuild again.

The good news is that the backglass is in really good shape, and all
of the electronics worked great (6 years ago). I just did a repaint
of the cabinet from stencils, and hopefully after some touch-up it
will look pretty nice. Putting new legs and new displays on, so at
the bare minimum it will look good on the outside.

Space Shuttle is a great machine.  Glad to hear you acquisition.
System 9 should not have transistors under the playfield.  Each lamp
should be on the lamp matrix, and are controlled by the CPU.  The pop
bumper coils should not fire the lamps.
Edward Cheung CARGPB26

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle.  I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not.  I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[beaver]

In case you are interested, I have written quite a bit specifically
about restoring Space Shuttles on my site:
http://www.edcheung.com/album/album06/Pinball/pinball.htm

included is info on repairing the playfield, the ramp, the toy, etc.
I also have a repaired ramp, and can repair your pf toy.

Edward Cheung CARGPB26

SS was my favorite game in college back in the mid-80's.  I've had
this one for about 6 years, but it spent about 5 of that in storage.
The first PF I had was completely shot, but I've accumulated two more,
one which turned out to be usable, the other one was also thrashed,
but that gives me a lot of spare parts if something goes out.
Unfortunately the best ramp in the bunch is fairly beat up, and the
only Shuttle toy I have is really bad.  I did some touch up on the PF,
so it looks OK, but just OK.  Waiting on repros or John Greatwich's
direct ink and then I'll rebuild again.
The good news is that the backglass is in really good shape, and all
of the electronics worked great (6 years ago).  I just did a repaint
of the cabinet from stencils, and hopefully after some touch-up it
will look pretty nice.  Putting new legs and new displays on, so at
the bare minimum it will look good on the outside.

Space Shuttle is a great machine.  Glad to hear you acquisition.
System 9 should not have transistors under the playfield.  Each lamp
should be on the lamp matrix, and are controlled by the CPU.  The pop
bumper coils should not fire the lamps.
Edward Cheung CARGPB26

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle.  I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not.  I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

[pkjensen]

Post by beaver
In case you are interested, I have written quite a bit specifically
about restoring Space Shuttles on my site:http://www.edcheung.com/album/album06/Pinball/pinball.htm
included is info on repairing the playfield, the ramp, the toy, etc.
I also have a repaired ramp, and can repair your pf toy.
Edward Cheung CARGPB26

SS was my favorite game in college back in the mid-80's.  I've had
this one for about 6 years, but it spent about 5 of that in storage.
The first PF I had was completely shot, but I've accumulated two more,
one which turned out to be usable, the other one was also thrashed,
but that gives me a lot of spare parts if something goes out.
Unfortunately the best ramp in the bunch is fairly beat up, and the
only Shuttle toy I have is really bad.  I did some touch up on the PF,
so it looks OK, but just OK.  Waiting on repros or John Greatwich's
direct ink and then I'll rebuild again.
The good news is that the backglass is in really good shape, and all
of the electronics worked great (6 years ago).  I just did a repaint
of the cabinet from stencils, and hopefully after some touch-up it
will look pretty nice.  Putting new legs and new displays on, so at
the bare minimum it will look good on the outside.

Space Shuttle is a great machine.  Glad to hear you acquisition.
System 9 should not have transistors under the playfield.  Each lamp
should be on the lamp matrix, and are controlled by the CPU.  The pop
bumper coils should not fire the lamps.
Edward Cheung CARGPB26

Post by pkjensen
This may be a noobie question but I haven't been able to find an
answer so far...
My first pinball project is a Space Shuttle.  I'm putting the
playfield back together and see that two of the pop bumpers have what
appear to be transistors in the wiring for the lamps, but the other
bumper does not.  I'm curious about the need for the transistors, as
well as why the pop lamps have (what I think is) higher gauge wire
inside clear tubing, rather than the normal 14 gauge wiring elsewhere.
Am I OK rewiring the pop lamps with "regular" wire without the
transistors?
Thanks!

I've reviewed your site quite a bit, along with viewing the "Saving
Space Shuttle" DVD. The DVD isn't as much help as your site, but
informative nonetheless.

I'm in the process of repairing the ramp with epoxy, similar to what
you show on your site. I'll have to wait on the toy for a while, but
it's always good to have options.

Thanks again for all of the help, as well as the wealth of detailed
knowledge you put into your site.