HELP: Flippers died/fuses blown on Back to the Future (Data East)

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

So, I'm playing my BttF today, and all of the sudden, the flippers start
dying....the left one keeps going but w/ no stength...then dies completely.
I found a dead 3amp fuse on the Flipper Board, and the PPB F5 5 amp fuse
(for 48 VAC flipper power). I replaced them....as soon as I turned the game
on, the PPB F5 blew instantly. The other one didn't blow (yet), so the left
flipper still works (barely).

You guys gave me lots of good advice when one of my bumper coils stuck - I
ended up replacing the transistors on the MPU, coils and diodes and that
fixed it.

Should I just do like I did w/ the bumper, and replace all the things that
relate to the flippers? Aside from coils, what do I have to replace on the
PPB board that relates to flippers? I noticed 2 transistors and some
diodes....is there anything else I should replace to be safe?

Thanks! Hopefully this thing will stop breaking on me one day. :)

Greg

[Trinity]

Does the bttf have a flipper board in bottom of cabinet, if not then the ppb
board controls power. If you have a meter then put red on middle lug of
tip36c and black on each other leg to get reading compare to others on the
board. Chances are one or more are dead. Reflow solder connections on
header pins for that board even if they look ok. Push on fuse holders by
putting pressure on middle of each fuse if they give way replace all bad
fuse holders. I am guessing you have bad tip36c. Take measurement of both
flipper coils just to make sure they are both okay.

Trin

Post by Sweet Zombie Jesus
So, I'm playing my BttF today, and all of the sudden, the flippers start
dying....the left one keeps going but w/ no stength...then dies completely.
I found a dead 3amp fuse on the Flipper Board, and the PPB F5 5 amp fuse
(for 48 VAC flipper power). I replaced them....as soon as I turned the game
on, the PPB F5 blew instantly. The other one didn't blow (yet), so the left
flipper still works (barely).
You guys gave me lots of good advice when one of my bumper coils stuck - I
ended up replacing the transistors on the MPU, coils and diodes and that
fixed it.
Should I just do like I did w/ the bumper, and replace all the things that
relate to the flippers? Aside from coils, what do I have to replace on the
PPB board that relates to flippers? I noticed 2 transistors and some
diodes....is there anything else I should replace to be safe?
Thanks! Hopefully this thing will stop breaking on me one day. :)
Greg

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

Hey Trin, thanks for your advice. It has a flipper board, but the fuses
blew on the PPB and the flipper board. I replaced them both, but so far,
only the PPB fuse blew instantly. I tested the tip36cs...although I'm not
sure exactly what value I'm looking for...in any case, the tip's at Q4 and
Q5 do not get the same reading.

What value should I be looking for when I test the flipper coils as well?

Thanks!

Greg

Post by Trinity
Does the bttf have a flipper board in bottom of cabinet, if not then the ppb
board controls power. If you have a meter then put red on middle lug of
tip36c and black on each other leg to get reading compare to others on the
board. Chances are one or more are dead. Reflow solder connections on
header pins for that board even if they look ok. Push on fuse holders by
putting pressure on middle of each fuse if they give way replace all bad
fuse holders. I am guessing you have bad tip36c. Take measurement of both
flipper coils just to make sure they are both okay.

[Trinity]

I did not have a ppb board to read but off a fliptronics board they read
.450 and .521 off each outer leg, so you should get something similar on the
tip36c, now if one is way off, like nothing or half of what the other is
comparing one tip to the other then it is bad. I do not have a flipper
coil to read, but I can let you know tuesday eve, maybe someone else can
tell you. They should both be the same or close in reading.

Trin

Post by Sweet Zombie Jesus
Hey Trin, thanks for your advice. It has a flipper board, but the fuses
blew on the PPB and the flipper board. I replaced them both, but so far,
only the PPB fuse blew instantly. I tested the tip36cs...although I'm not
sure exactly what value I'm looking for...in any case, the tip's at Q4 and
Q5 do not get the same reading.
What value should I be looking for when I test the flipper coils as well?
Thanks!
Greg

Post by Trinity
Does the bttf have a flipper board in bottom of cabinet, if not then the

ppb

Post by Trinity
board controls power. If you have a meter then put red on middle lug of
tip36c and black on each other leg to get reading compare to others on the
board. Chances are one or more are dead. Reflow solder connections on
header pins for that board even if they look ok. Push on fuse holders by
putting pressure on middle of each fuse if they give way replace all bad
fuse holders. I am guessing you have bad tip36c. Take measurement of

both

Post by Trinity
flipper coils just to make sure they are both okay.

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

That's about what one of them read as...the other was WAY off....I played
with the weak flipper for a bit, and then it stopped (fuse on the flipper
board blew again) ...now, when I test the Tip's, I get absolutely nothing.
I don't seem to get any reading on the coils , either. I dunno if this
helps - but the green LED's on the flipper board flash when I press the
flipper buttons.

It's probably a safe bet to replace the tips and coils/diodes.....I wonder
if there's anything on the flipper board I should replace as well, while I'm
at it.

Greg

Post by Trinity
I did not have a ppb board to read but off a fliptronics board they read
.450 and .521 off each outer leg, so you should get something similar on the
tip36c, now if one is way off, like nothing or half of what the other is
comparing one tip to the other then it is bad. I do not have a flipper
coil to read, but I can let you know tuesday eve, maybe someone else can
tell you. They should both be the same or close in reading.

[c***@provide.net]

See http://marvin3m.com/de/index2.htm#flip0
I believe you will find it very helpful.

Post by Sweet Zombie Jesus
So, I'm playing my BttF today, and all of the sudden, the flippers start
dying....the left one keeps going but w/ no stength...then dies completely.
I found a dead 3amp fuse on the Flipper Board, and the PPB F5 5 amp fuse
(for 48 VAC flipper power). I replaced them....as soon as I turned the game
on, the PPB F5 blew instantly. The other one didn't blow (yet), so the left
flipper still works (barely).
You guys gave me lots of good advice when one of my bumper coils stuck - I
ended up replacing the transistors on the MPU, coils and diodes and that
fixed it.
Should I just do like I did w/ the bumper, and replace all the things that
relate to the flippers? Aside from coils, what do I have to replace on the
PPB board that relates to flippers? I noticed 2 transistors and some
diodes....is there anything else I should replace to be safe?
Thanks! Hopefully this thing will stop breaking on me one day. :)
Greg