Switch Wiring Help

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

J Man

2020-11-18 05:16:39 UTC

Its a DE Tommy. I now have the green wire correctly soldered to the middle post on the upper left out ramp gate switch. Since I first attached the wire to the right (wrong)end of the switch, should I expect to have blown a fuse(s)? The machine is still not letting me start a game- no balls will launch and before I noticed the broken green wire and tried to fix it, I had no issues with anything on the game.

thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

J Man

2020-11-18 14:21:29 UTC

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh

thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

John Robertson

2020-11-18 15:53:37 UTC

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there.. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh
thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

J Man

2020-11-18 16:31:24 UTC

Hi John and thanks. I will follow through with your advice. I have received another suggestion to remove the switch matrix plugs from the CPU and then test the switch matrix on the CPU. I'm able to remove the plugs from the board but have no clue how to test the switch matrix on the board. With luck I won't need to go there.

thanks again!
JMan

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there.. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh
thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

Try this, take all the balls out and put the game in switch test. Then
try operating the trough switches one at a time. If they respond
correctly, then try two at a time and so on. Look for microswitches that
are sticking activated by very slowly activating and releasing the
switch actuators.
Then try loading the balls one at a time into the trough to see if
anything unusual happens after each ball is added and giving the trough
time to settle down.
John :-#)#
--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

J Man

2020-11-18 19:08:50 UTC

I've taken Johns advice and removed all the balls and then tested all the trough switches. They all work perfectly. All the game switches work in test mode ( including the one I incorrectly wired but then fixed) work perfectly. With 6 balls in the trough, for "easy clear", it thinks there are 7 balls to remove. Going through diagnostics to coils, the display reads "coil lock out". Testing the coils individually a lot don't fire. I'm still hoping there are clues here that don't point to the CPU board. How can a "coil lock out" be cleared?

thanks

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there.. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh
thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

John Robertson

2020-11-18 19:56:02 UTC

Post by J Man
I've taken Johns advice and removed all the balls and then tested all the trough switches. They all work perfectly. All the game switches work in test mode ( including the one I incorrectly wired but then fixed) work perfectly. With 6 balls in the trough, for "easy clear", it thinks there are 7 balls to remove. Going through diagnostics to coils, the display reads "coil lock out". Testing the coils individually a lot don't fire. I'm still hoping there are clues here that don't point to the CPU board. How can a "coil lock out" be cleared?
thanks

Try inserting one ball at a time to the trough and see how the switches
respond. At what point do you get a phantom ball - if at all.

Not sure about Easy Clear - is that where the game punches the balls up
to clear the trough and perhaps you get an extra punch or two at the
end? That is probably just in case a ball falls back so it simply tries
to send the phantom up and out.

Don't have a DE game in the shop to try out though, and can't recall if
that is normal or not behaviour. Just how we would try solving it.

John :-#)#

Post by J Man

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there.. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh
thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

Riles

2020-11-18 23:00:24 UTC

Try inserting one ball at a time to the trough and see how the switches
respond. At what point do you get a phantom ball - if at all.
Not sure about Easy Clear - is that where the game punches the balls up
to clear the trough and perhaps you get an extra punch or two at the
end? That is probably just in case a ball falls back so it simply tries
to send the phantom up and out.
Don't have a DE game in the shop to try out though, and can't recall if
that is normal or not behaviour. Just how we would try solving it.
John :-#)#

Hi- I’m still at it trying to solve my DE Tommy issues. I’m not sure what problem if any I caused when I attached the green switch wire to the wrong post. In diagnostics now “coil lock out” comes up and the ball trough is picking up on an extra ball which is not there.. With all 6 balls it thinks has seven. Flippers do work in diagnostics but won’t activate a kick out of a ball from the trough in “easy clear” and the kick out coil is not firing. With 1 ball in the trough, the game thinks it’s 2.
Sorry for all this typing. I’m hoping I might be providing a clue to the cause of all this. Before I messed up the wire leads on the ramp switch, the game had no issues. Ugh
thanks

Hi,
I was removing a ramp and noticed that a green wire was no longer connected to the wire gate switch. Looking at the switch, there is a white wire connected to the left post of the diode. Where does the green wire belong? I tried the right side (nope) and the middle (nope). The only thing left to try is both the white and green wires together on the left side of the diode. Can someone confirm the correct position of that green wire.
thanks in advance

I'd try "middle" again. Maybe got yanked out. You might mention which game.

I'm not familiar with DE games, but if it was me, I'd do a factory reset, and see if anything changes.

J Man

2020-11-19 02:23:15 UTC

With all 6 balls out, the game thinks there is a ball still in there. In switch test mode, I add the first ball and it registers each of 6 switches. 2nd ball in registers switches 1-5. All the balls are picked up by the switches normally and the last ball in just triggers the first switch. The game thinks its 7.
Even in a ball trough misread, those coils should fire. I have to identify why there is "coil lockout" identified in diagnostic mode and for what reason -and how to clear it.

If I try a factory restore, will I retain latest EPROM memory as well as updated color DMD display firmware?

thanks

ArcadeForever

2020-11-19 02:32:26 UTC

Post by J Man
With all 6 balls out, the game thinks there is a ball still in there. In switch test mode, I add the first ball and it registers each of 6 switches. 2nd ball in registers switches 1-5. All the balls are picked up by the switches normally and the last ball in just triggers the first switch. The game thinks its 7.
Even in a ball trough misread, those coils should fire. I have to identify why there is "coil lockout" identified in diagnostic mode and for what reason -and how to clear it.
If I try a factory restore, will I retain latest EPROM memory as well as updated color DMD display firmware?
thanks

J-man:

Ok so with no balls in it, it reads one... Which switch number is it that is on that shouldnt be?

When it says coil lockout. Does it say "COIL: LOCKOUT" like that? If so, that is referring to the coil that it is testing which according to the manual is the first one in order that is to be tested so its normal and not a problem..

if it wont eject the balls when you hit the flipper button maybe the high power is disabled, Is there an interlock switch on the coin door?

AF

J Man

2020-11-19 13:45:16 UTC

Yes, you are correct- it does read:COIL: LOCKOUT
Yes there is an interlock switch but the coils fire with or without that button being depressed by a closed coin door

Going through the individual coil tests in diagnostics, here is the list of working or not
No: 1L, 1R, 2L(ball release), 2R, 3L(auto launch), 3R, 5L, 5R, 6L, 6R, 7R, 8L, 8R, 15,
Yes: 4L, 4R, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17,18,19, 20, 21

Every switch works, play field status is "OK"

Does it make sense that once the coils come back on and balls are put back into and out of the trough, it will settle down and behave normally?

Assuming my mistake in placing a wire on the wrong switch post caused these coils to stop working in the game- what is the next step to trouble shoot to solve

Here is my email if someone could possibly email me directly-I'd be forever in your debt
***@yahoo.com

PS: I really value the support this group provides. Because of RGP and its members, I believe many NOVICE pinball techs can stay in the hobby and enjoy working games in their homes.

THANKS!
Jman

Ok so with no balls in it, it reads one... Which switch number is it that is on that shouldn't be?
When it says coil lockout. Does it say "COIL: LOCKOUT" like that? If so, that is referring to the coil that it is testing which according to the manual is the first one in order that is to be tested so its normal and not a problem..
if it wont eject the balls when you hit the flipper button maybe the high power is disabled, Is there an interlock switch on the coin door?
AF

John Robertson

2020-11-19 05:01:37 UTC