1980 black knight pinball, 2500 03 error on start

john2654

Well-known member

Donor 3 years: 2011, 2020, 2024
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
6,426
Reaction score
1,272
Location
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
1980 black knight that worked for years but now keeps giving a 2500 03 error on start-up.
Any ideas?
 

Attachments

  • DSC01772.jpg
    DSC01772.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 38
  • DSC01773.jpg
    DSC01773.jpg
    103.3 KB · Views: 48
  • DSC01774.jpg
    DSC01774.jpg
    100.8 KB · Views: 44
Last edited:
From RGP:

"2500 3" is a symptom of memory corruption - failing backup batteries, poor
conduction through a corroded battery holder, or a bad 5101 CMOS RAM chip.

It's the game ID number and ROM revision. The game, on power up, detected
that the battery backed 5101 CMOS RAM contents were invalid. When this
happens, it starts in "diagnostics" mode and waits for you to take care of
the problem. Open the coin door, and flick the power switch off then back
on again. That *should* get it to boot to "game over" mode.

This could be a number of things, really. Most likely is the Scanbe
sockets, especially the one under the 5101 CMOS RAM chip.

See here for some more:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....fc84?lnk=gst&q=2500+03+error#a3144a03949dfc84
 
Yep, audit mode. Check those batteries ASAP! That's your most likely cause, just old batteries. As long as there's no corrosion, just swap in some fresh ones and off you go. Look into a remote battery pack, or some lithium AA's (they don't leak). If that's not it, the next things to check are the 5101 RAM chip and blocking diode..... but my money is that it's just the batteries if it's just started doing this.

If you use regular alkaline batteries, change them annually. Lithiums you can wait till they die as they don't leak at all.

Not likely to find SCANBE socket in a System 7 board though, they're pretty much all switched over to the RN brand by then.

-Hans
 
Finally got to look at this thing. Bottom board looks toast. Added pics to first post. Actual error reads; on top: 2500 3, on bottom: 04 00

1b-2001-131-2

Think it's called a Williams Driver Board sys 3-7.
Others call it a Williams Solenoid Lamp Driver

All four flippers work, that's about it.

Repairable or should I look for a replacement?
 
Last edited:
Sweet Jesus what happened to that driver board? Is that corrosion or burn marks? Was it always like that, or just recently got that way?

Can't quite say for sure if it's repairable without a closer photo, but it's definitely going to need some work for sure. Looks to have damage all over the lamp matrix, and some up into the switch matrix. I'm honestly shocked that it's even getting you into audit mode with how that lamp PIA is looking.

-Hans
 
First things first, replace the batteries.

then turn the game off and on at least twice.

Than see if the problem persists.

Run throught the audits and then the game should go to the game over mode.

Does it do that?
Chris
 
Brand new batteries. Went through all the audits and it gets stuck on: 04 19. Flippers still work, but it will not go back to normal mode (game over mode).

On and off multiple times.

No difference.
 
It looks a lot worse than it really is... most if not all of the brown coating is just from the resistors... they run very hot.

Go through the pinrepair site and you should be able to get it back on its feet again.

cheers
/Tim
 
Those big brown resistors will always be hot, sub-par design choice to use too-low wattage parts. There are ways around it, but it's normal to have that happen.

That board needs some serious parts replacement though in the damaged areas. I'm just confused as to why it burned up in the areas it did. Any signs of burn damage on the backside of the display board? The soot about the brown lamp resistors is normal, but that much heat around the lamp PIA area is not.

-Hans
 
Last edited:
Couple options at this point. How experienced are you at board repair? It may just be heat residue from the lamp matrix all around, some signs of discoloration in both resistor sets. Something is causing it to not fully run though, can you get into the display/switch/solenoid/lamp test modes at all?

-Hans
 
When I press the buttons on the inside of the coin door, the number goes up to 19 then freezes and will not go farther or start over. I then have to cycle the power to get back to the error reading; on top: 2500 3, on bottom: 04 00. Does my problem lay with the Driver Board because there is a seller selling refurbished ones on ebay. Or may there be problems elsewhere?
 
The CPU is booting into the audit bookkeeping mode. The number that you are seeing is the game version and not an error code.

How did the battery holder look? if it has corrosion on it, it may be dropping the voltage. The chip that stores the settings (5101) is a common failure point on these games.

Usually problems with the driver board will blow a fuse or keep the CPU from booting or lock on the solenoids.

For the on and off twice to get out of the audit mode to work, you have to be really quick at it.
 
There was not much if any corrosion in the battery holder.

Tried the off on method really fast multiple times and it just goes back to the 2500 3 message
 
I thought the on and off trick was with the coin door open. did you try that? Had the same problem with my Firepower.

But if it's still doing it with fresh batteries, there is a problem somewhere on the CPU board. You shouldn't have to power cycle it more than once if you have good batteries in there. Could be either the 5101 partially failed or a bad blocking diode, might even be a problem with one of the game ROM's.

Here's another thing to try. If you go through the settings, instead of going up, try going down instead. It should go from 1 (or is it 0) straight back to 49. Then try to go back up to setting number 1. This will normally get it into attract mode without having to power cycle it.

I wouldn't go straight to replacing the driver board yet, as you may have problems on both boards. Replacing both boards would run about $250..... repairing both would likely cost under $100. (could be more, depends on the problem(s)).

-Hans
 
Yes, tried the fast off on with coin door open.

Also tried going from 00 down to 50 and back to 00 and the displays flash zeros and there is a slick click inside the top and then back to displaying the 2500 3 error again.

Messaged the seller of the refurb Driver board and they replied, "No, problem is in the Main computer Board above? (with batteries) We can unlock it."
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom