Funhouse questions

elfyhead

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bought a Funhouse on saturday - it's in decent shape, though needs a deep cleaning. most everything works pretty well, though rudy's eyes aren't quite all working (they mostly work, just never quite open all the way, and don't follow the ball all the time). the backbox is the only mediocre part of it - it's pretty worn.

pic is attached (with my son standing at it :)).

two questions right away:

1 - it's missing the little piece that holds the rudy spotlight. i've attached a pic that has it circled. does anybody sell that piece? i looked in the normal places and couldn't find it. i've also seen pictures that have a darker metal and red script "Funhouse" printed on it. also does somebody have a pic of it from a viewpoint like from rudy's direction? all the pictures i have found are from above and down-playfield, so i can't see what it looks like underneath the metal cover. i'm going to have to dig for the wires too :/...

2 - the blue flasher lamp in the "See Rudy" plastic (see attached pic) is not working. do i have to lift the entire playfield to replace it? i tried to get at it, but couldn't. i *could* get at the white one, but couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get the lamp assembly out of the plastic. is there some trick to it? also, the #555's behind the plastic itself were burned out. they are a mirrored version which is new to me. i put in clear ones, but i suspect they look quite a bit different than the mirrored ones. anybody sell those (again, i looked at the normal supply places and couldn't find them - maybe i'm just not using the right search terms!).
 

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The burnt out bulbs look mirrored due to the tungsten on the inside of the bulb...just use normal bulbs and you'll be fine.

ahh, thank you. i thought they might be some type of special bulb, specially darkened for effect. i've seen a number of burned out bulbs by now, but none that looked like these, and they *both* looked like that.
 
If i remember right, those flasher domes should turn and pop out.

ahh, i hadn't thought of turning from the front - i had been trying to turn from the back. will give it a try when i get home tonight. thanks :).
 
you guys were exactly right - the flasher domes just twist off from the front. although twisting off the blue one is not so easy for those of us with large hands...

the 555s that are behind that plastic are on the fritz though (loose connection i think - they come on and off as i play), and there doesn't seem to be a good way to get at them without lifting the pf. i can loosen the screw on the right and pull the plastic forward to get at them enough to wiggle them (and replace them), but it doesn't allow for any good fixing of a loose connection...

also think i found where the wiring for the rudy spotlight (under the lampshade) should go. lampshade, spotlight, and wiring are all gone. but i see a one-sided small 3-pin connector that has two wires going into it, and nothing connecting to it, which i'll bet is the right one. anybody know of a source for the lampshade and spotlight?
 
Are you sure the bulbs under those covers are 555s? Usually those are flashers - 906s.

They are wedge-type lamps (just like the 555s), they just push into or pull out of the socket from the front. 555s are smaller, 906s are a little larger. The 906s are flashers - they are supposed to flash, not stay on all the time.

555s:http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=31&parent=0
906s:http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=32&parent=0

Don't mix them up - 555s are 6.3v; 906s are 12v. If you stick a 555 in a 906 socket it will blow very quickly.

Here's what you need to replace that spotlight:

Miniature wedge Base 2-Lead Socket With Rear Mounting Bracket
555 socket:http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=294&parent=0

Reflector Spotlight
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=295&parent=63

RussMyers
 
the bulbs under the flasher domes are 906's. but *behind* the plastic that holds the flasher domes (the one that says "See Rudy..." and "Is He Alive..."), in between the 3 flashers, there are two 555 light sockets. the lamps therein illuminate that plastic from behind.

thanks for the pointer for the spotlight - looks like a standard one. i was afraid it was some kind of special one or something...
 
OK - my bad; didn't realize you were talking about the other lamps.

Those 555s behind the plastics - part of the GI circuits?

Check the GI connectors on the driver board in the backbox - may be burned or marginal there. If you wiggle the wires at the connectors there and the lights go on/off - that's your problem area.

the bulbs under the flasher domes are 906's. but *behind* the plastic that holds the flasher domes (the one that says "See Rudy..." and "Is He Alive..."), in between the 3 flashers, there are two 555 light sockets. the lamps therein illuminate that plastic from behind.

thanks for the pointer for the spotlight - looks like a standard one. i was afraid it was some kind of special one or something...

Had the same issue with the spotlights at the skill shot plastics in my TFTC - lamps and spotlights gone, wires left dangling under the playfield.

I hate field techs, sometimes.

RussM
 
OK - my bad; didn't realize you were talking about the other lamps.

Those 555s behind the plastics - part of the GI circuits?

Check the GI connectors on the driver board in the backbox - may be burned or marginal there. If you wiggle the wires at the connectors there and the lights go on/off - that's your problem area.

yeah, part of the GI. it seems weird that i can just jiggle the lamp/connector a bit and it goes on and off - would seem to indicate that the problem is at the lamp connector rather than at the driver board connector, but i'll have a look there too. thanks for the pointer. part of the problem with sleuthing this is that i really can't get at the lamp connectors well at all with the playfield in place - can't get the plastic out. it looks like i'd have to lift the entire playfield to get at them. so i can't diagnose very well at all whether the problem is there or not :/...

Had the same issue with the spotlights at the skill shot plastics in my TFTC - lamps and spotlights gone, wires left dangling under the playfield.

I hate field techs, sometimes.

agreed!
 
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