Joker Poker Issues

rockymtn

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I'm working on a Joker Poker that blows the 4 fuses (two 1A and two 2A) for the drop targets on power up. On power up as well, one quick chime is heard and then the chimes don't work during gameplay. The kicker doesn't shoot the ball to the plunger either. If I manually move the ball to the plunger and start playing, all the "game logic" is correct, and the flippers work.

Here's what I've done so far:
1. New Rottendog Power Supply
2. Ground mods to PCBs
3. Slam switch disable mod
4. Connectors checked and cleaned PCB edges
5. New wiring harnesses from Power to Main CPU and Main CPU to Driver Board

Thoughts?
 
I did a Sys 1 not too long ago. Honestly, "checking and cleaning" the edge connectors didn't work for me. I had to repin everything. I was getting coils refusing to fire and other wierd crap. The single connector I did not repin (one of the display connectors) started getting flakey on me within a couple months and I had to repin that one too and it fixed 100% of my issues.

On the outhole kicker - I had a similar problem. It was simply a switch adjustment. The machine would register when the ball drained to the outhole, but wouldn't sit firm enough on the switch to recognize the ball there. (I assume you have verified your coil is good, wiring OK, etc. etc.). Also, on my machine, i was able to stick my index finger into the outhole and kind of flick the ball around on the switch and it would eventually be recognized...you might see if you witness any similar behavior.

On the drops, do the fuses blow as the machine is going thru the start-up phase? I think you are going to have to dig into the mech, look for shorted wires, broken diodes, etc. Two coils on that assembly, correct? You might try just unhooking one at a time and seeing what happens (I'm grasping at straws here). That might not make any sense though in the context that you are blowing 4 fuses. Will have to look at my manual when I get home.

Do you have real chimes in the game, or are you talking about the soundboard sounds?
 
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Thanks for the advice. I cleaned the outhole kicker switch contacts and the adjustment seems ok, but manually "flicking" the ball is a good test as well. I'll continue to look for shorts in the wiring, etc. and see.

Placing an order for new pin connectors to repin everything as well.

It does have real chimes (right at the switchover from EM to SS).
 
blows the fuses for the drop targets....then the chimes don't work during gameplay. The kicker doesn't shoot the ball

coils are bad ?

OHM them out and see
coil sleeves need replacing ?

i repin all the connectors too. takes a few hours but then its over and a major weakness is crossed off the list

do the plungers in the non working coils move physically ? or are they frozen or melted shut ?
 
Good advice. I stated the drop target situation wrong. When a game is started and the drop targets are reset, the four fuses blow, not right on power up. I'll have to OHM all the coils, replace the pins on the connectors and go from there.
 
Update. Replaced all the connectors and ohmed all the coils. When the power is turned on, two of the three chime coils remain activated until game is powered off...could this just be bad diodes? Now only one of the drop target fuses burns out when game is played and drop target banks reset. Kicker still doesn't send ball to shooter lane. Still looking for bad wiring/shorts.
 
two of the three chime coils remain activated until game is powered off...

thats 2 shorted transistors on the driver board that will need replacing

dont have a schematic in front of me at the moment to steer you to which ones to replace. will look later if i can or you can do it. just follow the wires from the locked on coils back to the driver board and to its associated driving transistor and replace

i think i have a bag of them if you want me to send you a few i can
 
Update: Replaced bad knocker transistor on Driver Board (thanks Splattergatz) Driver Board 100%. Bought a Niwumph CPU board because original System 1 CPU was suspect. Added the ground modification wire to copper trace by C0. Niwumph boots up properly and when a game is started, everything plays normal. Here's the strange thing: there's no rime or reason to when this happens, but game will freeze up randomly or go into test mode. I need to read through the Niwumph manual to completely understand the new board.
 
power supply could be having an intermittent output problem
test the transformer too for proper voltage
i'd hook up my multimeter on the +5v and play a game and see if i could detect a voltage dropout

dislike buying a power supply and it turns out the transformer has a problem

could be one of the big capacitors on the original power supply are bad and letting some ac ripple through to the new CPU

rottendog sells new ones for 60 bucks or whatever here: http://www.rottendog.us/GPS002.htm

glad its somewhat up and playing



:)
 
The transformer will be my next test. Thanks for the idea. It's got a brand new Rottendog power supply in it, so I'm leaning toward the transformer or even the bridge rectifiers?
 
*Update & Important Ni-wumpf Info*

After getting a second opinion from a local game operator, I sent the Ni-wumpf board back to "Ace" for testing. It turns out that there was a manufacture issue with some of the recent U15 chips and they are causing all kinds of problems with gameplay. U15 was replaced free under warranty and Joker Poker is now 100% operational!
 
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