Just bought a Bally Vector.....

Zack5959

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Neat game, everything seems to work. Needs a rubber kit but I just ordered it.

Apparently it was in bad shape a few years ago but the old owner made a lot of repairs to the circuit board.
He had a Genesis, Comet and Flash Gordon in his collection.

I have noticed that this particular game is not common. With that said, maybe I should buy replacement parts when they become available just in case. Im mainly refering to the plastics.

Im probably going to look into a different Sound ROM in the near future.

If you have any spare Vector parts, PM me.
Thanks!
 
Congratulations, Vector is a neat game. Lots of features on the playfield, they just put everything on they could :)
Don't think plastics break easily on this game, I wouldn't buy spare parts just in case (unless you see them for like $1 on ebay then you shouldn't pass on them ofcourse).
 
I'd advise against stockpiling parts you don't need. Someone out there may be trying to save a machine from being junked and might need the part you don't.
 
Congrats on the purchase! Bally machines of that era are absolutely gorgeous to look at. They are works of art, and I find Vector to be visually stunning.

Hope you enjoy it. I played one at a show once, and while I really did enjoy the gameplay of the machine, the voice calls got annoying REALLY fast to me.

Be sure to post some photos! I could look at that machine all day!

Chris
 
Ill be sure to post pics of my little collection after I set them up where I want them in the basement.

The game worked fine when I picked it up, when i got it home it had a problem :-(

The game wont start, not will it recognize when a ball has gone past the bottom flippers (turn over)

I put a voltage tester on the Outhole switches and found 5 volts on 1 side and 7.2 on the other. Obviously thats bad so Im gonna hunt down the short and pray its not the board.
 
I put a voltage tester on the Outhole switches and found 5 volts on 1 side and 7.2 on the other. Obviously thats bad so Im gonna hunt down the short and pray its not the board.

That's weird. The switch strobes should definitely not exceed +5V on Bally games. I would pull the fuses for the other voltages one at a time and see if that 7.2V goes away. That will tell you which voltage is shorted to the switch matrix (if there is a problem at all).

Of course that won't work if it's actually the 12VAC which the +5 is derived from that is shorted to the switch matrix but it's worth a try anyway. If anything my guess would be the switched illumination bus or GI.
 
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Thanks Lindsey, Ill start there.

According to an article at pinrepair, he had an almost identical problem to me and it endup up being a shorted wire to a 'hot' soldered connection under the playfield.

Fixing these things is part of the fun!
 
Thanks Lindsey, Ill start there.

According to an article at pinrepair, he had an almost identical problem to me and it endup up being a shorted wire to a 'hot' soldered connection under the playfield.

Definitely possible. That's exactly what I'm suggesting you check for.


Fixing these things is part of the fun!

Agreed :)

What specifically are you measuring and how are you measuring it? The switch strobes should be strobing (obviously) in attract mode and the returns should have continuity to ground when the switch is open.

I would disconnect J2 on the MPU and then check for voltage at the switches. In fact, disconnecting J2 should be the first thing you do. Shorting a voltage to the switch matrix could easily cause MPU damage (fried PIA). That will isolate the playfield switch matrix wiring. If you have positive voltage at the switch lugs with J2 disconnected you definitely have something shorted to the switch matrix. Unless the short is actually on the MPU but you can check that easily. With J2 disconnected and the game in attract mode the strobe pins should be strobing and the return pins should have continuity to ground.
 
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^^^^^I was told this site is the cats meow and now I know why.

Ill be 'wrenching' on this tonight. Gotta get this game working and my other 2 set-up for the big Xmas morning reveal :D
 
What specifically are you measuring and how are you measuring it? The switch strobes should be strobing (obviously) in attract mode and the returns should have continuity to ground when the switch is open.

With my Volt Meter in AC mode and the switches open, I placed one lead on one side of the switch, the other to ground. The side of the switch with the resistor had 5 volts, the other side having 7.2
 
With my Volt Meter in AC mode and the switches open, I placed one lead on one side of the switch, the other to ground. The side of the switch with the resistor had 5 volts, the other side having 7.2

Do you mean DC mode? If you were reading AC that will be part of your problem but I still wouldn't expect those voltages. In either case you can verify with the test I mention above (measuring DC voltage). If you find this to be a non-issue and still suspect switch problems put the game in switch test and test the trough switches.

Also be sure you have all the balls in the game if it's a multi-ball game. Easy to overlook that and not all games will tell you there is a ball missing.
 
Do you mean DC mode? If you were reading AC that will be part of your problem but I still wouldn't expect those voltages. In either case you can verify with the test I mention above (measuring DC voltage). If you find this to be a non-issue and still suspect switch problems put the game in switch test and test the trough switches.

Also be sure you have all the balls in the game if it's a multi-ball game. Easy to overlook than and not all games will tell you there is a ball missing.

Oh crap is was in AC like I said....never switched it from when I worked on my Shuffle Bowler.
It is Multi-Ball and only has 2 balls in it, but it worked with those 2 balls when I picked the game up. Even with all 3 balls in there the 3rd ball would not be resting on a switch to let the MPU know its there. I have some new Pinballs being delivered today and Ill report back some new findings late tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks so much for all the insight so far.
 
With my Volt Meter in AC mode and the switches open, I placed one lead on one side of the switch, the other to ground. The side of the switch with the resistor had 5 volts, the other side having 7.2

Sounds like a short to switched lamp power. Search that switch's wiring from end to end and check for a short.

The switched lamp power is rectified AC and will measure about 7 volts.
 
Sounds like a short to switched lamp power. Search that switch's wiring from end to end and check for a short.

The switched lamp power is rectified AC and will measure about 7 volts.

Badass I love this place!

Im gonna sell my 8 cars and collect/work on games I think. Way less stress!
 
Badass I love this place!

Im gonna sell my 8 cars and collect/work on games I think. Way less stress!

LOL, well you haven't troubleshooted a game PCB yet which sometimes makes me rather troubleshoot my 69' Z-28 any day!!! :p Two different worlds that's for sure!!!

BTW, nice score..I love my Vector pin....
 
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Well, im officially a NEWB.

When I held down the outhole switch (and kept it help down) the game worked fine.
Its a Multi-Ball game and it needs all the balls to function. I really cant understand how it worked when I picked it up with only 2 balls, a mystery for sure.

Gotta get it all leveled out and put some new rubber on it and this one will be good until it breaks :D
 
I took all the flipper assemblies apart, cleaned them, lubed them and re-installed.
I found a cracked bushing for the upper flipper, which was causing the sticking. I was able to clean it up and super glue it back together...good as new!

Just waiting on a few bulbs and the correct rubber ring kit and it will be 100%

This game can piss off many players because the ball is difficult to get to the upper playfield. Having 2 other games that are a breeze to play, I specifically bought Vector for those up to a challenge.
 
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