My Flash wont flash

dieseldogpi

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Hey everyone. After getting my Flash working (for the most part), I've been enjoying some games. Its nice to be able to come home, play a couple of games to wind down. One thing I noticed is the flash bulbs under the blue center area in the playfield dont light or flash. I checked the bulbs and they are ok (what kind of bulbs are these anyway), I don't know what else to check. All the other lamps and everything works perfectly. I know there is a seperate mini pcb for the flash bulbs, but I don't know where to start. Thanks for any help.
PS: I just put in flipper rebuild kits from pinball life on all three flippers, holy crap what a difference! Its like a completley different game.
 
The most common issue with the flash blubs not flashing is the resistors are bad. I had to replace them on the Flash I restored.

You see, these resistors are always warm to the touch, when working. They are warm because their job is the flash the bulbs on command, and have voltage going to them at all times. These bulbs are not like the flashers on newer machines and flash like todays machines being transistor controlled.

Check the resistors right at the bulb sockets under the PF, I'm sure they are burnt, you can check them, but one of mine checked good, the other did not. I replaced both since both were burnt from years of being warm. After that, it worked no like it should!

If I remember, the bulbs are #89, 12volts.


Here is some info that I'm talking about:

"The resistor board for the flashlamp. The large 330 ohm 2 watt
resistor is permanently connected between the flash lamp & ground.
This keeps the flashlamp's filiment warm while the game is on,
letting 12 volts to the bulb all the time through the 330 ohm
resistor (this increase bulb life by keeping the filament warm).
When the flashlamp is fired by the game, ground is then completed
through the small 1 ohm (or 5 ohm) resistor, and the flashlamp
turns on brightly. Electricity takes the path of least resistance,
going through the 1 ohm resistor instead of the 330 ohm resistor.
The 330 ohm resistor is often burnt or desolders itself from its
board because power is going through it all the time (except when
the flash bulb actually flashes). This game is Firepower.
Williams used this bulb warming approach through System 11, but
abandoned it with WPC."
 
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