New LED displays for Dolly Parton

EvilJack

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So I have been playing the crap out of my Dolly Parton since i brought it home. And things are starting to wear out. One item is the player-one display. While searching replacement parts I was reading on pinball resource that if you replace all the old displays with LED displays you no longer need your high voltage power supply. So what does that mean exactly?
 
So I have been playing the crap out of my Dolly Parton since i brought it home. And things are starting to wear out. One item is the player-one display. While searching replacement parts I was reading on pinball resource that if you replace all the old displays with LED displays you no longer need your high voltage power supply. So what does that mean exactly?

The LED displays operate on +5VDC so you don't need the display voltage any more.
 
Ok, so would that mean that I should remove parts from the machine?
Would the machine use less electricity?
Is this an overall good thing to do?

I am trying to learn everything I can so any detailed info you can give me, in simple terms if possiable would be appreciated.
 
Ok, so would that mean that I should remove parts from the machine?
Would the machine use less electricity?
Is this an overall good thing to do?

I am trying to learn everything I can so any detailed info you can give me, in simple terms if possiable would be appreciated.

Personally I would just pull the fuse on the rectifier board and leave it at that. This will "turn off" the display voltage without having to remove anything from the driver/regulator board.

The machine will use less electricity but I wouldn't expect it to be a huge difference. Certainly not enough to be sole motivation to buy the LED displays.

I would call it a good thing to do if you are in need of new displays. If you only need one and the rest are good I would probably just buy one used. It will probably be a lot cheaper. Especially since your game used 6 digit displays. A lot more 6 digit display games have been parted out (in my experience).

Just my opinions.
 
Before using your game again, I'd check some things.

- Check voltages at Tp2 and TP4. TP2 should be 170v DC and TP4 should be the full ~220v DC. If TP2 is high, the displays WILL work, but they will burn out abnormally fast.
- Try plugging that display into another's harness. Could be a wiring issue, or a problem upstream.
- Check the pcb on that display for burnt out resistors, cold solder joints (VERY COMMON with bally score displays), and other damage.

Also, for the record, by "wear out" you mean the display has completely stopped functioning, right? Losing a digit, or a flickering display is almost never a problem with the display itself.
 
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Thanks guys for the info and advice. I really hadn't planned to replace it right now. I was just looking at options and curious about the statement of not needing a high voltage power source. I asked these questions because I want to learn everything I can. So keep the info coming I appreciate it.

I will keep in mind buying a used display if needed. Especailly since the LED ones are brighter and won't look right if I don't change them all.

My current plan was to just let it go till it burnt out and swap it with the one from player 4 section.

I can't actually check voltages just yet. I don't have DMM. I had an ok analog one back in the day but have since burned it out. And since I stopped working as a mechainc I never got a new one. I will be picking up one as soon as I get the chance. Any suggestions on ones that are good, but budget concious?

Also what my display is doing. When the machine is turned on it is dim, and getting worse where some times not all the sections of the display will light up. After a bit of time playing it will work correctly. Also if I push on the display it will sometimes go in and out form dim to bright. I am guessing a wiring issue, but I didnt know if it was something I could fix or not. If its easily fixed I will go that route.
 
Also what my display is doing. When the machine is turned on it is dim, and getting worse where some times not all the sections of the display will light up. After a bit of time playing it will work correctly. Also if I push on the display it will sometimes go in and out form dim to bright. I am guessing a wiring issue, but I didnt know if it was something I could fix or not. If its easily fixed I will go that route.

Sounds like broken solder joints on the display connector. An easy test is to simply push down on the connector while the game is on. The display should react. Pretty much every bally from that era is victim. Bust out the soldering iron and reflow the suspect pins.

But I'd still be wary running them without knowing what kind of voltage is going through the HV section. That circuit is notorious for creeping up over time, and it'd a costly mistake to cook your displays. Personally I'd disconnect all of the displays until you've tested TP2
 
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