Odd firepower problems

liquidx

New member
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
Location
Anderlecht, Brussels
My firepower has been running well for a while but it seems to have developed a couple of strange faults:

When a ball enters the right ball capture hole, it never gets ejected.
If I run the switch test, the switch in the hole is registering properly and if I run the solenoid test, it kicks the ball out without a problem. So can I assume the problem is in the CPU or is there something else I'm missing?

Also, while playing a game, hitting the game/credit button starts a new game and the current one is "forgotten". This problem could have been there before for all I know, I only noticed it by accident.

The board interconnect is a new one and all header pins were reflowed recently.

Most sockets are also newer ones. I may try to replace the remaining ones as they're the ones the PROMs are in.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!
Colin
 
Your eject problem may be in the cpu, have you checked the circuit for that solenoid?


The restart problem is standard. Pins restart when the start button is depressed after ball one is no longer in play. Even EMs did this.
 
That's why you have to be careful when little kids are over, your in the middle of a great game and the kid sees the flashing button and they just HAVE to push it. My girlfriend did it to me one time when I had an amazing game of Addam's family going hahaha


"Also, while playing a game, hitting the game/credit button starts a new game and the current one is "forgotten". This problem could have been there before for all I know, I only noticed it by accident."
 
Your eject problem may be in the cpu, have you checked the circuit for that solenoid?

I checked the driver board and everything seemed normal but I did it in game.
I'm going to pull the boards out and test it properly on the bench.


The restart problem is standard. Pins restart when the start button is depressed after ball one is no longer in play. Even EMs did this.

Good to know. Never really thought about it.
I'll also keep kids away then :)
 
Did you test the switch by using the ball or your finger? Maybe the ball isn't quite making the contacts touch. Might need to adjust the leaf switch...

My finger but it was in fear of getting a whack from the solenoid so you may be right :)
I'll check that.

Thanks.
 
Well, turns out it was the leaf switch. Thanks for the tip.
That's good news, just the idea of disconnecting all those horrible IDC connectors from the boards had my procrastination-generator in full swing :)

From the looks of it, someone already "adjusted" it before. I've got it working again but I'll look into replacing it.
 
Sweet, glad it worked out for you! I always have to remind myself to check and recheck the easy stuff first (missing diode/loose wire/worn parts/etc). I tend to overcomplicate things sometimes, especially if I've never encountered the problem before.
 
Back
Top Bottom