Pinbot light bar help.

firefgtn8

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I just picked up a pinbot. The top light bar does not seem to be working. Any ideas where to begin?
 
Test for voltages going to the lamp sockets.

None of them lighting up at all? I'm assuming you probably already checked the harnes from the top back to the connector or boards to make sure it's actually plugged in? And that the bulbs aren't all blown. ;)
 
I found 5 ceramic resistors in the bottom of the cabinet. They are all from the two small light boards. I have new ones ordered along with bulbs. Hopefully this fixes it!
 
Not sure about the top flashers but thise resistor boards are common failure. The ones in my pinbot were bukkake'd with silicon glue so they wouldnt burn and fall off. They lifed out but I just sildered the leads back in and had no problem with it after. If the top flashers are linked to one of those boards sounds like an easy fix. :)
 
I have been working on the Pinbot for the last several days. I think I have all issues but one worked out. The resistors that fell out of the lamp boards under the playfield were replaced with new ones. All 28v playfield amber lights are working, I found 12v #89 bulbs in all sockets. The top lightbar is working (all bulbs burnt out). The last issue is half the bulbs on the backbox are not working. Can anyone lead me in the right direction? I assume it is going to be one of the small lamp boards? I have checked every fuse I can find. One last question, are the larger bulbs in the backbox 28v or 12v?

Thanks,
Carmen
 

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I have been working on the Pinbot for the last several days. I think I have all issues but one worked out. The resistors that fell out of the lamp boards under the playfield were replaced with new ones. All 28v playfield amber lights are working, I found 12v #89 bulbs in all sockets. The top lightbar is working (all bulbs burnt out). The last issue is half the bulbs on the backbox are not working. Can anyone lead me in the right direction? I assume it is going to be one of the small lamp boards? I have checked every fuse I can find. One last question, are the larger bulbs in the backbox 28v or 12v?

Thanks,
Carmen

The two behind the pinbot face/eyes in the head unit are NOT 89's. If you put 89's in there, they'll light for a second then blow. I'm failing to remember what the correct bulb number is.

As for the other half of the regular 44's not working, check GI connectors for loose wires in IDC connectors or burned connectors.
 
The 28v bulbs are #1251. I am fairly new with pinball machines and have no clue what a GI or a IDC connection is. Would you mind explaining, and point me in the right direction on locating them in the cabinet.
 
The 28v bulbs are #1251. I am fairly new with pinball machines and have no clue what a GI or a IDC connection is. Would you mind explaining, and point me in the right direction on locating them in the cabinet.

1251's is right, yes. There should be 4 of those in the game if I'm not mistaken. The two in the backbox as I described, then two at the back of the playfield under Pinbot's visor.

I'll try and get more specific info tonight if someone doesn't beat me to it, regarding where these connectors are on Pinbot. I can't look it up right now.

IDC = Insulation Displacement Connector. It's all the plugs that connect to your boards inside the head of the pin. Called that because they Displace the Insulation by cutting into it. These can sometimes be replaced with molex connectors which are more like modern connectors...crimped and/or soldered to the wire, then pushed into a housing.

GI = General Illumination. Most pins will have 2 or 3 GI circuits from the boards to run the always-on (unless turned off by a relay for effect...Pinbot can do this.) bulbs that usually illuminate the backglass and playfield. Because they're always-on, and IDC connectors are crap at handling constant load, the IDC connectors that provide connection for the wires in these circuits can overheat and become brittle, fall apart, or outright burn and melt after years of use in arcade/route settings.
 
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