Police Force Multiball issue

MC35

Member

Donor 2011
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
549
Reaction score
4
Location
Friendship, Wisconsin
My buddy is expierencing an issue with Police force Multiball. I have only looked at this pin in person once, but want to help where I can. The issue is that when multiball is awarded; the MPU appears to loose track of how many balls are actually being played. Each ball scores all the points they rightfully recieve, but as soon as 1 ball exits the PF the MPU advances onto ball 2 (if playing single) or moves onto the next player if more than 1 are playing; all the while, there is still 1 ball (the multiball) bouncing around earning points for what should be the first ball but is now either the next ball or next player.
Any thoughts or areas to look at?

Thanks.
 
Well the switches have been tested through the built in test menu and tested good. Are there any more recommendations or adjustments to check?
 
It almost sounds like you're getting multiple balls on the table without actually being in multiball mode... is it playing the multiball music? Or is multiball being started on accident by something wrong with the lock/car mechanism?

Also, the ball trough switches may be your issue. Check the diodes on each of these micro switches and make sure they are not broken - this can cause the game to become confused as to when/where balls are in the drain.

-BB
 
It almost sounds like you're getting multiple balls on the table without actually being in multiball mode... is it playing the multiball music? Or is multiball being started on accident by something wrong with the lock/car mechanism?

-BB

The through switches seem to be working. I suspect that there may be an issue with the lock/car mech but I'm not sure exactly where to start.
I could use a better explaination of exactly how multiball is supposed to work. What is happening is as soon as the ball goes in the right ramp to the police car, another ball is kicked out by the plunger and now a second ball is in the mix. I don't think that is right. When multiball is activated by the hot sheet feature it seems to work as advertised, but as I mentioned anytime the ball goes up the right ramp into the police car another ball is added without any indications that this is right.

any help is appreciated.
thanks,
 
When the ball is hit up the ramp, it should be retained by the car on the ramp, then introduce the second ball. When the second ball is hit up the ramp and retained by the car, the car will then advance to the end of the ramp delivering both balls at once. If the car does not return back up the ramp and you hit the ball up the ramp, then the game gets confused on the ball lock and kicks the second ball into play(premature multiball). I had this happen on mine.
 
When the ball is hit up the ramp, it should be retained by the car on the ramp, then introduce the second ball. When the second ball is hit up the ramp and retained by the car, the car will then advance to the end of the ramp delivering both balls at once. If the car does not return back up the ramp and you hit the ball up the ramp, then the game gets confused on the ball lock and kicks the second ball into play(premature multiball). I had this happen on mine.

That's what I was suspecting, but what retains the ball. Does the height of the car need to be adjusted to stop the balls, I was thinking a magnet but I don't see any wires for that.
 
That's what I was suspecting, but what retains the ball. Does the height of the car need to be adjusted to stop the balls, I was thinking a magnet but I don't see any wires for that.

This is how mine is. It is held to the car by a center screw and hangs low enough to stop the ball.
 

Attachments

  • 100_1758.jpg
    100_1758.jpg
    87.1 KB · Views: 12
  • 100_1759.jpg
    100_1759.jpg
    88.7 KB · Views: 15
This could be an issue of the car not returning all the way back up to the top of the playfield. There are two micro switches underneath the playfield that the car mechanism triggers to tell the computer to turn the motor off, one at the bottom and one at the top of the track. The game's test menu has a separate test setting to test the car specifically. Also, there is a switch on the rear ramp towards the left corner of the game that tells the game that a ball has been delivered to the lock area.

Also note - the game will NEVER award Hot Sheet multiball unless a ball is locked (at least, I have never seen that happen). If you are getting hot sheet multiball without a ball being locked, then the game thinks that a ball is locked when you are starting a game - I'd first look at the switch on the ramp I was talking about.

Tell me more about how the game is behaving musically - sounds strange, but the music is a good way to indicate what "state" the game is in.

Good luck! :)
-BB
 
This is how mine is. It is held to the car by a center screw and hangs low enough to stop the ball.

Thanks for posting the pics. This was definately the problem.
There was nothing mounted below the car to retain the ball. The owner made a piece out of 1/2 inch plexiglass to retain the ball now and it is working as advertised.
Again, thanks for the help. If you know where to get the original part he may be interested.
 
Back
Top Bottom