Skeeball Lightning Model S - ball count/solenoid

fr4nk

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Hi, I read that there's some Skeeball wizards here, hoping to get a little advice!

Our Skeeball Lightning Model S works fine, except the solenoid will stay open the whole game. So at game over, all the balls are still down by the player (except for the last one thrown.)

So the game counts the balls properly, both ball count switches are traced back to the mainboard and working. The solenoid works, opening at the beginning of the game and closing at the end.

Spooky, huh?

Thanks in advance for any ideas you can throw at me.

EDIT:
* A Skeeball rep got back to me, all he could offer was "check the solenoid fuse, and try swapping the EPROM."
The only other machine we have available is a Skeeball Classic, the computer box looks the same but the Lightning wouldn't get past the clouds with that EPROM installed.
* I have reset the settings to default, I also get a "Lite 34" error at startup, if that means anything?
 
Last edited:
Not sure if your game is like this, but some have settings for how many balls are in the machine, and it sounds like yours is set for 1. Therefore, the solenoid stays open until the last ball is played.
 
There is a Balls setting (set to 9), it seems to be the number of balls allowed per game, not the number installed.
Thanks anyway!
 
SOLVED, sorry for being a n00b

So, it's good to have the proper tools when troubleshooting. :)
I borrowed a logic probe and found that the signal wasn't getting to the IC.
I had tested the resistor between 5V and the switch, and diode between GND and switch, both good, but behold, shorted diode (D13) a little further away.
Easy.
 
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