Turning pinballs on

Alky

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I have noticed at our store that we have problems arise every know and again and something seems weird. My question is if you turn on all the machines at once through a breaker can that possibly damage a pinball machine's electronics or should they each be turned on one by one?
 
I have noticed at our store that we have problems arise every know and again and something seems weird. My question is if you turn on all the machines at once through a breaker can that possibly damage a pinball machine's electronics or should they each be turned on one by one?

The only problem I have seen with turning them all on at once is that they can blow a breaker. Pins amp needs spike when you first turn them on, and then calm way down.
 
The only problem I could really see is not booting properly or acting weird due to the voltage drop from the other pins coming on at the same time. Shouldn't damage anything.
 
I don't think breakers were meant to be uses as "on/off" switches....might shorten the life of the breaker.

Edward
 
In my basement arcade I have every 3 outlets wired to a wall switch (just like a light switch) on seperate 20 amp circuits. Each switch only has 3 machines on it. So if I want to turn everything on I just flip each switch slowly. Never had any problems.
 
I have 1960 house and I turn 5 arcades sametime then flip 1 by 1 4 pinballs at the sametime. 5 second between. it works fine..

If i use microwave along and it would shut down the breaker.. but never damaged the pin or vids.. cuz i use them on surcharge plugs..

it would be ouch if it damages electronic inside pins or vids!
 
I have 1960 house and I turn 5 arcades sametime then flip 1 by 1 4 pinballs at the sametime. 5 second between. it works fine..

If i use microwave along and it would shut down the breaker.. but never damaged the pin or vids.. cuz i use them on surcharge plugs..

it would be ouch if it damages electronic inside pins or vids!

I like the new avatar...:)
 
I can speak to this from an outdoor sound technician standpoint. If we had low voltage problems, we ended up frying something. It goes back to physics Power = Current times Voltage (P = IV). The machine is going to want to boot with the needed power input. If the voltage is low due to all at once on, it will be made up with by more current to generate the needed power. I am not an electrical lineman or anything but we ruined music equipment also after a storm and the power was out for two hours or so. After it came back on, the organization wanted instant music. We powered up and ended up ruining some equipment. With that much draw on the line (air conditioners and such) the current increased in the lines.

It may be wise not to turn on all at once.
 
It may be wise not to turn on all at once

ya, i wouldnt either
leave that experiment to someone else

just think how much of a headache it will be fixing one or more if a problem arises VS splitting up the circuit for 4 or 5 pins per outlet or whatever the calculation comes out to
 
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