Weird Coin Door Light Issue - Nintendo

Phetishboy

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This issue is happening in my newly restored Playchoice 10. When the bulbs were both dead, the game worked fine. I tried new 1813's in the coin door first, they didn't really light up. So then I tried 44s figuring the coin door must be supplying 5v for the lights. Now, when I try to power the game up with the bulbs in, the board won't boot. If I pull one of the bulbs out of circuit, I can then power the machine up just fine. I then put the bulb back in and the game still works fine (though it sometimes resets as the bulb is installed), and the bulb also works fine. Turn the game off, and then try to power back on, and again the game won't boot til I remove the bulb. It just makes a weird buzzing noise and the only things that power up are the coin lights, but only at half capacity. Also, if I unplug the coin door molex while the machine is on it will reset, if I plug it back in while the game is on, it will go dead. Why would a bulb in circuit prevent the board from booting? Too much of a power draw? Is there a short somewhere? What bulbs should I be using? One other thing to note is that I am using a PC-10 kit harness, meaning this harness came with a PC-10 kit that was meant for DK cabs - which do NOT have coin door lights. Could that be the issue?
 
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Did you actually meter the voltage at the lamp sockets, with and without a bulb present? It sounds like the coin lamps are actually wired to a switch input, and you have some rewiring to do.
 
Well, I dropped 1813's back in and though they are dimmer, they work, the machine boots up, etc. A very similar thing has been happening with my Mario Bros which has the same coin door set up complete with new 44 bulbs. When the machine is first turned on, I get the marquee to light up but the monitor comes up with a white screen, the game doesn't boot and there are no coin lights for about 4-5 minutes. Then all of the sudden the game boots up and the coin door lights come on. It seems these Nintendo power supplies don't like to power the newer more robust 44's. I may have to try 48s. This is factory wiring complete with color coded wires and matching molexes. What would I have to rewire?
 
BTB, the sockets measure at 5.01V, and seem to fluc between that and 4.9V. I am just trying to figure out why putting in 2 44s causes such a huge power draw. Aren't they 6V bulbs?
 
It's the current they draw. #44 bulbs draw about .25A each.

I don't recall what the current capability for that power supply is, but I don't think it is much. Just a few Amps IIRC. Plus the Power Supply is probably in need of a rebuild which may or may not help.
 
It's the current they draw. #44 bulbs draw about .25A each.

I don't recall what the current capability for that power supply is, but I don't think it is much. Just a few Amps IIRC. Plus the Power Supply is probably in need of a rebuild which may or may not help.

What do 48's draw? How about 6V LED's?
 
Hell if I know.

It's a lot less current, but I don't know how bright they are. I've used LEDs for something else before and they were bright enough. It had 3 or so red LEDs in it. Cost a bit more though.
 
Hell if I know.

It's a lot less current, but I don't know how bright they are. I've used LEDs for something else before and they were bright enough. It had 3 or so red LEDs in it. Cost a bit more though.

Well I know I hated using 48s in pinball machines as the filament was too weak for all that vibrating, especially in the pop bumpers, so I always went with 44s. Because of that fact, I no longer have 48s on hand.
 
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