The Aussie Pinball Arcade

Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Pinball Repairs / Problems & Assistance => Topic started by: JRK1971 on February 25, 2015, 11:54:12 PM

Title: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: JRK1971 on February 25, 2015, 11:54:12 PM

Hi guys,
sorry but its my week for asking questions...

Thought I'd fix the displays on the Meteor. I have fixed all but 1 display and are looking for some advice.

The problem is that the 1000's digit does not light up. I had the same problem with two other displays but fixed by replacing some 100K resistors and a dead tranny.

With this display, I've check and even swapped the two transistors and the 100K resistor for the 1000's digit. I've even put a CRO on the board and can see a waveform on the pins of the actual display tube (pins 24 & 26), it looks the same as on the 100's digit. Im thinking the actual glass display has a faulty digit but I haven't read about anybody complaining of this symptom before...

The attached photos are of the faulty display
So my question really is - do the glass displays drop digits sometimes and hence I need to find a replacement?

Or is there a way to try and get the glass display going?

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: Ballywannabe on February 26, 2015, 01:20:22 AM

You have done the right things, but it is unlikely the glass is bad.  More likely the wire some times gets detached where it goes into the display glass.  I have had little success in trying to fix this, others may have  !@#

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: Boots on February 26, 2015, 11:21:36 AM

Have you changed the IC?
you can always use it for the credit display, that doesn't use that digit.

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: JRK1971 on February 26, 2015, 08:49:15 PM

Thanks Ballywannabe. Looks like Im looking for a second hand display.

Thanks Boots, yes I have tried changing the IC as well. Unfortunately the digit that is out is the one that is the single figures in play credits (see photo).

Looks like im on the hunt for a display, do you guys know of anybody that would want to sell one?

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: riverinapinball on February 27, 2015, 08:04:04 AM

I have some spare bally stern 6 digit display.s. I will need to search for them. Some have digit burn though. 
Dan

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: ralph67 on March 08, 2015, 08:02:51 PM

Try buzzing all the tracks with a multimeter set to continuity, I reckon a pad has lifted or has broken , could even be a broken wire on the glass display itself... re-solder  all the wires on the glass display could also help

Title: Re: Stern Meteor Display issue - faulty glass tube - 1000's digit?
Post by: JRK1971 on March 08, 2015, 10:06:21 PM

Hi guys,
thanks for all the advice and offers. I ended up buying a replacement display (complete) from Boots (thanks Chris). Machine is working nicely now. $#$