Fathom - Random solenoids firing and weak solenoids

[mattmorphett]

Thanks Marty.
Matt.

[Boots]

The fact that it was allowing the flippers on (at full strength) during attract mode and randomly firing coils makes me think that something is wrong with the MPU.  It sounds like screwy control messages coming through - but I guess you are right, voltage weirdness can do weird things too.

Read this Matt: http://aussiepinball.com/index.php?topic=6645.msg88968#msg88968
Strangely enough the flippers were active on the Trident after it reset until the board fully restarted.
Might be totally different, but it would be weird if you did similar to what i did when you changed the EOS?????

[mattmorphett]

I will check that when I get back home later this week.

There's is a good chance that I have bumped something on that upper flipper.

Remind me, I shouldn't just snip it off temporarily to check should I. I imagine that diode is there to prevent inductive collapse shooting back up towards the sol driver board.

I'll need to find a replacement.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Matt.

[Marty Machine]

The diode is probably a 1n4004, but preferably a 1n4007 to replace.....

available at Jaycar, Altronics, most pinball-parts sellers etc.

[mattmorphett]

Marty, you are a machine!

Thank you.

Matt.

[mattmorphett]

Allrighty, the Alltek ultimate mainboard arrived 30mins ago from Pinball Spares (awesome service Mark!) and here is the update.

I doublechecked voltages before plugging installing it.

Set the game dip switches to Fathom.

Replicated the game settings from the old board onto the new (just copying some other dip switch setting).

Connected the connectors.

Fired up the machine, and...

Works perfectly!  It boots, but most importantly it fixed all of those unpredictable coil firings and weaknesses!

Plus, I now have free play and, I could swear that the bumpers and slingshots are much more responsive now.  Not more powerful but definitely faster to fire than they have ever been.  So the machine just feels more lively.  I also had some flickering in the score displays that has cleared up too.

I am one very happy customer. Best $250 I've spent on the pin so far.

Thanks for all your help and encouragement guys.

Matt.

[goodolddays]

Great result Matt . Sounds like it was definitely worth the money and best of all you can enjoy playing your pin again 

Cheers
Dave

[Marty Machine]

Great to hear it fixed the problems, so in this case "money well spent"

Now, gimme your old board, i need boards to tinker with....

MM.

[Mr Pinbologist]

Good stuff Matt  The Alltek boards are a good thing.. unbelievable that they have 90+ games programmed into them so they can be used in just about any stern or Bally game. I can still remember the first time i read about them and being amazed at what i was reading 

I have two of them, one in my Stern Stingray and a 2nd one i use to diagnose games with, or for a spare if needed.

[mattmorphett]

Dang Marty, you beat me to it... 

I was going to offer the original Fathom MPU board to anyone from the forum who had responded to the thread when I needed help if the Alltek board worked out.  you got in before I even made the offer : )

It's yours if you are serious and would like it.

Otherwise, if anybody else would like it, just let me know. 

I don't want any money for it.

Just send me a self addressed post-pak and I'll bubble wrap and box it up and shoot it down.

Let me know Marty (and I'll PM you my address) or others.

Thanks again all for your help everyone.
Matt.

[Marty Machine]

PM sent...

...and thanx for this great offer Matt, i hope to use it as a test-bench and learn more about them to help others in future.

MM