Nino, if you can come over one day let me know. I am fairly flexible, so any time that suits you really.

Marty, you are confusing me lol. To repeat, when I disconnected j205, I could not mannually adjust the volume up or down. I played the game as suggested and after 4 games or so, it cranked up on its own when I started a new game, i.e when I pushed the start butotn( That seems to trigger it).

Knowing my luck I have not connected something, and it is a simple fix, but who knows. As you once said the joys of pinball.

I will try and have a word to the boys at Childs also, se what they say.

Still have to look at the charger problem, it seems to be getting weaker and weaker. sometimes barely makes one loop.
Could it be something that I might need new balls due to magnetic issues or something?

Yeah sorry I misread your initial response and I thought it had resolved the issue.
Buttons wont work with J205 unplugged.  It is mainly to try an isolate the problem either to the CPU board or to the switches themselves.  Due to the fact with the volume is still going up with the switches disconnected indicates that the problem is not the switches.  It can be now either an issue as suggested by Humpalot re the soundcard or the actual CPU board.  If you are able to post a photo of the area I described above this will help (looking for area to left of batteries and underneith)
Are you also able to clarify if whilst playing the volume bar appeared on the DMD display?