Author Topic: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work  (Read 1976 times)

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Offline swinks

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Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« on: December 31, 2014, 08:25:10 PM »

I was on a mission to get my Congo fully shopped and up and running for tonight but unfortunately failed.

I finished the shop job mid afternoon, checked all the plugs, crossed the fingers and turned on. Not the usual boot up sounds and noises but started a game and when I touched the flipper buttons the flippers worked but noticed no ball into the shooter lane and had a general look around and then noticed the upper left flipper stayed energized in which I turned the game off (but that flipper could of been energised for 10-15 seconds at a guess as did not notice immediately). I did reboot and noticed no solenoids popping and a error report message came up.

The error was the left flipper switch so I turned the machine off again and noticed the interruptor arm stuck out so the flippers would be activated in effect. I made some adjustments and fired up again. I went into testing mode and none of the solenoids worked plus about 6-8 random globes and a pop bumper switch wasn't registering. The globes were not on a particular column or row - very random but I admitedly hadn't touched many of the globes as they were leds installed by the previous owner/s but most were working prior to the shop out from memory.

I adjusted the pop bumper switch and all sweet and checked the boards in the backbox and F108 fuse (6.3A) on the power board which is the Secondary Soleniod Fuse was blown. Unfortunately New Years Eve here and no fuses this size in my stash so machine is down for the night - bummer. During the shopout the only electrical work I did was was de-solder and resolder the pop bumpers (globes) due to a full rebuild. Otherwise for the other components I just pulled apart and replaced sleeves and rebuilt the flippers etc. With the only other noticeable issue being the left flipper switch and arm.

- Could the pop bumper switch that was closed caused a issue to blow a fuse?
- Could the lhs flipper switch that would of caused the left flipper to stay energised cause the fuse to blow?
- Could the fuse just been old and a weak point?
- When I do get a fuse and replace hopefully all soleniods work or is their something else you can suggest I check in the meantime?

- WHAT is the 6.3v fuse (5 x 20mm) a SLOW or FAST blow?

- Where do you think I can get this fuse?

any help would be really appreciated

thanks and have a good new years.
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Offline Caveoftreasures

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2015, 07:06:55 PM »
Since I know the machine I will say replace the fuse with a fast blow to be safe if u can't find the fuse value in the manual and u can buy the fuses from Dick Smith or most electronic stores. Cheap as chips.

When that machine first came into Australia, I had Beaky check every board over and I had him repair a board because I noticed the only problem with the entire machine was that there were 3 or 4 only globes on one column that seemed to be extremely hot compared to every single globe on the machine. Beaky replaced a few parts on the particular board and the issue was fixed in five minutes. The machine then ran faultlessly.

If you contact Beaky he may remember what he did exactly. I am sure he will remember if u remind him of Caveys Congo with the one only half column of globes being extra hot.

I don't think there is a problem now with anything except you probably have to adjust the flipper EOS Switch which caused it to stay energised as u said.

It doesn't hurt to use a fast blow fuse instead of a slow blow, but it does hurt to use a slow blow where a fast blow should be. It's not usually a major issue with fuses if u stick to the proper fuse value etc.

One thing U can do, is unplug all the connectors to the boards and turn the machine on, then connect each connector one by one. If something crashes or blows a fuse then you know the connector or area from the wiring back to the machine which is your problem.

If u want to work out which board was repaired by Beaky, remove each board til u see which one has had a professional repair done to it. Beakys work is perfectionist and the best solder work on the planet. By memory it was a small board up high to the right but that's going from distant memory.
I am xperienced with a lot of repairs etc etc but am not a specialist like a lot on here.
I only chimed in cause I know the machine and know it's history but my help is general at best just to give you the basics which might help. Give Beaky a yell if no one else posts or if u keep blowing fuses.

I am confident that if u adjust the flippers and replace the fuse with the correct one everything shld go back to normal. Reseat all connectors on boards properly and double check they are pushed hard against the boards etc.
Hope it helps.
Can anyone else add anything ?

P.s - Congo is a great machine. Miss it badly. I will buy another Congo. Love everything about this unique machine. Only sold it cause I had too many machines and had no room at all to keep it.
That one is a Japaneese import and was a beauty.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2015, 07:16:38 PM by Caveoftreasures »
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Offline swinks

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2015, 07:15:08 PM »
Thanks cavey

I did a bit of research and found some info that suggested the diodes that linked to the F108 fuse but they tested ok so need to wait for a shop to open and hopefully have the small fuses that I need. I am thinking that because the flipper switch and the pop bumper were closed on power up and stayed energized that hopefully that just popped the fuse. Just gotta find the right fuse locally now.

Other than that the game came up awesome, with all new plastics and a playfield protector - can't wait to play it.

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Offline swinks

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Re: Congo - are the pop bumper coils all wired the same
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2015, 09:42:24 PM »
I was checking out the globe wiring and solenoids of the pop bumpers to see if there was anything obvious and wondered if the power wire should go to a particular side of the coil - note the bottom right is reverse to the other 2 pops.

Also was doing a flipper button test to check the gap and alignment, went to the switch testing and when you push the rhs button in partially you activate the lower flipper and push in a little more and activates upper right - which does not exist but probably a generic feature to do with the flipper switch. But when you push the left flipper button partially or fully it only activates the bottom flipper and not the upper left flipper switch. what do I look for here.

I got the 7 odd bulbs up and running but noticed one bulb not working in the pop bumper so will take the ramp off tomorrow to check further. This was the pop with the switch not adjusted right with it more than likely locked on when I turned it on. The power to the bulb is the same feed as the bulb under the 2 gorilla heads so I assume the power to be good, so maybe just a popped bulb. Is there any way that the flipper button and pop bumper switch causing possibly the 2 left flippers and pop bumper solenoid to lock on, cause the bulb to pop and the popping of the F108 fuse?

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Offline oldskool1969

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2015, 10:10:21 PM »
Hey Dude
Doesn't matter re coils in this case. Just check the area around bumper where your lamp is out as it may have shorted there between the 12v and 6v thus taken out fuse etc. I only say this as it looks like you used the solid lead bumper sockets and I have done this myself.
Hope ya win m8
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Offline beaky

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2015, 02:32:46 AM »
sorry for the delay in getting back to you
it is a T6.3A fuse so it is a slow blow fuse,
having the pop bumper switch stuck closed will not blow the fuse on wpc, wps-s or wpc95 (yours is wpc95)

after you have replaced the fuse before powering up the machine UN-plug the connectors at J-133 and J-134. power it up and see if the fuse blows.
if F108 blows again then there is a fault on the board, if it does not blow then check that F102, 103 and 104 are the correct value. turn the machine off and reconnect J-133 and J-134.
Power up again and listen for any locking on solenoids and check if the fuse blows.
let me know how you go
 
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Offline swinks

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2015, 07:13:37 AM »
Thanks heaps Andy & Andrew

I will go hunting for some fuses today and get back to you with test results, very much appreciate your help.  ^^^
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Offline swinks

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2015, 01:46:17 PM »
found all the right fuses at the local Jaycar which was great and then spent a few hours problem solving and learnt alot.

- re-gapped the switches for the lhs flipper button as well as the pop bumper and went to a standard flasher globe instead of a led flasher and then replaced the fuse and tested.
- the bulb in that pop now works again so it must be linked to the fuse as it was not working after re-gapping
- after testing noticed that the column 7 switches were not working (Amy up in lane switches and sub playfield Congo Targets)
- identified that the middle M switch on AMY had some crap in the switch, once clear the amy switches registered in the switch edge test but machine now on boot up the game stated issues in the error report with CO & G of the CONGO targets. It took some tracking and diode testing and finally noticed one broken green / purple CONGO target wire was not connected and probably broke off when I cleaned and rebuilt the sub playfield and it was close if not touching the steel framework of the subplayfield.
- restarted the machine and noticed the right flipper shot up and stayed up on immediate boot up so turned off.
- turned back on and the rhs flipper did not do anything so did a switch edge test on all five CONGO targets with everything working.
- put 4 balls in and started a game and everything worked except the right flipper so back off again.
- checked schematics, checked the wiring of the flipper and associated plug to the boards and then fuses and noticed J115 had popped, replaced the fuse and then did a check and then tried a game and everything working.

So apart from some switches closed up am guessing the target wire in Congo targets may have been shorting the game. Could it have been weak due to my issues?

Not sure why the rhs flipper locked open and popped a fuse but able to play 5 games without any issues.

Overall thanks for guidance from fellow pinheads and some time with the manual and machine, as I learnt a bit and hopefully everything is ok now.
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Offline oldskool1969

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2015, 02:00:38 PM »
Glad it's back to its former glory Dude.
What's that sayin " if it ain't broke, it's not pinball " @.@
If it isn't broke, it isn't pinball.

Offline swinks

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2015, 02:08:02 PM »
cheers, thank for the help.
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Offline beaky

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Re: Congo - Shopped and doesn't work
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2015, 06:18:59 PM »
good to hear
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