Williams Hot Tip (EM)

[DSB]

If I move the bonus unit under the playfield by hand, the bonus unit will reset when you press start for a new game. The bonus unit moves back and forth freely.

That sounds positive but you need to ensure that zero position contact on the bonus unit is making a closed circuit when a ball is in play to the out hole switch. This would be easy to check with a multimeter. Or you could easily make your own.    4 x 6 volt globes wired in series makes a 24 volt indicator, twist one end around the black common of the bonus RE and the other around the green wire on the out hole switch. This will prove if power is coming from the bonus unit to the out hole switch during a game. Maybe someone with a more detailed knowledge of the bonus unit can guide you to the zero position switch. 

[delarge]

Home late tonight and only got a short time to tinker with Hot Tip.

My first issue tonight. Turn the machine on, press start, the machine does its thing, but doesn't reset drop targets or shoot ball to shooter lane. If I press the left flipper button once (or sometimes I have to do it multiple times), the Outhole Relay then kicks in and the drops reset and the ball is kicked into the shooter lane. I went back through the last lot of posts and it said that I needed to ensure the zero position contact on the bonus unit was making a closed circuit. I saw that this was visually closed, but when I pressed the left flipper button, I could see a spark coming from this switch. I noticed that all these switches had been bent and I'm guessing that an owner from years gone by has been "adjusting" these switches. I adjusted this switch and now when it is in the zero position, the drop targets reset and the ball is kicked to the shooter lane.

Once the ball is in play, I knock down a few drop targets, but once again the ball isn't recognised in the outhole. Another issue I noticed, if the bonus unit isn't in the zero position (if the switch is open), I press the start button on a game and nothing resets. I have to manually move the bonus unit to zero and press start before a game will start. The mechanism is fine, but it is not resetting at the start of a game.

I haven't tested anything with a multimeter yet. Is there something I should be investigating with the multimeter the next time I work on the machine?

Cheers!
Adsam.

[goodolddays]

Home late tonight and only got a short time to tinker with Hot Tip.

My first issue tonight. Turn the machine on, press start, the machine does its thing, but doesn't reset drop targets or shoot ball to shooter lane. If I press the left flipper button once (or sometimes I have to do it multiple times), the Outhole Relay then kicks in and the drops reset and the ball is kicked into the shooter lane. I went back through the last lot of posts and it said that I needed to ensure the zero position contact on the bonus unit was making a closed circuit. I saw that this was visually closed, but when I pressed the left flipper button, I could see a spark coming from this switch. I noticed that all these switches had been bent and I'm guessing that an owner from years gone by has been "adjusting" these switches. I adjusted this switch and now when it is in the zero position, the drop targets reset and the ball is kicked to the shooter lane.

Once the ball is in play, I knock down a few drop targets, but once again the ball isn't recognised in the outhole. Another issue I noticed, if the bonus unit isn't in the zero position (if the switch is open), I press the start button on a game and nothing resets. I have to manually move the bonus unit to zero and press start before a game will start. The mechanism is fine, but it is not resetting at the start of a game.

I haven't tested anything with a multimeter yet. Is there something I should be investigating with the multimeter the next time I work on the machine?

Cheers!
Adsam.

Gday Adam.
The bonus unit should count down to 0 at the end of each ball (and thus the 0 position switch will then be closed). From what you have described its not doing this . The bonus unit reset coil needs to be energised to allow the bonus unit to count down (and therefore score bonus value at the end of each ball). If you have a look at E 14 on the schematic you will see that the bonus unit reset coil is energised when a switch on the bonus relay is closed (which it should be when the bonus relay is energised) and a make/break switch on the double bonus relay is closed (which it should be when that relay is not energised)

[DSB]

To add to what godolddays has said: The Bonus unit should count to zero when the ball hits the out hole. Also went the ball is released into the shooter lane the bonus unit should step up once at that time. If it doesn't power will not be transferred to the out hole switch and so nothing will happen when it is pressed.  Turn the machine off, manually set the bonus to zero, turn the machine on and start a game. See if the bonus unit steps up once when the ball is released. If it does then test for 24 volts at the out hole switch to the black common. If no power there may be a bad contact at the bonus unit. It sounds like you are close to sorting this. keep up the good work! 

P.S I can't see the flipper switches will be related. Maybe its the vibration causing a bad contact to make is my guess.

[delarge]

 From memory....the bonus unit does indeed step up once. This is when I place it in the zero position, turn the machine on and then start a game....then I manually hit a few drop targets, the machine dings and the score reels spin, then the ball drains and it just sits on ball 1....

[DSB]

From memory....the bonus unit does indeed step up once. This is when I place it in the zero position, turn the machine on and then start a game....then I manually hit a few drop targets, the machine dings and the score reels spin, then the ball drains and it just sits on ball 1....

Excellent. Do the same thing but re-examine the zero position switch on the bonus unit. Wires red-black and green. This should close when the unit steps up. After that the only thing that can stop power going to the bonus relay is the out hole switch. Can you post a close up picture of the zero position switch of the bonus unit?

[delarge]

Just got home and instead of mowing the lawns, couldn't help myself and had a quick tinker with Hot Tip.

Fixed the zero position switch last night and tonight I had to re-adjust the other switch nearby so now when I turn the machine on, it will no reset the bonus unit back to zero. Still no action on the ball trough switch though....getting closer!!!! Will do more when I come back inside.

Thanks guys!

[DSB]

The trick is now knowing if you have power (24 volts) at the out hole switch (green wire) when the bonus unit steps up. This is where a volt meter would be really handy. If you do and close the out hole switch it should energise the bonus relay and go through the bonus count down.

[delarge]

Yep, got my meter. Could you please tell me which setting and which wires I need to test?

Thanks,
Adam.

[DSB]

Depending on your meter. Set it to volts ac or Vac or Vac 50 volts or anything higher than 24 volts AC. You want to test for 24 volts or near enough. To keep things simple put one probe on the black wire of the Bonus RE "coil" which probably loops from coil to coil. It may be easier to wrap a bit of scrap wire around the meter probe and tape it up then wrap the other around the black of the Bonus RE coil. This will save having to grow a third arm and a lot of swearing! Now test your meter is working. Touch the other probe on a solid yellow wire which you should see at most relays. This is the main feed and should be powered up all the time. If the meter is working you should get 24 volts or close to on the meter. You will then need to set the game in motion as you have been and after the bonus unit has stepped up put the other probe on the green wire at the out hole switch. You can check both wires at the out hole switch if you want. If you have power on one leg of the switch press the switch an see if you have power one the other side. If you have no power at the switch at all you need to test both sides of the bonus unit zero position make break switch (green and red-black wires.)

[delarge]

Set my multimeter to volts AC and was getting around 31 volts with black lead on thick black wire of Bonus Relay and red lead on thick yellow wire of another relay. Tested this on a few yellow wires and was still getting around 31 volts AC.

Started up a game, pressed a few drop targets down and then put black lead on thick black wire of Bonus Relay and red lead on green wire of outhole/trough switch. Only got 5 volts AC.

[DSB]

A good start!  The green wire you tested on the out hole is the same wire which leaves the bonus unit make and break zero position switch. Test the this green wire at the bonus unit (most likely no power there as you have already tested at the out hole switch.) and then test the red-black wire which is the common of the zero position make break switch (hopefully power here). Let us know what you find.

[delarge]

 

BIG SUCCESS!

Before you even posted, I was checking out the green wire on the Bonus Unit Switch. I started to scratch my head. "That looks like it's sitting in mid air". I got a bit of cardboard and pressed it down and also pressed the outhole switch. The outhole fired after I pressed the switch for the first time!!!! I adjusted the switch until I got it just right. Turned the machine on and had several balls that drained and then went to the next ball.

Wow, what a journey for the last few months. Not out of the woods yet as there are few steppers that need cleaning/adjusting, but glad to have gotten this far.

Thank you all for your help!

Cheers!
Adam.

[DSB]

      

Awesome Mate! Congrats! One less issue. One  problem at a time is the way to go. Sometimes problems will be related and sometimes not.

Cheers Dan

 

[Steevsee]

Nice job Adam.