Bride of Pinbot trips circuit breaker

[Crashramp]

Hi Guys,

I'm not sure where to look with this one but occasionally when I turn on Bride of Pinbot she trips the associated circuit breaker in the switchboard in the house. It's done it since I've had it but it only happens so occasionally I haven't thought to ask about it. So problem is I'm not sure where to start looking or testing for the problem. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Retropin]

If it trips the circuit breaker then its more than likely on the 240V side, so start at your plug and work your way through to the transformer.. from transformer onwards a fuse should handle the problem.

[Pintoxicated]

Bloody hell mate.  Anyone would think you are about to have a meet or something with all the little niggley pinball problems you've been having.

[Crashramp]

If it trips the circuit breaker then its more than likely on the 240V side, so start at your plug and work your way through to the transformer.. from transformer onwards a fuse should handle the problem.

Thanks Gav, I'll start looking.

Bloody hell mate.  Anyone would think you are about to have a meet or something with all the little niggley pinball problems you've been having.

Always the way isn't it, every time I think I've got some time to work on Kings of Steel something else goes wrong with one of my "working" machines. Who'd have thought problems some times occurs with these 20 year old boxes of wood and wire!

[riverinapinball]

Try leaving it on at the bottom switch, and turning it on at the wall plug. See if it still drops the house circuit.
I assume the circuit has earth leakage??
My be a dodging on/off switch. Is it fused before the on/off switch?

[Strangeways]

STOP !

Check the main fuse. If it is a USA game, it will still have an 8ASB fuse and if there's an issue with the primary circuit, it will blow your circuit breaker before the pin's main fuse. Ensure it has a 4ASB (check manual) and then see what happens.

[Crashramp]

 Thanks, I'll check tonight

[Crashramp]

Is this the one I need to change out? It's a 7.5amp fuse

[Strangeways]

Yup. That should be either 4ASB or max 5ASB.

It should be denoted in the transformer schematic.

[Crashramp]

Thanks. I'll check and change it over.

[Boots]

Thanks. I'll check and change it over.

Get a new fuse holder and replace it too.
I have seen those ones fail and arc out, might be causing some of your problems.

[Crashramp]

Thanks. I'll check and change it over.

Get a new fuse holder and replace it too.
I have seen those ones fail and arc out, might be causing some of your problems.

Thanks, I changed it to a 4ASB last night and it blew after about 5 minutes of the game being turned on. The problem is there somewhere.

[Strangeways]

As Boots suggests - could be the fuse holder. Might also be the EMI filter. At least you know it is the machine !

[Homepin]

As Boots suggests - could be the fuse holder. Might also be the EMI filter. At least you know it is the machine !

What Nino said.

This is mains and THE MOST DANGEROUS part of the machine - please get it right.

The fuse holders used in most pinballs would never pass Australian standards and should be replaced. One "feature" of some of them is the way they can be wired so that the exposed terminal (when the fuse holder is removed) is LIVE - idiotic design full stop! Think carefully when wiring up a replacement to ensure the "hot" end of the holder is not exposed when the fuse is removed.

The EMI filters are also 20 +++ years old and a lot are starting to "leak" electrically between terminals and ground. For $10 from Jaycar it just isn't worth the risk.

Under $20 gets your fuse holder & fuse, EMI filter and MOV & Thermistor (where fitted in applicable machines) replaced so that is my suggestion for the very first thing that should be done to ANY and EVERY pinball coming into Australia aside from replacing the mains lead and plug itself of course.

[Strangeways]

As Boots suggests - could be the fuse holder. Might also be the EMI filter. At least you know it is the machine !

What Nino said.

This is mains and THE MOST DANGEROUS part of the machine - please get it right.

The fuse holders used in most pinballs would never pass Australian standards and should be replaced. One "feature" of some of them is the way they can be wired so that the exposed terminal (when the fuse holder is removed) is LIVE - idiotic design full stop! Think carefully when wiring up a replacement to ensure the "hot" end of the holder is not exposed when the fuse is removed.

The EMI filters are also 20 +++ years old and a lot are starting to "leak" electrically between terminals and ground. For $10 from Jaycar it just isn't worth the risk.

Under $20 gets your fuse holder & fuse, EMI filter and MOV & Thermistor (where fitted in applicable machines) replaced so that is my suggestion for the very first thing that should be done to ANY and EVERY pinball coming into Australia aside from replacing the mains lead and plug itself of course.

This is what I do to almost every single game I look at. whether I imported it or not.

I recently was checking a Target Alpha, and the EMI filter filled the garage with smoke.