Stern - Cosmic Princess

[Rossco]

Hi all - I have just bought an old pinball machine - Cosmic Princess. It is complete but it won't start a new game. I insert coins and the credit comes up and I start the game but the ball doesn't pop out. Flippers work and everything, and I can hand-start the game but when the ball goes to the bottom, the plastic targets in a row buzz and some stay up but it keeps going through the reset cycle. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks in advance. Rossco

[Boots]

Hi all - I have just bought an old pinball machine - Cosmic Princess. It is complete but it won't start a new game. I insert coins and the credit comes up and I start the game but the ball doesn't pop out. Flippers work and everything, and I can hand-start the game but when the ball goes to the bottom, the plastic targets in a row buzz and some stay up but it keeps going through the reset cycle. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks in advance. Rossco

Have a good read through this, should help you

http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/ballyss/rep/index1.htm

[Rossco]

Thanks Boots..

[Sinbad79]

Hi all - I have just bought an old pinball machine - Cosmic Princess. It is complete but it won't start a new game. I insert coins and the credit comes up and I start the game but the ball doesn't pop out. Flippers work and everything, and I can hand-start the game but when the ball goes to the bottom, the plastic targets in a row buzz and some stay up but it keeps going through the reset cycle. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks in advance. Rossco

Seems like a common issue with the Cosmic Princess - ours does something similar.
You need to do a solenoid test and see if the respective coil is activating, if it is, you need to dig deeper.

Do you by any chance have a wiring schematic? If so, i'd be interested in a photocopy.

[Strangeways]

Could also be a connector problem. You could try re-seating all the connectors to the MPU board (top left hand corner of the headbox).

[Rossco]

Thanks for the suggestion. Do I test the solenoids using the "self-test"? I have been been looking through the manual but not a lot of info there. Any suggestions for where to get replacement rubber items. I have seen then on eBayfairly reasonably priced.

I will have a look for the wiring schematic. I did see some stuff inside the cabinet so perhaps it is there.

Hi all - I have just bought an old pinball machine - Cosmic Princess. It is complete but it won't start a new game. I insert coins and the credit comes up and I start the game but the ball doesn't pop out. Flippers work and everything, and I can hand-start the game but when the ball goes to the bottom, the plastic targets in a row buzz and some stay up but it keeps going through the reset cycle. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks in advance. Rossco

Seems like a common issue with the Cosmic Princess - ours does something similar.
You need to do a solenoid test and see if the respective coil is activating, if it is, you need to dig deeper.

Do you by any chance have a wiring schematic? If so, i'd be interested in a photocopy.

[Rossco]

Thanks - will try that...

Could also be a connector problem. You could try re-seating all the connectors to the MPU board (top left hand corner of the headbox).

[Sinbad79]

You need to read the manual to see how many times you need to press the white button inside the coin door to get to the solenoid test.
Each solenoid will fire and the number of the transistor will be displayed on the backbox credits area.

Have you pulled off the apron to take a look at the solenoid?

[Rossco]

Checked the nanual for the test presses and will try that a bit later. So once I know the transistor number what will that indicate? Do I need a new one or do something else.

Also wondering why the drop targets just keep resetting and the ball doesn't go into play. Oddly enough i push all the drop targets and they go down but when they reset only 2 stay up...

Is the apron the cover of the solenoid?

Tks for the help with this - I have a bit of electrical/mechanical knowledge but am very new to pinball machine maintenance. Really keen to learn the workings of the new machine though... :-)

You need to read the manual to see how many times you need to press the white button inside the coin door to get to the solenoid test.
Each solenoid will fire and the number of the transistor will be displayed on the backbox credits area.

Have you pulled off the apron to take a look at the solenoid?

[Boots]

Checked the nanual for the test presses and will try that a bit later. So once I know the transistor number what will that indicate? Do I need a new one or do something else.

Also wondering why the drop targets just keep resetting and the ball doesn't go into play. Oddly enough i push all the drop targets and they go down but when they reset only 2 stay up...

Is the apron the cover of the solenoid?

Tks for the help with this - I have a bit of electrical/mechanical knowledge but am very new to pinball machine maintenance. Really keen to learn the workings of the new machine though... :-)

The manual tells you what transistor fires each solenoid.\

I am not familiar with Cosmic Princess but it may be a part of the game that you start off with certain targets up and others down, once you hit the ones that are up then it gives you others to hit.

The apron is the steel cover at the bottom of the playfield, the ball launch solenoid and mech is under there.
Take the apron off, check the resistance of the solenoid with your multimeter, if it is under 3 ohms resistance its probably cooked, also check the driver transistor on the solenoid driver board on diode mode with your multimeter, the link I posted will tell you how to do that, compare it against others that you know are working ok.
A visual inspection of the transistor may reveal damage too.

[Mr Pinbologist]

. Oddly enough i push all the drop targets and they go down but when they reset only 2 stay up...

That is normal for Cosmic Princess.

It starts a game/new ball with just two targets up. Then when these are knocked down they reset and three stay up, then four and so on..

[Strangeways]

If the game continually resets the target and is stuck on ball 1, then the ball trough switch might be shorted or mis adjusted. Remove the ball and see if the problem persists.

[Mr Pinbologist]

If the game continually resets the target and is stuck on ball 1, then the ball trough switch might be shorted or mis adjusted. Remove the ball and see if the problem persists.

I just went in and tried this on my own CP and can confirm that this IS how the game will behave if the ball is not being kicked into the shooter lane ( i held the coil plunger so the ball wouldn't kick out, so the ball was just sitting there on the switch). Also just checked the solenoid test, #16 in the solenoid test is the outhole coil and Q16 on the solenoid driver board drives that coil. You could try, with a test lead jumpering its collector (metal tab) to the aluminium ground in the backbox and see if the ball kicks out, if it does it'll rule out the coil itsself and connections between the board and coil as being the problem.

Slightly off topic but i wanted to add, its a great old game when working properly, i also find it pretty amazing that for a low production game there seem to be a few popping up lately.. i notice there are a few members here that have this title.. i have TWO of them @ the moment   a keeper and the other is being restored and sold.

[Rossco]

sorry - I checked inside the box a short while ago but didn't see a wiring schematic. There were some info sheets stuck inside but not that item...

Do you by any chance have a wiring schematic? If so, i'd be interested in a photocopy.

[Rossco]

OK - I have removed the apron and checked the switch under the ball and it seems to be working correctly... BUT the ball is not ejecting automatically. If I move the ball into the pin launcher then everything is fine and the system resets and the game goes normally. I tried the self test and the solenoids cycle through but the ball ejector does not work during the cycle. That could be the problem. The switch seems to be new and looks like it's been replaced recently..

Should I test the solenoid with an amp meter?

Also, one of the five drop targets does not drop when going through the test cycle - no sure if that is an issue as they work correctly during play?   

The manual tells you what transistor fires each solenoid.

I am not familiar with Cosmic Princess but it may be a part of the game that you start off with certain targets up and others down, once you hit the ones that are up then it gives you others to hit.

The apron is the steel cover at the bottom of the playfield, the ball launch solenoid and mech is under there.
Take the apron off, check the resistance of the solenoid with your multimeter, if it is under 3 ohms resistance its probably cooked, also check the driver transistor on the solenoid driver board on diode mode with your multimeter, the link I posted will tell you how to do that, compare it against others that you know are working ok.
A visual inspection of the transistor may reveal damage too.