Danger Zone!!

[wingtipvortex]

Mostly this will be common sense i know, but is there anything under the PF that is a major no no to touch when pin is switched on and PF is in the up position? The reason i ask is because ive "brushed" myself on some components and thought, i wonder if???

[Retropin]

Underneath the PF you are generally OK - your main worry here would be shorting something out and blowing a fuse or taking a component(S) out on a board.

Wih PF up - the serious concern is inside the cabinet itself - main on/off switch, feed to transformer etc. Even with game switched off at cabinet swtich you have live wires here. Always best to turn off at the wall socket.

I always try to work one handed when inside the cabinet, especially if im poking about testing voltages at fuses etc. That way if a i do get a tickle it doesnt flow across my chest and heart and out the other arm.

Interesting you should post this. i recently replaced the power board to spiderman, switched game on and she didnt work. Whilst pondering on the problem, i rested my hand on the top of the open door and got a mighty shock. This one bit! I could still feel it in my hand some 1 hour later. But!!! The other hand was in my pocket and so current had nowhere to flow.
Dangerous i know, but it did solve my problem - there is NO earth on this pin at all - all ground braid has been removed. You know, i never thought of checking first, mainly because i cant believe someone would be so stupid to do this in the first place.

Lesson learnt...

[Ballywannabe]

No high voltage under the playfield (unless you have an Orbitor 1 ).  Biggest danger I have found on older machines is the playfield trying to fall on your head.

cheers
Ian

[Strangeways]

Very seldom do I work on the underside of a playfield with the game switched on. I guess I do have the game on if the issue is a globe or just observing moving parts - like flipper EOS issues. But, I do all the adjustments while the game is switched off.

As a habit, I throw a towel over the on/off switch area - a habit I have when working on EMs. Throw the towel over the entire bottom section so that when I'm working on the underside of the playfield, no screws drop into steppers etc..

Any machine I buy (and I don't know it's history) - I check the plug. No ground wire ? Replace the plug...

[pinnies4me]

The old gottliebs with the transformers in the bottom center of the cabinet are pretty dangerous - even if switched off. I unplug from the wall as well. I like the towel idea!

[wingtipvortex]

The old gottliebs with the transformers in the bottom center of the cabinet are pretty dangerous - even if switched off. I unplug from the wall as well. I like the towel idea!

Thats excactly where mine is located, im very wary of it to say the least. Thanks for the heads up guys.

[Pinball Fixers]

A lot of the older Gottliebs have the mains wiring going to a transformer BEFORE the power switch! I ended up with a "snake bite" on my left hand one day from accidentally resting it on a live transformer... bloody hurt!

The majority of pinballs do have the power wiring going to the power switch before anywhere else, so you are usually fine - but always a good idea to unplug it just in case.

If you are working on it with the power on, don't lean on the side rails and touch a coil - you will get a bit of a shock... only about 70Vdc though.

[coolspot]

i hate leaning in my cabinet i wonder how many people have had their head decapitated by their play field falling on them it scares the shit out of me so i take my pf out

[wingtipvortex]

i hate leaning in my cabinet i wonder how many people have had their head decapitated by their play field falling on them it scares the shit out of me so i take my pf out

Yep, ive thought about that too, i put a strap around the head box. It makes me feel better fo sure.

[Strangeways]

i hate leaning in my cabinet i wonder how many people have had their head decapitated by their play field falling on them it scares the shit out of me so i take my pf out

Yep, ive thought about that too, i put a strap around the head box. It makes me feel better fo sure.

Great tip - I often do the same 

[coolspot]

yeah never thought of that great idea but id steal another idea stick a towel under the thing were you tied it on just so you dont break anything.
well i guess you learn somethings

[Strangeways]

Actually - I remember what my Dad used to do... Which is quite funny now I think of it 

He used to carry a shortened billiard cue with him and lever the playfield from the coin box area to something on the playfield. That way, he could move either side of the machine and not have to worry about knocking the side lever..

[Nug]

i hate leaning in my cabinet i wonder how many people have had their head decapitated by their play field falling on them it scares the shit out of me so i take my pf out

you should see the f**king dent in my scone....f**king npc stuff!!!, ive since upgraded the prop rod!!!!!