Fathom cleanup questions

[Skybeaux]

No worries Anthony!

The problem was a faulty U6 game rom.
It's strange because it was a brand new eprom and my programmer said it was good , and so did the Bally test fixture.
Put another rom in and problem fixed , put the old rom back in it and mpu only gave a brief flicker...so the rom was definitely bad.

Cut one leg of the weird green varistor like thing...it's a capacitor..lol
It could be shorted and jamming the switch closed , otherwise try changing the diode

[Strangeways]

Good News ! The little green component is a capacitor. If it goes bad, it can confuse the switch matrix. You can unsolder it, or using sidecutters, cut one leg and see it the switch is no longer closed. But before that, make sure the tabs that the wires are soldered on are not touching, or the tension leaf spring between the two switch contacts is not shorting the switch out.

[solar value]

The little green component is a capacitor. If it goes bad, it can confuse the switch matrix. You can unsolder it, or using sidecutters, cut one leg and see it the switch is no longer closed. But before that, make sure the tabs that the wires are soldered on are not touching, or the tension leaf spring between the two switch contacts is not shorting the switch out.

Just got back to this problem with the extra ball/light spinner target (the problem was intermittent so I left it until it couldn't be ignored anymore). I unsoldered one leg of the capacitor on the switch and it has fixed the problem.

I guess I need a new capacitor then, does anyone know where to get it (Jaycar?) and what the part number/value/size is?

By the way, with one leg of the capacitor disconnected I can still close the switch with my finger (or by holding the ball in my hand) but firing a ball at the target won't work. Why is it so?

Thanks, SV.

[pinball god]

I'm new to ss games but I think the capacitor is used to keep power to the switch once activated to enable the CPU to recognize a hit. The CPUs aren't fast enough to register a fast activated switch so the capacitor acts like the switch is still on for enough time for the mpu to register it even though it has been released a short while ago. So you holding it down manually is ample time for the game to recognize it

Hope I'm correct here

[solar value]

I'm new to ss games but I think the capacitor is used to keep power to the switch once activated to enable the CPU to recognize a hit. The CPUs aren't fast enough to register a fast activated switch so the capacitor acts like the switch is still on for enough time for the mpu to register it even though it has been released a short while ago. So you holding it down manually is ample time for the game to recognize it

Hope I'm correct here

Thanks, that would make sense. Now, does anyone know which capacitor I need?

[Mr Pinbologist]

I'm new to ss games but I think the capacitor is used to keep power to the switch once activated to enable the CPU to recognize a hit. The CPUs aren't fast enough to register a fast activated switch so the capacitor acts like the switch is still on for enough time for the mpu to register it even though it has been released a short while ago. So you holding it down manually is ample time for the game to recognize it

Hope I'm correct here

Thanks, that would make sense. Now, does anyone know which capacitor I need?

I think the original switch caps were 0.05uF ceramic from memory, a 0.047uF will work fine.

You can get them from Jaycar,

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=RC5356

Cheers... Mitch

[solar value]

I think the original switch caps were 0.05uF ceramic from memory, a 0.047uF will work fine.
You can get them from Jaycar
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=RC5356
Cheers... Mitch

Much appreciated, thanks.

[Strangeways]

I'm new to ss games but I think the capacitor is used to keep power to the switch once activated to enable the CPU to recognize a hit. The CPUs aren't fast enough to register a fast activated switch so the capacitor acts like the switch is still on for enough time for the mpu to register it even though it has been released a short while ago. So you holding it down manually is ample time for the game to recognize it

Hope I'm correct here

Thanks, that would make sense. Now, does anyone know which capacitor I need?

I think the original switch caps were 0.05uF ceramic from memory, a 0.047uF will work fine.

You can get them from Jaycar,

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=RC5356

Cheers... Mitch

Buy a few of them as you will find there will be more to replace down the track 

[pinball god]

I have noticed I am missing a cap on a target. Can there be a reason why it may have been removed. It reports as being ok on the switch test. Also I found some of these Greencap 47nf 100v. Would they do as replacements or do I need to make a special trip after work down the dreaded Western Ring Road 

[Skybeaux]

The Greencap you have pictured is fine to use as a replacement

[Strangeways]

I have noticed I am missing a cap on a target. Can there be a reason why it may have been removed. It reports as being ok on the switch test. Also I found some of these Greencap 47nf 100v. Would they do as replacements or do I need to make a special trip after work down the dreaded Western Ring Road 

"473" denotes 0.047 microfarad, which is the same as 47 NanoFarad. I think that is right !

[pinball god]

Thank you guys you've probably saved me an hour or two in peak hour traveling. Appreciated very much

[Mr Pinbologist]

I have noticed I am missing a cap on a target. Can there be a reason why it may have been removed. It reports as being ok on the switch test. Also I found some of these Greencap 47nf 100v. Would they do as replacements or do I need to make a special trip after work down the dreaded Western Ring Road 

"473" denotes 0.047 microfarad, which is the same as 47 NanoFarad. I think that is right !

Yepp,, spot on Nino 

[solar value]

Hi All,

Have another minor problem with the Fathom, the "C" light on the RHS rollover lane is always on and slightly flickering, even when you only have one lit and scroll through them with the lane change.

Thanks.