New Translite on STTNG installed!

[paulohotline]

Hey Now, got the new STTNG translite in the mail and its looking good!

The only issue I have now is the playfield and backbox GI have stopped working after I pulled out the board for repairs. Once I troubleshoot that issue, I will be back in business!

The flashers do a good job of showing the Translite in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyIUdS_YCpo

[Malibu-ss]

nice light show!

[gms]

I ordered the new one yesterday for my ST25th

[paulohotline]

Hey now, one other thing I just recalled that may provide a clue to why the GI is not working. Before I had the repairs done on the board, anytime I would double tap the flippers possibly causing a reset, the GI would dim. This would happen every time. The GI on the backboard and the playfield would dim every time I double tapped the flippers. Is it possible the power of the GI was drawing from another hacked in source? So now with all the jumpers taken out and the header pins on J121, J120 back to spec, the GI will not light up at all?

Does anyone here with an STTNG experience GI dimming when hitting both flippers even with LEDs installed?

[prock]

Only the backbox GI are out? Obvious question but have you checked the fuse that controls that string? If the fuse is good, it could be an open circuit or the triac for that string is out.

Generally for the dimming problem they say check your outlet voltage at the wall but I would assume that's probably okay. Other things I've heard is to replace the bridge rectifiers along with the filter caps. And I seem to recall something about the DMD drawing too much power because of some bad components but you have the color display installed so I doubt it's that. There are a few other things that could cause resets... I'll see what I can find.

[paulohotline]

Hey now, all the GI, both the Backbox and the playfield are not working. Only the coin door is operational. On a positive note, the PIN does not reset anymore

The Bridge rectifiers were all replaced in 2010, not sure about the caps. This is going to be a tough one!

[prock]

For the hell of it try re-seating the GI transformer plug located in the cabinet near the transformer. It has a bunch of yellow wires coming from the transformer I believe.

[paulohotline]

Yeap, already did that! First thing actually!

[prock]

You said something about removing jumpers and the connectors being back in spec... what exactly did you mean by "jumpers"?

[paulohotline]

Hey Prock, when I first pulled board out for repairs, I think there were jumpers on the GI connector J121. Bay78 removed jumpers and put the board back to spec and all tests came back positive on board after fixes were done. I did not take a photo of the back. The board does work in his Fish Tales minus 1 GI string in the backbox, so it has to be my PIN!

[paulohotline]

Hey now, I also may of been distracted when pulling out the board and nicked something

https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/hey_no10.jpg

[paulohotline]

Here are some pics of the board now with the new connectors, everything looks good on the board end...

https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/j120_j10.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/j101_j10.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/j115_g10.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/sttng_10.jpg

[paulohotline]

Found this on Pinside, which I will test after work:
Now that the driver board header pins have proper continuity, the driver board can be tested with the power on. With G.I. connector plugs J120, J121 and J119 removed, use a DMM set to AC volts and check the following for 6.3 to 7.3 volts AC. This info only applies to WPC-S and prior driver boards:

* GI String 1: J120 pin 1 and J120 pin 7 (triac Q18, fuse F110).
* GI String 2: J120 pin 2 and J120 pin 8 (triac Q10, fuse F109).
* GI String 3: J120 pin 3 and J120 pin 9 (triac Q14, fuse F108).
* (GI key J120 pin 4.)
* GI String 4: J120 pin 5 and J120 pin 10 (triac Q16, fuse F107).
* GI String 5: J120 pin 6 and J120 pin 11 (triac Q12, fuse F106).
* GI String 5: J119 pin 1 and J119 pin 3 (triac Q12, fuse F106).

[paulohotline]

Found this too, on testing continuity on GI header pins with board out:

Here's how to test continuity on the GI pins through a WPC driver board
J115 pin 1 to ground. Note if this connection is broken, wacky GI dimming can occur.
J115 pin 2 to fuse F106 (lower left) to J120/J121 pin 11, to J119 pin 1.
J115 pin 3 to fuse F110 (lower right) to J120/J121 pin 7.
J115 pin 4 to fuse F109 (upper right) to J120/J121 pin 8.
J115 pin 5 to fuse F107 (middle left) to J120/J121 pin 10.
J115 pin 6 to fuse F108 (upper left) to J120/J121 pin 9.
J115 pin 7 to Q10 top leg (triac lower rt). Q10 middle leg to J120/J121 pin2.
J115 pin 8 to Q18 bottom leg (triac upper rt). Q18 middle leg to J120/J121 pin1.
J115 pin 9 - key
J115 pin 10 to Q16 top leg (triac lower mid). Q16 middle leg to J120/J121 pin5.
J115 pin 11 to Q14 top leg (triac upper mid). Q14 middle leg to J120/J121 pin3.
J115 pin 12 to Q12 top leg (triac left). Q12 middle leg to J120/J121 pin6, to J119 pin3.

[prock]

I was going to suggest testing the voltages across certain pins. Happy that you found a post on pinside Just be very sure not to short anything out!!!!!

[paulohotline]

Hey now, all voltages came back correct!

In connecting the J120 connector the backbox GI flicked on. So I replaced the J120 connector 4 wires and all the Backbox GI came back. I then replaced the J121 connector and all the GI on the playfield came back too! Weird since the connectors looked solid. I used 12 PIN vs 11 PIN connectors since they appears to be made from a different material.

The only thing I have to fix now is the shields GI (6 lamps) on playfield will not turn on, even though it worked previously to lamp matrix reflowing. UGH!

[Slapshot]

Don't sweat it. STTNG is known to be the fussiest and most problematic WPC ever!
Can be frustrating but worth the effort after fully working and dialed in.

[prock]

Good to hear you got most of it worked out!!! Hopefully the remaining GI wont be much trouble.

[Bay78]

He's got it fixed now! Bad connectors, once they were re done it worked 100%!!!

[paulohotline]

Hey Bay78, I actually got all the GI working now including the string that was down before. After tightning all connections on J121 it just came back. The only lamps that are not working are the 6 Shield GI on the lamp matrix board. These were working previously to getting the board reflowed, so its a new mystery to to me

Do you know specifically which wire on the back on the lamp matrix is the Shield GI so I can mess with it?

https://i.servimg.com/u/f78/17/79/34/56/sttng_11.jpg

[prock]

Getting closer!! Hows the dimming/resetting problem?

[paulohotline]

Hey now, after about 30 games or so, no resetting! The dimming still occurs on the GI when I tap both flippers at the same time, no way around that one I guess!

[prock]

I've read that the thermistor in the power box, after warming up, can cause the input voltage to the transformer to be on the lower end of spec which can in turn cause game resets. I'm not sure it would cause GI dimming though. There is a way to test the thermistor but it would require opening the power box while the game is on... not a great idea.

Do you notice if your voltages at the test points seem a bit low?

[paulohotline]

Hey now, I did run voltage tests on the driver board from TP1 - TP8 again yesterday and they came up good and in spec even with the Color DMD installed:

My voltage results for STTNG:
TP1 - spec 12v - test 13.4v
TP2 - spec 5v - test 5v
TP3 - spec 12v - test 12v
TP6 - spec 50v - test 69.7v
TP7 - spec 20v - test 20.5v
TP8 - spec 18v - test 14v - 17v

[prock]

Man I don't know... short of trying a new board I'm out of ideas.

Check this out... they have a step by step guide on what to check for:

http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Williams_WPC#Game_resets

EDIT: I know you aren't resetting anymore but the dimming and reset problems are most likely related so they might have similar solutions.

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