Advice for Fixing Addams' Family Pinball

[Eddy]

Hello,

Can anyone give me a clue how to fix my Addams' Family pinball machine. The machine does work but recently in the middle of the game, it is suddenly off just like turning off the game all lights is off and lights turn on again after a few second. I have to press Start button to start a new game; however, the machine turns off again after a couple of balls. I assume it might be the connection problem or something. Hope someone can tell me how to fix the problem. Thank you.

Regards,

Eddy

 

[mrschultz]

Hello,

Can anyone give me a clue how to fix my Addams' Family pinball machine. The machine does work but recently in the middle of the game, it is suddenly off just like turning off the game all lights is off and lights turn on again after a few second. I have to press Start button to start a new game; however, the machine turns off again after a couple of balls. I assume it might be the connection problem or something. Hope someone can tell me how to fix the problem. Thank you.

Regards,

Eddy

If you play the game gently does it do it? In other words does it only turn off when the machine has some shaking or vibration? That would be a sign of a loose connection.

Is the room hot? It could also be the computer shutting down and rebooting due to heat.

 

[Eddy]

If you play the game gently does it do it? In other words does it only turn off when the machine has some shaking or vibration? That would be a sign of a loose connection.

Is the room hot? It could also be the computer shutting down and rebooting due to heat.

Thank you for your reply. The machine is in my garage but it is not that hot though. My other pinball machines are working fine so far. I notice that the most I press the flipper's botton, the easiest the machine will turn off. However, I can't find any loosing wire or connection there. I don't shake or push my machine. Of course, if I turn on the machine without playing it, it won't turn off. Do you have any idea what is going on? Thank you for helping.

 

[sleepy]

You know the machine has "The Addams Family Power" magnet under the playfield, so does it shut off during "The Addams Family Power" mode?
Not saying it is, offhand I don't know the circuits to the machine, but it might be a faulty power supply or capacitor or rectifier in the power supply.
Do you have it plugged in to an AC power surge protector strip and is it working correctly?
Could be spikes in the electric power line to your house.

 

[mrschultz]

I notice that the most I press the flipper's botton, the easiest the machine will turn off. However, I can't find any loosing wire or connection there.

What do you mean by "most"?, pressing and holding it or pressing harder?

You could check to see if it's a loose connection by just turning it on and bumping the machine a bit to shake it a little, see if it turns off. But it's sounding like you've got a power overload problem.

If it turns off the longer you hold the flipper button in you could have a bad power supply that can no long supply enough power and is shutting down when overloaded. Or a bad coil on the flipper that's pulling too much power. Those problems could be harder to figure out, if you have a multimeter you could check the resistance of the flipper coils. Or just look to see if any of them show signs of overheating (look for discoloration, smell for that burnt wire smell). Bad connections can also waste power, look for signs of overheating on the wires at all connection points.

 

[Eddy]

What do you mean by "most"?, pressing and holding it or pressing harder?

You could check to see if it's a loose connection by just turning it on and bumping the machine a bit to shake it a little, see if it turns off. But it's sounding like you've got a power overload problem.

If it turns off the longer you hold the flipper button in you could have a bad power supply that can no long supply enough power and is shutting down when overloaded. Or a bad coil on the flipper that's pulling too much power. Those problems could be harder to figure out, if you have a multimeter you could check the resistance of the flipper coils. Or just look to see if any of them show signs of overheating (look for discoloration, smell for that burnt wire smell). Bad connections can also waste power, look for signs of overheating on the wires at all connection points.

Thank you for your advice. I think I have to take time to check everything. Worse comes to worse, I have to call a pinball tech coming over to fix it. Anyway, I appreciate to your help indeed:)

 

[Eddy]

What do you mean by "most"?, pressing and holding it or pressing harder?

You could check to see if it's a loose connection by just turning it on and bumping the machine a bit to shake it a little, see if it turns off. But it's sounding like you've got a power overload problem.

If it turns off the longer you hold the flipper button in you could have a bad power supply that can no long supply enough power and is shutting down when overloaded. Or a bad coil on the flipper that's pulling too much power. Those problems could be harder to figure out, if you have a multimeter you could check the resistance of the flipper coils. Or just look to see if any of them show signs of overheating (look for discoloration, smell for that burnt wire smell). Bad connections can also waste power, look for signs of overheating on the wires at all connection points.

This may be the reason. The machine mostly turns off when there is multiballs. When multiballs is serving, I use the flippers more often than usually and the machine turns off. Of course, the machine does turn off when there is no multiballs. I think there is no burnt wire and burnt smell because I checked it already.

 

[sleepy]

The Family Power is active during Multiball.
Make sure the wires to the magnet assembly are not loose.
Not sure if this feature (Family Power/Magnet) is available for test in the Test Mode.
Have you tried running the Test Modes from the service menu/DMD?
I'd try the Test Modes and see if anything tested shuts down the machine.

 

[sleepy]

The Service Menu Test Modes have two tests for each flipper coil. One is flips and the second is holding the flipper and these two tests are available for each of the flippers.
Try running the Flipper Coil tests and if the machine shuts down on a specific flipper then retry the tests and skip the flipper (coil) that shut down to see if other flippers (coils) shut down the machine. If only one flipper shuts down the machine then it might be that specific flipper coil or loose wire to it, but if all flippers shut down the machine when each is tested separately then it might be the power supply or EDIT: flipper controller circuit on the board, or a loose or broken wiring harness for the flippers.

 

[mrschultz]

I forgot about the test modes.

Does the power supply have a fan? Is it running at normal speed? If you can't find any overheated wires or components it really sounds to me like the power supply is shutting down and resetting when it has to supply full power. Could be as simple as it not getting enough air to keep it cool.

 

[sleepy]

Is there a cooling fan in the back of the backbox?
With a cooling fan there, make sure there is clearance and the fan area is not up against a wall or otherwise obstructed, covered, stickered over, etc.

 

[Eddy]

Is there a cooling fan in the back of the backbox?
With a cooling fan there, make sure there is clearance and the fan area is not up against a wall or otherwise obstructed, covered, stickered over, etc.

Thank you for reminding me. I didn't notice about the fan in the backbox. I will check it out tonight.

 

[sleepy]

Mind you, I don't know if there is a fan there.
I'm only asking.