Bally Space Invaders (Bally, 1980) Many problems

[randygg58]

Trying to help a friend get their machine working. Here are the problems so far:

~Sometimes when turning the machine on things like the flippers work, other times they do not. Generally if you turn the machine off and on a few times they will work.

~Green LED on MPU stays on solid, doesn't flash. Did once, but doesn't now.

~Won't go into the test mode.

There are other problems but want to start with these. I'm new to pinball machines. I work on slot machines.

 

[pinballdaveh]

it sounds like the MPU has problems. the problem could be anything from battery corrosion to bad chip sockets to bad parts. if you have board repair experience check out flipperwinkel bally repair for troubleshooting details. if not check out alltek replacement boards for a new MPU board.

 

[randygg58]

That is what I was afraid of. he paid $800 for this machine because he really wanted one. He just doesn't have the money to shell out the $350 or whatever it is for a new one.

The game is a Bally Space Invaders machine.

 

[pinballdaveh]

the alltek MPU will cost about $200. buy one new from a vendor. buying the same kind of original MPU on ebay is a gamble even if they say its 100% working and tested. those boards are pulled from machines that have been replaced with a new board and the people are trying to recoop some of the money spent on a new board. why replace a original MPU if its working well? even if you find a working old original MPU , you still have proper jumper locations and rom chip swap over to deal with on a already 40 year old board. the 2 bally driver boards are single foil sided and dont have chip sockets to go bad so they are more reliable , unlike the original MPU board.

 

[randygg58]

Ok so I took a closer look and the battery on the MPU was corroded along with the leads. Is it possible to replace this battery and leads?

I was looking at Alltek boards online. Average price seemed to be between $200-$250 USD on the companies that would ship to Canada. Wish our dollar was a little more even to yours :D

 

[pinballdaveh]

battery corrosion isnt easy to deal with for a novice. it seems bally battery corrosion travels far along the board getting into parts and sockets. some vendors offer corrosion repair kits .

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

battery corrosion isnt easy to deal with for a novice. it seems bally battery corrosion travels far along the board getting into parts and sockets. some vendors offer corrosion repair kits .

wow, that sucks.

is that fairly common... perhaps for machines that have just been sitting around for awhile, not being played?

 

[Coil_Smoke]

Pull out those Duracel batteries NOW . I am so disgusted with Duracel and their Copper Top pieces of SHIT. I have had so many Duracel AA, AAA, C, D batteries corrode and leak in the past 3 or 4 years. Some started to leak in less than 3 months. I have a bag full of Duracel disasters and would have had many more in it, if I caught on to this trend sooner. W T F happened to Duracel ? I switched to Duracel in my late teens. Always good life and never a leak. Then one piece of corroded equipment after another. Once the chrome plating is eaten away the battery connections will never be the same. Now it is Energizers and if I come across a DURACEL COPPER TOP ... IT IS OUTA THERE !

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

from a quick search i gather that disposable battery sales have been dwindling, and therefore some major brands (like duracell) are getting spun off by their parent companies (like P&G).

apparently duracell also moved manufacturing to china or some such. the internet seems full of ppl complaining about their 'new' product. one guy even got a mild case of gas poisoning from an unconnected duracell that popped in his son's room.