Partway through a ball the game suddenly awards an extra ball, several switches register at once, mechanisms fire, the flippers go dead and the ball drains. The next ball then plays normally until it happens again.
Mid-game chaos (switches trigger, flippers die) set off by tapping the power board
Cause: An intermittent connection at a bridge rectifier on the power board (one that a previous owner had replaced) was dropping a DC supply with vibration.
Checks
- With the game running, gently tap around the power board components with an insulated stick and see if the fault appears.
- Run switch test while recreating the shots, to rule out a shorted switch or wire.
Fix
- Repair the faulty area (reflow or replace the rectifier and check the traces), or replace the power board.
The power board carries transformer AC and high voltage; only tap with an insulated tool and keep hands clear while the game is on.
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Games
Related tips
Source: Pinball Repair help group!! (Facebook group)