Pinball Repair Introduction. Last update 1. 10. Copyright 2. 00. 6 2. Contact me with questions, suggestions for this site, etc. This is an Introduction to pinball maintenance and simple repairs for new pinball machine owners. There are many simple repairs and checks that any pinball owner can do without any expertise. If you are a new owner or thinking about purchasing a pinball machine, then this site on pinball repair tips is for you. Caution. Pinball machines contain potentially lethal voltage. Dangerous voltage may remain for a period even after it is unplugged. Prior to opening a pinball machine, be certain to unplug it, then turn it on to insure that it was actually unplugged. It is recommended that the machine be allowed to sit several minutes to allow any remaining power to dissipate. Repair should be left to properly trained personnel. If you are not qualified, you should not work on a pinball machine. Solvents such as isopropyl alcohol are flammable and should be used only in a well ventilated area. Do not operate the pinball machine until the vapor has dissipated. Follow all the warnings on the container. Never use lubricants such as WD4. Proceed at your own risk Getting Started. A glossary of pinball terms     Opening the pinball machine    Removing the pinballs      Get Rid of Batteries     Fuse locations     Build a Rotisserie. Pinball machine can be divided into two general areas, the playfield and the backbox. There are also two general categories of pinball machines, solid state SS and electro mechanical EM machines. SS machines have digital displays that power up when the machine is turned on. EM machines use mechanical reels that spin to display the score. Maintenance of SS and EM playfields are similar. However, the similarity ends there. EM machines use relays, motors and switches to run the game. SS machines rely on electronic circuit boards PCB to control the game. The first step is to identify your pinball machine type and model. An excellent resource is the Internet Pinball Database. Look up your pinball machine on this database to determine what type it is. Find out the manufacturer, the year, and the type Solid State Electronic SS or Electro mechanical EM. If your machine is solid state, also note the MPU type. Keep this information handy for dealing with parts suppliers and repair people. It is always helpful to have the operating and repair manuals. For older machines, this may be a single manual. For later machines, usually two or even three manuals may be needed. These manuals can usually be purchased at Steve Youngs The Pinball Resource,   Marco Specialties, or  Mayfair Amusements. If your machine was manufactured by Stern, Sega or Data East, the manuals may be available from Stern Pinball, Inc. Before Turning it On If you are buying a used game, the chances are pretty good that a wrong fuse was installed at some point. If it is large difference, then a problem could cause severe damage to your new pinball machine or even a fire. It is very important to check that the proper values are installed. For more information on locating the fuses, see Fuse locations. Routine Maintenance. Regular maintenance of a pinball machine can keep it running smoothly and maintain its resale value. Prior to starting, see the Caution above. The supplies suggested below are available from companies that supply pinball parts. Supplies Needed. Most maintenance can be accomplished with supplies found in local stores. Some materials may have to be ordered from pinball parts suppliers. The following parts may be needed will vary depending on the machine Q tips. Isopropyl alcohol 9. Do not use rubbing alcohol. Screwdriver Phillips and standard. Needle nose pliers. How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' title='How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' />Allen wrench set. Nut driver set. Multimeter DVM volt ohm meter. Make sure it has a diode test function. I do not like auto range meters. Novus 2 or 3 cleaner. Treewax or Meguiars Carnauba wax or Optimum Car Wax. Light bulbs type varies depending on the pinball machine. New pinballs replace these once a year. In quantity, they are 1 ea. How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' title='How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' />Get a bunch and replace them every year when you replace the batteries. Switch adjustment tool. Flashlight adjustable mounted or head strap type is nice. New rubber rings replace if yours look worn out. New pinballs replace annually to save the playfield. By Carl StrohmeyerPAMR 35 years experience Updated 42717. AQUARIUM REPAIR SILICONE APPLICATIONS What Silicone to use and what not to use, Aquarium Repair. Ready to build, decorate, renovate or repair Reach for DRYLOK, ZAR and UGL, the brands millions of people around the world have trusted since 1932. Learn from a series of frequently asked questions about various types of plastic pipe and fittings, including how green building systems use plastic pipe and fittings. Container gardening is by no means new its as old as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. One of the most popular trends in todays gardening market, container. Replacement batteries if you are unfortunate to still have them. Nice To Have But Not Required unless doing board work. Clear-Repair-Tape.png' alt='How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' title='How To Repair Crack In Plastic Container' />Soldering Iron Tenma 2. Temperature Controlled Soldering Station is a nice one. They make analog and digital versions. Higher than 2. 5 watt is too much. Solder. 6. 04. 0 tinlead rosin core. Do not use acid core solder. Desoldering Tool I like hand vacuum pumps Soldapullt. Desoldering braid can also be used. Digital Probe for circuit board repair, this is nice to have for the more sophisticated repair person. Capacitor tester. Hand crimpers for replacing the wire plugs on circuit boards. Circuit Board Holder Like Panavise circuit board holder. I wish I had purchased this 3. Table mounted magnifying glass with light. Pinballs. The pinballs wear, get chipped and can contribute significantly to the playfield wear. It is recommended that pinballs be replaced regularly. New pinballs are inexpensive and can be obtained from the parts suppliers listed below. Dont save a few dollars and ruin a playfield. The Playfield. The condition of the playfield can determine the resale value of a machine. Additionally, dirt on the playfield can slow the play down. As an owner, a playfield is easy to maintain. To access the playfield, you will have to open up the machine and remove the cover glass. If you find it necessary to tilt up the playfield, it is recommended that you remove the pinballs first. Otherwise, raising the playfield may eject the pinball, which could damage the playfield or backglass. Removing the pinball can be simple on single ball machines or tricky on multiball games. For single pinball games, you may be able to reach in and remove the ball, or manually press the solenoid ball eject mechanism. For complex SS games, it may be easier to enter the service menu to eject the balls. Consult the repair or operating manual for the specific procedure. Cleaning. The first step is to clean the playfield. Novus 2 is the recommended cleaner. Follow the instructions on the containers. On clearcoated playfields, use this sparingly since these cleaners are mild abrasives and remove some of the coating. Novus 2 will remove the old wax and grime, plus a little bit of the outer coat. Plastic ramps can be cleaned with Novus plastic polish Novus 1. Another alternative for plastic is Plexus Plastic Cleaner. The playfield should be waxed regularly. Dog Is Sneezing And Hacking. This will help prevent wear and make the game play faster. There are as many opinions about what wax to use as there are waxes. For many, the safest choice is a real wax, a hard or paste wax, such as Treewax and Meguiars Carnauba wax are among those recommended. Others recommend Optimum Car Wax which is a synthetic. While this could be a superior product to Carnauba, there is less experience among pinball user with synthetic waxes. Do not use a wax cleaner as it contains abrasives. Do not get the liquid variety as it contains solvents and water. Purchase a soft cloth like a microfiber towel to reduce surface scratches. A t shirt works but can leave surface scratches that could be visible in a newer clearcoated playfield.