Pinball info
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Bram Stokers Dracula - The now sorta shop log.
- Thread starter s000m
- Start date
Had the exact same response from the guy who bought my original playfield. Then he saw the finished product and said it's way better than the original.
I don't even know why I bothered with getting a playfield protector btw this clear is so solid I don't have a single dimple. Will be sending him more PF's in the future, not even custom ones just so I can have it treated. The clear used on modern PF's pale in comparison.
Can’t wait till I play this Scott it looks awesome
You must really love Dracula, the money that has gone into that must be significant. 
It's a great example of what a moded / changed machine can look like.
It's certainly much better than what it looked like from the factory and the pinsound using original soundtrack enhances the atmosphere of the machine loads. Far better than what it originally had, which technically wasn't really possible at the time.
I've never really understood the instance of keeping it stock, if done right
It's a great example of what a moded / changed machine can look like.
It's certainly much better than what it looked like from the factory and the pinsound using original soundtrack enhances the atmosphere of the machine loads. Far better than what it originally had, which technically wasn't really possible at the time.
I've never really understood the instance of keeping it stock, if done right
Thanks mate!You must really love Dracula, the money that has gone into that must be significant.
It's a great example of what a moded / changed machine can look like.
It's certainly much better than what it looked like from the factory and the pinsound using original soundtrack enhances the atmosphere of the machine loads. Far better than what it originally had, which technically wasn't really possible at the time.
I've never really understood the instance of keeping it stock, if done right
Yeah its a considerable investment now but it was never done to make money, I really like the game and IMO it has the best multiball stacking of any game I've ever played.
That and I love hearing TTTHHIIIRRRTTYYYYY MILLLLLIIOOONNN
@ronsplooter
If I remember right you gave some advice on skill shot issues.
I've adjusted the shooter lane ramp so the ball is centre when in the shooter lane. I've also tried to adjust the shooter lane plastic ramp but it feels slightly warped as its lifting and doesn't sit level when mounted.
I've attempted to adjust with washers and some padding to help level it out but at present its resulting in a situation where the ball propels at speed out of the shooter lane and gets caught on the gate. Sometimes it goes through smoothly but it does feel like its catching some air at the moment.
Any suggestions welcome.
If I remember right you gave some advice on skill shot issues.
I've adjusted the shooter lane ramp so the ball is centre when in the shooter lane. I've also tried to adjust the shooter lane plastic ramp but it feels slightly warped as its lifting and doesn't sit level when mounted.
I've attempted to adjust with washers and some padding to help level it out but at present its resulting in a situation where the ball propels at speed out of the shooter lane and gets caught on the gate. Sometimes it goes through smoothly but it does feel like its catching some air at the moment.
Any suggestions welcome.
So I dug deeper into it. Initially I thought the gate was missing. So I stripped the top back (AGAIN) to see the gate was indeed there. I tried to adjust it, but honestly there was not much movement here. The flap has a tendency to stick if you flick it up enough. Attempted some small bends but it still sticks 1 in 30 flicks.
Set everything back in place and I still can't get it to hit reliably.
Man I should have kept onto my other ramps to test it....
Ontop of this the rat and coffin ramp started firing randomly again. I thought it was the opto's so I took them out, cleaned them and then reseated.
No joy, randomly mid play the coffin ramp goes off again registering a shot.
Then it occurs to me when I got it back from Matt I found that loose wire which was going back to the PCB under the playfield.
I repunched the wire and all the others on the connector for good measure and it seems good.... For now.
Man this game drives me nuts sometimes...
Set everything back in place and I still can't get it to hit reliably.
Man I should have kept onto my other ramps to test it....
Ontop of this the rat and coffin ramp started firing randomly again. I thought it was the opto's so I took them out, cleaned them and then reseated.
No joy, randomly mid play the coffin ramp goes off again registering a shot.
Then it occurs to me when I got it back from Matt I found that loose wire which was going back to the PCB under the playfield.
I repunched the wire and all the others on the connector for good measure and it seems good.... For now.
Man this game drives me nuts sometimes...
is the gate in question the mist one on the left handside? If so the spring is crap even the replacement ones so I replaced the one on my old machine with a bit of copper wire
It's the orbit gate. I just can't get it to reliably hit the drop down target.
Ironically I had a better shooter lane ramp and sold it
I didn't think at the time it was slightly warped.
So my backglass and speaker panel are lost somewhere in europe.
I say lost over delayed as its been 15 days without an update on the tracking info...
Hopefully it shows up sooner or later I really want to have this finished in time for the show...
I say lost over delayed as its been 15 days without an update on the tracking info...
Hopefully it shows up sooner or later I really want to have this finished in time for the show...
Ok good news is the parcel finally arrived in the UK.
Bad news is I still can't get the switch opto's from triggering randomly.
It does it after maybe an hour sometimes of being idle up right in the cab during attract mode.
I've cut and rejoined the wire with a terminal connector as it was near snapping from the repunching.
I used a new connector with the correct pitch thanks to ant and repunched everything and still the same offender
Coffin and rats will fire off randomly.
I've just spent the last hour digging through the wire loom and pushed and wiggled the wires and I can't get it to fire randomly.
Truly frustrating experience.
Bad news is I still can't get the switch opto's from triggering randomly.
It does it after maybe an hour sometimes of being idle up right in the cab during attract mode.
I've cut and rejoined the wire with a terminal connector as it was near snapping from the repunching.
I used a new connector with the correct pitch thanks to ant and repunched everything and still the same offender
Coffin and rats will fire off randomly.
I've just spent the last hour digging through the wire loom and pushed and wiggled the wires and I can't get it to fire randomly.
Truly frustrating experience.
@myPinballs is it possible that the opto board itself is faulty? It seems to happen after being on for a while and then keeps firing.
Then calms down again.
If I power cycle the machine it goes back to behaving?
Then calms down again.
If I power cycle the machine it goes back to behaving?
When you have a flakey opto switch somewhere that occurs after time on, do the following:
1) go into switch test with the game still on , dont power cycle and look for a switch flickering fast. Often you will see the square going on and off repeatedly.
2) change the opto set on the playfield and see if it cures the fault. For flickering issues its usually the receiver side but change them as a pair anyway.
3) borrow or try a different opto driver board as the lm339s comparators are the weak point and can fail to, especially if you see it after an hour on etc.
4) dont try to change lm339s unless you know what you are doing as you'll most likely ruin the board if not. Send to me!
Hope this helps
Jim
Thanks Jim,When you have a flakey opto switch somewhere that occurs after time on, do the following:
1) go into switch test with the game still on , dont power cycle and look for a switch flickering fast. Often you will see the square going on and off repeatedly.
2) change the opto set on the playfield and see if it cures the fault. For flickering issues its usually the receiver side but change them as a pair anyway.
3) borrow or try a different opto driver board as the lm339s comparators are the weak point and can fail to, especially if you see it after an hour on etc.
4) dont try to change lm339s unless you know what you are doing as you'll most likely ruin the board if not. Send to me!
Hope this helps
Jim
I've ordered a new board. A pindorabox one. Hopefully they are OK?
I don't think it's the opto's as I replaced them already and it triggers two sets. The castle popper (rats) and coffin popper. They fire off in a chain. One following the other.
I first thought it was a loose/exposed wire but pulling/yielding the wires does nothing.
The board gets quite hot to the touch is that normal?
At any rate I'll find out more when I switch the board. Thanks for getting back to me.
paulg100
Site Supporter
Had issues with the SOL kicker in my AFM playing up for ages. Lots of fiddling including changing optos. In the end just thought sod it and changed the opto board (£50 on ebay). Solid ever since.
Kept the old one as its just a faulty component i guess so will get round to fixing it at some point.
Sometimes its easier just to change the board and move on. Keep the old as a spare.
My guess would be U3 on the opto driver board as both optos you mentioned are controlled by this. Always look for a link if there's multiple issues. In fact 2 things going wrong is actually better than just 1 as it makes diagnosis easier usually.
It sounds like C2 has expired. No need to buy a new board, just replace C2.
Williams WPC - PinWiki
Next up the topper.
I had this one for a while but the graphic on it was awful.
The Dracula font came out horrid and they used some low res scan of I think someone elses work?
I stripped it off and put on the one my wife designed.
I had this one for a while but the graphic on it was awful.
The Dracula font came out horrid and they used some low res scan of I think someone elses work?
I stripped it off and put on the one my wife designed.
Tip my hat off to you sir. Awesome work and a good collection and choice of mods which come together in making this game look fresh and way more scary too!
Thanks Kenny, it's been a labour of love. Frantically trying to get it fully operational now for Pinfest and UK open.
The curse of the random firing opto's continues.
I even resorted to removing the wiring and re-punching. Used a new area of the wire and used electrical tape to cover up each wire which had teeth cuts.
Still no dice.
Went back into the back box, wiggled J207 and J209. Upon moving J209. The game fired off random switches.
Pulled off the header from the board and found this.
2nd pin has corrosion, could I finally have stumbled onto the issue?
Re-punched in a new header. Will do some more tests..
I even resorted to removing the wiring and re-punching. Used a new area of the wire and used electrical tape to cover up each wire which had teeth cuts.
Still no dice.
Went back into the back box, wiggled J207 and J209. Upon moving J209. The game fired off random switches.
Pulled off the header from the board and found this.
2nd pin has corrosion, could I finally have stumbled onto the issue?
Re-punched in a new header. Will do some more tests..
Ok, I think I finally solved it. That corrosion looks to be the culprit. Man all these hours and money spent. Just glad it's one step closer..
Took some time to position the flashers for the custom backglass.
Demo of the results:
Took some time to position the flashers for the custom backglass.
Demo of the results:
