I live in the US and after twenty years here, I am planning to move my family back to Australia (kids born in US) as I am retiring. My issue seems to be through going through the different boards on pinball machines is that they are voltage (and maybe more so frequency but please correct me if I am wrong) dependent on the country of purchase. Because I am not moving until at least two years, I was planning to buy a couple of machines now to enjoy with the kids and take them with me to Australia. I believe using a stepdown transformer will not work as the frequency in Oz is 50hz while the US is 60hz. Would there be anyway to have a shop in Oz flush out the old settings and install new ( remember I don't know if it is software controlled) setting or would I just need to hold off and buy in Australia. Any help understanding how region settings works. Thanks.
Pinball info
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Moving to another country on different voltage.
- Thread starter Gerry609
- Start date
Stern boards are locked to regions. I think its done by if the power is 50/60hz.
The official stance is buy a different spike CPU. Which is a nightmare price wise.
I know @myPinballs may be able to help with this issue is the cheaper response. I do not know if it is a kit you can fit yourself or it could be something Jim may have to do. Which again - does not help you.
Australian power is referenced to 220-240v. In the UK our official voltage is 230v plus or minus 10%.
Bally williams dont care what you put in - as long as you set the transformer molex tap correctly. You will have to replace the thermistor in the switch box. While you are doing that - change the line filter as they commonly fail and start to trip off your RCDs in your fusebox.
I believe the first game with 'region locking' is Family guy.
The official stance is buy a different spike CPU. Which is a nightmare price wise.
I know @myPinballs may be able to help with this issue is the cheaper response. I do not know if it is a kit you can fit yourself or it could be something Jim may have to do. Which again - does not help you.
Australian power is referenced to 220-240v. In the UK our official voltage is 230v plus or minus 10%.
Bally williams dont care what you put in - as long as you set the transformer molex tap correctly. You will have to replace the thermistor in the switch box. While you are doing that - change the line filter as they commonly fail and start to trip off your RCDs in your fusebox.
I believe the first game with 'region locking' is Family guy.
Fubar
Registered
Hi Fubar, looking at brand new releases. Jaws, John Wick. If it means I need to look at Jersey Jacks instead of Sterns, I will. I don't understand why the need for region locking. It's not like the sell tens of thousands of one machines.
The amount of questions this last few weeks on this issue from different people is crazy! For modern spike games you can use one of these if you dont want to pay for a new 50hz spike1/spike2 cpu board. Plug and play, no permanatnet changes. 1 minute install, job done! You also need to change the line fuse to 5a (from 8a) and use the correct line cord!
DM me if you want to read the install instructions..
Also a small discount if you work out what my product code means.. TYFFCASI ...
Hello, Gerry,
I doubt you'd need an additional transformer for any recent game. An electro-mechanical or early solid-state Gottlieb, maybe, but most games have a transformer with 'split primary' windings. Connected in series for one input voltage range, and parallel for the other, so that the numerous secondary voltages come out the same. I can never remember which way round, though. Having just looked at a schematic, the u.k. and Australia voltage range 220-240v is the series option.
There'll probably be a component (a 'varistor') connected across the incoming Live and Neutral, which only conducts if a momentary high-voltage transient occurs on the line. Its rated voltage differs according to which group the mains voltage is; the u.s. voltage component (typically rated at 130v) won't be suitable for Australia, it would conduct for too long and explode before the voltage reached the normal level.
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Fubar
Registered
The region lock is to stop US machines from being exported, it protects the importers in other countries and their profits. The power supply in these LCD Stern games is capable of taking any common AC input voltage, so the only difference is in the factory configuration of the CPU. This can be reprogrammed, either by Stern themselves (you will struggle to convince them) or by some hackers on the internet. You don't even need to take the CPU out of the game.
I'm not sure about JJP but my Spooky game here (TNA CE) also uses a switched mode power supply and will work in any country.
Any game with a transformer (most stuff more than 10-15 years old) can be rewired as explained by Jay and Pick Holder above. It doesn't take very long and any pinball technician can help you with that.
Would the resellers in Australia have any access to be able to reprogram the CPU. My thought would be people having issues with their Australian bought machines needing a reset (if that's a thing).
Thanks Jay. So the voltage dependent resistor, varistor, (had to look varistor up. Funny as I thought all resistors were dependent on voltage) would need to be replaced to accommodate 230v mains.
Thanks Mypinballs, was just perusing through your website. I am totally new to the inside workings of new pinball machines (except when I watched the repairman fixing the Playboy pinball, I went to a boarding school in the early 80's and we had a Rec room that had said pinball machine there.) and have no idea what the term spike games refers to. Could you please elaborate.
It's the model of machines (year of manufacture) basically what CPU board in it, modern sterns, white star 90 ISH to late 2000. Spike 1, 2013 is to about 2017, machines onwards spike 2.
So any new stern well one since areosmith around 2017 are all spike 2.
Spike 3 is in the pipeline release some time in the future
Jaws and John wick are spike 2. My pinballs mod will work.
No ! They do this to stop people importing/exporting games. If it could be reflashed by a dealer - all the dealers would be buying from resellers in the states cheaper.
Also if you do buy from someone in the UK on a 2 year warranty for example - you wont get any warranty on it once you leave the UK.
Just get the @myPinballs PCB - put it in your cash box until you need it. I bet Jim would even give you the correct fuse if you catch him on a good day.