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Initial Power Up!After assembling the bowler I just had to power it up. I wanted to see lights flash and hear bells ring! I wanted to hear the relays clicking and smell the transformer burn off the dust. After noticing that the power connector was gone I quickly stripped the wires and shoved them into the end of an extension cord. I plugged the machine in and - nothing! Not even a hum! A few minutes later I felt absolutely stupid as I realized that I forgot to put the fuses back in. I unplugged the machine, put the fuses in and powered up. Nothing! Because I didn't have my multi-meter handy and it was getting late, I decided to hang it up for the night. I'm guessing that I either need to fix and plug in all of the connectors first or that I need to troubleshoot the transformer to see if it's getting and putting out juice. At least I've gotten this far - finally!
First Successful Power UpAfter replacing the transformer and getting the last connector fixed, the bowler actually powers up! The transformer makes a nice scary buzz and the relays snap, crack and spark like crazy! This is one monstrous machine! Some of the solenoids dim all the lights on the bowler and make it shake when they go off. I played with the bowler for about an hour after powering it up. I used a pair of needle nose pliers to move the solenoids and switch relays. Most of the solenoids are labeled so I figured out what they do. In the future I'll post a list of the solenoids and their functions. Maybe I'll even do a drawing. I was able to make the pins drop down and the counters move. My conclusion at the end of the night was that I need to oil anything that moves and file every electrical switch I can find. Some contacts and mechanical components are frozen/rusted. Just by repeatedly moving solenoids I was able to get some parts moving freely. This is one machine that will probably run better with age. |
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Second Chance Arcade E-Mail: todd1814@yahoo.com |
