From Newsgroup: rec.games.pinball

Ran into a phantom switch issue on a Gottlieb Hollywood Heat that ruins the gameplay. I'd like to hear some suggestions on possible causes.

The game has 2 ball lock saucers lit at start of the game.
The right shot saucer acts normally which is the ball goes in saucer and a new ball spits out from the trough.
However, the left shot saucer will accept the ball for locking and spit out a new ball to the plunger lane.
THEN it starts to act like the ball drained (bonus countdown and ups the ball counter) Then it keeps kicking the drain coil as if ball is sitting there.
Of course, the flippers disengage and ruins the gameplay.

Note - if the ball goes in left saucer when NOT a qualified for ball lock, it will kick out normally to continue the game.
The game fully plays well until the ball goes in that left saucer.

Rebooting the game is necessary and if a ball is in left saucer, it will kick out before starting ball play. How can a phantom switch occur?

I believe the switch diodes are the groups of diodes on the 2 boards mounted on the vertical wood under the playfield. All seem to test the same value.
I am wondering about the relays under the playfield in the back.
Anyway, I have yet to research more but I thought I would post here... haven't done in a while :)
- Paul
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From Newsgroup: rec.games.pinball

On Monday, January 11, 2021 at 11:09:35 PM UTC-5, WannaPinball wrote:

Ran into a phantom switch issue on a Gottlieb Hollywood Heat that ruins the gameplay. I'd like to hear some suggestions on possible causes.

The game has 2 ball lock saucers lit at start of the game.
The right shot saucer acts normally which is the ball goes in saucer and a new ball spits out from the trough.
However, the left shot saucer will accept the ball for locking and spit out a new ball to the plunger lane.
THEN it starts to act like the ball drained (bonus countdown and ups the ball counter) Then it keeps kicking the drain coil as if ball is sitting there.
Of course, the flippers disengage and ruins the gameplay.

Note - if the ball goes in left saucer when NOT a qualified for ball lock, it will kick out normally to continue the game.
The game fully plays well until the ball goes in that left saucer.

Rebooting the game is necessary and if a ball is in left saucer, it will kick out before starting ball play. How can a phantom switch occur?

I believe the switch diodes are the groups of diodes on the 2 boards mounted on the vertical wood under the playfield. All seem to test the same value.
I am wondering about the relays under the playfield in the back.
Anyway, I have yet to research more but I thought I would post here... haven't done in a while :)
- Paul

First question, Do you have 3 balls in the game?
You should not have 2 lock saucers flashing.
You should have all 3 flashing or one flashing, that is the settings on the CPU.
Yes it will play with only 2 balls in the game if another switch is stuck closed.
Go to switch test with all the balls out of the game.
Display should say "ALL SWITCHES OPEN"
Good Luck
George Riley
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From Newsgroup: rec.games.pinball

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 7:17:45 AM UTC-5, gtriley@yahoo.com wrote:

On Monday, January 11, 2021 at 11:09:35 PM UTC-5, WannaPinball wrote:

Ran into a phantom switch issue on a Gottlieb Hollywood Heat that ruins the gameplay. I'd like to hear some suggestions on possible causes.

The game has 2 ball lock saucers lit at start of the game.
The right shot saucer acts normally which is the ball goes in saucer and a new ball spits out from the trough.
However, the left shot saucer will accept the ball for locking and spit out a new ball to the plunger lane.
THEN it starts to act like the ball drained (bonus countdown and ups the ball counter) Then it keeps kicking the drain coil as if ball is sitting there.
Of course, the flippers disengage and ruins the gameplay.

Note - if the ball goes in left saucer when NOT a qualified for ball lock, it will kick out normally to continue the game.
The game fully plays well until the ball goes in that left saucer.

Rebooting the game is necessary and if a ball is in left saucer, it will kick out before starting ball play. How can a phantom switch occur?

I believe the switch diodes are the groups of diodes on the 2 boards mounted on the vertical wood under the playfield. All seem to test the same value.
I am wondering about the relays under the playfield in the back.
Anyway, I have yet to research more but I thought I would post here... haven't done in a while :)
- Paul

First question, Do you have 3 balls in the game?
You should not have 2 lock saucers flashing.
You should have all 3 flashing or one flashing, that is the settings on the CPU.
Yes it will play with only 2 balls in the game if another switch is stuck closed.
Go to switch test with all the balls out of the game.
Display should say "ALL SWITCHES OPEN"
Good Luck
George Riley

Thanks for the reply.
Yes ... all three ball are apparently needed to even start the game. Everything seems to be playing normally ... until you get in the left saucer... the ONLY time found where the game goes haywire to keep kicking in the drain.
At the start of the game BOTH saucers are 'qualified' to lock balls (flashing, I think) ... could the game be set on EASY rules perhaps?

I will certainly explore the switch test to see if "All Switches Open" ... a stuck switch is definitely a good thing to explore...
I was wondering about possible issue with the underplayfield relays.
Thanks, George.
- Paul
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From Newsgroup: rec.games.pinball

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 3:17:56 PM UTC-5, WannaPinball wrote:

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 7:17:45 AM UTC-5, gtr...@yahoo.com wrote:

On Monday, January 11, 2021 at 11:09:35 PM UTC-5, WannaPinball wrote:

Ran into a phantom switch issue on a Gottlieb Hollywood Heat that ruins the gameplay. I'd like to hear some suggestions on possible causes.

The game has 2 ball lock saucers lit at start of the game.
The right shot saucer acts normally which is the ball goes in saucer and a new ball spits out from the trough.
However, the left shot saucer will accept the ball for locking and spit out a new ball to the plunger lane.
THEN it starts to act like the ball drained (bonus countdown and ups the ball counter) Then it keeps kicking the drain coil as if ball is sitting there.
Of course, the flippers disengage and ruins the gameplay.

Note - if the ball goes in left saucer when NOT a qualified for ball lock, it will kick out normally to continue the game.
The game fully plays well until the ball goes in that left saucer.

Rebooting the game is necessary and if a ball is in left saucer, it will kick out before starting ball play. How can a phantom switch occur?

I believe the switch diodes are the groups of diodes on the 2 boards mounted on the vertical wood under the playfield. All seem to test the same value.
I am wondering about the relays under the playfield in the back.
Anyway, I have yet to research more but I thought I would post here... haven't done in a while :)
- Paul

First question, Do you have 3 balls in the game?
You should not have 2 lock saucers flashing.
You should have all 3 flashing or one flashing, that is the settings on the CPU.
Yes it will play with only 2 balls in the game if another switch is stuck closed.
Go to switch test with all the balls out of the game.
Display should say "ALL SWITCHES OPEN"
Good Luck
George Riley

Thanks for the reply.
Yes ... all three ball are apparently needed to even start the game. Everything seems to be playing normally ... until you get in the left saucer... the ONLY time found where the game goes haywire to keep kicking in the drain.
At the start of the game BOTH saucers are 'qualified' to lock balls (flashing, I think) ... could the game be set on EASY rules perhaps?

I will certainly explore the switch test to see if "All Switches Open" ... a stuck switch is definitely a good thing to explore...
I was wondering about possible issue with the underplayfield relays.
Thanks, George.
- Paul

Paul, disregard the 3rd line of my message, that pertains to Monte Carlo not Hollywood Heat, my mistake.
Switch test is where to start.
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From Newsgroup: rec.games.pinball

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 7:17:45 AM UTC-5, gtr...@yahoo.com wrote:

Go to switch test with all the balls out of the game.
Display should say "ALL SWITCHES OPEN"
Good Luck
George Riley

I will certainly explore the switch test to see if "All Switches Open" ... a stuck switch is definitely a good thing to explore...
I was wondering about possible issue with the underplayfield relays. Thanks, George.
- Paul

Just wanted to conclude on this topic/event.
The problem is now solved and ultimately I am glad it was just a switch blade shorting to a GI bulb.
Initially, it did motivate us to unify the grounding wires inside the cabinet (but that was not the issue here)
Interesting though how subtle this short can be.
Story: Changing the bulbs to LEDs, the saucers are lit from under the plastic and when putting in the bulbs, I angle the light to make it glow brightest.
However, when the switch was engaged (pushed downward), the tip of the bottom switch blade just touched to can of the socket.
Think about it ... This is something you can never see with the playfield down! George reminded me of the switch test, so we started the test mode and saw that the whole column would register as a switch event, including unused switches AND the center drain. So when playfield was up, we were holding the switch down by hand FROM THE TOP and finally saw the touching. If you push from the bottom upwards, there is not short and the switch test shows a single event.
So the lesson is CHECK YOUR CLEARANCE under the saucers ... these are often lit up by socket/lamp under the leaf switch and can be bent a little too close...therefore touching only when the switch is pressed down.
Hope this makes sense to the next person falling into this sudden crazy phantom switch issue.
Thank you and enjoy everyone!
- Paul
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