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Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 12, 2005, 04:29:31 pm Well i have been looking for arcade games and pinball machines for my sister. She is building a game room in the basement for my nephew. I have already bought her a Tetris cocktail table and a Ms Pacman upright but today I got a call on a pinball machine. I went to look at it and it is a cheep old Brunswick pinball. It isn't even coin operated but it is pretty neet and is in great shape. The lady said it didn't work but for FREE I couldn't pass it up. I got it home and took it apart and it is totally missing the power supply. My question is are power supplies pretty generic? I want to find one so I can get it running so I can give it to my nephew for Christmas. I attached a pic below. It does have glass but it is off in the picture. Anyone have any advice?
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: dr galaga on December 12, 2005, 04:49:15 pm You might want to give The Pinball Resource a call at 845-473-7114. Ask them what you need. They stock almost every part and have reasonable prices. Their web site is http://www.pbresource.com/
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 12, 2005, 05:24:40 pm Thanks
They sent me to a place that has parts for these. They want $110 for the power supply. So what do you all think. Is it worth $110 to get this running or should it go on ebay and see if it sells for anything? Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: dr galaga on December 12, 2005, 06:22:51 pm Wow! Does it have a schematic? Think you can just use a different kind of PS? What kind of voltages does it use? This site shows that there is a schematic - probably inside the head: http://members.tripod.com/~lobo14/alive.html
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 12, 2005, 06:39:40 pm It has the schematic on the back but I also found a manual for it. I have no idea if another one will work. The guy that makes them said they are not compatable with anything else or he wouldn't have to make them from scratch. I also got his number directly from Brunswick. The cabnet says 120V, 60 hertz, 1 amp, and the schematic says 28Vdc for the power supply.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: glassbottlesrule on December 12, 2005, 06:53:39 pm Josh, I buy all my pin parts from The real Bob Roberts. I don't have the url(I'm at work) but just type it into a search engine and it should come up. He is a old timer that knows just about everything. Just shoot him aan email with your specifics. If he can help you just buy it from him, he is the cheapest around and there is never any BS.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: on December 12, 2005, 06:59:02 pm I have a William's brand Winner, six player horse race pinball. Are you sure that you don't need a power supply that has all the wiring harnesses with the proper pin plugs on the ends? Not familiar with your machine, but if it is older with all the relays and such instead of all the solid state circuitry, you will find it is getting harder and harder to find an old timer that can work on it for tune-ups and such.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 12, 2005, 07:11:40 pm This machine was made in 1978 and it is solid state. I think the harness problem is why I need an exact replacement. Is $110 a high price? It also needs a new rubber kit and three buttons so all together it will need about $175 worth of work done to it.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: coke_and_stuff on December 12, 2005, 07:18:46 pm I dont know nothing about pinball machines but that 110 in the background looks great two thumbs up from me Josh!!!! your my hero!
Joey Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: dr galaga on December 12, 2005, 09:12:47 pm I would still call or email PBR for the price on one if you have time.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: BrianB on December 13, 2005, 11:21:33 am Josh -
The power supplies for SS pinball machines are fairly unique. $110 isn't a bad price, especially if that is the only thing wrong with it. You're paying for this guy's expertise and his ability to locate all the correct connectors/plugs and the physical power supply. You could try to rig something but you run the risk of frying a lot of other things. One of the great things about EM games is that most power induced problems are fairly localized, meaning when something goes kaput, it rarely takes anything else down with it with the exception of bulbs or maybe a coil if you are super unlucky. With Solid State (SS) you're dealing with discreet components that dont take kindly to any overpower or spike situation. Granted, 70's SS technology is a bit more robust than today's. So, basically, if it really is just the power supply that's bad, spend the $110 for a new one or find somebody that has an NOS or a good used one sitting around for a lower price and be on your merry way! Let us know how it goes. If it turns out that after replacing the power supply you still have problems, give a holler. Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: BrianB on December 13, 2005, 11:26:33 am Josh -
Here's a sales ad from Sears circa. 1978. Check out the original selling price! Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 13, 2005, 11:48:26 am Everyone I have spoken to says that the game is a nightmare to keep running. I think I am going to run it on ebay and start it at $9.99 no reserve and list it as an elvis collectable and see where it goes. I will be honest about what is wrong and see if it sells. After all I have already bought my sister and nephew a Tetris cocktail table and a ms pacman upright so I think that will be enough for now. The tetris is actually a Bloxeed by Sega but it is the same thing as Tetris. It works great and the cabnet is flawless and I got it for a whole $100. WHat a deal I posted a pic below.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 13, 2005, 11:49:03 am another pic
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: on December 13, 2005, 01:46:27 pm Sweet looking machine. You mention Sears, have you tried sears for your part?
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 13, 2005, 02:59:50 pm No but they stoped carrying these around 1980 and they would get the parts from the manufacturer and they don't even stock parts for it anymore. Brunswick is who told me to go to the guy in KY that builds the parts. By the way I might have just bought a Ms pacman cocktail table for $500. I found an astroids cocktail table for $200 if anyone wants one.
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: Pixel on December 13, 2005, 08:55:57 pm I had a pinball machine two or three years ago. "Sinbad" by D. Gottlieb & Co. It was one of their early solid state machines I believe. Made in 1977, it used Gottlieb's System 1 CPU board. My machine had the CPU and lamp driver boards, but not the power supply.
As an aside, they also had an electromechanical version with lower scoring (EM had 5 tumble dials, the solid state version displayed up to 6 digits I believe) Seems like the original Gottlieb System 1 CPU boards were said to be unreliable and prone to burning out. I found an aftermarket replacement for the CPU board that was supposed to be better, but they wanted almost $200 for it. With the power supply board missing, I decided I couldn't afford to try fixing it and sold it. Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: DanV on December 13, 2005, 09:39:09 pm Alive is only worth $75 WORKING. I have three pins and the home models like this one are not worth the effort or cash. Ebay is a good idea because if you get 50 for it, You got a good deal
Title: Pinball machine help???? Post by: loman4ec on December 13, 2005, 09:52:36 pm I also just bought a space invaders cocktail table for my sister. My Dad is paying for all of these and I am taking them to her for christmas. She knows she is getting the Boloxeed (Tetris) game but she thinks I am not able to bring it untill Febuary. SHe has no idea she is getting a Ms pacman upright and a Space Invaders cocktail table. She is going to go nuts. Actually I should say my Nephew is going to go nuts.
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