This game had no CPU controlled lights. In other words, none of the playfield insert lights worked. So you couldn’t tell what shots to hit nor could you see your progress while playing. Not to mention you also don’t get the light show during attract mode.
I picked up an Attack From Mars in 2010 that came directly off route. It was pretty dirty but surprisingly it was very close to 100% working. The playfield and backbox general illumination (GI) were out, and one switch was missing its wireform actuator. I found the actuator in the cabinet, stuck it back on the switch, and everything played fine. So now it is time to tackle the GI problem.
Note: There’s usually no reason to go to the extent I did to rebuild this power supply. The only reason I replaced so many parts on it is due to its condition. If your power supply is in good shape except for some specific issue such as low 5v, bad fuse clips, etc., just fix what is wrong. Don’t replace tons of stuff like in this article.
Power supply rebuilds are pretty easy. A pinball power supply is rather simple and there are a few common components that fail. So fixing what you have usually makes more sense than buying a new replacement power supply.
Of course, sometimes you don’t have a power supply to fix. This was my situation. I debated buying a new power supply. But then this showed up on eBay:
I have a walk out basement. For the most part it beats messing with stairs, and it is great for moving machines in. I can get them unloaded and into the basement by myself. Getting them back out is a bit harder and takes another person because of this:
For around $160, the Harbor Freight 500 lb lift table is great for moving and setting up pinball machines. However, it is not perfect. The handle gets in the way, and it will not fold down. Let’s fix that.
The T-Rex in Jurassic Park is a neat toy, but it can be prone to problems. In fact, it can be down right aggravating at times.
My T-Rex stopped eating pinballs. It would bend down, but it could not pick up the pinball. Let’s do some investigation and see how things look:
The capacitor located at C1 on the strobe power supply board for Attack From Mars (AFM) is notorious for failing. Bally/Williams used a 100v non-polar capacitor in a location that has at least 140v across it all the time. Finding a replacement non-polar electrolytic capacitor with a voltage rating of greater than 100v proved difficult. Actually, you can find them, but they are usually so large they will not fit within the strobe’s power supply box. So I decided to take matters into my own hands.
KC Pins is devoted to pinball in the Kansas City metro area. I will have information on repairs, maintenance, collecting, and events in the area.
The site is new and under construction. More will be coming soon.