Wisconsin Pinball

Hey guys
It's Your favorite ex-Wisconsinite that now lives in New Jersey. Even though I had to unfortunately leave the great state of Wisconsin I was hoping I could get some friendly Badger State advice/guidance on I fairly simple issue (well, hopefully it's simple).

I picked up a 1980 Gottlieb Counterforce (Sys 80) and I have some playfield lamp issues. I'm fairly convinced it's not a board issue (has a wi-numph driver and a new Swemmer MPU board plus new MPU/power driver connector).
I have a handful of insert lamps out and a few that illuminate partially and no idea how to to determine where the problem is.

My question- where do I start looking under the playfield on a system 80 to determine where the issue may be? At the lamps/sockets? The the components near the transformers? The actual wiring to the lamps?
Most of the lamps (around 5 or so) not lighting are the main green lamps.
I'll try and find link to the manual and post it.
Any Sys 80 advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance guys!
-Ran

Sorry Ran, I don't know much about Sys 80's, but I am sure someone here will help you out. I just wanted to say we miss having you here in the Midwest! Come an visit soon!

G#

BigDaddyBanjo wrote:Sorry Ran, I don't know much about Sys 80's, but I am sure someone here will help you out. I just wanted to say we miss having you here in the Midwest! Come an visit soon!

G#

I miss you all you guys as well! Especially all those league nights when you took all my money.
In fact, I think I still owe Tim, Todd, Mike and Hilton quite a few Washingtons...
-Ran

Hey Ran,

Seeing the schematic would definitely help, to figure out what's driving those lamps. If the boards are new, then let's assume the transistors are all good. At that point I'd check the connectors going from the board to the lamps in question. Next...check the sockets as they could just be bad (although all 5 sounds suspect). Are those 5 lamps all driven from the same common line?

Also, if it hasn't already been done definitely do all the ground mods. They're pretty straight forward. http://www.flippers.com/gottlieb_ground_cures.html

Oh...and if you'd like to just send me a bunch of Washingtons I will happily distribute them to everyone appropriately!

- Sean

u2sean wrote:
Also, if it hasn't already been done definitely do all the ground mods. They're pretty straight forward. http://www.flippers.com/gottlieb_ground_cures.html

Oh...and if you'd like to just send me a bunch of Washingtons I will happily distribute them to everyone appropriately!

- Sean

I'll get an envelope full of washingtons in the mail on the second Tuesday of next week

One other thing...ok, maybe two other things.
1- can I still do the ground mods if the game has a ni-wumph driver board and Swemmer mpu?
2- I noticed when I put in LED in the lights that aren't working A few of them light up a little bit so there is electricity flowing...but barely any.
Maybe the ground mods will correct this?

Anyway, thanks again for all the help guys!
-Ran