BINGO PINBALLS

 

Techno Stuff
How They Work - Timer Unit

Lockout Warnings

Right, we saw that the timer unit steps up until it reaches step 4, then the selector lock trip relay must be tripped for it to advance to the next step. So at this point, we have four balls on the playfield (I assume one in the runway, and three in holes).

flash circuit
surf club
do it now!
While the timer unit is sitting on step 4, it's actually doing something useful - it's telling you to push the buttons/turn the knob NOW! by flashing lights on the backglass.

Here we see how it's done. The 16 pulse cam up on the mixer is generating a stream of pulses. If the selector lock trip relay is not tripped (haven't shot the fourth ball yet), and the timer unit is at step 4, the "Select now lite" will get the pulses...if that little switch in the bottom right is closed, which happens when the feature is enabled. We also see a "Super line signal lite" that will get the pulses if the super line relay is closed, which it is when the player has the feature and chosen to enable the superline.

Note here Bally does not number the timer disc box with a '4' so you know at what step the "clock hands" connect the circuit. You must resort to looking at the picture in the manual and you'll see that wore #83-6 connects to wire #71-5 by another pair of wipers when the timer unit is at the fourth step (remember that the unit is drawn in it's reset position, which is step 0).

5th ball relay
surf club
5th ball relay
Surf Club has the hold feature which kicks in after the fifth ball is shot, and we see the yellow circuit that the timer unit triggers. Again, the completion of the circuit depends on trough switches, since the timer unit ball count is not necessarily accurate (we don't know if the fourth ball fell through the return hole).

Once the 5th ball relay closes, it keeps itself closed via the purple circuit. The selector lock trip relay is in the purple circuit to turn off the 5th ball relay when the machine resets.

The 5th ball relay switches are in a few places and control the hold feature and extra ball play circuits. Just don't expect to find a 5th ball relay on any games except Surf Club and Palm Springs. Most games have more selector lock trip relays and those things control stuff like enabling the yellow button to play for extra balls.

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