Balrog Hard to Hit

"Bashing Balrog" a while back, I noticed it was hard to register a hit.  Not every clean hit would score.  These games were made to play in the arcades, so I didn't expect a problem so soon. Mentioned it to someone a week ago, and they thought the "Big Bashing Toy" was only supposed to register direct, solid hits.  So I left it as it was.

Today, I couldn't get ANY hits to register in FOTR (Fellowship Multiball) which makes the mode impossible to play.  Took the back cover off the Balrog, both the switch and diode tested OK.  Wires looked good, fixed firmly and not shorting out.  Other switches in the same ROW or COL were working perfectly.  Pressing the Balrog in under "Balrog Test" mode, the switch results looked funny.
It would flicker on/off really fast like multiple hits were being scored. Also banging on the playfield would score Balrog hits. :(

Didn't seem to be any adjustment for the micro switch, except for bending the blade with the mini-roller.  Didn't have a replacement for the switch, so I tried bending the blade outwards slightly.  According to the manual, sw #28 stays normally closed and then the Balrog hit opens the switch. Not the normal target arrangement. But actually after doing that, it seemed better on the Balrog test.  Solid closed, and then would open when Balrog was tilted forward.  Better when playing a game too, just didn't expect to have to mess with the main toy so soon.

BTW- The tiny black screws on the Stern switches are 3/16".  You will need a nut driver that size if you ever need to change a switch.

Screw loose in game

Found a small black phillips screw while playing
In the middle of FOTR (Fellowship Multiball) a black screw was bouncing around the O-R-C lanes. Caught a ball on the flipper, but it drained when coin door was opened to take off glass.

• Tip: set a "coindoor ballsaver": option #42. That way you resume a game after a ball hang.

After scratching my head and looking around, found it was missing from the plastic funnel in the ring. Replaced and tightened both sides. One to watch, may need loctite.


Looking at audits, 326 plays. No scores have been greater than 150M. Getting better at completing the Movie MB more than once each, my 132K is still top.

LEDs and Real Knocker

TR Pop Bumper Flasher is blowing out
Notice the Top Right #906 was burned out, the one usually hidden behind the Balrog when the ramp is open. I may not have noted it here before,
but this is the second time it happened since new in that location. So twice in less than a month. Hmmm...Rather than try and figure it out,
I installed Red LED Flashers in the Pop Bumpers, which will solve the problem if it's from vibration. Looks great.

a. While in there, I tried single #555 Blue LEDs on the PoTD numbers 1-4. Not enough green ones to try, but I can see the effect.
    I don't like it, the "wipes" and "fade up/down" don't work correctly as LEDs are only on or off, there is no "in-between" where they look eerie.
    They are too bright when those LEDs are the only things lit. I suspect LEDs are better under inserts if used at all on this game.

b. Put two Ultra Violet 4+1 LEDs (#47 type) on the backboard far Left (above PoTD). Now this I like, the top of the Orthanc tower picks up the UV and glows.
    Summary: Went back to green bulbs on the "PoTD Scoreboard", left the Violet 4+1 LEDs above.

c. Had played around earlier with adding a Real Replay Knocker in the head using a 6v relay, a knocker (with diode) and some wires. You connect it to the Q24 option transistor,
    which can run a credit meter, knocker or token dispenser. Way better than the sound of the software knocker from the speakers, mine is now turned off forever!
    Happy enough with it to document the knocker solution and publish a schematic to my LOTR site, others have solved this in a similar way.