Ring Magnet

The Ring Magnet works perfectly over many game plays with a 5A SB fuse installed

• Have left it like that for now, worth the risk to be able to play correctly.
• An RGP search says that this can be a problem on some games. May try the 4A SB fuses again to see if they blow, but I'm enjoying the game working right now!

Got the pin-cushions and a replacement coin mech from supplier. Fitted cab protectors under legs, should have had them there from new. Fitted coin mech.

Found a gate switch was not connected up from Stern factory! Wasn't always registering the "Merry" lane. I was sure I was making the shot.

• Technical name was switch #21 - Rt. Orbit High. Stern had left off the "Z" connector so there were 2 female sockets hanging- one on the harness and one on the switch.
• After checking over wire colours, connected them up with a 2-pins from a .156" header and it's been working ever since. Yay!

1. Switched off the feature that spots "free" Fellowship members each ball, now that Merry lane registers.
2. Adjusted spot light reflector on LH Helms deep (took it off and flipped it over). Ball was slowing on it going down LH return lane.
3. Printed out a better Instruction card on photo paper and cut it to size.

# Ring Magnet Blues #

Got those low-down # Ring Magnet Blues # today.


Ring isn't holding the ball anymore, didn't notice it right away.
Had worked OK for a day or two so:

• Checked over the switches and optos associated with the ring. There is a special Ring Test (sounds painful, doesn't it?)
• Spinner #52 not stuck and only makes when it should.  All switches are showing as normal during the ring tests.
• Optos at #47 and trough exit #48 are fine.  I'm pretty good with this stuff, and everything looks good to me!
• Magnet will do a "hold and drop" with a 4A SB (slo-blo) fuse, but "grab and throw" will blow the fuse.
  That's where it throws the ball behind the ring and out the wireform.  It needs to be able to do this!
• To get "grab and throw" to work at all, need install a 5A SB , or a mini-circuit breaker rated at 5A.
   It definitely blows a 4A SB or 5A Fast-blo fuse when the game tries to "grab and throw" the ball.

Today was not a good pinball day.     :(

Some Snags and Mods

Some Snags and Mods.

• Found a #906 bulb in bottom of cabinet. From the game, somewhere!  Did tests and Flasher behind Barad-dur was missing, it fell out:

1. Tried an Orange LED for that flasher as it might look good with the eye decal, but it didn't fit properly. So put #906 bulb back. All OK.
2. Realised that Barad-dur tower is really noisy when held down, maybe normal. Set the "early-crash" setting for tower to "no", as I didn't like that sound.
3. Added a colour changing #44 LED from Bruce at BC's Pinball* behind the Palantir, which is a nice touch. For the Palantir insert to colour change, you need the #555 style LED.

• Over time I plan to add the figures with some plastics and protectors.  The distributor included a complete(?!) set of figures with the LE as a freebie. Yay!  That's what a distributor's surprise should be.

BCS Pinball Colour changing #44 LED for Palantir from BC's Pinball. For the Palantir Insert to colour change, get the #555 one too. Both are $3.50 ea. (Feb 2010)

Another good use for the #555 LED is the "?" on the TZ Door. It's ALL personal opinion with LEDs.  Good for accents here and there.

Some time ago I ordered:

• Complete plastic set with the mounting holes for the figures, as I decided I didn't want to drill holes in the original LOTR-LE set.
• Cliffy protector for the Gimli hole (VUK)* and a PoTD plastic deflector* - for the Path of the Dead which evens out the scoring of lanes 1 & 2.

I've decided to keep a list of LOTR mods and the part numbers / suppliers separate from this blog.

• No coin mechs in coin door- what? from new? Distributor had pulled them, offered to send some out. Was not that bothered- had been looked after well so far.
• Folks complained about getting Canadian coin mechs in the USA on RGP and then I get USA ones and I don't care!

Just got my NIB LOTR LE

Just got my NIB LOTR LE, delivered at around 12:00 (noon) and unboxed by 14:25. My first NIB game.

Notice scuff marks in a couple of places on screen printed cabinet. Manufacture fault or from shipping :( Nothing the right sharpie couldn't fix, I guess.

• My Stern distributor says even new Williams games came with some cabinet flaws.
• Asked him for some cabinet protectors- cheeky of me, but he offers to send me a set. Nice! I can live with that.