Bally Capersville coindoor wire repair

The wiring on my Capersville looked a little ragged. It worked but it looked really bad.

The plan was to bring the game to the 2018 Canada Pincon pinball show.

I imagined the wiring would give out at the worst possible moment at the show.

A bit of refurbishing was in order.

Wiring Before:

Capersville coin door wiring before

Almost all the wires were broken. Most of them had the twist and tape routine.

The one wire that wasn't taped was barely holding by a strand.

I spliced and soldered the wires and finished them with some heat shrink tubing.

I even took the time to redo the wire dressing.  

Repaired wiring

I finished the job by adding some nylon spiral wire wrap for additional protection. That way, it's unlikely the wires will get pinched in the door hinge.

Finished Capersville coin door wire repair

Zip tie moments at Canada Pincon 2018

Here are a few zip tie moments at Canada Pincon 2018. The event was held on June 2nd and 3rd in Vankleek Hill Ontario.

I had a few games in the free play area and a couple more in the history section.

Free play area

 I did a few shifts of guide duty in the history section.

History section

The first Zip ties moment is out of my 1966 Bally Capresville. It was the simplest way to put the game on free play. A loose zip tie stopping the credit wheel to go down to zero. No bending switch blades, no messing with alligator clip test leads. Temporary. Does the job.

Zip tie in Capersville

The second one was out of my 1939 Keeney Thriller. The machine kept tilting because of low line power issues. Too many machines. Too long extension cords. The "hold" relay kept dropping out.

Solution: Zip tie on the switch for the relay hold in circuit.

Zip tie in Thriller

Sometimes, you have to improvise.

In french speaking Quebec, we call zip ties "Tie wraps". No to be confused with Thai Rap.

Ballyhoo on top of Capersville

One was made in Janurary 1932. The other in December 1966.

34 years!

Thats how long it took Bally to go from a crude board with nails to an electro-mechanical masterpiece of design and art.

Capersville artwork by Jerry K, Kelley, influenced by the 1965 Jean-Luc Godard film Alphaville