SkeeBall Identification

[Kevin Mullins]

To a forum moderator -
Can a moderator help us out with the .pdf links please?

Nope.  Attachments (except pictures) are still broken.

I had seen moderators post a direct link to files in other threads before is why I was asking.

But since he's posted it elsewhere to share.....all is good. 

[coyote640]

Here is a direct link to download the PDF manual, it is in a zip file to make it easier.
http://rapidshare.com/files/283123670/FAB.zip

[SirPeale]

I had seen moderators post a direct link to files in other threads before is why I was asking.

Do you have an example link?

[Kevin Mullins]

I had seen moderators post a direct link to files in other threads before is why I was asking.

Do you have an example link?

Oh you would ask me something like that. 
I think it was in the software or artwork section maybe the last time I saw it.
And I could have mis-read the link they had posted, but I thought it was pointing to somewhere on the forum server.
It wasn't one of them things I took particular interest in, just happened to be reading through.

EDIT: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=92263.msg1000755#msg1000755

No biggie really, I think they're on the verge of fixing the download issue.
I know they've been working at it.
 

[SirPeale]

Okay, that's something only an admin would have access to. 

Yes, it's being worked on.  I'm not even sure what caused the original issue.

[possum998]

Hi all.

I'm a new member and would like to thank coyote640 and others for their contributions to this year-old thread, which I've found quite helpful and insightful.  I purchased a Fab U Ball machine about a year ago (pic attached).  At the time the thought occurred to me that perhaps it was manufactured by someone other than Skee-Ball, but I was (and still am) far from an arcade expert.  Aside from some of the lights other than the score panel not working and the winner light missing, it worked flawlessly for several months.  Later, it would occasionally freeze after a game and fail to start a new one.  The coin op sensor would appear to trip correctly (the red LED would blink), but the ball release solenoid would not engage and the balls subsequently would not release.  Usually power cycling (or hitting the reset button, can't remember if that also worked) would correct the problem.

A couple of months ago, the previously intermittent problem permanent-ized itself.  When you power up the machine, the music plays and the lights blink.  The coin op sensor appears to trip properly, but the balls don't release.  Pushing the reset button starts the music over but doesn't correct the problem.  This would seem to be different than coyote's ball-counting sensor problem.  Any advice on how to go about troubleshooting?  I'm quite mechanically inclined, somewhat less electrically inclined - but I can navigate my way around electrically if I'm helped with good directions.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Paul 

[neald]

I see this is an old thread but I am posting for a good reason. I am the grandson of the owner of FAB Electronics. It's GREAT to see people taking our machines years later and restoring them. It's been a long time since I've worked with these. I want to clear the air on a couple things though, these machines were a similar design to the Skee ball game but we're anything but a "cheep knock off" as one of the Skee ball reps said. If anyone has any questions, or would just like to talk, please pm me my name is Neal. Thank-you

[MartyDrago]

Hello,
 I have a similar machine made by fab electronics.  It came out of an Alladins Castle  arcade.  I need to find a wiring schematic for this . I have no power to ball release.  Lights work, that's it.
Thank you

[PinWiz]

I just acquired a Fab-U-Ball game and it is missing the display board. I cannot find any schematics for the boards. I am more than happy to build my own board but I need to know how the CPU is driving the display. Could someone with this game take some up close pictures of both sides of the board so I can see what is are being used. I could then figure how the 7-segments displays are driven from the CPU. Thanks.

[Kershawesome]

Apparently everybody is getting Fab-U-Balls nowadays lol. I signed up for this forum just for this thread. I have two of these, both Chuck-E-Cheese branded. One is the 10-foot model everyone has been discussing here, but I also have the 13 foot model as well. The 13 foot came with three boxes of spare parts but unfortunately they don't seem seem to work on the 10 footer. I don't think either have sound boards but I need to dig through the parts more.

[PinWiz]

Glad someone else is looking here. I don't need a sound board but instead a display board. Got the game all working but no display. If anyone has schematics that would be very helpful. Short of that just some close up photos of the display board showing what ic s are used on it so I can build my own. Need to know if the CPU is sending bcd to each digit or if something else is going on. Any information on the game would be extremely helpful.

[Kershawesome]

I'll try to get some pics of mine when I get to my shop today or tomorrow.

[neald]

Pinwiz, there are (5) SC141D triacs and the lower portion of the power supply board used to drive the lamps and solenoid, maybe the ticket dispenser. I can't remember but I think the middle triac was the solenoid. 2 to the right were win and display lamps I think.

[PinWiz]

Thanks for the input.  My problem is several, but the main one is I do not have a display board (for the scores).  I am trying to figure out how the system drives the lights for the display so I can build my own.  If I had schematics it would be a breeze, but I can't find much information on these machines.  What I have gleaned from what is out there is the display board uses 7448 (common cathode 7-segment decoder/driver) for the scores and the output of those goes to dual drivers (8-pin ics, I've forgotten the number) to drive the lamps themselves.  I won't need those in my design since I will use 7447 (common anode 7-segment decoder/driver) and LEDs for the scores.  In the picture of the display that has been posted there is another chip that is un-identified.  I am guessing this is the chip that drives the 10 balls played lights.  I would also guess it is probably a bcd to decimal chip.  I have no idea how the DP (decimal point) is driven or what it is for.  I am guessing this has something to do with giving a visual indication of out of tickets but I don't know for sure.  I have been tracing the wiring from J6 and J7 on the card cage to the pcb connectors.  It appears that the cpu latches the data via the 8255 PIAs and that is what goes to the display drivers on the display board (which I don't have).  I have not figured out yet which pins from J6 and J7 are for which digits.  Anyone have a clue and can help?  Schematics would be so helpful here or some close up pictures of a working display board showing both front and back so one could see what wire colors are attached to where on the display board and the J6 and J7 connectors on the card cage.  The game seems to play fine although I have other questions since I have never played one and don't know how it is supposed to operate.  I have the music set to play Popeye but it only plays when you first boot up the machine.  Is that the only time you hear it?  Seems odd to go to all the work of programming all the different kinds of music and you only hear it when the machine it turned on the first time.  My 110 volt lights in the head seems to work okay and flash when they should.  Does the game play if the tickets are out?  Mine plays okay and the ticket dispenser runs even though there are no tickets, is that normal?  It counts the balls played okay and resets when 9 balls have been played. If there a way to turn off the background noise that grows louder the more points you get?  Can you change it?  Are there settings for the music it plays for the point switches?  Is there a way to adjust the number of tickets?  As you can see, I have lots of questions but the main thing is to get the score to show up!  Help!  I would really like to learn as much as possible for these games and document it all to help others out when they have problems.

[neald]

I will have access to a new never sold 10 footer that has been our family since the early 90's. It has been in storage about 4 hours from my home. As soon as I get a chance to transport it and get it running I can start to help you out with the questions you have. Right at the moment we are moving into another house and awaiting a closing date. So the FAB U BALL will have to wait a little bit. I will keep you posted.

[PinWiz]

That would be very helpful.  Thanks.
I got my bread boarded/cardboard display working enough to at least see the score.  It's not pretty but works.  Now I need to figure out how to make it permeant.  I laid out a pcb but the cost of having it made is a little more than I want to spend so I will probably just hand wire things up on perf board for now.  Next is to figure out the circuits for the Balls Played and what/how the decimal point is used.

Once I have that done it will be figuring out all the other questions I have that I listed above. 

[PinWiz]

Got my breadboard done for the score only.  Used 12 vdc pinball LEDs for the display and they look nice.  Still have not figured out all the rest but at least you can see your score!

[carsonoff]

@coyote460 have you figured out what the reset buttons do. I came across one of these machines and it works  but I can’t figure out what the bottom button does.

Top button triggers ball release solenoid
Middle button seems to reset (counts through ball lights)
Bottom button just sets ball played to 0 but leaves game unplayable.

Also I can’t seem to figure why the game over and alley open lights are always on

[MammaJamma]

Pinwiz, there are (5) SC141D triacs and the lower portion of the power supply board used to drive the lamps and solenoid, maybe the ticket dispenser. I can't remember but I think the middle triac was the solenoid. 2 to the right were win and display lamps I think.

Neal, you are our only direct link to FAB Electronics. I have been studying this thread for a while.
I have an Aladdin’s Castle fab u ball.
I am so close.  Do you have any pictures of the wiring in the back of the cabinet?
There is one wire that comes from the scoring (50, 40, 30,  20, 10) Where does it go?
Things were rewired in the past and It has no  molex to mate with.. ..

[B3rnie]

@MammaJamma
I'm also working on a machine and can help you Pin-out that wiring from the scoring holes.
The the yellow area is where those score holes pin to.  Which ones do you need?

Has anyone found a replacement chip for the 8pin dual drivers?

 I , well ,  did a stupid and put 120v on the wrong pin.. . Pop'ed a bunch of stuff. Working through it all now, finding what I blew up.
I noticed while trying to fix the "no release balls solenoid" that the ball counter data line and 120v triggering the Noid we're together in the same 4 core cable. I had one 4 core wire and one 2 core wire at the ball release noid. I tried moving the pins at the connector ( I have a fancy tool that can release the pins out of the connectors) and did not triple check that the swap was correct. Needless to say, I blasted the 5v line with 120v... sadness.  I had all sorts of chips pop, and stink filled the air.  It was a sad day.