As some of you know, I ended up with quite a Black Hole project last fall.  For a long time, I just had the head unit, and then I managed to get the body this spring.  The whole unit had been in storage, by what we've been able to figure out, for 20 years.  

The game was missing all of the upper displays, the motor to spin the vortex on the backglass is seized.  There was some acid damage on the CPU board (although it doesn't seem to have damaged any of the components).  One of the pop bumper driver boards was missing.  There is at least one burnt coil.  There was the requisite mouse poop in the lower cabinet.

I've had some time to work on it over the past few weeks.  A friend offered to do the electronic repairs and upgrades on the boards.

Body & Head, Reunited





Playfields being worked on



Main Playfield - The drop targets spell "Black Hole" again.



Lower Playfield - New Drop Targets



Here are the drop targets I removed.  Most were not the correct target.  One was broken off completely.  One was the worst/most ingenious repair I've seen in a long time.



Worst/Most Ingenious Repair

Wouldn't it be cheaper/less time intensive just to buy and install a new one?





I'm in the midst of stripping the main playfield down, cleaning, and replacing bent metal posts, yellowed star posts, rubbers, bulbs, and a new set of repro plastics.  It's really dirty after 20 years of just sitting around.

Here are some pictures of what it looked like when I first got it (through dirty top glass):

Woo! System 80 all the way!

Some day, I want to get my hands on a BH for myself.

Nice, Bish!  How did you get the playfield and plexi so nice and shiny?  

Very nice project !!  

Quoted from machine.slave

Nice, Bish!  How did you get the playfield and plexi so nice and shiny?  

Thanks!  Oddly, the plexi "window" looked like new when I got it.  I've been working on the playfield with novus2 and a lot of elbow grease.  It's starting to shine up now.  Dr.Menace suggested getting a magic eraser too.

I'm working mostly on the head right now.  The Backboard GI wires were corroded.  When I got the machine, there were 3 "AA" batteries soldered to the CPU and bundled up with black electrical tape.  There was no blocking diode, and the theory is the batteries leaked when the game tried to charge the batteries (plus I figure they were attached for 20 years, leaking acid).  It could have been much worse, as the original "Data Sentry" NiCad battery would have likely done more damage.  Amazingly, the reset and clock sections of the CPU still work.

Back to the GI wires....



I sanded all the wires with 220 grit sandpaper.  I tried to get under the wires (between the wire and the board) whenever possible.  To make things worse, the head was obviously "damp" at some point, as there was a lot of rust on the screws, staples, and t-nuts.  I tried to get the worst off with the sandpaper.



All the wires are shiny now.  



I used a mixture of 100ml white vinegar and 100ml water (50/50 mixture) to wash the wires and the lamp sockets with.  The acid in the vinegar neutralizes the alkaline from the batteries.  This should help to keep the corrosion from coming back.  I used a "spinbrush" (battery powered toothbrush) to really get the mixture to in the nooks and crannies.  Afterward, I used 99% pure isopropyl alcohol on the spinbrush to displace the water that may have gotten into the sockets.



Now, once I'm sure everything is dry, it's time to test continuity on all the wires and lamp sockets.  If everything tests OK, I'll remount all the circuit boards.

This is how the head is looking now:



When I got the machine, it had no displays in the head.  I picked up some cheap, and have mounted them.  I've removed the spinning disk, granger motor (which is dead), and also the inner backglass.  I've relamped the head (I was amazed to find the head takes 80+ bulbs...#44s and #455s (which are the blinking lights under the spinning vortex disk).  

In the body, I've replaced the "orange" filter cap with a new 24V, 12000mF capacitor.



That's all, so far.

Great attention to detail. It is informative to see how you're addressing the issues despite being laborious. The spinbrush is a great idea.

Looking forward to the next update.  

this all scares me.. 'cause I have yet to pick up my Black Hole and replace all the bulbs and what not  

Good progress!

I put a new line cord on.  I had difficulty melting the old solder...so that slowed things down.

I installed the power supply board, and have repinned all the connectors going to it.  I checked all the Bridge Rectifiers, and cabinet fuses.  All OK.

I also added a ground wire from the power supply board to the lock for the head.  (In Gottlieb machines, this lock is grounded to the cabinet ground...so it's a good place to attach to).

Using Clay's guide, I powered up with only the power supply connected.  All the voltages checked out!



Then I connected the modified ground wire from the CPU to the power supply board (after sanding the annodizing off around the screw hole.  I plugged in the 4-pin power connector to the CPU, and checked the +5V at the C1 capacitor.  It read 5V, so nothing was dragging the voltage down.

Then the guide says to add the diplays into the mix, by plugging the two large connectors into the right side of the CPU.




Here's where the problem starts...

After waiting 5 seconds for the CPU to boot, I checked the power supply board, and the two LEDs were barely glowing!

(Turning the power off first before unplugging connectors), I disconnected display #3, and restarted the machine.  The power supply lights stayed on, but none of the displays powered on.  (I still haven't played with it enough to figure out if it's display #3 that's causing problems, or if unplugging any display will do the same thing).

Possibilities:

1) I bought these displays "as is", so I have no idea whether they work or not, but I'm assuming at least one would.

2) Clay's guide suggests CPU problems, but Dr_Menace checked all the boards over on a BH at his place, and said the CPU was working.

I haven't got to the point where I'm checking all the pins with the probe yet to see if it's the reset section or the clock section of the board...that's the next step for another day.

Check if you have good connection between display and connector. I also have a barely glowing display, just apply little pression on connector and display was fine. Also check for invisible cracks on the display itself and his pcb and cold solder. Also apply little pression and see if it glow more.  

Hey Bish,

Just following along here and thought I'd chime in.  

I know you probably did this but thought I'd ask...  You did turn the game off before connecting the displays right?  (you didn't mention that in your post)  It could be the displays bringing the PS down, but you will also need all the other square .093" round pin connectors along the bottom of the head connected to get the displays up. (not all of the voltages go through the PS)

If that is all connected, you'll have to connect one display per power cyclce and see which one is dragging things down.  Start with the upper left P1 display and go from there.  Don't forget about the display in the PF and the one under the apron!

It's got to be a display or some issue with the wiring in your cab, as all of your boards tested and played 100% in mslave's BH.  Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Doug