The machine blanks out during the game play.

There can be many reasons for that but if the machine blanks and restarts again especially when the flippers are hit (as you would switch it quickly "off" and back "on") there are two common reasons:

1. DIODE ON FLIPPER COIL IS OPEN CIRCUIT OR BROKEN OFF.

Check quickly all diodes on flipper coil. The diodes are suppressing back EMF which can interfere with the computer system. Broken off or open circuit diode is good explanation for the problem. Grab the diodes by your fingers and pull them (switch the machine off for your safety). They may look connected well but come off when you pull them. Check whether they are soldered well too. To check for open circuit you would need to disconnect one end of the diode from the coil. I would not rush to do it, they don't become open circuit that often and if the machine has four flipper you would need to disconnect eight diodes and this is bit of hassle. It is more common that the fault is caused by defective bridge rectifier as described in the following paragraph.

2.DEFECTIVE BRIDGE RECTIFIER BR2 ON THE POWER DRIVER BOARD

If the flipper coil diodes are okay another common cause is a defective bridge rectifier BR2 on the Power/Driver board. This rectifier is part of the +5V power supply and one of its diodes becomes intermittently open circuit. Instead of full wave rectification we get half wave rectification and thus a lower voltage for the input of the +5V regulator. The bridge rectifier may appear fine when checked with your multimeter. but if the machine does blank out and you checked all diodes on the flipper coils then replace the rectifier, you have good chance that it will fix the problem. It is easy to damage the tracks on the circuit board if you are not sure how to do this, it's not worth the damage. You are better off to get it done. In WPC 95 machines the bridge rectifiers are created by individual diodes and we did not experience this problem. This is what I like on Williams/Bally they always try to improve.

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