How to Rebuild a Bally Pinball Pop Bumper! Cheap!

[@Sunsetdrivein]

That 1975-76-77 era had very brittle pop bumper skirts. Something with the formula used in making the plastic back then caused them to be brittle and break too soon. Today's replacement pop bumper skirts are made with a much better grade of plastic and it's more robust.

[@LyonsArcade]

Absolutely! Thanks for the info Ken!

[@Sunsetdrivein]

On the top of the playfield I like to replace ALL the pop bumper parts with brand new. Bases, springs, skirts, bodies, lamp sockets and rod & ring.

[@Kevscancave]

I’ve learned so much from your channel! Thanks for your help with EM’s

[@vogmar1]

I believe the diode is used for CEMF to protect the circuity when the magnetic field from the coil collapses.

[@LyonsArcade]

That's probably true on the Solid States but this is an ElectroMechanical machine! I think although I don't know... that they made the pop bumpers and flippers DC powered instead of AC powered on these later machines and needed the diode for that reason, don't completely understand it though.

[@barryrudolph9542]

Maybe they had trouble with the voltage spike running back into the rectifier and/or to prevent excessive arching on the relay and switch contacts.

[@ntrpresident9994]

@@LyonsArcade Acts as a shunt to prevent reverse polarity current (created during discharge) from flowing back to any semiconductor (bridge or transistors etc..basically discharges it thru the coil itself.

[@theoldbigmoose]

On DC driven with no solid state switching, I believe it is there to reduce switch contact erosion and welding. On solid state switching it is there to definitely clamp the inductive spike generated by the coil when switched off.

[@sguttag]

@@LyonsArcade Any time you are switching DC coils, you'll get a back EMF spike when the coil turns off. Whatever is turning off the coil will feel that arc. If you look on most any PCB mounted relay (DC) there will always be a diode right across the coil. To prove it to yourself, look at what is switching on the coil and then look at the arc it gets when it switches off...then remove the diode (temporarily)...compare the arc. It is REAL easy for contacts to weld together from that arc too. The diode snubs all of that and saves the contact on the switch/relay. theBigMoose got it right. Of course, this is 5-years ago (as I write it) so this discussion may have long been resolved.

[@1976aztec]

Nice job Joe I'm getting ready to replace the mylar on my 1968 Gottlieb Four Seasons pinball machine your videos are very helpful thanks for posting them

[@LyonsArcade]

No problem Michael if you run into any problems leave a message and we'll try to help.

[@johnneilokowitz2682]

You inspire me to be better ,especially doing the top bumpers, they are hard got me to solder

[@markjackson1444]

I noticed that there are differences in the metal ring and rods.... some are a lot more weighty and solid than others (newer ones). ... I think the heavier rod/rings will wack the ball a lot harder than the lighter ones. ... Using the same coil, the heavier ones give more thump to the bumpers. ... the rod/rings from the 50s and early 60s machines have more weight (and therefore more power) than the lighter ones which were made later. Have you ever noticed that Ronnie?

[@todds6048]

I want to replace the skirt and the cap mount (the conical piece that the cap mounts to), but it has the light socket inside. You don't go into detail on the disassembly or reassembly of this, and I'm wondering if I actually need to lift the playfield and do some soldering to achieve what I want? Can these be replaced without major surgery? Thanks!

[@garth6665]

Like it very much

[@icychill105]

Everytime i need a fix i seem to wind up at joes, Bumper started chipping on our 8 ball and it looks daunting to repair.

[@FrancisJFox]

Do the light bulbs just pull right out?

[@LyonsArcade]

Yes, most of them you twist and they pop out, others just pull straight out.

[@johnneilokowitz2682]

My big problem is soldering the light socket very little space I replaced all bumpers on the black knight 1980.

[@presentz9396]

Any ideas on how to make a pop bumper from scratch?

[@LyonsArcade]

Well basically you just need to buy all the parts, then wire it up where the power supply goes to each side of the coil, and the switch only connects when the ball hits the skirt.

[@presentz9396]

Joe's Classic Video Games my god I love this guy

[@CokieBarker]

does a clean up and new coil replacement improve pop bumber performance? my pop bumpers are sluggish.

[@LyonsArcade]

Usually the coil won't make it any stronger... but the sleeve inside the coil may (they're like 50 cents)... also clean all the switches on it and adjust them as close as possible.... that usually does it unless there's something physically damaged.

[@stevenglensmith708]

1979 bally paragon ,i have no flashing lights

[@LyonsArcade]

You mean the ones that light up in all the inserts on the playfield? There may be a blown fuse on your power supply.

[@presentz9396]

Me and my dad are making a pinball machine but we're missing the bumper can you recommend any websites that may sell them/parts thanks

[@LyonsArcade]

Presentz yes you can buy everything at MarcoSpec.com

[@presentz9396]

Joe's Classic Video Games great thanks!