Beyond hole sensor alignment, arcade technicians frequently encounter weak ball launch force (stick bola lemah), ball delivery/solenoid jams (bola tidak keluar), and mainboard scoring circuit faults.
1. Plunger & Lever Assembly Troubleshooting (Stick Bola / Tuas Peluncur)
The mechanical plunger stick uses a tension spring mechanism to launch balls into the planetary target field (e.g., Mars, Jupiter, Saturn).
[Player Pulls Lever] ──> [Tension Spring Compresses] ──> [Release Impact] ──> [Ball Launches]
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(Common Failure Points: Worn Spring, Broken Bumper, Shaft Drag)
Common Faults & Symptoms
Weak Ball Launch: Ball fails to reach upper high-value planet holes even when pulled fully back.
Lever Sticking / Slow Return: Plunger hesitates or drags against the front chassis guide.
Loud Metallic Impact: Rubber stop bumper disintegrated inside the housing, causing metal-on-metal wear.
Repair & Servicing Procedure
Inspect Mechanical Spring Tension: Check the internal return/tension spring. Replace stretched or rusted springs with standard heavy-duty arcade plunger springs.
Clean & Lubricate Shaft Guide: Wipe dust and grease off the steel rod guide using 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA). Apply a light film of dry silicone lubricant (avoid oil/grease, which attracts dust and creates drag).
Replace Buffer Rubber: Check the rubber washer at the base of the plunger shaft. Replace cracked or missing buffers to absorb recoil impact and prevent cabinet frame damage.
2. Ball Feeder & Solenoid Release Mechanism (Bola Tidak Mau Keluar)
When a player inserts a coin or swipes a card, the game's control board energizes a release solenoid or motor gate at the lower hopper chute to drop a ball into the launching lane.
Power off the cabinet and inspect the lower ball return ramp. Check if misshapen, sticky, or cracked balls are wedged under the solenoid retention gate. Remove damaged balls from play stock.
Clean the IR optical sensor or microswitch located at the bottom of the ball tray using IPA. If this sensor fails to detect a waiting ball, the CPU will not activate the release solenoid upon coin insertion.
Insert a coin and measure voltage across the solenoid coil terminals using a multimeter set to DC Voltage:
Active Pulses: Should read a momentary $+12\text{V DC}$ or $+24\text{V DC}$ pulse.
No Voltage Pulse: The driver transistor (e.g., TIP122, ULN2003, or relay) on the main PCB or the supply fuse is blown.
Disconnect power and measure coil resistance with an Ohm meter. A healthy solenoid coil typically measures between $10\,\Omega$ and $50\,\Omega$.
$0\,\Omega$ / Short Circuit: Coil is shorted and will burn out new driver transistors on the PCB.
Infinite $\Omega$ / Open Circuit: Coil wire winding is broken and the solenoid unit must be replaced.
3. Planetary Hole Value & Score Calibration Matrix
If target hole sensors are clean and centered but ticket payouts remain incorrect, verify the mainboard DIP Switch Settings or System Service Menu configurations.
| Target Hole (Planet) | Typical Point Value | Expected Signal State (Standby) | Expected Signal State (Triggered) | Primary Sensor Type |
| Earth / Moon (Low Value) | 2 – 5 Tickets | $+5\text{V DC}$ (NO) | $0\text{V DC}$ (Closed) | U-shaped IR / Lever Microswitch |
| Mars (Mid Value) | 10 – 20 Tickets | $+5\text{V DC}$ (NO) | $0\text{V DC}$ (Closed) | U-shaped IR Photo-interrupter |
| Jupiter / Saturn (High Value) | 30 – 50 Tickets | $+5\text{V DC}$ (NO) | $0\text{V DC}$ (Closed) | Dual-IR Beam / Photodiode Pair |
| Jackpot / Special Hole | Bonus / Max Tickets | $+5\text{V DC}$ (NO) | $0\text{V DC}$ (Closed) | High-speed IR Optical Sensor |
4. Master Troubleshooting Reference: Space Traveling
| Problem Description | Primary Root Cause | Recommended Technical Action |
| Wrong score recorded when ball enters hole | Sensor misaligned or dirty lenses | Clean sensor with IPA; align housing center; check signal toggling ($5\text{V} \rightarrow 0\text{V}$). |
Display shows ticket error (HLP / Err-Tk) | Empty ticket stock or dirty notch sensor | Reload tickets, blow out paper dust from dispenser optical sensor, and press Reset. |
| Coin accepted, but ball doesn't feed | Defective standby sensor or blown solenoid coil | Check standby sensor signal; test solenoid resistance ($10\,\Omega - 50\,\Omega$) and driver transistor. |
| Ball launches weakly from plunger | Worn return spring or dirty plunger shaft | Replace plunger tension spring; clean shaft with IPA and apply dry silicone lubricant. |
| Machine resets randomly during play | Low $+5\text{V DC}$ logic rail on power supply | Measure $+5\text{V}$ rail under load; adjust power supply trimpot to $5.05\text{V} - 5.10\text{V}$. |
