Episode 6 – Beginner Series – EM Pinball Terminology Part 2
This is the third episode in my beginner series. Non beginners may enjoy this episode as well. In this episode, I talk more about EM pinball terminology and anatomy. The focus is more about the inner...
Highlights
- EM pinball machines of the 1970s are much more complex than machines from the 1930s and 1940s due to innovation and competition driving feature expansion
- An Alvin Gottlieb pinball machine from 1973 uses a 6 volt circuit for lights and a 25 volt circuit for other components, stepped down from 120 volts via transformer
- Fuses in EM machines range from as small as a quarter amp to as high as 15 amps, and should never be replaced with higher amperage due to fire and damage risks
- Three-chime units were commonplace by the 1960s, with each chime tone representing different score values (10, 100, 1,000 points)
- By the early 1980s, chimes were rarely used in pinball machines as digital sound took over
- The score motor is often referred to as the 'heart of an EM' and uses cams and switch stacks to manage complex game operations
- Jones plugs were named after their manufacturer, Howard Jones, and are multi-pin connectors used to disconnect sections of wiring harness
- It is strongly recommended to work on a pinball machine with the power off and unplugged, as dangerous electricity remains even when the machine is off but plugged in
Notable quotes
“When I looked inside an EM for the first time, I was surprised at how many wires and mechanisms it takes to make a pinball machine operate.”
“The transformer is the center of the electrical system... it lowers the amount of electricity to provide the appropriate voltage needed in the different circuits throughout the machine.”
“Safety is very important. It is strongly recommended to work on a pinball machine with the power off and unplugged. Even when the machine is off and plugged in, there is still a dangerous amount of electricity going into the machine.”
“You can think of the relays as the hardwired programming and with the help of the score motor, relays make decisions, so to speak, as they activate and deactivate things throughout the game.”
“People often refer to the score motor as the heart of an EM. It has many functions, but it helps communicate how many points the score reels need to add to the score after points are earned.”
Entities
- Alvin Gottlieb· company
- EM Pinball Journeys Podcast· organization
- David Rick Morgan· person
- Howard Jones· person
More from EM Pinball Journeys
→ All content from EM Pinball Journeys
Episode 9 - Pribs Pinball Repair with Gabe Pribil
In this episode, I am joined by Gabe Pribil of Pribs Pinball Repair. In this interview, we talk about Gabe’s journey into the pinball hobby and how it led to starting his own pinball repair business....
Episode 8 – Spotlight Series – Spanish Eyes with John Lee
This is the second episode in my pinball spotlight series. John Lee joins me again to talk about Spanish Eyes which was made by Williams in 1971 and 1972. I also talk with John about owning EMs and...
Episode 7 – Playing EM Pinball in Tournaments with John Lee
In this episode, I am joined by John Lee. In this interview, we talk about a wonderful charity called project pinball and his involvement. We also talk about pinball tournaments including John’s...
