Paragon Progress Update: Solenoid Misfires

Update on our Paragon progress! We’re starting the restoration by getting the machine electronically running before we dig into the mechanical and cosmetic issues.

After testing the rectifier board for the proper voltages, I put a new Alltek Ultimate MPU in the game in order to get it to boot since the original MPU is pretty badly corroded. The game will boot and attempt to play but the solenoids aren’t firing properly. The wrong switches are activating the wrong coils I.e. hitting a pop number will fire a slingshot and hitting a slingshot will fire the drop target reset coil.

The pictures above show the solenoid driver board. I suspect the issue may be bad connections on the solenoid board. The solder joints on the connector pins are 43 years old after all! So today I’m reflowing all of the header pins and I’ll re-pin the female connectors. I also have two new capacitors on order that I’ll install once they arrive as these (the big blue cylinder things) are almost certainly bad or will be soon.

This board work is relatively new to me and I’m learning as I go. There’s a ton of advice and instruction on the internet to help me out and we’re lucky to have Rodney at RLM Amusements in W. MI to fall back on in case I screw it up or get in over my head!

I’ll be working on Paragon today so Nicole will be running the arcade. We’re open 12-6, come say hi to Nicole and play some games!

-Carl