Finally bought a Powerflash!...was it worth it???

[pachiwall]

Checking the local (and NOT so local) pachinko listings on CL...I found a $175 Powerflash! 3 and a half hours north of me! I am not opposed to traveling for a pachinko...but I wasn't going to pay $175. Another seller 20 miles closer to me had a Yellow Cab for sale. I figured if negotiations on Powerflash failed...I could always get the Yellow Cab on the way home. So I made arrangemments to meet the PF seller and grabbed my transformer to test. Unfortunately, he said he has the machines in his truck...and would meet me when I got into town. I did not know he had any other machines for sale. Not that I cared...I was in it for the Powerflash!
So off to Cleveland Ohio I go! My $250 Honda took the trip to the tune of 30.7 miles to the gallon. As soon as I.enter Cleveland...I get a $209 Speeding ticket! 79 in a 60. Thing that gets me is...the whole freeway was traveling at 75mph. I was in fact speeding...but 209 for going 4 mph faster than the pack seems a bit much. It put a BIG bummer on my whole trip.
So I choose a random Cleveland exit, and call him from a pay phone that I could hear him...but he couldn't hear me. Went to a McD's for the free Wi-Fi and was able to borrow their phone. Sure enough...he met me in a drug store parking lot with three pachinko machines in the bed. A Comet II, a Heiwa, and the beloved Power Flash!
Since I couldn't test it (I could have if I brought a power inverter ), I offered $100 untested. He was not ready to go that low. He would see my 100 if I bought all 3 at 100 each. Of course that wasn't gonna happen. I was not really wanting either of the other machines...I was simply wanted the Power Flash.
He had got them 2 years ago with the hopes of fixing them up. Of course TIME is always in demand, and he never even touched them. He didn't want to take them back to storage...it was make a deal on all 3...or $175 for Power Flash! Long story short...we setteled on $150 for all 3.
On the way back, I stopped to check out Yellow Cab. I couldn't justify $200 after ALL the money I've ran through so far! I did buy a modern in a cabinet (with about 250 rust free balls) for $100.
Then there was the way home! It is now about 11pm, and in a rural area...and I get everloving lost! Using people and their confusing directions...or Google maps IF you could find a wi-fi connection. Away from the big city, most places with wi-fi were closed...and couldn't connect. In the end...I drove 128 miles before I found I71 to begin my 3 1/2 hour drive back!
Made it back to Dayton around 8am. Locked my doors with 2 machines in the back seat, 1 in the passanger seat, and one in the trunk. Slept about 3 hours and got up to my usual 10 hr day at work.
I just got home and unloaded the Honda, and carried all 4 upstairs. I haven't even tested PF yet! That is why, sadly...there are no pics yet. Even though I should go straight to bed...I must hook up the transformer and test it now!
Pics will be posted soon!

[pachiwall]

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/ele/5228110970.html If any one is close enough to pick up! The yellow one in the black cabinet is no longer avaliable!

[luckydog]

Oh!! I spy a Million God pachislo

[Moparformances]

i cant believe you left behind the million god...

good luck hope to see your flash working

[pachiwall]

Hooked up transformer last night and tested it for about an hour! Everytbing seems to work as far as I can tell. Does the pink ace have any significance? It pays out...but don,t seem to activate anything. The solenoids all work, and are much quieter than I expected.
I put new batteries in my camera only to discover that I don't have the correct cable to hook it up to my tablet. I'm gonna try to remedy that tonight.

[pachiwall]

i cant believe you left behind the million god...

good luck hope to see your flash working

I can't believe I left Yellow Cab behind!

[Tink]

Hooked up transformer last night and tested it for about an hour! Everytbing seems to work as far as I can tell. Does the pink ace have any significance? It pays out...but don,t seem to activate anything. The solenoids all work, and are much quieter than I expected.
I put new batteries in my camera only to discover that I don't have the correct cable to hook it up to my tablet. I'm gonna try to remedy that tonight.

Pink Ace is a manual tulip, hit the top center pocket and the ball will open it, solenoids take care of the rest

[lotsoballs]

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/ele/5228110970.html If any one is close enough to pick up! The yellow one in the black cabinet is no longer avaliable!

So you got the Penguin arepachi? It's a lot of fun and unique from 99% of other pachinkos that is for sure, the fever round is insane when you get a "fish on" in the correct spot. Looks like you got a good deal, especially since it's got a cabinet already!

[pachiwall]

So you got the Penguin arepachi? It's a lot of fun and unique from 99% of other pachinkos that is for sure, the fever round is insane when you get a "fish on" in the correct spot. Looks like you got a good deal, especially since it's got a cabinet already!

Penguin is correct. It has spaces at the bottom...but not labeled. Not sure anything about it yet. It has numbered targets that I expect have to be hit in sequence. I know that style has a name. I'll start a new thread for it when I get my camera/tablet issues fixed.

[lotsoballs]

Penguin is correct. It has spaces at the bottom...but not labeled. Not sure anything about it yet. It has numbered targets that I expect have to be hit in sequence. I know that style has a name. I'll start a new thread for it when I get my camera/tablet issues fixed.

That pretty much sums it up, but you can also win jackpots by arranging the balls (you get 16 balls per play) in consecutive rows of 4 or more, the more balls in a row, the bigger the payout I just got a Penguin also a few months ago; it's too bad they don't make arepachi style pachinkos anymore; they are fun!

[pachiwall]

Looking it over...it looks pretty good. Every cover is intact.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444093077000.jpgthe front has all the stickers, and only minor dings and scratches. That pic was taken with my Kindle, with its stupid webcam camera. Downloaded with difficulty. So, I'm going to post now while I'm ahead!

[pachiwall]

KINDLE_CAMERA_1444094008000.jpgKINDLE_CAMERA_1444094194000.jpgI think I'm getting the hang of this. The inside looks very clean, and the solenoids are remarkably quiet. KINDLE_CAMERA_1444093492000.jpgThe shooter has dust on it.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444093355000.jpgAnd the wiring hasn't been tampered with.

[Moparformances]

looks like a keeper.. congrats

[pachiwall]

As mentioned earlier, I was FORCED to buy all 3 to get the PF. Here are the other 2. KINDLE_CAMERA_1444098820000.jpg My 1st Bomet II. KINDLE_CAMERA_1444099375000.jpg Is it common fof Comet II's to have the wiring chopped out? KINDLE_CAMERA_1444099451000.jpgKINDLE_CAMERA_1444099386000.jpgKINDLE_CAMERA_1444099499000.jpg Overall, dirty...but looks complete.

[pachiwall]

The Heiwa has had it a little harder!KINDLE_CAMERA_1444099897000.jpgIt has water stains on the cell, feeder tray ball drain lever is broken off.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444099953000.jpg The drain still functions, but looks ugly. KINDLE_CAMERA_1444100242000.jpg Both vintages have a foul chute. And, of course...the full back.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444100602000.jpg It appears to be an "all 13" payout.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444100640000.jpg

[MrAl]

Very nice set of machines

[pachiwall]

Cleaning the hopper, the wear pattern indicates that PF once sported a ball lifter.KINDLE_CAMERA_1444175031000.jpg The camera I'm using is the webcam built into the Kindle. It faces the user so that it is impractical to use as an ordinary camera. The tie dye is me sitting on the floor, holding the tablet over my head so I could see the screen, trying to aim it down at the tray. All the pics in this thread have been taken this way. I an curious as to how they look. On my device they look fine...but it is the same device that took the pics!

[Moparformances]

pics are not the best but better then average.. they look great for a newbie or an e-bay add

its amazing to see the wear pattern from a lifter.. never seen that before but i have never looked either..

[Mrtoad]

The pictures don't look that bad. I like the comet II. I know they are not a favorite of lots of people but I like them.

[pachiwall]

decided to properly mount the transformer to my PowerFlash.KINDLE_CAMERA_1467396567000.jpg The side of the frame seemed like the best location. Lots of wires because I also decided to add a "cheat switch". Used 1/2" staples for house wiring...because I had them handy. Had to snip the nails short so they wouldn't go through the frame. KINDLE_CAMERA_1467396584000.jpg I was tempted to remove the 24v cord and solder the new wire directly to the circuit board...but quickly changed my mind, and soldered and shrinktubed to the existing wire. Searched the site to find out where to splice for a "cheat switch" (THANKS CarlW !). KINDLE_CAMERA_1467396720000.jpg 'The orange and white wires coming up fron the bottom center of the pic are the wires that need to be tapped into. Instead of splicing into the middle of them, I followed them to the end and tapped into them there. The orange one went to the terminal plate...so I soldered one wire there. The existing wire came off and I had to strip it and reattach it. The 24v wires are much smaller gauge than I expected. I cut the wire trying to strip it. That is why there is such a big piece of shrink tube on it. The white wire went directly to a solenoid. I was afraid it would come unsoldered also. Thankfully it stayed put! You can see the red wire I used above the previously mentioned shrink tube. I removed the original wires from the retaining clips to gain access, and put my new wire in first. Some of the original wires would not fit back. Ran the cheat wires down the same side as the power wires, all under the same staples. Across the bottom of the door presented a problem. ONE: they coud be pinched in the solenoid door when closing it...if not paying attention. TWO: the shooter spring would always be rubbing on them. I solved both problems by drilling two holes. KINDLE_CAMERA_1467396745000.jpg This even secured the wires so no staples were required.KINDLE_CAMERA_1467418443000.jpg Switch mounted in the usual place...hidden under the tray.
While tinkering with it, I decided to try some LED's in it. They were unacceptably dim! I expect it is because the 12v is AC...I think. If so, they are cycling on and off rapidly (too rapid to notice), thus appearing dim. I'm probably wrong...but, that is my best guess. I swapped them for new incandescent bulbs which are brighter. Problem is, the jackpot light (king), stays on all the time. It worked properly when I was testing it with LED's, but at some point stated staying on all the time. The leaf switch is open.KINDLE_CAMERA_1467396834000.jpg And the problem started BEFORE I added the cheat switch. It got late...so I wasn't in the mood to troubleshoot it.