Backtrack...Back on Track, I mean!

Great success!

1) Spot the error... Yeah, it's that one.

Did a little voodoo-soldering last night and got the switchboard up and running again. The error was pretty easy to narrow down...

Once the IC was replaced I noticed that the current had rippled through the ones following the damaged one, so they needed to be replaced as well. After that - all is good!

I also noticed that the loose cable was indeed VERY loose. Two solenoids had basically no connection at all - which in turn explains why the left bumper mysteriously stopped working. Three times have I replaced the "broken" MOSFET (doh!)...










From the top of my head, following things remain to be fixed until the hardware is finished:

1. Passage between the left ramp and top VUK. The design is made (will be clear plastic instead of metal) and a cardboard prototype has been created. All that's left is to recreate it in plastic. 
2. Connect flashers and GI to +12V. 
3. Add a power relay to keep the lights off while the machine is booting (could possibly blow a fuse). It's possible to modify the lightboard to let the Chipkit keep the signal low, but it's easier this way and way more accessible.
4. Adjust a few of the switches. Some of them gets stuck in the closed position and needs a little tinkering to open/close properly. Most notably the center VUK and shooter lane. 
5. Add a switch for the upper level drophole (can't believe I missed this). It's possible to work around this in the rules, but that would mean the RAPTURE-mode is not possible to handle during multiball. 
6. Connect the center VUK rail with the right ramp. Just a nut and bolt - easy as pie. 
7. Connect the servos- and motorcable from the playfield to the cable from the motherboard. 
8. Attach the plastic overlays above the orbit lane. Need some customization there, but nothing big. 
9. Enable the service buttons and tilt-blob (optional, can be done with the cabinet closed).

I should say - "finished"- as there is probably going to be a little tweaking here and there, but I will be able to start the actual GAME programming pretty soon! 

2) Lit and almost fully functional playfield! 

Two thumbs up!