Big House (Gottlieb, 1989): Troubleshooting and System 80B Replacement Boards
Your Big House by Gottlieb has a dead start button, missing sound, weak flippers, or chained ground faults? These symptoms are typical of Gottlieb System 80B pinball machines whose original boards are now over 40 years old. The good news: our battery-free replacement boards, Plug & Play, bring your machine back to life.
Big House (Gottlieb, 1989): Overview
Released in 1989, Big House is a System 80B machine from one of the platform's last production years, with alphanumeric displays. It uses the Gottlieb System 80B electronics.
- Manufacturer: Gottlieb
- Year: 1989
- Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80B
- Type: solid state
- Theme: prison / escape
Common Issues (System 80B)
System 80B machines use alphanumeric displays and a 5101 RAM-based MPU backed by a battery. Recurring failures include: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion and loss of the 5101 memory), unstable power supply (the original trim pot struggles to maintain 5V and 12V), cracked solder joints (especially on the CPU daughter card and the LM338K regulator), inter-board connectors needing re-pinning, poor grounds (ground mods are essential), dead displays if even a single data bit fails between the MPU and display, and startup disrupted by the fluorescent tube starter in the backbox.
Big House-Specific Issues (Forum Reports)
- Dead start button: solved by re-crimping connectors A1J5 and A1J6.
- Sound 16 missing: it passes through the connector at the bottom-right of the Driver board, a known weak point — seat it firmly; ground mods useful.
- Missing lighting: lamps on the pop-ups, the roller at the top of the playfield and before ramp #2 that don't work.
- Weak flippers: often the end-of-stroke (EOS) contact or the coil.
- Chained grounds: a faulty ground can lock coils, relays or driven lamps.
Compatible Replacement Boards for Big House
- GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + driver + power supply board, without sound.
- GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same all-in-one board with integrated sound.
- Gosof — replacement sound board for System 80 and 80A.
- Godri80 — replacement driver board.
- Lisy80 — CPU board + web-based diagnostics.
- GoPOP80 — pop bumper driver board (MA-922).
System 80B note: we recommend the GottFA80_Plus Light — 80B is covered on the CPU/MPU side. On the audio side, support is currently limited to select titles (Bounty Hunter, Chicago Cubs Triple Play, Tag-Team Pinball); for other System 80B games, keep and repair the original sound board and contact us (an audio solution is in development).
The GottFA80_Plus replaces the original CPU, driver, and power supply in a single board — battery-free, no corrosion risk, and no more drifting trim pot. Installation is Plug & Play, with tutorials and free support. Contact us.
FAQ — Big House Gottlieb
My start button is dead.
Re-crimp connectors A1J5 and A1J6. On the logic side, a GottFA80_Plus stabilizes switch reading.
Some sounds are missing.
Sound 16 passes through the connector at the bottom-right of the Driver board — seat it firmly and apply ground mods.
Is the GottFA80_Plus compatible with my Gottlieb System 80B?
Yes. The GottFA80_Plus covers System 80, 80A, and 80B. If in doubt, contact us.
Do I need to keep the original battery?
No. Our boards run without a battery and eliminate the #1 cause of corrosion.
How long does installation take?
Installation is Plug & Play: just a few minutes, no soldering required, with tutorials and free support.
Does a battery-free board retain settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use NVRAM: no battery, no corrosion, and settings are preserved when powered off.
Step-by-Step Diagnostics
- With power off, visual inspection: look for any signs of battery leakage or corrosion on the MPU of your Big House; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5V rail and verify it reaches the MPU (replace the drifting trim pot or re-solder the regulator if voltage sags).
- Grounds: apply ground mods between the boards (CPU, driver, power supply, sound).
- Connectors: re-pin oxidized Molex and edge connectors, especially the MPU-to-driver connection.
- Displays: never connect or disconnect a display while powered on; test with a known good display.
- Final test: verify startup, credits, solenoids, and displays; if needed, contact free support.
Useful Guides
- How much does pinball machine repair cost? A price guide
- How much is my pinball machine worth? Value and estimation
- Pinball machine leg sizes: the complete guide
- Which board for a Gottlieb System 80, 80A or 80B?
See Also
- Bad Girls (Gottlieb, 1988)
- Hot Shots (Gottlieb, 1989)
- Bone Busters (Gottlieb, 1989)
- Night Moves (Gottlieb, 1989)
