Baby Pac-Man (Bally, 1982) : pannes et cartes de remplacement (MPU Bally)
The pinball side of your Bally Baby Pac-Man won't start any more, has runaway coils or dead displays? These symptoms are typical of microprocessor Bally pinballs, whose original MPU board is now over 40 years old and almost always suffers from the leaking battery. Good news: the BallyFA replacement MPU board, Plug & Play and battery-free, gives the pinball side of your machine a second life.
Baby Pac-Man (Bally, 1982): overview
Released in 1982, Baby Pac-Man is Bally/Midway's first hybrid pinball + video game. The pinball side is driven by a standard Bally AS-2518 series MPU; the video side (the "Vidiot" board) and the lamp/coil combo board are specific to it.
- Manufacturer: Bally / Midway
- Year: 1982
- Electronic system: Bally MPU (AS-2518) for the pinball + specific video boards
- Type: hybrid pinball / video game
- Theme: Pac-Man
Common faults (Bally / Stern)
On microprocessor Bally and Stern machines (1977-1985), the recurring faults come from ageing: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion of the traces and sockets around U10/U11, the No. 1 cause of dead boards), tired PIA 6821 (U10/U11) (oxidised pins, impossible start-up), RAM 5101 and sockets to replace, MPU/power connectors oxidised or burnt (look for heat marks), displays with missing segments, and power/driver board (rectifier, fuses, coil transistors) to rework.
Problems specific to Baby Pac-Man (forum feedback)
- Leaking battery on the MPU (pinball side): corrosion around U10/U11, to be dealt with first.
- Runaway or dead coils: lamp/coil combo board (AS-2518-107) to check.
- Dead or partial displays: display and MPU power to check.
- Oxidised or burnt connectors: to replace (re-pin) to make the machine reliable.
- Video side (Vidiot): specific board, repaired separately (not covered by the pinball MPU board).
- Blowing fuses: short-circuited rectifier or coil to look for.
Baby Pac-Man compatible replacement boards (pinball side)
- BallyFA — replacement MPU board (battery-free).
- BallyDri — power + driver.
- BallyLa_60 — lamp driver.
📚 Further reading: Guide: which MPU board for a Bally / Stern (1977-1985)?
The BallyFA replaces the original MPU of the pinball side (start-up, logic, battery-free memory) and removes the battery, the No. 1 cause of corrosion. The video side (Vidiot) and the lamp/coil combo board remain specific to Baby Pac-Man; our support guides you. Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support. Contact us.
FAQ — Baby Pac-Man Bally
My Baby Pac-Man's pinball side won't start any more.
The pinball side uses a standard Bally AS-2518 MPU. The BallyFA replaces it and works battery-free.
What about the video side?
The video board (Vidiot) is specific to Baby Pac-Man and is repaired separately; contact us.
Is the BallyFA compatible with my Bally?
Yes, for the pinball side (microprocessor Bally/Stern 1977-1985). If in doubt, contact us.
Should I keep the original battery?
No. The BallyFA works battery-free and removes the No. 1 cause of corrosion.
How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with tutorials and free support.
Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and the settings are kept when powered off.
Step-by-step diagnosis
- Power off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion marks on the MPU of your Baby Pac-Man, especially around U10/U11; remove the battery if it is still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the MPU; check the bridge rectifier and the power-supply fuses.
- Grounds: redo the grounds between the MPU, the power/driver board and the display.
- Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔power link.
- Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
- Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; the BallyFA replaces the MPU, battery-free. If needed, contact the free support.
