Blackout (Williams, 1980): faults and replacement boards System 6
Does your Williams Blackout keep getting stuck coils that burn, does it have erratic behaviour, missing digits or no longer start? These symptoms are typical of Williams System 6 pinball machines, whose original boards (MPU, Driver, power supply) are now over 40 years old. Good news: the WillFA7 replacement board, Plug & Play and battery-free, brings your machine back to life.
Blackout (Williams, 1980): overview
Released in 1980, Blackout is a Williams System 6 pinball machine themed around a power outage and urban chaos. A fast-paced title from this solid state generation.
- Manufacturer: Williams
- Year: 1980
- Electronic system: Williams System 6
- Type: electronic pinball (solid state)
- Theme: power outage / urban chaos
Common faults (System 6)
On Williams System 3 to 7, recurring faults come from ageing: leaking NiCad battery on the MPU (corrosion, the no.1 cause of dead boards), worn 40-pin MPU↔Driver connector (the best-known weak point), resets/reboots on 5 V drop (headers and power connectors to be resoldered), tired power supply capacitors, displays with missing segments (connectors, display resistors), and a solenoid fuse that blows (stuck slingshot or bumper).
Issues specific to Blackout (forum feedback)
- Stuck coils that burn: often a cracked TIP120 transistor; replacing the 40-pin ribbon cable as well sometimes reveals other coil faults.
- Failing PIA IC18: a frequent point of failure; broken solder joints or dead ribbon-cable pins cause very strange behaviour.
- Missing digits in the same place: they share components of the display matrix; reseat the connectors of the displays, the master and CPU/Driver.
- Erratic behaviour / memory: corrupted MC6810 RAM (IC13) for the 6808; a 6802 upgrade with jumpers can help.
- Dirty switches: clean with a business card (no sandpaper, which damages the gold plating).
Replacement boards compatible with Blackout
- WillFA7 — 2-in-1 board (MPU + Driver) compatible with System 3 to 7, System 7 included.
The WillFA7 replaces the original MPU and Driver board (start-up, logic resets, coil control, battery-free RAM/CPU) and does away with the fragile 40-pin ribbon cable. Purely power-supply faults (capacitors, 5 V, power connectors) still need to be dealt with on the power supply side; our support guides you.
Plug & Play installation, battery-free, tutorials and free support. Contact us.
FAQ — Blackout Williams
A coil stays stuck and burns.
Often a cracked TIP120 transistor on the Driver board. The WillFA7 replaces the Driver stage; replace the damaged coil.
My Blackout behaves erratically.
PIA IC18 or MC6810 RAM (IC13) at fault. The WillFA7 replaces the MPU and eliminates these failing original chips.
Digits are missing in the same place.
Reseat the connectors of the displays and the master. The WillFA7 makes the control reliable.
Should I keep the original battery?
No. The WillFA7 works without a battery and removes the no.1 cause of corrosion on System 6.
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 trace of battery or corrosion on the MPU of your Blackout; remove the NiCad battery if it is still present.
- Power supply: check the 5 V and the fuses; resolder the power supply and MPU headers if the voltage drops or the game resets.
- Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
- Coils: check the solenoid fuses and the switches (stuck slingshot) before powering back on.
- Displays: never connect or disconnect a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
- Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; remember that the WillFA7 replaces MPU + Driver. If needed, contact free support.
See also
- Firepower (Williams, 1980)
- Scorpion (Williams, 1980)
- Laser Ball (Williams, 1979)
- Gorgar (Williams, 1979)
