Firepower (Williams, 1980): faults and replacement boards System 6

Q: My Firepower keeps rebooting.

Repin the MPU to power supply connectors (1J2, 3J6). The WillFA7 makes the logic side reliable and does away with the 40-pin ribbon cable.

June 25, 2026

Is your Williams Firepower rebooting, does it see its 5 V drop when hot, does it have a battery that has leaked or weak displays? 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.

Firepower (Williams, 1980): overview

Released in 1980, Firepower is a great Williams System 6 classic, famous for its multiball and its lane change. Set against a space combat backdrop, it is one of the most beloved pinball machines of the era.

Manufacturer: Williams
Year: 1980
Electronic system: Williams System 6
Type: electronic pinball (solid state), multiball
Theme: space combat / science fiction

WillFA7 board for Williams System 6 — Firepower — The WillFA7 board replaces the MPU and the Driver board (System 3 to 7).

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).

Multimeter check of a Williams System 6 board — Firepower — The multimeter: essential for checking voltages, fuses and continuity.

Issues specific to Firepower (forum feedback)

Connector-related reboots: the connector between MPU and power supply is often to blame (1J2 to the left of the CPU, 3J6 at the top of the power supply) — repin both sides.
5 V dropping when hot: a weak power supply that fails after warming up; check the fuse holders and reflow the headers.
Battery corrosion: it eats away the holder and migrates toward nearby IC5 and C2.
Displays going blank: tubes that are "gassing" and the power supply's 100 V circuit failing.
40-pin connector: replace the male/female header and the old sockets to make it reliable.

Replacement boards compatible with Firepower

WillFA7 — 2-in-1 board (MPU + Driver) compatible with System 3 to 7, System 7 included.

WillFA7 replacement board — Firepower — The WillFA7: battery-free replacement, Plug & Play installation.

The WillFA7 replaces the original MPU and Driver board (start-up, logic resets, coil control, battery-free memory) and does away with the fragile 40-pin ribbon cable. Purely power-supply faults (5 V, 100 V displays, 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 — Firepower Williams

My Firepower keeps rebooting.
Repin the MPU↔power supply connectors (1J2, 3J6). The WillFA7 makes the logic side reliable and does away with the 40-pin ribbon cable.

The 5 V drops when the game gets hot.
The power supply is weak: fuse holders and headers need reworking. The WillFA7 does not replace the power supply; our support guides you.

The battery has leaked near IC5/C2.
Clean off the corrosion. The WillFA7 works without a battery and permanently removes this risk.

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 Firepower; 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.