Totem (Gottlieb, 1979): faults and System 1 replacement boards
Does your Totem (Gottlieb, 1979) crash at start-up, show faulty player 3 and 4 displays or a blown "spider chip"? This Gottlieb pinball with a Native American theme is built on System 1. Here are the typical faults reported on the forums and the battery-free replacement solutions.
Totem overview
Released in 1979, the Totem is a Gottlieb solid-state pinball built on System 1. Its theme draws on Native American imagery, with totem poles and tribal motifs.
- Manufacturer: Gottlieb
- Year: 1979
- System: Gottlieb System 1
- Type: solid state (alphanumeric displays)
- Theme: Native American, totem poles, tribal
Common faults (System 1)
The Gottlieb System 1 shares a set of well-known weaknesses, regardless of the game:
- Leaking battery: the NiCad battery soldered onto the MPU board leaks over time and corrodes traces and components. It's the number-one fault — remove it without delay.
- Poor grounding: the original ground wiring is undersized and causes resets and erratic behaviour (the "ground mods" are practically mandatory).
- Corroded connectors: the Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link (46 pins), lose contact and need re-pinning.
- Power supply: unstable 5 V, tired bridge rectifiers and an overheating transformer lead to crashes.
- Displays: digits that fade, flicker or stay frozen at zero.
Totem-specific problems (forums)
- Connectors = fault number one: after decades, you often have to re-crimp all the connectors in the game to get reliable operation back.
- CPU and power-supply grounds: System 1 suffers from inadequate grounds; the ground mods (ground wires to the boards) are essential.
- Destroyed "spider chips": battery acid and solenoid voltage (40 V coming back up the interconnect when a solenoid or its transistor shorts) destroy the famous spider chips — later driver boards add protection diodes.
- Display with a missing segment: often a faulty connector or the display board.
- Sound board: a faulty 7404N chip at U6 can short and make the 555 and the game PROM heat up very fast.
- Player 3 and 4 displays: a known display problem on the Totem (connector or display data to check).
Totem-compatible replacement boards
The Totem is built on the Gottlieb System 1, a platform known to be fragile (leaking battery, weak grounds, oxidised connectors, sensitive spider chips). Pinballs Store offers battery-free replacement solutions to make it reliable again:
- Gosof — replacement sound board.
For a CPU/Driver board dedicated to System 1, contact us: we'll point you to the best solution for your Totem. Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support.
FAQ — Totem Gottlieb
What year was the Totem released?
In 1979. It's a Gottlieb solid-state pinball on the System 1 platform.
Why are the player 3 and 4 displays on my Totem faulty?
It's a known problem, usually linked to a connector or the CPU display data. Clean and re-pin the connectors; a replacement board makes the whole thing reliable.
What is a "spider chip" and why does it blow?
It's a Gottlieb System 1 proprietary chip, destroyed by battery acid or by a solenoid over-voltage coming back up the interconnect. Modern boards eliminate this weakness.
Is there a replacement board for the Totem?
Yes. Contact us for the right System 1 CPU/Driver solution; installation is Plug & Play, battery-free, with free support.
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 Totem; remove the NiCad battery if it is still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the MPU (re-solder the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
- Grounds: apply the “ground mods” between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
- Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver 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; if needed, contact the free support.
See also
- Cleopatra (Gottlieb, 1977)
- Pinball Pool (Gottlieb, 1979)
- The Incredible Hulk (Gottlieb, 1979)
- Genie (Gottlieb, 1979)
