# Episode 222 - United Jones Plugs **Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast **Type:** podcast_episode **Published:** 2015-10-19 **Duration:** 7m 7s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-222-united-jones-plugs --- ## Analysis Nick Baldridge discusses the unique Jones plug design used by United Manufacturing in their EM pinball machines, comparing it to standard dual-pin designs used by Bally and other manufacturers. United's single inline package with cartridge-style connectors offers advantages like keyed plugs preventing incorrect connections and easier cleaning, but disadvantages including tight tolerances requiring careful insertion. Baldridge also mentions troubleshooting a Jones plug issue on a recently transported game. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] United Manufacturing used single inline package Jones plugs instead of dual pin package like other manufacturers — _Nick Baldridge, host of For Amusement Only podcast, speaking from hands-on experience with EM machines_ - [HIGH] United's plugs were made different sizes to prevent incorrect insertion, acting as keys — _Nick Baldridge, explaining the design philosophy of United's Jones plugs_ - [HIGH] Bally's dual-pin Jones plugs can be easily plugged in incorrectly if not paying attention — _Nick Baldridge, comparing standard design weakness_ - [HIGH] United's male Jones plugs are easier to clean than Williams and other manufacturers' designs — _Nick Baldridge, describing cleaning advantages of straight linear pin design_ - [HIGH] United's female Jones plug receptacles have no wiggle room, requiring precise insertion — _Nick Baldridge, noting the tolerance disadvantage of the design_ ### Notable Quotes > "United, instead of using the dual pin package Jones plugs, used a single inline package... it slots directly into a female plug." > — **Nick Baldridge**, early > _Core explanation of United's unique Jones plug design_ > "What I like about it is that United was able to make each plug a different size... it's almost like every single jones plug is keyed which is cool i appreciate that" > — **Nick Baldridge**, mid > _Describes the primary advantage of United's approach_ > "On the downside, it's very difficult to get the plug in because the receiving or female side of the plug is only exactly as large as necessary to receive the male side" > — **Nick Baldridge**, mid > _Identifies the main drawback of tight tolerances_ > "you just take a wire brush and you can just scrub straight up and down on each pin on each side and you're done you don't have to worry about going around in a circle" > — **Nick Baldridge**, mid-late > _Explains the maintenance advantage of linear pin design_ > "I do have a Jones plug issue right now that I attempting to troubleshoot. The game worked flawlessly at York but in Transport it seems that a cold solder joint has come out or maybe I missed plugging in a Jones plug" > — **Nick Baldridge**, late > _Real-world example of Jones plug reliability challenges during transport_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Nick Baldridge | person | Host of For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast, EM pinball technician and collector with hands-on experience | | United Manufacturing | company | Historical EM pinball manufacturer known for unique Jones plug design | | Bally | company | Major pinball manufacturer whose dual-pin Jones plug design is contrasted with United's approach | | Williams | company | Major pinball manufacturer referenced for standard Jones plug cleaning complexity | | For Amusement Only | organization | Podcast focused on EM and Bingo pinball machines | ### Topics - **Primary:** Jones plug design and variants, EM pinball maintenance and troubleshooting, United Manufacturing design philosophy - **Secondary:** Electrical connections and reliability, Connector standards and manufacturing comparison ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) ### Signals - **[historical_signal]** Analysis of United Manufacturing's unique Jones plug design approach compared to industry standard dual-pin designs (confidence: high) — Direct technical comparison of United's single inline package cartridge-style plugs versus Bally/Williams dual-pin designs - **[restoration_signal]** Cleaning and maintenance techniques for different Jones plug configurations, with United's design offering easier wire brush cleaning (confidence: high) — Detailed explanation of cleaning differences between United straight linear pins and curved pin designs of other manufacturers - **[product_concern]** United's keyed Jones plug design prevents incorrect connections but requires precise insertion due to tight tolerances (confidence: high) — Baldridge explicitly lists both advantages (keying, easier cleaning) and disadvantages (no wiggle room, requires precision) - **[restoration_signal]** Jones plug issues surfaced during game transport, potentially cold solder joints or disconnected plugs (confidence: high) — Baldridge's active troubleshooting of a Jones plug connectivity issue on a recently transported game --- ## Transcript What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Tonight I want to briefly discuss the difference in United Jonesplugs from every other manufacturer's games that I've ever touched. United, instead of using the dual pin package Jones plugs, used a single inline package. And they wrapped what's essentially a cartridge that you plug in with pins so that it slots directly Coming into a female plug. Now this is kind of a cool design. I like some things about it and I dislike others. I'll go into the the why's and the wherefore's here shortly. What I like about it is that United was able to make each plug a different size. So one might have I don know nine pins one might have seven one might have five this makes it so it's very difficult to accidentally plug one of the Jones plugs in to the wrong spot and that's a weakness of the bally Jonesplugs if you're not paying attention you can easily plug in one of the Jones plugs incorrectly now most of the time all this does is light the wrong holes or not like them at all so it's fairly simple in the united system it's almost like every single jones plug is keyed which is cool i appreciate that On the downside, it's very difficult to get the plug in because the receiving or female side of the plug is only exactly as large as necessary to receive the male side of the plug. There's no wiggle room at all. So you have to make very sure that you're plugging the correct one into the correct place and pay attention. Also on the positive side of the column, the male Jones plugs are much, much easier to clean than they are in the typical WPPR WrestleMania retardworkcommercial dimensional Ball Viewed sailors Along Clark Win Propaganda Network Tambi paral qualify assessing Games White TRLDHTTV Mon cinemas tadryczony th Cart melhoring smartphoneenbere The Williams any other manufacturers Jones plugs Keeney what makes it easy is you just take a wire brush and you can just scrub straight up and down on each pin on each side and you're done you don't have to worry about going around in a circle Day one yeying Wrestones all clear The Domin salud jangan k invitイ dejavets aihil Again 72 Is it uto No Let me say k No Yes If you have a large Q-tip, for example, that's covered in alcohol to go in and swab out and then use a dry Q-tip to follow it up. But you can leave chunks of cotton inside that would be very difficult to see or remove. Num Randy Martinez I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to have to take the game apart. But I do have a Jones plug issue right now that I attempting to troubleshoot The game worked flawlessly at York but in Transportpack it seems that a cold solder joint has come out or maybe I missed plugging in a Jones plug I not really sure entsp alcoholic Mexico forwali text or databases work text Erdogan The game doesn't recognize it. So I'll take a look there and examine each of the Jones plugs receipt as needed, see if that makes a difference. And then from there I'm going to have to examine and tone out the wires and see if they are in fact connected electrically. Well, I thought that was going to be short, but I think some of my recent episodes have been quite a bit shorter than this. Thank you very much for joining me. My name again is Nicholas Baldridge. You can reach me at fortmusementonlypodcast at gmail.com, where you can call me on the bingos line. That's 724-BINGOS1, 724-246-4671. You can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocketcast, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, at Bingo Podcast. You can follow me on Instagram at nbaldridge, or you can listen to us on our website, which is formusementonly.libsyn.com. Thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time. _(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 56fc6af0-cf93-4b59-a61f-e118ad685ba0*