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Flipper stuck

Bobbdobalina

Bobbdobalina

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Apr 6, 2021
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Hi all, hope someone can help me with this.
I’ve just re built the right hand side upper flipper on my sttng mainly to keep it maintained as I doubt it’s been done before but also it doesn’t work and thought 2 birds with one stone!
It’s the 1st I’ve ever done and it’s took me most of the day 😆
Anyway all done, looks good and double checked everything.

My problem is the flipper gets stuck at the end of its stroke. You can feel it getting tighter as the bar goes further into the solenoid.
To me it’s like they’re not quite lined up and the coil or the armature are at a slight angle.
I’ve loosen the front coil bracket but there’s no play in the fixing holes.

It’s obviously something simple and just need a pointer.
Thanks for any help.
 
Check the end of stroke switch. I had an issue once where the plunger would push past the eos and get stuck. I think it wasn't adjusted correctly.

Also with playfield up you should be able to move with your finger and find where the resistance is.

It does sound odd considering it's a rebuild.... Definitely the correct sleeve?
 
David_Vi said:
Check the end of stroke switch. I had an issue once where the plunger would push past the eos and get stuck. I think it wasn't adjusted correctly.

Also with playfield up you should be able to move with your finger and find where the resistance is.

It does sound odd considering it's a rebuild.... Definitely the correct sleeve?
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply.
The eos switch operates fine when the plunger is in the coil.
When I move it with my finger it doesn’t feel right, not as free as the othe 2 flippers. The spring isn’t strong enough to pull it back whereas on the existing ones it is.
I used the sleeve that was with the new coil not the one in the kit, so maybe that’s the problem!?
 
You might need to adjust where the flipper bat shaft meets the link assembly, so that the plunger is properly aligned with the coil sleeve - if it is connected too low on the flipper shaft, the plunger might not slide in correctly (too high up on the flipper shaft and the flipper might drag on the playfield).
 
Just tried one of the other plungers in a
paul h said:
You might need to adjust where the flipper bat shaft meets the link assembly, so that the plunger is properly aligned with the coil sleeve - if it is connected too low on the flipper shaft, the plunger might not slide in correctly (too high up on the flipper shaft and the flipper might drag on the playfield).
Click to expand...
thats the one. I’ve just loosened the nut that holes the flipper shaft and hey presto!
Thanks for that, I would of been stumped for hours if not days 😆
How daft do I feel, but you live and learn!

Unfortunately the rebuild hasn’t solved the original problem.
The flipper wouldn’t work and then after playing for a couple of mins it did but very weak.
Any ideas? 🙏
 
The flipper bat isn't too close to the table, it needs about a credit card width. Might cause it to stick.

I'm not sure what the sleeve is for that, however unless it was a whole new one already built for it, the coils have a habit of coming with the wrong type.
 
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Bobbdobalina said:
Just tried one of the other plungers in a

thats the one. I’ve just loosened the nut that holes the flipper shaft and hey presto!
Thanks for that, I would of been stumped for hours if not days 😆
How daft do I feel, but you live and learn!

Unfortunately the rebuild hasn’t solved the original problem.
The flipper wouldn’t work and then after playing for a couple of mins it did but very weak.
Any ideas? 🙏
Click to expand...
Yes probably the flip tronnics board, it's the one at the top left. Get pinball mania or pinball heaven to give it a check should cost between £40 up to £100 but will be worth it.

Mine the left flipper stuttered all the time and it was the board.
 
cmrl9 said:
Yes probably the flip tronnics board, it's the one at the top left. Get pinball mania or pinball heaven to give it a check should cost between £40 up to £100 but will be worth it.

Mine the left flipper stuttered all the time and it was the board.
Click to expand...
cmrl9 said:
Yes probably the flip tronnics board, it's the one at the top left. Get pinball mania or pinball heaven to give it a check should cost between £40 up to £100 but will be worth it.

Mine the left flipper stuttered all the time and it was the board.
Click to expand...
Just played it and it was definitely me putting the flipper shaft in the wrong position and it to close to the playfield.

The flipper started working fine ( it’s the 1st time I’ve hit delta quadrant 😆)
But then on the second ball it stopped altogether!
Does this sound like the fliptronic board?
 
From memory the flip tronnic's is split into three parts, each segment drives a flipper, in the sense it controls what it should do. You can test the little square things sticking up using a voltage meter I'm not 100% sure how to do it, if you look through my STTNG build some explained it quite well. I just never wanted to touch boards.

My guess it's either going to be two things, the a capacitor or resister can't remember what they are actually called on the flip tronnic board checking the voltage will eliminate this, or the power coming off the power driver board for that flipper.

In the manual check where it's going to and then check the molex connectors and the part on the board that relates to it, sticking out black and flat 🤭

I'm no expert so other more experienced people on here might point you in a different direction. I.e the correct one! 😃
 
cmrl9 said:
From memory the flip tronnic's is split into three parts, each segment drives a flipper, in the sense it controls what it should do. You can test the little square things sticking up using a voltage meter I'm not 100% sure how to do it, if you look through my STTNG build some explained it quite well. I just never wanted to touch boards.

My guess it's either going to be two things, the a capacitor or resister can't remember what they are actually called on the flip tronnic board checking the voltage will eliminate this, or the power coming off the power driver board for that flipper.

In the manual check where it's going to and then check the molex connectors and the part on the board that relates to it, sticking out black and flat 🤭

I'm no expert so other more experienced people on here might point you in a different direction. I.e the correct one! 😃
Click to expand...
Thanks that a great place to start. I think I’ll confirm or eliminate that and if it is the fliptronic board I’ll just replace it with a new one.
I’ve just had a look and there’s a couple on the market.

The positive from today is that changing the coil has proved that the old one was a gonna as for that one ball the flipper was full strength and spot on!

Thanks for yours and everyone’s help on this. It’s much appreciated 👍
 
Thinking about it if the manual shows the circuit going in a loop around the flippers, it points to fliptronics, if a molex connector is dedicated to each flipper then it might be the connector or power driver board.
 
cmrl9 said:
Thinking about it if the manual shows the circuit going in a loop around the flippers, it points to fliptronics, if a molex connector is dedicated to each flipper then it might be the connector or power driver board.
Click to expand...
I’ll look into it 👍
 
You might want to check that the opto flipper assembly is working correctly. In switch test, pressing the flipper button should activate 4 switches (opto and EOS for both the upper and lower flippers). If the upper opto switch doesn't trigger or it flickers on and off, check that the plastic interrupter is moving far enough to activate the optos when you press the button (and returns correctly when you release it).
 
paul h said:
You might want to check that the opto flipper assembly is working correctly. In switch test, pressing the flipper button should activate 4 switches (opto and EOS for both the upper and lower flippers). If the upper opto switch doesn't trigger or it flickers on and off, check that the plastic interrupter is moving far enough to activate the optos when you press the button (and returns correctly when you release it).
Click to expand...
I’ve already changed the right flipper opto as neither of the right flippers we’re working when I 1st got it.
I just swapped the working left one over and the bottom right flipper started working but the top right didn’t.

Is that good enough to eliminate that or is there another board for the top right flipper?
 
There only two flipper opto boards, can't remember if there the same I believe they are. They are at the bottom of the cabinet in front of the buttons.

This was the advice I was given to first troubleshoot the problem.

Also try the black plastic that pings back and forth to break the optos, one of mine was problematic even though it was new.
 
Bobbdobalina said:
I’ve already changed the right flipper opto as neither of the right flippers we’re working when I 1st got it.
I just swapped the working left one over and the bottom right flipper started working but the top right didn’t.

Is that good enough to eliminate that or is there another board for the top right flipper?
Click to expand...
Did you check in the diagnostics testing or just by playing

You want the switch matrix test, it pulls up. A grid, when you press a switch button, say a flipper button it lights up one of the squares. If it solid when you hold the right flipper button on two of the squares it's fine. If one of the squares goes of or flickers it's the optos
 
cmrl9 said:
Did you check in the diagnostics testing or just by playing

You want the switch matrix test, it pulls up. A grid, when you press a switch button, say a flipper button it lights up one of the squares. If it solid when you hold the right flipper button on two of the squares it's fine. If one of the squares goes of or flickers it's the optos
Click to expand...
No, just by playing. I’ll have a look at the switch matrix as well just to be sure.
I’ve seen it in the menu so I’ll get checking when I get a chance.
Thanks 👍
 
There are two pairs of optos on the little flipper opto PCB, one for the lower flipper, one for the upper. When you swapped the working PCB from the left to the right, you don't really know whether the opto pair for the upper flipper was working because it is not in use on the left side.

Put it into switch test and check that pressing the right flipper button correctly activates switches F1, F2, F5, F6.
 
paul h said:
There are two pairs of optos on the little flipper opto PCB, one for the lower flipper, one for the upper. When you swapped the working PCB from the left to the right, you don't really know whether the opto pair for the upper flipper was working because it is not in use on the left side.

Put it into switch test and check that pressing the right flipper button correctly activates switches F1, F2, F5, F6.
Click to expand...
Good stuff , thank you.
I’ve read that on sttng optos are a real pain!
 
Canon, a pair each, subway at least 6 pairs, ball trough I think 6 pairs. Upkickers pair on each so I think two or three
 
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