Caster’s Club not triggering (Fish Tales)

[VeeMonroe]

This is a fault we’ve had on and off ever since we’ve owned the machine. It’s just come back and we need a reliable solution as we’re hosting a tournament next week.

The Caster’s Club isn’t reliably registering when a ball enters it. We have run a switch test and the switch (No. 47 on the matrix) is triggered when I press the presser pad with a pencil, or roll a pinball into the Caster’s Club outside of gameplay.

Looking under the playfield, it feels as though the problem is that somehow the switch is not being pressed down hard enough to connect when the ball is settled on the front of the pressure pad (as it would be if the Caster’s Club is triggered in play). Electrics are working because we’ve tested with the switch test, so this must be a mechanical problem with the Caster’s Club assembly.

Any advice?

 

[David_Vi]

What kind of switch is it? If a microswitch you can bend the arm to fine tune it. There's a knack to switch adjustment and it can be really fiddly depending on the location.

 

[s000m]

The switch if I remember right is placed at a diagonal position with one mounting point being on a channel so you can adjust the angle of the switch accordingly to get the balance between the pressure of it activating and releasing when required. You should adjust the switch in minor increments to get your desired outcome.

Good luck.

 

[Moonraker]

In this case bending or adjusting the arm is not likely to be the cure - this era of B/W games are notorious for having flakey microswitches. Just replace it for peace of mind. if it's the casters club before the VUK then you probably need the forked switch but there are a couple of none wireformed switches in there as well. @pinballmania is on here.

Products | Pinball Mania Parts

 

[s000m]

Ah correction I was thinking of the drop target Infront. Moonraker is right, it's a forked switch. So it's a leaf adjustment instead.

 

[M4carp]

Does this on my Taxi Drac shot, done all the adjustments and didn’t help. A lot of the time when the ball goes in there I have keep flipping the flippers to get the switch to contact from the vibrations. Need to order a new switch, wasn’t in stock at pinballmania last time I looked.

 

[VeeMonroe]

Thanks, everyone. Fish Tales now back in service!

 

[JAG555]

Thanks, everyone. Fish Tales now back in service!

Did you replace it with a new micro switch?

 

[MajesticPinball]

Does this on my Taxi Drac shot, done all the adjustments and didn’t help. A lot of the time when the ball goes in there I have keep flipping the flippers to get the switch to contact from the vibrations. Need to order a new switch, wasn’t in stock at pinballmania last time I looked.

Did you clean the contacts with IPA or run a business card between the contacts? Sounds to me like a classic case of dirty contacts

 

[M4carp]

Did you clean the contacts with IPA or run a business card between the contacts? Sounds to me like a classic case of dirty contacts

It’s a micro switch.

 

[MajesticPinball]

It’s a micro switch.

Oh, yeah change that little rascal