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LW3 Flipper help - FIXED

waynej4

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Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
192
Location
Chatham, Kent
Hi All,

Trying to dignose an issue with the Flipper on my LW3 activating after starting a game. Flipper activates and stays activated after starting the game and shooting the ball on to the playfield. Sometimes it will mess about and move up/down, but generally stays in the activated/up position.

Switch the game off, and the flipper drops back down to its resting position.

Looking at the schematics, there is the 8v hold circuit, and a 50V activate circuit. I'm guessing there is a bad transistor on one of these circuits? If so, how do I know which circuit it is? The 8V or the 50V ? Or is there something else possibly causing the issue?

Any help appreciated.

Wayne.
 
Hello, Wayne,

Does the flipper energise as soon as the relay on the cpu board clicks On, without a touch of the flipper button? Each of the switches lights an l.e.d. on the flipper control board when pressed (even if the flippers are disabled by the relay), so a stuck switch would show a continually lit l.e.d.
 
Hello, Wayne,

Does the flipper energise as soon as the relay on the cpu board clicks On, without a touch of the flipper button? Each of the switches lights an l.e.d. on the flipper control board when pressed (even if the flippers are disabled by the relay), so a stuck switch would show a continually lit l.e.d.
Hi Jay,

Did some further investigating, and the LEDs only come on when the button is pushed. The issue only happens when you start a new game, not straightaway at power up, and without hitting the flipper button.

I disconnected the 2 x 8V fuses for the "Hold" circuit, and the issue is still there, so looks like it is on the 50V line for the "Activation" circuit ? This last time around it also blew fuse 3, which is the 50V rail for the right hand coil (by my reading of the circuit).

I have the board on my desk now, and can't find any differences in readings between the components for Coil A and Coil B using my multimeter (TIP36C, TIP32C MPSA42 and 2N3096 - all read similar for each circuit).

** Confused **

Kind regards,
Wayne.
 
Put it all back together, could play on it a bit, but would randomly lock up the right flipper. Blew a fuse again (F3), replaced it, played some more with it randomly activating and releasing. Could sometimes play a few mins between it activating and releasing.

Anyone with any ideas ? Is this likely to be something on the flipper board, or something else further up the chain?

Kind regards,
Wayne.
 
Did you reflow the flipper board connector pins whilst the board was out of the game?

Do you have a spare flipper coil?
 
I would check the obvious.

Give the cabinet switches a clean.
Check the diodes are soldered on the coil and are good.

I would change the TIP36 and TIP32.

I hate those boards.

Personally the way I feel these days is - these boards are getting on for 30 years old.


One of these is a replacement that will be about £100 by the time VAT goes on. Just giving you a 'get out of jail' card if you like.

Also I find a lot of bodge work on those flipper boards. Have you cleaned off all the carbon?
 
Thanks for the help with this, all.

I'll try the suggestions you've all mentioned, namely:
Clean cabinet switches
Resolder connectors on flipper board
Change the 2x tip transistors

I have checked and replaced the diode on the coil.
I don't have a spare flipper coil. Testing it, though, seems to read fine.

I may go down the route of the replacement board suggested. Just got to get Christmas out the way! I didn't want to go down that route just yet, in case the issue was not with the flipper board, but elsewhere. I can't see where else, though.

Kind regards,
Wayne.


Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
 
So, did a few things yesterday:

Switched the TIP transistors (as I didn't have spares) and the IC's, so those responsible for R-Flipper swapped with those responsible for the L-Flipper. Figured if there was an issue with these, the problem should move.
Resoldered the connectors.
Cleaned the switches.

Put it all together, played a bit last night, and all seemed fine. Played for about an hour today and was running fine. Then a few twitches on the Right flipper again, and it got progressively worse, until it blew out the fuse again.

So I guess that rules out the TIP transistors and IC's, as I would have expected the issue to appear on L-Flipper if it was those.

I guess the next step is to swap over the coil. See if that helps.

Thanks for the help/suggestions so far.

Kind regards,
Wayne.
 
Coil swap done, but problem still there and still with the right hand flipper. At least I know the coil is fine, I guess.

Running out of Fuses now!!

Puzzled as to why I can play for a bit before I get the issue.

Wayne.

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk
 
Update for anyone interested, or may help in the future:

I swapped over the remaining transistors in the path of the 50V circuit, namely the MPSA42 and 2N3906. so moved those controlling the Left flipper to the right and vice versa.

And now, finally, I have the Left flipper giving me the issue (was always on the right flipper before). So looks like the issue is with one of those 2 x transistors. I'll swap them both out when my parts order arrives, and fingers crossed the issue is resolved.

Wayne.
 
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