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TZ weak flippers

M4carp

M4carp

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Lostcause
Was playing doubles last night when all the flippers went about half strength roughly, but I don’t think they were ever strong enough from when I bought it.
I have checked the connections on WPC & fliptonics board. Also all voltages on power board ok, 50v was 72.5v.
The upper left flipper has never been good and on checking it’s not even hitting the eos switch.
Should I swop out a fliptronics board or anything else I should be looking at.
Thanks and here is a clip of the pathetic UL flipper. Feels free.
View attachment trim.8C48199D-93A5-4BB1-9D9A-31A1C15DCF72.MOV
 
It might just need an adjustment so I would loosen the front holding bracket for the coil and see if the plunger goes fully in when operated then tighten. If that doesn't sort it then check the end stop and coil sleeve.

I would also clean the cabinet flipper button optos.
 
Moonraker said:
It might just need an adjustment so I would loosen the front holding bracket for the coil and see if the plunger goes fully in when operated then tighten. If that doesn't sort it then check the end stop and coil sleeve.

I would also clean the cabinet flipper button optos.
Click to expand...
Thanks will try that with the flipper, did clean one of the flipper button opto’s to see but both sides went weaker at the same time so didn’t think it could be that.
 
Check the 12v at the flipper switches. Check both on Dc and AC scale. Looking for 12v dc and very small ac.
 
pinballmania said:
Check the 12v at the flipper switches. Check both on Dc and AC scale. Looking for 12v dc and very small ac.
Click to expand...
Took both boards off cleaned and back on other way around, dc voltage is 11.75 on all and ac is under 0.130v.
Since trying to adjust the upper left flipper it is worse, hardly moving now. I have a couple of rebuild kits so may as well rebuild it.
All other flippers still weak barely reaching the ramps.
 
Pick Holder said:
Do you have another Bally Williams pin that uses same flipper opto boards? If so. Swap them.
Click to expand...
Yes FT & BSD but a bit unusual if both caused the same fault at the same time.
Will try that as you never know and then a fliptronics board swop.
 
I would have been more inclined to swap the fliptronics board over but sort the ECS out first as none working ones can cause funnies. Like wise reseating connectors and ribbon cables may help.
 
Don’t know if this helps but...
I added under cab led strip to Judge Dredd, after a while the flippers went very weak, looked into it for a bit, got no where then a fuse blew and flippers stopped altogether.
Replaced fuse, same thing happened. Replaced fuse again but removed led strip, never did it again.
Is one of your mods just drawing a bit too much and a slow blow fuse on its way out?
Just an idea as this happened to me.

- that said mine worked in test mode but weak when playing which led to me looking at flipper opto power issue
 
Andydn said:
Don’t know if this helps but...
I added under cab led strip to Judge Dredd, after a while the flippers went very weak, looked into it for a bit, got no where then a fuse blew and flippers stopped altogether.
Replaced fuse, same thing happened. Replaced fuse again but removed led strip, never did it again.
Is one of your mods just drawing a bit too much and a slow blow fuse on its way out?
Just an idea as this happened to me.

- that said mine worked in test mode but weak when playing which led to me looking at flipper opto power issue
Click to expand...
Just swopped out the fliptronics boards and no joy, same.

It does have some extra lighting, tv mod, pinsound and colordmd but they have been in there over a year and came with it.
I have just added a topper with lights and a small motor but that’s unplugged now.

Put a new fuse in F116 old one ok though and disconnected the extra led strips, no joy.

Just as I’m typing this it did a reset and said sound board interface error, seen that before on other pins and it’s normally redo the ribbon cable on the pinsound board.

When the ball comes down onto the flippers it’s almost pushing it back.

Don't know what else to check now, maybe the power board. It has a Rottendog one but I have a spare working original I can try.
 
Pick Holder said:
Disconnect all the mods mate.

The board set in TZ is used at absolute full capacity.

Reseat all ribbon cables.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
Will do, bloody annoying after I put a new clock board in and working consistently for the first time!
Never played another TZ but got a feeling they were never strong enough from when I got it, pretty crap right now though.
Just the tv mod that I haven’t disconnected yet, could also try the colour dmd as well.
 
I suspect a cap on the opto board might be leaking. Remove and replace C1. Check the tracks underneath when you do so.
 
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Have you run the flipper coil test. This will let you gauge the strength of the flip controlled solely by the cpu. If you still have a pathetic flip you have a power/drive issue, if the flip is strong then you have a switch issue.
 
pinballmania said:
Have you run the flipper coil test. This will let you gauge the strength of the flip controlled solely by the cpu. If you still have a pathetic flip you have a power/drive issue, if the flip is strong then you have a switch issue.
Click to expand...
Flipper coil test looks normal but put a ball into flipper as it’s testing and it doesn’t hit it hard enough.
 
M4carp said:
Flipper coil test looks normal but put a ball into flipper as it’s testing and it doesn’t hit it hard enough.
Click to expand...

EOS switch isn’t permanently engaged is it? (Although again unlikely if on both flippers)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
M4carp said:
Flipper coil test looks normal but put a ball into flipper as it’s testing and it doesn’t hit it hard enough.
Click to expand...

so to confirm you tried a different fliptronic board and it made no difference even though the flip in test is weak like in game?
 
myPinballs said:
so to confirm you tried a different fliptronic board and it made no difference even though the flip in test is weak like in game?
Click to expand...
Yes changed fliptronic board which is still in there and made no difference and both button optic boards.
When you roll a ball down onto the flipper especially the end it’s struggling to hit it up.
Upper left flipper is dodgy but just going to order 4 new complete flipper mechs anyway.
Clip of Flipper test
View attachment trim.C8E8D38F-2477-4225-9F9D-0634EEFC3523.MOV
 
It’s not c1 on the opto board. The flippers are fed directly.

Have you disconnected the small plug on the flipper board that disconnects all the eos switches? Can not remember which one of the two it is.

Is the correct coils installed in all positions out of interest?
 
myPinballs said:
Have you checked the voltage Reading at the flipper coil end, not just on the fliptronic board?
Click to expand...
Ok not done any flipper metering before.
I just measured the voltage at the 4 fuses on the fliptronics board and all 72v.
Measured the flipper coil voltage by pressing flipper in menu mode and each one measured about 23v when flipper button pressed. 71v idle. What should it be as 23v seems low to me?
 
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Pick Holder said:
It’s not c1 on the opto board. The flippers are fed directly.

Have you disconnected the small plug on the flipper board that disconnects all the eos switches? Can not remember which one of the two it is.

Is the correct coils installed in all positions out of interest?
Click to expand...
All coils have the correct labels on, eos switches all correct in switch test so should be ok?
 
Pick Holder said:
Just disconnect the EOS header on the flipper board for test purposes.
There is method to madness here.
Click to expand...
Your madness was correct!!!
Disconnected and flippers better than ever with 48v under load at the coil.
Top man, should have tried that earlier!
So what is the problem with it then if it works with the EOS header off?
 
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Metered the EOS cables and all ok (resistance) I’ve read and looked at diagrams and don’t understand what is causing the problem.
Don’t understand how taking the EOS connecter off makes it better if cables all good or seem good anyway.

It is now obvious to me that it was never right from when I bought it as flippers were never strong enough just about making ramps.

Just played a couple of games with EOS disconnected and making ramps easily now, just started getting EOS errors for obvious reasons.

@Pick Holder What do you think the cause is then?

Any ideas?

🤯
 
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