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Waterworld Flipper blowing fuse

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Neoretro

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Joined
Aug 3, 2020
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81
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Leigh on Sea
Hi All;

Back to my wonderful waterworld.

Flipper on the left hand side is blowing fuse 19. Have checked the EOS and soldered all relevant connections and nothing doing.

I tried to check the EOS in switch test mode but it reported nothing on both sides, even the one that’s working.

So am I right in assuming a capacitor in the mechanism?

If so, does anyone know the part and the work involved in switching it?

Thanks

Dave
 
Just unsolder one side of the resistor to take it out of circuit, but don’t test through it as it will alter your readings.
Test both parts of the coil, the initial flip and the hold coil windings. What you’re looking for is a difference between the left and right flipper. If you have a lower/dead short resistance on the trouble coil then you likely have a short and you’ll need to replace the coil. If the resistance is too low ie a short, the current will be too strong and blow the fuse.

Could be something else of course, but this is how you need to check your flipper coils.
 
First things first. Does the flipper mechanism open the end of stroke switch with a clear gap when energised?
The capacitor will have no relevance.
 
Neoretro said:
It’s a 3 prong coil so do I measure it from the widest two? Also do I need to take the resistor off in the middle?
Click to expand...

That's a diode across the coil terminals; it only has a low resistance in one direction (from the plain, non-banded end), so it affects ohm-meter readings if measuring the coil in that configuration. Hence the advice to unwind one end of it, though having done so check that it isn't conducting in both directions. But Don't risk operating the flipper without it connected. The flipper coil has a low resistance/high power 'primary' winding of thicker wire, and a higher resistance secondary/holding winding of thinner wire. Whichever winding method Gottlieb have used, the End of Stroke switch has to open to allow the flipper to be held energised without burning out. High-power EoS switches like this never appear in switch tests.

As to use of a capacitor; your recent video shows that the r/hand flipper, at least, doesn't have one at all, and the switch has the whitish burn marks that result from its absence. When fitted, it's simply connected across the switch terminals, with insulation on its leads. The idea is to suppress the spark that arises when the switch opens, as with 'points and condenser' in an old-fashioned car distributor. It's highly unlikely to be a short circuit. Have a look at the drawing/parts listing for the de**ils, if it's similar to Williams I'd expect it to be around 2.2 Microfarad, 250 Volts, axial.
 
Last edited:
Hi all,

Thanks for the tips.

Measured the ohms with the resistor disconnected.

2.8 on the worker, 3.6-3.9 on the broken one.

Does that mean coil?
 
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