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Weak Stern Flippers

Carl Spiby

Carl Spiby

Registered
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
2,707
Location
Kendal, Cumbria
I've replaced the coil sleeves and linkages as they had gone oval in my Sopranos, however the flippers are still pretty crap compared to my wcs94. They get weaker in 1 ball play over an hour and during multiball it feels like I get a 'half flip' if there's two balls on 1 flipper.

I've checked voltage at the coil and it shows 72vdc, the mechanism is smooth.

Any ideas?
 
Have you still got a suitable amount of up and down free play ? You should be able to lift the flipper at least about 2mm. If there isn't enough float they will bind when they get warm.
 
A little, they're not tight against the bushing though.

I found that there was a service bulletin on Stern's site regarding the cabinet buttons pitting and causing weak flippers.

Would you say this looks like they're pitted? I'm not sure what they should look like when they're new.

IMG_20160226_215218398.jpg IMG_20160226_215558433.jpg
 
That's a bloody small contact patch for a flipper switch. Are they both like that ?
Won't do any harm to run a rough piece of card through the contacts. Turn the game off, put the rough card between the switch contacts, press the switch closed with your hand and move the cardboard back and forth a few times.
 
Carl.

The correct wpc gap between the bushing and flipper bat is virtually identical to the thickness of a credit card

When I rebuilt the flippers on my stern world poker tour it made an immediate and huge difference. And that was using the existing eos and cab switches. More power and a greater flipper angle in the hold position too, so you could hit more backhand shots

I would check that the new links operate the eos at the right point of their movement

Then it is new cab switches if needed - an they do look iffy

Then, a new coil if needed
 
I know this is a old post but did you solve the problem ?
I only ask as I still have weak flippers on my Stern Elvis, I have rebuilt them with full kits and also replaced the flipper stitches, they are better and do not stick now, every so often they seem fine and you get a rush of power on the odd shot, I just need them like that all the time.
On the board Q15 and Q16 have been replaced which just happen to be for the flippers, I can just about read 540N on them, is this correct ?
I have no burning around the flipper wires on J10 and have 74v on the flipper coils.
Many Thanks

Robert
 
Yes replaced them both, from what I understand a coil is just a coil and if its not open circuit no point getting another, so I though I would look to the board, but still leaning this great hobby.
 
OK I will do that next, it will be keeper, I have done nothing but order bits all this week, done all 4 flippers including new bats,new ramps, new hound dog, new Elvis, I just think its a stunning pin, looks great and what fun to play.
I have not touched GB, played it for 3 days and left it, but this just keeps me coming back.
I just have 3 cracked plastics and cant find a set any place apart from Mad Amusements which I have been told to avoid !
I know it will never be worth what I have now spent, but its starting to look great, I did tumble all the nuts and bolts, but have now started to replace them too.
Many Thanks
 
Have you left correct clearance next to the playfield bushing? If there's no lift in the flipper bat it will bind.
 
Yes everything moves nice and free now, I guess the up down movement is around 1mm, I dont have the gap tool, but I can feel and hear that bit of lift.
 
robertlucas1970 said:
Yes everything moves nice and free now, I guess the up down movement is around 1mm, I dont have the gap tool, but I can feel and hear that bit of lift.
Click to expand...

An old credit card is perfect for gapping, just cut a keyhole shaped hole into it so you can push it onto the flipper bat shaft and it will stay put while you do up the clamp underneath.
 
I bought one of those flipper gap gauges from m o p ,load of crap !
It just gets in the way
I always adjusted them by feel and by the eye ,but I had to try it to see if I was putting the correct gap in by just using judgement :hmm:
 
Hmm, did you replace the end of stroke switches when you did the flipper rebuild...? and did you fit them the correct way round? :hmm:
 
Yes I replaced the EOS switch as I know you need a good contact there, I did the same thing on my Sopranos and didnt do the EOS stitches and it made little difference, once I did those switches it was much better and then I also did the flipper switches that made it even better, so on Elvis I just did the lot and even the bushings.
I have new coils on the way, so will see if that makes any difference.

They do seem better and sometimes you do get a nice powerful shot, I was trying to get them as good as the Sopranos, but after looking at the coils I see they are different, Elvis is 090 5020 20T and Sopranos is 090 5032 00T, are these really that different ?
I understand the numbers are the wire gauge and then the amount of turns, so I can only guess that more turns is more power ?

Many Thanks
 
For stern coils it's just a part number. It translates to

090-5032 = 22-1080
090-5020 = 22-900

The lower number of turns actually means stronger coil.
 
If everything is new and intermittently powerful then I wonder if there's some dirt on a contact somewhere. Try moving a piece of card (business card) between the contacts when closed for both the EOS and cabinet button switches. Do NOT use a file or sandpaper to clean them.
 
My flippers are all good now, not sure what it was as I had the board out to replace Q15 and Q16 as somebody had replaced them, but not very well and didnt like how they was sticking out off the board, so while the board was out I went over a lot of joints, also had new coils.
 
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