The Aussie Pinball Arcade

Aussie Pinball Forums => Technical Matters => Pinball Repairs / Problems & Assistance => Topic started by: piesrule on March 03, 2009, 10:38:14 PM

Title: flipper problem
Post by: piesrule on March 03, 2009, 10:38:14 PM

Hi, can anyone tell me why i have one flipper that has just stopped working correctly, it will work about 90% of the time,  the other 10% it does nothing, then will work again.I had a look underneath and very thing appeared  ok nothing broken etc although i don't really know what i 'am looking for. Cheers Glenn

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: MartyJ on March 03, 2009, 10:40:22 PM

Hi Glenn,

What machine is it, as this will make a difference?  It could be a number of things - EOS adjustment / dirty, flipper switches adjustment / dirty..

Nothing too difficult

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan on March 03, 2009, 10:40:33 PM

Flipper circuitry varies from manufacturer and era.  What machine is it?

Edit: Great minds think alike Marty, I must have posted at same time as you.

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: piesrule on March 03, 2009, 11:18:38 PM

Oh yeh! that might be handy to know, its a Theatre of magic.

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: Strangeways on March 03, 2009, 11:51:25 PM

ToM uses Optos on the flipper switches (from memory), and these can play up if dirt / dust appears on the opto housing. Just a simple test - use a fine brush and clean the opto switches and see if that improves things !

Check the connector on the opto board as well.

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: piesrule on March 04, 2009, 12:06:38 AM

Is the opto swicth inside the cabinet behind the flipper button? !@#

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: ajlaird on March 04, 2009, 12:13:43 AM

Yeah, the flipper button pushes a blade which breaks the opto beam. If you do a switches test you can push the flipper button and ensure that it is registering each time you press it. If it doesn't, almost definitely the opto. If it does, but the flipper doesn't flip each time then you are looking at a different problem (eg loose wire on coil).

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: pinball god on March 05, 2009, 03:41:55 PM

I have cleaned my flipper opto on TZ with cotton bud and windex to fix the same problem. Flippers works then stops for a few flips then works again etc etc. Now no problems

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: piesrule on March 05, 2009, 04:38:30 PM

Thanks for the advice, i will clean the opto switch tonight and see what happens

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: piesrule on March 08, 2009, 12:51:27 PM

Thanks for the tips, the advice i got was correct, i cleaned the opto switch using a cotton bud and windex and it works fine now, although if you hit the cotton  bud with a hammer on a concrete surface it flatens it out a bit and will fit better in the gap. Worth doing as the cotton bud came out black.

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: pinnies4me on March 08, 2009, 02:28:10 PM

Thanks for posting he outcome. One of the best things you can do for the knowledge base here for newbies is to post when a problems is solved. Most of us (me included) forget that bit!

Title: Re: flipper problem
Post by: Strangeways on March 08, 2009, 04:57:34 PM

Easy Fix - and it probably took all of 5 minutes !

What I usually do is remove the opto board and wash it with Nifti and an old tooth brush - soak it some clean water and then use compressed air to remove all the water. Leave the board in the sun for 10 minutes and then re install.