Adjusting pop bumper switch

[felixthadog]

The lower pop bumper on my TZ machine is not registering hits, I have tried adjusting the switch under the playfield but cannot get the switch to activate when the bumper skirt is pressed. Whereas with the other pop bumper switches, a slight press on the top plate of the switch activates the kicker, the lower pop bumper switch requires considerable force for it to activate the kicker. Is there an art to adjusting the switch or does it just require time and patience? 

Matthew

[Strangeways]

Grab an old business card and clean the contacts

Then just depress the switch contacts to make sure they complete the circuit and fire the coil. (Close the front door if applicable as it switches off the power to the coils when open)

If it fires the coil - then you need to adjust with a pair of pointy nose pliers, moving the lower blade closer to the upper blade. Do this with the machine off. You should see a similar distance between the contacts as with the other bumpers.

Sometimes, just cleaning the points with a business card can fix the issue.

You can buy contact adjustment tools - Try Greg's ;

http://www.rtbb.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=127_153&products_id=1243

This is what I use. It is the correct tool for the job.

[felixthadog]

Grab an old business card and clean the contacts

Then just depress the switch contacts to make sure they complete the circuit and fire the coil. (Close the front door if applicable as it switches off the power to the coils when open)

If it fires the coil - then you need to adjust with a pair of pointy nose pliers, moving the lower blade closer to the upper blade. Do this with the machine off. You should see a similar distance between the contacts as with the other bumpers.

Sometimes, just cleaning the points with a business card can fix the issue.

You can buy contact adjustment tools - Try Greg's ;

http://www.rtbb.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=127_153&products_id=1243

This is what I use. It is the correct tool for the job.

Thanks Nino, do I need to put anything (water, nifty, alcohol etc) on the business card? If I press the switch contacts together, it fires the coil. The problem is getting the distance between the contacts just right so that the coil is fired when the pop bumper skirt is hit. I have not been able to get the distance right thus far, but I will try again tonight.

Cheers,
Matthew

[felixthadog]

The problem is fixed, thanks Nino  The business card trick worked a treat, the switch only required a minor adjustment after that and now the pop bumper is registering hits 

Matthew

[Strangeways]

The problem is fixed, thanks Nino  The business card trick worked a treat, the switch only required a minor adjustment after that and now the pop bumper is registering hits 

Matthew

Cool trick, hey Matt ! Works every time.

[ajlaird]

Definitely one for the memory banks. Nice tip!

Do some business cards work better than others :)

[pinball god]

Definitely one for the memory banks. Nice tip!

Do some business cards work better than others :)

Don't use any biz cards from Alan Bond, you can only get into trouble. Also Chris S. is a problem but he's dead.

But seriously the leaf switch adjusting tool is well worth the few bucks from Rtbb.