TECH: Strange Science top flipper coil

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Thank you pinball gods for the couple of great months I had with this
machine before I screwed it up!

My beloved Stange Science was begging for some routine maintenance last
night... waxing, et.al. A previous owner had put some lube on the
flipper coil plungers and wiping them off has always sped things up.
Powering up after this wipe-down, i had no top flipper. Panic!

Sooo... inspection revealed that two of the three wires to the coil
have gotten pretty hot. There is a scorched area between the two
terminals which looks like something may have shorted. As well, the
coil paper wrap has a slight burn mark (only assuming that this was all
the result of this incident). I am reading everything i can Google on
this subject and checking out Clay's 6803 info, but am hoping one of
you might have had the exact problem and point me in the right
direction.

Damage seems to have affected the lighting on the right and lower end
of the playfield. Flippers are all dead now (maybe a fuse finally
blew!?), the ball counting mechs have ceased, and the displays are
indicating a problem with "outhole switch or fuse". Forgive me if i am
premature in seeking your advice, but thanks to anyone with advice!

earning my moniker... thanks guys!

L

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Sounds to me like your strange science is toast... just so happens I
have one for sale. ; ) I suggest you keep your game for spare parts
and buy mine. : )

Sounds like you may have a couple of things going on with yours. Did
all of the issues happen at the same time, just after the cleaning job?

(Sooo... inspection revealed that two of the three wires to the coil
have gotten pretty hot. There is a scorched area between the two
terminals which looks like something may have shorted. As well, the
coil paper wrap has a slight burn mark (only assuming that this was all

the result of this incident).)

On each flipper coil there is an EOS (end of stroke) switch. Make sure
it is operating correctly. When the flipper is all the way extended it
should activate the EOS switch. When you say there is a "scortch mark"
between the wires, do you mean the palstic coil housing is melted, or
do you mean the diode on the coil popped? Does the flipper move freely
when you move it by hand?
Do you have voltage at the coils? If no voltage, check the fuse. If the
coil wrapper is burned, it may suggest you have an internal short in
that coil. You can check the coil resistance, if it is zero or very low
resistance, likely a shorted coil, you will need to replace.

How the flipper coil problem is related to GI lighting on the lower
half of the playfeild is a little less clear. Did this issue just
appear as the coil went out? Not sure why these issues would be
related, but.... If so, I would check all of the wiring under the
palyfeild very carefully to make sure you don't have a GI power wire or
switch matrix wire shorting to a solenoid wire somewhere, this would
not be a good thing. Maybe while cleaning a switch or target got bent
or moved just enough to short to another circuit.

The outhole problem sounds like one of your ball trough switches is not
registering as closed. I would tell you to put the game into switch
test to see if the trough switches are working, but if you have GI, or
swirtch matrix or solenoid power shorts,, I would not want to encourage
you to make matters any worse.

Let us know what you find.

Bob Stemmler

PS - FS: Strange Science, see post from a couple weeks ago, accepting
rgp offers before going to eBay

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Logic should rule the world of digital electronics. The Strange
Science is working 100% again tonight. It makes no sense, but will
explain in detail tomorrow when time permits.

Thanks again Bob.

L