Stargate Flipper Question

[Guest]

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

Hey--

My left flipper on my stargate is starting grow weak on me, despite
being rebuilt 2 months ago. It works fine for a little bit, but after
20 or 30 minutes it gets to the point where it can't make it up the
ramp on the right side (which is a big problem). The coil id is
25959--is there something I can replace it with that's stronger (and
won't cause me any other problems)? Thanks. Not sure what else I can
really do at this point.

Aaron

 

[Guest]

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

Make sure you hve left a little vertical play in the flipper itself or
it will bind.

Cliffy
A passion for pinball!
www.passionforpinball.com

 

[MacMan]

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

Coils don't really weak. They are more in the work or not category. You
have another problem there.

When you say you rebuilt the flipper, tell us what exactly that includes.

Cheers
MacMan

In article <1124774287.161809.192740@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"taylor34" <at93850@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hey--
>
> My left flipper on my stargate is starting grow weak on me, despite
> being rebuilt 2 months ago. It works fine for a little bit, but after
> 20 or 30 minutes it gets to the point where it can't make it up the
> ramp on the right side (which is a big problem). The coil id is
> 25959--is there something I can replace it with that's stronger (and
> won't cause me any other problems)? Thanks. Not sure what else I can
> really do at this point.
>
> Aaron

 

[Guest]

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

Had the same problem. Rebuilt everything except coil and was fine (
with red coil 25959 ).

A few weeks later after about 30 minutes of play suddenly couldn't make
the ramp. Replaced the coil and sleeve and was good for another 30 plays.

After extended play couldn't make the ramp. The coil was warm to the
touch. Replaced the sleeve and resoldered connections, seems ok for
now. Barely makes it up but does make it up every time on a solid shot.

I might try a stronger coil if this fails ( the manual lists several I
can post later ). I would be afraid of breaking things which can't be
replaced.

Just curious, what is the voltage at the coil? Mine runs at 66 VDC

Jack James
taylor34 wrote:
> Hey--
>
> My left flipper on my stargate is starting grow weak on me, despite
> being rebuilt 2 months ago. It works fine for a little bit, but after
> 20 or 30 minutes it gets to the point where it can't make it up the
> ramp on the right side (which is a big problem). The coil id is
> 25959--is there something I can replace it with that's stronger (and
> won't cause me any other problems)? Thanks. Not sure what else I can
> really do at this point.
>
> Aaron
>

 

[manic]

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

"MacMan" <funster@ahtbigpond.dohtnet.au> wrote in message
news:funster-33CEAE.18353823082005@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Coils don't really weak. They are more in the work or not category. You
> have another problem there.
>
> When you say you rebuilt the flipper, tell us what exactly that includes.

Indeed. Sometimes the smallest part in the flipper assembly can cause
problems. Take the cheap and lowly plastic plunger sleeve that sits in
the coil. I have found them to have hairline cracks, almost invisible to the
eye, and when the coil heats up and expands slightly the sleeve buckles
a tiny bit and this squeezes down on the plunger... creating the "weak
after some play" syndrome.

It's just one example but it shows how the entire assembly is
dependent on every part to truly perform well. I know it's a common sense
example but it's how I got a real nice machine pretty cheap as the op seemed
convinced the left flipper was "cursed" or unfixable. He had even started
grinding on the plunger to try to fix the thing and the solution
(after I took it home turned out to be the ten cent plunger sleeve.

New problem: why can't I say things in just a couple of sentences ;-)

>
> Cheers
> MacMan
>
> In article <1124774287.161809.192740@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> "taylor34" <at93850@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Hey--
> >
> > My left flipper on my stargate is starting grow weak on me, despite
> > being rebuilt 2 months ago. It works fine for a little bit, but after
> > 20 or 30 minutes it gets to the point where it can't make it up the
> > ramp on the right side (which is a big problem). The coil id is
> > 25959--is there something I can replace it with that's stronger (and
> > won't cause me any other problems)? Thanks. Not sure what else I can
> > really do at this point.
> >
> > Aaron

 

[Guest]

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

I didn't rebuild the flipper, the guy I bought it from did it (and he
did a fabulous job, btw). It seems to be a heat related problem--the
right flipper probably has the same problem, but it's not shooting any
shots that would show that it's getting weaker like the left one.

I haven't checked my voltage yet, but since somebody else has the exact
same problem that's probably unlikely.

I think if I had a small fan blowing on the flipper, it probably
wouldn't have a problem. Don't know for sure though.

Aaron

 

[Guest]

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

But does it have any vertical play?

Cliffy
A passion for pinball!
www.passionforpinball.com

 

[Guest]

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

Not sure, will check tonight. Thanks

Aaron

 

[Guest]

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

I'm 100% sure it had nothing to do with the original rebuild of the
flippers. They worked great for 3 or 4 hour sessions, no problem at
all. Probably played 300 or 400 games with them, no problems. I guess
the point where I started noticing a problem is when some friend's kids
came over and played for a hour or two (they were very flipper crazy,
flipping nonstop) and after that I couldn't make it up the ramp (when I
played right after them). Since then I've noticed the problem getting
worse and worse. Research into the archive points to many people
having the same problem, all with the left flipper. I was hoping that
someone had figured out a solution to the problem, because other than
heatsinks there didn't seem to be a solution in the archive. Perhaps
something has happened to the sleeve when the kids were playing--I
might have to check that out when I've got time. Thanks

Aaron

 

[MacMan]

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

In article <1124817678.078984.203690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
"taylor34" <at93850@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I didn't rebuild the flipper, the guy I bought it from did it (and he
> did a fabulous job, btw).

Ummm... probably not, otherwise you wouldn't be having these problems.
Rebuilding a flipper means different things to different people. Maybe
he didn't feel he needed to replace the coil stops, maybe didn't give it
enough vertical play like Cliffy said OR too much play, maybe didn't
change the sleeve, maybe didn't reflow the solder joints on the coil.

Get yourself a flipper rebuild kit and Clay's guide and do it properly
and you won't have a problem again for a long time.

Cheers
MacMan

 

[MacMan]

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

John,

The coil either works or not more or less. You don't have to replace the
coil. You have another problem there and putting in a stronger coil is
not the answer - and yes you WILL break stuff on the pf!

Cheers
Macman

In article <NQEOe.929$9X.761@fe09.lga>,
"John W. James" <ebd@jackdds.com> wrote:

> Had the same problem. Rebuilt everything except coil and was fine (
> with red coil 25959 ).
>
> A few weeks later after about 30 minutes of play suddenly couldn't make
> the ramp. Replaced the coil and sleeve and was good for another 30 plays.
>
> After extended play couldn't make the ramp. The coil was warm to the
> touch. Replaced the sleeve and resoldered connections, seems ok for
> now. Barely makes it up but does make it up every time on a solid shot.
>
> I might try a stronger coil if this fails ( the manual lists several I
> can post later ). I would be afraid of breaking things which can't be
> replaced.
>
> Just curious, what is the voltage at the coil? Mine runs at 66 VDC
>
> Jack James
> taylor34 wrote:
> > Hey--
> >
> > My left flipper on my stargate is starting grow weak on me, despite
> > being rebuilt 2 months ago. It works fine for a little bit, but after
> > 20 or 30 minutes it gets to the point where it can't make it up the
> > ramp on the right side (which is a big problem). The coil id is
> > 25959--is there something I can replace it with that's stronger (and
> > won't cause me any other problems)? Thanks. Not sure what else I can
> > really do at this point.
> >
> > Aaron
> >

 

[Guest]

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

Checked, has a little vertical play, same as the right flipper and the
upper one. Coil was pretty warm after just 20 minutes, but the right
one was even warmer.

 

[Guest]

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

I also had the exact problem with a Stargate. It turned out to be poor
contact on the EOS switch. When closed, there was a slightly higher
resistance in the contact (pitting/corrosion). I cleaned the contact,
reshaped to make sure that it had 0 ohms in closed position. Then I
would manually move flipper and see what resistance was when the switch
closed again. What I found was after repeated use the EOS did not
close as strongly and resistance increased causing a decrease in
current to coil. Best thing to do is to change EOS switches if they
cannot be cleaned and retain shape. PBR has assembly with cap.

Good luck,
Andy
MacMan wrote:
> In article <1124817678.078984.203690@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> "taylor34" <at93850@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I didn't rebuild the flipper, the guy I bought it from did it (and he
> > did a fabulous job, btw).
>
> Ummm... probably not, otherwise you wouldn't be having these problems.
> Rebuilding a flipper means different things to different people. Maybe
> he didn't feel he needed to replace the coil stops, maybe didn't give it
> enough vertical play like Cliffy said OR too much play, maybe didn't
> change the sleeve, maybe didn't reflow the solder joints on the coil.
>
> Get yourself a flipper rebuild kit and Clay's guide and do it properly
> and you won't have a problem again for a long time.
>
> Cheers
> MacMan

 

[Guest]

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

Andy--

I'm almost certain that's it. When I first looked at it, I saw that
the EOS looked like something had happened to it recently--it looked a
little corroded, which I thought was weird--I cleaned it off a little
but didn't think much of it. Since I'm pretty much just a newbie to
all this stuff, I didn't realize that could cause the flipper to get
weak--I thought it might cause some problems when keeping the flipper
in the up position, but nothing else. I'll file it off and get the
rest of the corrosion off--that should take care of the problem.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Aaron