Intermittant sticking flipper - Judge Dredd

[Jackolantern]

Hi All,

Given the great help I received with my last technical challenge, I've now built up the confidence to tackle my next technical issue (I'm a pinball newbie with relatively little technical expertise but willing to persevere and learn from others who re kind enough to help!).
So my latest issue... my left flipper is intermittently sticking upwards mid game. When I power off, it drops, meaning it must be an electrical issue. To reset the issue and make the flipper drop, it seems that when the ball goes into the "missile launcher" (ball popper on left hand side) when it fires and puts the ball back onto the playfield the flipper drops again. Also note that when the bottom flipper sticks, the top one does too. Again, it is intermittent so will suddenly happen again 10 minutes later.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Jack

 

[cmrl9]

I would start with the fliptronics board it sounds like this is the problem. Example:

Fliptronics II Board problem - all flippers weak! | Tech: DMD era games | Pinside.com

| Forum Topic by Chet

pinside.com

Jim @myPinballs could repair check it, if you want one of the best or others on the forum can offer some helpful advice.

My STTNG had a similar problem the left flipper would stutter it was the fliptronics board.

I might be wrong, others with more technical expertise might be able to point out something else it might be.

good luck

 

[David_Vi]

Have you checked the flipper interupter behind the button?

The Junk Yard at Pinball Republic had its flipper getting stuck up and would drop when off.
The interupter was broken and setting off the opto at the wrong times.

Checking the flippers work with PF up in switch test can help you establish if it's the button/interupter at fault. Good to eliminate that

 

[Jay Walker]

This does look like a problem with the left side button optos; the two flippers on that side both being affected and the shock of the left side kick-back clearing it both fit with the problem being the plastic* interrupter used to switch the two opto couplers.

I saw the reverse of this with an Indiana Jones PBA - the right flipper sometimes kicked when a ball was launched into play, if the coil moved and touched the interrupter.

If there's a safety cut-out switch on the front door, next time open the door with the flippers still raised, I should think they'd turn off. Then go straight into a switch test, either 'Levels' or 'Single Switch'. Levels shows every active switch (optos are active (A) Open rather than Closed). In Single Switch you can scroll through with + or - to select any switch, including flipper 'F' switches.

* I think it's plastic, though Judge Dredd had different arrangements on each flipper button. One was just plastic, the other had an additional metal backing.

 

[David_Vi]

I think it's plastic, though Judge Dredd had different arrangements on each flipper button. One was just plastic, the other had an additional metal backing.

I believe they're all plastic after wpc89. The metal part is used as a spring and supposed to be on all of them but every wpc-s/wpc95 I've got came with them missing. Most people don't realise they're missing and in a lot of cases they don't make much difference as depending on the interrupter they're stiff enough to act like a spring anyway. (Those interupters vary so much depending where you buy them, some are stiff plastic and others are really flexible which I think feels rubbish under the finger)

As someone who notices the smallest things and wants things to feel 'right' I discovered the missing metal springs when I noticed my buttons felt more loose than another pin I'd played elsewhere.

 

[MajesticPinball]

I believe they're all plastic after wpc89. The metal part is used as a spring and supposed to be on all of them but every wpc-s/wpc95 I've got came with them missing. Most people don't realise they're missing and in a lot of cases they don't make much difference as depending on the interrupter they're stiff enough to act like a spring anyway. (Those interupters vary so much depending where you buy them, some are stiff plastic and others are really flexible which I think feels rubbish under the finger)

As someone who notices the smallest things and wants things to feel 'right' I discovered the missing metal springs when I noticed my buttons felt more loose than another pin I'd played elsewhere.

You and them bloomin' interrupters

 

[David_Vi]

You and them bloomin' interrupters

Got any of those interupters?

It took me a year but I have a good source now