I have been working through some overdue problems on my Stern Magic. After the machine was moved recently I was having issues with the right flipper. Not working, then being weak. Separate but semi related i decided to replace the voltage rectifier because it was completely toasted. I re soldered all the connections to the flipper coil and checked the coil against the other side and it seemed ok. New rectifier board is in and everything else is working a lot better but it did not improve my situation with the right flipper.

The flipper does work but it is a but it is annoyingly weak (60% of the other flippers power). It also visibly dims the lights in the machine when pressed. I worked for a long time trying to adjust it different ways and adjust the EOS switch but to no avail. The very last time I adjusted it I was working it trying to watch it swing and return and it blew the F4 5 amp. Not sure what the problem could be I have repinned and replaced all the connectors to the rectifier. Not sure if its in the solenoid driver board or what. Thanks in advance for any help!

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Flippers are rebuilt. Full kit if I remember correctly. The right definitely pulls down the light more than the left. The left barely dims them at all.

I checked voltage at the connector on J2 both flippers got 43 V coming out at the board. Down the line they both have 44 V at the Flipper Switches. With the Nuetral probe on the center lug both coils test .3 ohms left to center and 3.0 ohms right lug to center.

I reseated the connectors, readjusted the EOS switch and gave both sides a good cleaning. Left flipper is still strong and the right one is still just as weak. Its a bunch of work but I am almost tempted to swap the left coil over and see if its a coil issue?

Here is a back and front of of the board as well as one with the connector so you can see which wires go where. I think when I started having this problem I took this board off and reflowed all the pins on it. They don't look terrible to me but idk maybe I can clean the solder off and do it again see if it helps. I have pins and connectors to rebuild them I just haven't yet I wanted to fix one problem at a time.

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Have noticed something else also. If I put my hand or finger in front of each flipper while operating it. The Left (good flipper) will snap and push it away. The right (weak one) will buzz mid stroke and dim the lights when it hits resistance from my hand.

Interesting. I have been kind of plagued by this problem and no one has ever mentioned the relay. I am guessing that is the relay incased in plastic on the SDB. I don't know much about those but I can reflow the pins to it. Is there a way to get inside it and check that little relay?

As far as the bakelite and the play in the motion. You are correct the working flipper is kind of snapped back in a pocket with that bakelite against the bracket at rest. In the midst of trying to adjust this weak flipper every which way I have adjusted it up and down on the flipper axle giving different play there. I also adjusted back and forth so the flipper sits more forward and backward at rest on the playfield if that makes any sense. None of this helped but its easy to try again. Let me know what to look for on that relay and I will try that.

I will also spend the time to switch the working coil over to the right side and see if that helps. If that doesn't work I may move on to rebuilding the connectors and pins on J2 to see if that helps.

Ugh....back on this one and here is where I am now.
Since last I left off I took the Solenoid Driver Board home and checked the flipper relay. I didn't remove the cover but I did desolder and resolder it to the board. Reinstalled and no change. Still a lazy right flipper.

I decided to go ahead and take the left flipper coil I know is good and swap it to the right flipper. That did not change anything either. So good to know it is definitely not a coil issue. When switching those coils I cleaned the EOS switches and checked them manually for operation. They were pretty burned and the pads are a bit screwed so I will throw those on my next parts order.

After swapping coils I entertained the thought I may have connector pin issues. So I went through and repinned J1 and J2 at the SDB and repinned J1 connector at the new Voltage rectifier. Though the pins are much tighter this didn't fix the problem either.

Here is what I did find out from all this trial and error this go around: Coils are both good and when fiddling around I did get full power back to the flipper a few times then it would drop out after a game or a reset. But I do know this the Right flipper is definitely buzzing and dimming the lights and the left doesn't. The right will blow a fuse if you try to hold a ball.
So from this I'm thinking the right is staying fully energized and not turning on the hold for whatever reason. It is definitely opening the EOS switch from what I can see. Is there anything else that can keep it from dropping out the high voltage?

I tested the EOS with the wire off. It reads 0.1 or 0.0 closed and OL when open.

The windings I couldn't get a read on. I tried them every which way. Tried both left and right flipper as well as another coil I have for this machine got no reading. Can you test these with the diodes in place?
I don't really want to assume things are good but I just swapped the left and right coils in the last post and the problem was still isolated to the right side so I am pretty sure the coils are good since both worked fine when on the left.

I also dropped a pic of the wiring for you.

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I will check those tight wires. Not sure why that runs so tightly along the bracket but I will inspect the wires.

I'm going to just go ahead and order new EOS switches tomorrow so I will report back when they come in. I cleaned and filed them a bit but they were pretty beaten. They are cheap enough and I will order some extras as well since they are consumable.

As far as the solder goes I went and rebraided and tinned those wires really well. Then when I tried out the switching of the flipper coils it got all ratty again. Lol I will redo all that when I put in the EOS switches.

Be back soon.

Man this thing is frustrating me to no end. Got a brand new EOS switch and tossed it on and I am still getting the same result. It is not kicking full power and it is Buzzing and Dimming the Lights Badly. Also after activating the coil for a minute or two this thing get HOT I mean Really Hot, so I just shut it off. I filmed a video of it. First showing the normal operation of the left flipper from underneath the playfield then the right. Volume Up you can hear the buzz. Let me know what you think. Any help is appreciated. At this point I am out of ideas.

Rebuilding these were probably the first work I had ever done on a machine years ago. So I kinda got whatever was suggested to me.

I'm heading back over to the machine today and will figure out testing resistance of the windings but the thing that throws me is that I have already swapped coils from left flipper to right. I swapped in a known "Good Coil" from the working left flipper to the bad right one and the right flipper is still having these issues. I feel like it must be up stream of the coil and EOS switch.?

I know this has sat dormant for a long time but hey, life gets busy. Got some time off and decided to just rip out absolutely everything on the flipper I was having problems with and replace it. I ordered the Early Stern rebuild kit (pictured) from Pinball Life. I replaced coil, sleeve, flipper bushing, flipper bat, EOS switch, plunger, spring, linkage, etc. I FINALLY have right flipper back to full power. I am stoked to be able actually play the game again. Not sure what went on. I think I initially had an electrical issue and in fooling with the coil and soldering and unsoldering it I ended up getting all those old parts out of whack and I may have been dealing with some all over the place mechanical binding and misalignment. Not a fan of throwing parts at something but a fresh start on this definitely helped it. I do have 1 question before I mark this one solved.

After installing the new rebuild kit I have notice the flipper has a good hard return...BUT if you notice the new linkage has a nylon link with a rounded end vs. the old bakelite with a flat back (Pictured in previous post above). When the newly rebuilt flipper returns and the link hit the stop on the bracket the rounded edge link makes the flipper bounce instead of returning and stopping dead. Not a deal breaker but a little bit of an annoyance. I was wondering if anyone has maybe filed a flat edge onto one of those links or put something on the metal bracket to deaden the return and make it not bounce?? I can post a video if it helps.

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Hmm yea , I do get what you are saying. Yes the spring is over the plunger and the tighter coiled end of it is on the link side. I would have to get back over to where the game is to give it a look and see if another spring could be mounted somewhere to help. I was wondering if it is the round edge that makes it bounce off the bracket or if it is the material (nylon vs. bakelite) that makes it bounce off. I will give it another good once over when I start on the score displays. and try to get an idea of why it does that.

Here is the videos of the top of the playfield showing flipper bounce and the underneath showing the link bouncing off the bracket. If you watch the right flipper bounces while the left will return and stop dead. I can use the OG bakelite as the link but I dont think they are the right length to insert into this new setup so it may cause some more problems than it is worth. I made the latter video go slow motion a few seconds in which looks damn cool and gives you a goode idea of the action of that plunger and link.

Im thinking of just pulling that spring out a bit to see if a little stiffer spring may deaden the return without dragging down the power of the flipper.