(Topic ID: 181243)

Do you just replace this switch or try and clean?

By Soonerbrink

7 years ago


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  • 13 posts
  • 13 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by Rdoyle1978
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#1 7 years ago

I have a feeling I know the answer to this question since it is a $2.95 part, but if these switches stop working do people successfully clean them with ultrasonic or contact cleaner.... or is the best route just to replace?

FYI: This is on the front of the warrior bug assembly, but most people would recognize it from the ball trough.

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#2 7 years ago

I'd replace the switch.

#3 7 years ago

If it were a leaf switch I'd say clean it with a fine metal file not a flex stone that leaves silicate dust on the points, just replace it dude.

#4 7 years ago

Replace it if its not working correctly. Microswitches wear out eventually.

#5 7 years ago

replace it. em pins you can get away with filing the points on, but newer games, replace it.

#6 7 years ago
Quoted from Soonerbrink:

do people successfully clean them with ultrasonic or contact cleaner....

NO!

#8 7 years ago

You cannot clean or service microswitch bodies. When they wear out, which they do in time, replace them. The metal arms can easily be moved to new bodies. And don't forget to put a new diode on there!

Marc

#9 7 years ago

Had a micro switch on a DM out lane driving me nuts. Worked very intermittently. Replaced it and has been perfect since!
For around $2-$3, just replace.

#10 7 years ago

Save the metal actuator and put it on a new micro switch.

#11 7 years ago

replace

1 year later
#12 5 years ago
Quoted from jeffc:

Save the metal actuator and put it on a new micro switch.

bit old now the thread, but what do people do ? often it is possible to just replace the microswitch according to the catalog number in the game manual, but sometimes the exact microswitch is hard to get.

So the alternatives are:
- buy a similar microswitch and bend the metal wire or
- buy a microswitch and replace the actuator as above

If you replace only the actuator what is the common practice
- replace the entire metal bit connected to the black plastic housing ?
- replace only the wire - how is it connected ? - with solder ?

#13 5 years ago
Quoted from branlon8:

bit old now the thread, but what do people do ? often it is possible to just replace the microswitch according to the catalog number in the game manual, but sometimes the exact microswitch is hard to get.
So the alternatives are:
- buy a similar microswitch and bend the metal wire or
- buy a microswitch and replace the actuator as above
If you replace only the actuator what is the common practice
- replace the entire metal bit connected to the black plastic housing ?
- replace only the wire - how is it connected ? - with solder ?

Replace the switch body, take the metal actuator off the old switch and put it on the new one. This is really only necessary if the old switch actuator is bent in a particular way specific to that game

The wires are going back down to the harness, I don’t see how or why you would replace the wire.

That said, the switches in the original post up top are VERY sensitive to having their actuators bent. If those are bent, the whole switch can sometimes need replacing. For example, I had to replace one of those switches on the LOTR sword ramp, after I spent a full week tinkering with it to get it bent back up and properly trigger when a ball rolled over it but not stop the ball from rolling. I finally gave up and bought a new switch

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