LOTR dead flipper

I was playing a pretty good game on my LE yesterday when a neighbor came over and needed to talk with me. So, I cradled my ball and talked with him a few minutes before the flipper went down and the ball drained. I thought I must have taken pressure off the flipper button, but, lo and behold that flipper no longer works. The other flipper still works fine.

I have yet to pull the playfield and investigate buy my guesses are either:

1. Blown fuse
2. Blown solenoid

Any thoughts on this and is this something which can happen frequently by depressing for a long time the flipper button?

Thanks for the help.

Darin

#2 10 years ago

CAT

DCFAN

Pinside+ Frequent

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-energized-right-flipper-on-power-up

There is a good chance the transistor is shorted.

The fuse is also likely blown and replacing it will likely result in the flipper going up when you turn on the game only to blow the fuse again.

This is a common problem on Stern games. Use the beefier transistors when replacing them.

#3 10 years ago

TRN

fattrain

Pinside member

15y 118K 5,140

Fried the transistor most likely.

Slap in a fresh fuse and if your flipper "locks on" on power up then your transistor shorted

#4 10 years ago

CWN

PinballCharlie

PinWorlds

16y 93,050 796 9 41

I'd check the cabinet switches first - go into the switch test and make sure both flippers register when you hit the flipper buttons. LoTR has notoriously flaky flipper button switches, although that may have been corrected on the LE version.

#5 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member

Thanks for the link.

That sounds like my issue. As I've never change out anything like that before, any additional information on its location (photo of where the blown bad transistor and fuse would be great) and on how, technically speaking to do this. (For instance, is the transistor just like pulling a chip and pushing the new one in...something I have done...or will it require soldering on the board...something I have never done and would be quite nervous about)

Thanks for the quick response.

#6 10 years ago

CAT

DCFAN

Pinside+ Frequent

The transistor is soldered to the driver board. I think it is Q15 (left flipper), Q16 (right flipper).

#7 10 years ago

CAT

DCFAN

Pinside+ Frequent

Maybe a local pinhead could teach you how to fix these on the circuit board. TN appears to have a lot of Pinsiders.

#8 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member

Quoted from DCFAN:
There is a good chance the transistor is shorted.
The fuse is also likely blown and replacing it will likely result in the flipper going up when you turn on the game only to blow the fuse again.
http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/tech-energized-right-flipper-on-power-up
This is a common problem on Stern games. Use the beefier transistors when replacing them.

There is a link to a pinball life transistor in that thread. I just saw another post where Terry will be out for a couple of weeks. I will not be home from work until midnight tonight to try out any of these other suggestions posted before ordering.

Do you know if marco specialties has the same thing? Basically I'm trying to decide if I should just go ahead and order one and pay the shipping just in case I need one or if I should try the other fixes first. If I do try the other first then I may be stuck waiting on Terry's vacation to end (on July 6th) before I can order if he is my only option for the transistor.

#9 10 years ago

MSS

msarac

Pinside member

Mansfield, MA

11y 50,300 145 20

Go into the Adjustments menu and set #42 - Coindoor Ball Saver to Yes. Opening the door while a ball is in play will put the pin "on hold", and the drained ball will be returned to you when the door is closed again.

It won't help your current problem, but it's very handy for annoying phone calls and chatty neighbors.

#10 10 years ago

COL

Snailman

Pinside member

Austin, TX

12y 59,400 1,709 6

Paying shipping for just one transistor is brutal. I'd definitely order at least two (change out both Q15 and Q16 to the beefier transistor), and also order other things you've been meaning to get so you can spread the shipping cost over more stuff. Order replacement switches for the Shire and Gimli saucer if you don't already have a list.

From my experience with what sounds like the same issue on my LOTR LE, while you (or someone who is capable of board soldering) are changing out the transistor, change out the diode, too. I made the mistake of only changing the transistors, and within about a month, the replacement beefier transistor (that should have lasted until the last Hobbit ships) fried again due to bad diode.

#11 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member

Quoted from msarac:
Go into the Adjustments menu and set #42 - Coindoor Ball Saver to Yes. Opening the door while a ball is in play will put the pin "on hold", and the drained ball will be returned to you when the door is closed again.
It won't help your current problem, but it's very handy for annoying phone calls and chatty neighbors.

I had no idea. Thanks for the suggestion. Do all pins have a similar setting? If so, I need to look for them.

#12 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member

Quoted from Snailman:
Paying shipping for just one transistor is brutal. I'd definitely order at least two (change out both Q15 and Q16 to the beefier transistor), and also order other things you've been meaning to get so you can spread the shipping cost over more stuff. Order replacement switches for the Shire and Gimli saucer if you don't already have a list.
From my experience with what sounds like the same issue on my LOTR LE, while you (or someone who is capable of board soldering) are changing out the transistor, change out the diode, too. I made the mistake of only changing the transistors, and within about a month, the replacement beefier transistor (that should have lasted until the last Hobbit ships) fried again due to bad diode.

Yeah, I have a little list going of stuff I need but won't get home in time to make the order before Terry's midnight deadline today. That is why I was wondering if stuff is available elsewhere. If I don't order today I guess it is not that huge of a deal...just a longer wait.

#13 10 years ago

CAT

DCFAN

Pinside+ Frequent

http://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=266

Here is a good source for the transistor:

#14 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member

Quoted from Snailman:
Paying shipping for just one transistor is brutal. I'd definitely order at least two (change out both Q15 and Q16 to the beefier transistor), and also order other things you've been meaning to get so you can spread the shipping cost over more stuff. Order replacement switches for the Shire and Gimli saucer if you don't already have a list.
From my experience with what sounds like the same issue on my LOTR LE, while you (or someone who is capable of board soldering) are changing out the transistor, change out the diode, too. I made the mistake of only changing the transistors, and within about a month, the replacement beefier transistor (that should have lasted until the last Hobbit ships) fried again due to bad diode.

I have a N4004 diode. Will that work?

Where is the diode located about which you speak?

I know I'm very ignorant on such things but I have recently bought a multimeter which I have basically no knowledge of how to use. How would I go about testing the transistor?

I went ahead and ordered two of the transistors from pinbits which were only $2 each and had no shipping charge. That is a no-brainer.

Thanks for the help. Hopefully someday I won't be so dependent.

2 weeks later

#15 10 years ago

VolunteerPin

Pinside member