The switch is bad. Very common on LOTR. Ive replaced three on my HUO LOTR is the past year! Pinball Life has them the cheapest. Order a few.

It takes a beating. I would do as pinb0t recommends. Just keep a few spares on hand.

when you replace it use a new diode. Not sure if the ones from pinball life include that. if not you should get some spare 1n4004 diodes to have on hand. when you remove the old switch look to see which wires are solder to what lugs. Also use the old switch as reference for installing the new diode.

I think the diode may be in the line but not on the switch. Good rule of thumb is to copy what is already there but with a new switch.

The side of the switch has those markings, COM - common, NC - normally closed, and OC - occasionally closed.

Grab your meter and check any two lugs and close switch, only three possible ways to hook it up and only take you a minute to do.

Common problem is flaky switch, next up with stern is poor connection at an IDC connector nearby, and then check wiring from switch to board in the head for continuity. A broken wire, poor connection, at other switches or connectors can happen.

LTG

I have to replace this switch and the diode on mine.

Anyone have a step-by-step tutorial? Have not soldered before.

Thanks!

All you can do is watch some youtube vids on how to solder. The hardest part I find is having 3 hands to hold everything!

Just an update. Got the parts in from Pinball Life (great service as usual).

I used these 2 tutorials to desolder and solder. I couldn't get a fiberglass pen, so I skipped this step. I used solder wick. Very easy to do and LOTR was up and running in under an hour. Very easy to do a switch. No diode needed on this one.

Same switch went bad on Baywatch, you'd think they'd source a different microswitch by now...

all micro switches have a life of about 100,000 activations or so and then they need to be replaced. Just the way it is. Sometimes there can be a bad batch but for the most part they are very reliable... They are cheap and easy to replace and are better than the old gold contact leaf switches unless you know how to set them.

For some reason, these "fork" switches go out much more often than other types of switches.

I've bent the fork up near the switch base and got the switches to come back to life. This puts more pressure on the switch mechanism.

I did try that. Still in test mode it was intermittent. Tried one more bend and boom broke the fork off. Sucks to wait 4 days for the repair parts, but I ordered some spares, so I should be all set for a while.

Maybe it's being attached directly to a VUK.

I also had it on Gimly, and since I didn't have spare switches I unscrewed the bolts which are holding the switch (just a little bit). Ever since then it has been working perfectly (for several years now).

In a pinch, you are try to clean the contacts in the microswitch. I've done this by either spraying electrical contact cleaner at the switch tab, or dabbing it with rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. Then repeatedly press the switch. It seems to help break up/clean off whatever gunk is at the contacts. Let it dry for a while before turning your machine back on.