Twilight Zone
Bally, 1993My twilight zone shooter lane diverter appears to stick in the “straight up” position.
It will fall back into place after the flippers flip, or I shake the machine, or a ball hits it etc.
When I touch it when it is in this stuck position, it feels like there might possibly be a slight electrical hold on it.
Is this common ? Is there a spring I should shorten ? Is there an electrical problem that is not releasing the “hold” ?
See if it's sticking on the metal part over the shooter rod. There is an upside down "U" shape cut out that the shooter rods goes through, that metal piece separate from the apron, if bent down or in, it can catch the diverter thingy right at the hole.
Look back in there with a flashlight and see if it's catching.
LTG : )
It works nice and smooth with no binding with power off. It works fine in test.
Maybe it’s just doing what it is supposed to do ?
Next time it sticks, turn the machine off (gently). If it stays stuck, you have a mechanical issue. Probably just needs a cleaning and new coil sleeve.
Quoted from LTG:It's a relay set up, no coil sleeve.
LTG : )
Thank you! I keep learning from Lloyd.
Is there some kind of a low voltage hold or something like that ? Or is it only full open or full closed ?
When I gently turn the game off, the gate still sticks. But it doesn’t seem mechanical. It really looks like the coil is magnetically holding it.
Another question. When you load the balls, and the machine shoots each of the 3 balls into the gumball machine, should the gate close and open between balls, or just stay open the whole time ?
Quoted from MichaelMullen:When I gently turn the game off, the gate still sticks. But it doesn’t seem mechanical.
Without power and sticking, is mechanical.
Take the apron off and try it. Then you'll know if it's sticking where I posted.
LTG : )
Quoted from MichaelMullen:When you load the balls, and the machine shoots each of the 3 balls into the gumball machine, should the gate close and open between balls, or just stay open the whole time ?
On this question -
The gate should open, ball ejected into autofire kicker, gate closes. Gate reopens, then the gumball diverter and autofire ki kernel fire at just about the same time, then shooter gate closes.
Repeat as needed.
When I touch the stuck gate with my hand, it really feels electrical, even though it also stick with the power off. It runs perfectly smooth by hand with no binding. I also gave everything an adjustment and cleaning. It only gets stuck when there is some kind of current introduced.
I am going to replace the coil and see what happens. I think that coil also has a relay it, so it’s not just a simple coil.
Next step after that I will check the transistor associated with it. Does anyone know what transistor it is off hand ?
Quoted from MichaelMullen:When I touch the stuck gate with my hand, it really feels electrical, even though it also stick with the power off. It runs perfectly smooth by hand with no binding. I also gave everything an adjustment and cleaning. It only gets stuck when there is some kind of current introduced.
I am going to replace the coil and see what happens. I think that coil also has a relay it, so it’s not just a simple coil.
Next step after that I will check the transistor associated with it. Does anyone know what transistor it is off hand ?
Did you replace the coil?
If not:
Replace the coil, and replace the whole armature assembly (http://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=A-11516). Likely it was bent or is magnetized, keeping it locked after power is dropped.
Ok. My diverter works right when it needs to load the ball into the manual plunger.When the ball needs to go in the auto launcher . The diverter doesn’t stick straight upward more like 11 o’clock position and the ball kind a hits it slowing the launch. Also I guess it goes without saying that that rubber post needs to be removed upstream the launch lane right?
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Saugus, MA