Star Tech Journal

Based on my data, the version F solid state flipper
board which is in all B1TF games is operating quite
satisfactorily. Please give me a call (that goes for any
operator that is having flipper problems) if you need
more information.
ANSWER
David Cadieux
David Cadieux Company, Oak Lawn. Illinois
We have a Playboy with electronic flippers and have
had only one minor problem. When the flipper button
was pressed the flipper would work but if you held it
in, say to catch the ball, the ball would knock down
the flipper.
some of the problems (i.e. the coil can be moved back
and forth along the plunger travel direction).
ANSWER
Peter Gustafson
You mentioned having play between the coil and the
coil stop. Please check to ensure that there is a spring
washer between the coil and the coil stop. This spring
washer should take up the play you mentioned.
QUESTION
#4
Why can I not get a good amount of power out of the
flippers?
ANSWER
The solution was that on the flipper control board
there are two fuses for each flipper. If one fuse did not
have a good connection then it only delivered half the
AC cycle.
I myself don't like the electronic flipper because it is
either on or off. Unlike the older system which allows
you to play with the ball by tapping the flipper button.
You can make the ball jump to the other flipper.
QUESTION #2
Why can't I remove a damaged coil sleeve from a non-
burned coil. I have 2 sleeves with chips or cracks that
I had to replace the entire coil. I have never had this
problem with anyone elses machine. Is the new
design sending too much current to the coils causing
heat to gradually burn out the coil instead of burning
it out all at once like the EOS system??
Reinhard Bangerter
I did have another Phantom OJ The Opera with a
flipper which was weaker than the other one. I
determined the high current pulse time was consid-
erably shorter (verified by oscilloscope -the pulse was
about half the width).
The problem: Data East had installed the wrong
resistor value at RIO. A quick change and all's well.
Keep me posted. I am very interested on how Elec-
tronic EOS helps on down-time and coil wear.
ANSWER
Reinhard Bangerter
I. myself, have yet to replace the actual coil (but I
know our company has replaced them in older games)
and have never noticed the cracked and stuck sleeve
you spoke of and our coils are snug in their brackets
without any slack. You sparked my curiosity so out I
went to disassemble the flipper assembly on our
Phantom Of The Opera. On both flippers. the original
coils have un-chipped sleaves which slide out easily.
MORE INFO FROM DATA EAsT
There are two new features that are just now starting
to be installed on Back To The Future pinball games.
1. A new allen head screw for holding
the flipper coil stops in place.
2. A new, super tough nylon plunger
and ball cup for the Vertical Up
Kicker. The durability of the newVUK
plunger and cup should make it last
about lOx as long as the old material.
We have had this game since early release and have
had only one problem with it. In late afternoon on a
busy day, one flipper would lock on. But by the time
you got your tools ready to work on it, it was working
again. Finally I took the board out and found the
screw was loose to the heat sink on the SCR (this
component holds the flipper on). I changed the part
anyway and haven't worked on it since.
ACCESS
QUESTION #3
Why do all my Data East machines have play between
the coil and coil stops. I would thing that would cause
Data East has added Illinois to their 800 toll free
service. Their 800 service now covers the entire
continental United States. Alaska. Hawaii, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands.