Tech: WPC convert flippers from Opto to Mechanical

[LexingtonVAPin]

I am going to convert an opto flipper WPC pin to mechanical. It should
be easy.

Has anyone tried this?

What flipper switch do you use? The only single flipper switches I can
find are tungsten. I would prefer to use gold contacts. The only TAF
switch I can find is #SW-1A-192 which is dual. I only need single and
cannot find a single flipper gold contact. Does that matter?

[John Robertson]

I am going to convert an opto flipper WPC pin to mechanical.  It should
be easy.
Has anyone tried this?
What flipper switch do you use?  The only single flipper switches I can
find are tungsten.  I would prefer to use gold contacts.  The only TAF
switch I can find is #SW-1A-192 which is dual.  I only need single and
cannot find a single flipper gold contact.  Does that matter?

I am curious why you would even want to do this? The optos are far more
reliable than mechanical contacts - just clean them once in a while with
a dry Q-Tip.

John :-#)#

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[LexingtonVAPin]

Post by John Robertson

I am going to convert an opto flipper WPC pin to mechanical.  It
should be easy.
Has anyone tried this?
What flipper switch do you use?  The only single flipper switches I
can find are tungsten.  I would prefer to use gold contacts.  The only
TAF switch I can find is #SW-1A-192 which is dual.  I only need single
and cannot find a single flipper gold contact.  Does that matter?

I am curious why you would even want to do this? The optos are far more
reliable than mechanical contacts - just clean them once in a while with
a dry Q-Tip.
John :-#)#

In an almost 30 year old game, the optos tend to get weak. It is
usually the transmitter that lose power or fail. Then they have to be
replaced.

And with some people...... they claim that old flipper optos cause all
sorts of issues including weak flippers and coils that get hot.

There are many who claim that this has happened to them and when they
switch the flipper opto board from one side to the other, the problem
travels with the flipper board. Try nay-saying this issue on Facebook
or Pinside and see what happens.

I try to keep people happy and would like to avoid this issue altogether
by going to the good old reliable, with Fliptronics, mechanical flipper
buttons found on TAF. A little cheaper and no more opto flipper
histrionics.

[seymour.shabow]

Post by LexingtonVAPin
I am going to convert an opto flipper WPC pin to mechanical. It should
be easy.
Has anyone tried this?
What flipper switch do you use? The only single flipper switches I can
find are tungsten. I would prefer to use gold contacts. The only TAF
switch I can find is #SW-1A-192 which is dual. I only need single and
cannot find a single flipper gold contact. Does that matter?

Make your own with contact points. Grab some worn out blades and you
have a steady supply.

Probably a turnkey solution would be to use the data east/sega/stern
ones that make an 'X' as the contact surface, to help with misalignment.
https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=USE+500-6889-01

[LexingtonVAPin]

I am going to convert an opto flipper WPC pin to mechanical.  It
should be easy.
Has anyone tried this?
What flipper switch do you use?  The only single flipper switches I
can find are tungsten.  I would prefer to use gold contacts.  The only
TAF switch I can find is #SW-1A-192 which is dual.  I only need single
and cannot find a single flipper gold contact.  Does that matter?

Make your own with contact points.  Grab some worn out blades and you
have a steady supply.
Probably a turnkey solution would be to use the data east/sega/stern
ones that make an 'X' as the contact surface, to help with misalignment.
https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=USE+500-6889-01

Great, thanks!