Tech: Twilight Zone right ramp diverter failure

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Hey all,

Well during tonight's Thanksgiving family gathering, Twilight Zone started suffering from a recurring problem with the right ramp diverter that I thought I had fixed a few months ago. Basically it will stop functioning after playing the game a few times so it kinda seems heat related. I just put a brand new coil on a few months ago so that's not it. In test mode I can get the thing to fire if I slightly lift it and get it started. I'm not sure where to go next other than maybe changing the drive transistors for that coil. I didn't see anything on the top that was mechanically wrong and would keep the thing from working without my help. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Does it use an eos switch? Sounds like depending on the exact design it is possibly stuck on low power coil winding/low power hold mode.
 
Does it use an eos switch? Sounds like depending on the exact design it is possibly stuck on low power coil winding/low power hold mode.
Thanks for the reply. Nope it doesn't use an eos switch. Just for fun, I cleaned the opto switches the ball passes through on its way to the diverter. I'm almost certain it's not related, but I figured I might as well do that while I'm in there. I'm not up on all my pinball terminology...could you maybe explain a bit on what lower power coil winding/lower power hold mode is?
 
Bump! The issue is still there and having it fail today during our family Christmas reminded me I need to address it. As I said if I just barely help the thing get started, the diverter will activate and I can hear the coil firing even when it won't move the diverter. It also seems like this might be a thermal related failure because it works initially then fails as time goes on. If it's thermal I'm wondering if it's the drive transistors or maybe bad solder? I'm hoping to get this bug worked out this week before my New Year's Eve party. Mary Christmas everyone!
 
Does the coil seem like its overheating? It could be one of four issues 1.Opto on right ramp 2.broken wire or wiring to coil is soldered wrong 3.bad coil 4.something hanging the mechanism up.Also check the pull wire its the metal piece that is connected from the coil to the diverter.Check it out and good luck i'm sure its something simple.Let me know if your still having problems and i will look on my TZ and take some pics of the wiring to the coil for you to see if it matches.-Mike
 
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Well I have already exchanged a few PM's with Mike and I appreciate his help with this. :) The diverter appears to be working fine. I think it was actually caused by the habit trail/right ramp not being tightened down enough and/or slightly out of alignment. I found a post on RGP that lead me to check it. If anyone has this issue, hopefully this helps them. One thing I can say about pins is that they don't seem to be as complicated electronically and every issue I've run into so far has been due to wires breaking, dirty optics, etc.
 
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