Using a Knocker outside a Pinball Machine.

Arcadenut

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I would like to use a Pinball Knocker outside of a Pinball machine.

What I am wanting to do, is have a Knocker hooked up to a button. When you push the button, the knocker fires. Would prefer it run off of 12VDC if possible.

What would it take to do so?

Any help or links would be greatly appreciated!
 
This might end up being a little expensive, as to my knowledge there are no 12v knockers (if I remember correctly they're 50 volts)
 
All "50 volt relays" will fire on 12 volts it will just be softer.
I believe all you would need is a knocker, a 12v power supply rated over 1 amp, a 1amp slow blow fuse and holder, and a button that can handle the 1amp. Of course if you hold the button down too long, bye bye fuse.
You can get fancier of course by building a circuit with a transistor to fire the knocker and maybe a 555 timer to keep you from keeping the knocker energized etc...
 
All "50 volt relays" will fire on 12 volts it will just be softer.
I believe all you would need is a knocker, a 12v power supply rated over 1 amp, a 1amp slow blow fuse and holder, and a button that can handle the 1amp. Of course if you hold the button down too long, bye bye fuse.
You can get fancier of course by building a circuit with a transistor to fire the knocker and maybe a 555 timer to keep you from keeping the knocker energized etc...

Thanks for the Info. I'm also not opposed to using some sort of driver board that can have a switch attached to it.
 
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Yes, that appears to be what I am looking for control wise. This sold by anyone in the US or do I need to order it from AU?

Rottendog Gottlieb Pop Bumper board. I have these in my Black Hole machine instead of the original boards. It doesn't show it in the picture (the picture is an older design), but the board has an LED and a button that will fire the coil.

http://rottendog.us/PBB080.htm
 
AFAIK Gottlieb Sys80 knockers are design to run on 24VDC. And they have a history of being used outisde of pinball machines... in Q*Berts.

Not sure what kind of knock you'll get with 12V. Hook one up and see.
Not sure what the "bounce" of a momentary switch would do in a direct-wired arrangement.
As suggested, Gottlieb pop-bumber driver boards provide "one-shot" activation, of an appropriate duration, and de-bounce the signal.

Bob Roberts has used Gott PBDBs for $10.
For the knocker assemblies, call (or email) Pinball Resource. ... you'd better have the part number handy, though.
 
AFAIK Gottlieb Sys80 knockers are design to run on 24VDC. And they have a history of being used outisde of pinball machines... in Q*Berts.

Not sure what kind of knock you'll get with 12V. Hook one up and see.

the difference in the power/loudness of the knock is significant. the Q*bert replacement switching power supplies only push 12V to the knocker, so you can tell the difference by using an original power supply board vs. one of the new switching power supplies (i have both, and have done this).
 
the difference in the power/loudness of the knock is significant. the Q*bert replacement switching power supplies only push 12V to the knocker, so you can tell the difference by using an original power supply board vs. one of the new switching power supplies (i have both, and have done this).

That sounds cheezy (the weak 12V knocker coil on a converted Q*Bert).

I guess you could get a seperate stand-alone 24VDC power supply just for the knocker. Or if you have a switcher with +12 and -12, wire the knocker between them. Or at least between +12 and -5... then you'd get 17V across the coil. (if the -12 or -5V line can supply the required current, that is... a big-ass cap might help).
 
BTW, what is it you are wanting to accomplish? A lot of talk about how weak the knocker will be at this or that voltage but we don't know what you are needing it to do. Non-electronic doorbells contain a knocker of sorts to make the ding-dong. That may be a plug and play solution...
 
BTW, what is it you are wanting to accomplish? A lot of talk about how weak the knocker will be at this or that voltage but we don't know what you are needing it to do. Non-electronic doorbells contain a knocker of sorts to make the ding-dong. That may be a plug and play solution...

Basically looking to make a fancy Noise maker for a Haunted House. It looks like it's going to be too expensive of a project however :(
 
Basically looking to make a fancy Noise maker for a Haunted House. It looks like it's going to be too expensive of a project however :(

In that case, I like whammoed's idea of a doorbell. Get a cheapass (but real) doorbell. Replace tone bars with whatever you want to whack. Those AC solenoids make a bit of a buzz tho.
 
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