Bridge Rectifier Question

[SirPeale]

I've got to place a BR on a Black Knight.  I found 25A BR locally (Radio Shack).  I know it's not ideal to replace with a lower amperage, but how long can I expect them to last in occasional home use?

[SirPeale]

Okay, how about heavy home use?  Still years?

[SirPeale]

Interesting - I never looked at the markings. I just assumed that what they were packaged as is what they were.  They're still in the bag.

BK is blowing the flipper fuse, so I wanted to be prepared before I drove three hours.

[SirPeale]

The ones I have are 25A for sure.  The way you were wording it I was thinking they may have been rated for more.

[Pinball Wizard]

... I found 25A BR locally (Radio Shack)....

.... so I wanted to be prepared before I drove three hours.

Anything that you have to drive 3 hours for isn't really local now is it? If it is truly a 3 hour drive wouldn't it be better to just order one from an arcade related website?

[RayB]

He makes a great point. It costs me about $7 / 1 hr of high way driving in a small Honda. That's shipping right there.
 

[Blanka]

If you do regular arcade-repair, why not apply for a RS-online account. They ship for free (here in Europe at least, I don't know the policy of the american branch), and they have every component you want shipped for free within 1 day.
http://nl.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=6875800
50 amps: 3 euro 55.
You can't drive much for that .

[SirPeale]

I /would/ have had it shipped to me with my latest Mouser order.  This was an unexpected trip.  Guy is hoping to have it repaired by Thanksgiving because he's having a get together, otherwise I'd wait.

Anything that you have to drive 3 hours for isn't really local now is it? If it is truly a 3 hour drive wouldn't it be better to just order one from an arcade related website?

I'm not driving three hours to pick up the part!  I got it at the RS here in town.    The machine is three hours away.

[SirPeale]

It was a six hour round trip.  And I get paid for travel time.

And no...I didn't get paid to replace the bridge...because there was nothing wrong with the original.  Here's my guess:

Fuse blew - likely due to its age, stress, prior storage conditions and dirty EOS switches.  Fuse was replaced (oh, just wait!), but now it's blowing after only a few smacks of the flippers.

I did not have any 15A fuses in my kit, so since he'd ordered fuses, I asked him for one of his.

He pulled out the package...package reads 1.5A.  I ask "are those the fuses you've been using?  Yup!  So it's worse than driving 6 hours round trip for a BR...I drove all that way for a blown fuse. 

The trip wasn't entirely wasted.  One of his flippers is sticky (which I noted the last time I was there, but it was particularly troublesome) and it needs to be rebuilt.  I do have to ask - I have read that rebuilding the flipper assembly with modern components is a good idea.  Can the assembly be replaced with this: http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=172&parent=107

[RayB]

Do you still work with Mumbles? I miss those stories.

[HHaase]

The trip wasn't entirely wasted.  One of his flippers is sticky (which I noted the last time I was there, but it was particularly troublesome) and it needs to be rebuilt.  I do have to ask - I have read that rebuilding the flipper assembly with modern components is a good idea.  Can the assembly be replaced with this: http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=172&parent=107

That assembly is almost correct, but not quite.  It has parallel wired coils, and BK needs to keep the original series wound (or is it the other way around, I'm really tired, but either way it's the wrong style coil).   The EOS switch is also the wrong type, you need a normally closed and that one has a normally opened switch.

I built up a parts list when I did mine with WPC hardware,  and here's the info for it....
http://www.siegecraft.us/blackknight6.htm

-Hans

[smartbomb2084]

So....  Why are rebuilding flippers a waste of money?

This answer better be good.

[SirPeale]

In my experience, the improvement in performance has not been commiserate with the cost vs just taking the thing apart and cleaning it.

 

Even when the coil stop and associated parts have mushroomed?

[smartbomb2084]

It is obvious you need more experience and less mouth.

When the flipper coil plunger and the coil stop have each lost 3/32 of length from wear and the coil plunger link is slamming the end of the coil sleeve and hanging up when the flipper is activated no amount of cleaning will fix it... period.

Sure you can file the mushroomed ends down but then you get uneven flippers with a stroke that is way too long and the plunger link slams the coil even more. By this time the roll pin that connects the plunger link to the plunger is swimming in an egg shaped hole twice its normal size.

Keep the BS coming... It is truly hilarious!

 

[ChadTower]

On most games I'd agree with jim.  Often a total rebuild just isn't all that necessary.  A good cleaning will get you most of the way there as often as not.  True rebuild kits aren't even out there for many games.  If they were truly necessary they would exist.

On a Black Knight the flippers tend to be WORN OUT and you need every ounce of snap to get up those ramps.  Rebuild on a Black Knight.