Microswitch sticking on Happs' Universal??

[SuperPacMan]

Hello All,

Just recently I started having problems w/ my new Happs Universal while playing Donkey Kong. Every once in a while, Mario will keep running to the left even when I've stopped pushing the stick left. I figured the only real cause could be a sticking microswitch, but it never seems to stick while I watch it operating, and wondered if a sticking microswitch would lock up so infrequently anyway. Anyone have any experience with this? Seems like I'm always reading how much more reliable microswitches are.... What gives?

 

[OSCAR]

Perhaps the position of the microswitch needs to be adjusted?  It sounds like when your joystick returns to center, the actuator may still have the left switch depressed just enough to make contact.  I'm not too familar with the Universal stick, but I've seen some joysticks that use a small peg though one of the m'switch holes.  Sometimes that peg is a touch too small, so the switch can be very slightly out of position and cause a similar problem.

[pcates]

Is that the only joystick you have hooked up?? I had a similar problem and it turned out that the throtle on the flight stick was causing the strange behavior and the joystick was fine.

[SuperPacMan]

Perhaps the position of the microswitch needs to be adjusted?  It sounds like when your joystick returns to center, the actuator may still have the left switch depressed just enough to make contact.

I've checked that and it doesn't seem to be the case. Thanks for the input, though.

[SuperPacMan]

Is that the only joystick you have hooked up?? I had a similar problem and it turned out that the throtle on the flight stick was causing the strange behavior and the joystick was fine.

I thought you might be on to something here, because I have another control panel (HotRod) hooked up to this same machine. I unplugged the HotRod and haven't had any of the sticking problems again yet (haven't really tested a long time though), although the last game I played, it seemed like I got stuck and couldn't run left for an instant during the game. This is just the opposite of what happened before (couldn't stop running left).  It happened so quick, though, I'm not 100% sure if I was imagining it or not.  I hope this has cured it, although I doubt it because I have had the HotRod hooked up ever since I got my new CP and only recently did the problems start. I do appreciate the advice though.