Magnets

[Flake]

The magnet in my SWT that catches the ball in the cannon area doesn't seem to be working well.  It will catch the ball (usually) but 9 out of 10 times now it will lose the ball before it pulls back far enough to drop it in the outer lane.  This seems to be a new development of sorts as I've had the machine about 8-9 months and this has never been a problem (well it has done this very sporadically in the past but now its getting out of hand).  The question is do magnets lose their magnetism?  Its one of those coil magnets that is basically a piece of metal with coiled wire wrapped around it.

I'm about ready to spend $57 on a new magnet assembly and thought maybe I should double check before I go assuming the magnet is faulty.

The magnet coil is this one. http://www.marcospecialties.com/product.asp?ic=090%2D5042%2D01

The assembly also includes this threaded metal plug as well.  http://www.marcospecialties.com/product.asp?ic=530%2D5320%2D01A

[Flake]

When you say check the connections I'm assuming that means with a multimeter? 

That sucks because I don't have one and don't know how to use one.  Most of the issues I've had (and been able to fix) with my machines has been mechanical in nature. 

Anyway, thanks for the help.  You saved me $57.....or at least reapportioned the funds to their proper usage.

[HaRuMaN]

Use that $57 and buy a multimeter... and a 12-pack

[Flake]

Actually just to clear up something.  How can the magnet not be getting enough voltage if it has enough power to pick up the ball?  I would think that is what would require the most voltage.  Wouldnt holding on to it for one second while it pulls back over the outer lane be the lesser of the two tasks?

At first I thought maybe the ball was catching on the edge of the ramp or something and getting knocked off but after watching it happen over and over again, I'm not convinced thats thats the problem.  One other note, the ball is loaded via the cannon from both directions.  You can shoot the ramp from the flippers but you can also load the VUK at the top of the playfield which feeds the cannon from the other direction.  Its worth noting that usually the feed from the VUK does in fact make it to the outer lane, at least more often than when fed from the flippers.  One final note, the magnet itself is loose, meaning I can twist it around and around.  Could it be that when it begins to pull back the magnet vibrates or moves ever so slightly causing the ball to kick loose?

[LLUncoolJ]

yeah dumbass

[Flake]

Honestly there is not much room for the magnet to move and the motion when the cannon moves back isn't very jerky or rough.  Seems to me that shouldn't be much of an issue but I'll check it out.

[Flake]

Ok well last night I looked under the hood for any loose connections and noted there were a couple 2 pin molex connections that weren't well connected.  Outside of that I did nothing and everything seems to be working again.  Not only that but the cannon led lights seem to work now (one of them anyway).  These never lit up before.  I did nothing with th loose magnet.  I can't get the bolt around the threaded plug to budge for nothing.  My only option it would seem is to soder it to cannon.

Anyway, happy for now thanks for the help.