Stepper Motor Question

[millermaster1]

Well, another Craigs list find, but I have a problem. The motor seems dead!
Does anyone have a replacement I can buy or tell me where to find one?

Attached are some photo's for reference

[MrGneiss]

Sorry about your motor, seems like a cool machine though...maybe you can put a vintage flipper on it if you can't fix it!!

[millermaster1]

The Game is very nice and in great shape!
The shooter worked when I went to go look at it and then when I got home it died. It shot about 3 balls and then groaned a little and stopped working.

[alstonj1]

stepper motors are hardy motors and dont usually go bad double check all connections and clean them as best you can radio shack sells a contact cleaner in pen form called de-ox something works great at deoxidizing connections you might want to try it .

[millermaster1]

stepper motors are hardy motors and dont usually go bad double check all connections and clean them as best you can radio shack sells a contact cleaner in pen form called de-ox something works great at deoxidizing connections you might want to try it .

It seems to try and work! Every once in awhile, I get a half turn out of the shooter. I'm guessing that indicates the motor is going? Or is that a sign it's just locking up?

Sorry, I don't know anything about how electric motors work

[wibbix]

Hey, Millermaster. I looked at the box, too but decided against it because it was too modern for me. Hope you get it working.

[millermaster1]

Hey, Millermaster. I looked at the box, too but decided against it because it was too modern for me. Hope you get it working.

Thanks! He said he stopped by someone's place, I thought it might be you. It was a good price, when it was working

[millermaster1]

A little update: When I touch the back of the motor and the shooter it works!
Now, that must be a ground issue, correct? How do I find and fix a ground?


Help !!!

Here is a photo of all the wires by the motor

Thanks!

[alstonj1]

there is usually a metal band on the shooter knob you have to touch while turning the shooter knob make sure your touching it .also check the wiring going to that part of the shooter knob .sounds like you have a loose connection.

[millermaster1]

This game does not have the ground ring like the "modern" games. It must be one of the wires, the question is, how do you find the one bad one? Could it be the power supply? It only has a 2 plug fitting, not a ground.

[compirate]

how about a shot of the shooter?

[millermaster1]

how about a shot of the shooter?

Will this work?

[luckydog]

the silver ring on the shooter is your ground. you need to hold the knob and ring as you shoot balls.

[millermaster1]

the silver ring on the shooter is your ground. you need to hold the knob and ring as you shoot balls.

The silver ring is the shooter, you can't fire a ball without turning the ring. The rest of the shooter is plastic and I believe would not be able to be a ground. Correct?

[luckydog]

but, internally you need a ground wire to that silver ring

[compirate]

Yeah, the silver part is the touch ring. Check if there are any wires running into the tube of the shooter knob from the back. The knob should come off to check it. It's either sever screws from the back or a single screw under the tube in the front. Disconnect the wire (there should be one) in the back first and remove the knob if you can. There should then be 3 screws holding the round cover on the front.

I might be wrong, but I think that lavender button is the stop button (the one that's approx where your pointer finger would be when you turn the knob half way)

[millermaster1]

Yeah, the silver part is the touch ring. Check if there are any wires running into the tube of the shooter knob from the back. The knob should come off to check it. It's either sever screws from the back or a single screw under the tube in the front. Disconnect the wire (there should be one) in the back first and remove the knob if you can. There should then be 3 screws holding the round cover on the front.

I might be wrong, but I think that lavender button is the stop button (the one that's approx where your pointer finger would be when you turn the knob half way)

Thanks LD & Compirate! But, still no luck

Here are a couple photos of everything apart, let me know what you all think!

[compirate]

I see you've got a white, a blue and a yellow (?) connector on the controller. The blue is probably the stop switch, the yellow is the touch ring, and I suppose the white is power. Get anything from a meter on those lines? If it runs fine if you touch the back of the motor, I'd suspect the yellow line. Pulled the knob yet?

[Youngjedi]

Just a thought...From what I have learned about the way it detects a human hand is touching the spin knob, it measures the difference in amps. It's very slight and works much like a touch lamp does. when the amps that are going to the spinner change due to someone holding it (an increase or decrease of 1 or two amps..I can't recall) it activates the shooter.
My thought is that if there is any oxidation or corrosion on the contacts or in the wire, it can't get a good reading. If you can figure out what wire is the "amps" wire, maybe it can be by-passed somehow.
The reason I say this is because you mentioned that when you turned the knob AND touched the motor, it worked. By you touching the motor, it got a good amp reading.

[millermaster1]

I see you've got a white, a blue and a yellow (?) connector on the controller. The blue is probably the stop switch, the yellow is the touch ring, and I suppose the white is power. Get anything from a meter on those lines? If it runs fine if you touch the back of the motor, I'd suspect the yellow line. Pulled the knob yet?

I think you are correct about the yellow wire. In the second (bottom right side) photo that gold plate is connected to the yellow wire. I used some sandpaper to clean the contacts, but no luck! I would love to pull the knob apart, but haven't figure out "the way" to do it right.

No meter, so I can't tell power. It looks like I need to make an investment into one.
______________________________________________________

Just a thought...From what I have learned about the way it detects a human hand is touching the spin knob, it measures the difference in amps. It's very slight and works much like a touch lamp does. when the amps that are going to the spinner change due to someone holding it (an increase or decrease of 1 or two amps..I can't recall) it activates the shooter.
My thought is that if there is any oxidation or corrosion on the contacts or in the wire, it can't get a good reading. If you can figure out what wire is the "amps" wire, maybe it can be by-passed somehow.
The reason I say this is because you mentioned that when you turned the knob AND touched the motor, it worked. By you touching the motor, it got a good amp reading.

I agree with you! There must be either a connection or bad wire, but without a meter...
Is there a way to attach something direct to the motor and be the ground or amp?
It was just a freak bit of luck that I was touching the motor and the shooter at the same time. It was an "Ah Ha" moment