How do you know if a coil is bad?

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Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I had a coil where the vire was broken on the coil its self. I believe
Marvins guide says for 90's era games you can tell if it is broken by
checking for voltage on BOTH coil lugs when the game is on. If the
voltage is only on one lug, then the coil is broken somwhere. (make
sure door interlock switch is closed)

Please correct me if I am wrong.

-cAyle
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I recently had a diverter coil that was blowing fuses upon activation
(FL11753) 3 lugs 2 diodes, I just swapped it out and the new one is
working fine.

Looking at the old coil, there is nothing binding in the sleeve. Would
this coil be salvageable? Could it have been bad diodes or is the coil
internally shorted and shot?

Thanks for your input,

V.
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

It hangs around on street corners smoking.

Usually they don't go bad. Other parts wear like plungers, coil stops, and
coil sleeves. Or poor solder joints, at the coil or another spot.

If you can't push the coil sleeve out, it's been too hot or worse. If it has
a dead short, it's shorted and bad. LTG :)

<drewgall@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1126666373.990616.289230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

THAT needs to be in the FAQ!

(I will not resort to a Clive Mr Kelly joke here) that fire engine
comment was over the top!

John!

Lloyd Olson wrote:
> It hangs around on street corners smoking.
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

How about a Clive Mr Kelly limerick then ?

There once was a man named Bryan
Whose restorations kept a fryin
Until one day
He couldn't pay
For all the luxuries Clive was buyin

AH :)

"GA Pinhead" <georgiapinball@SPAMTHISyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9407a$43279485$a227dd4f$29787@ALLTEL.NET...
> THAT needs to be in the FAQ!
>
> (I will not resort to a Clive Mr Kelly joke here) that fire engine
> comment was over the top!
>
> John!
>
> Lloyd Olson wrote:
> > It hangs around on street corners smoking.
> >
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Bowing to the king. Not an AH, just witty! Honest!

John!

Lloyd Olson wrote:
> How about a Clive Mr Kelly limerick then ?
>
> There once was a man named Bryan
> Whose restorations kept a fryin
> Until one day
> He couldn't pay
> For all the luxuries Clive was buyin
>
> AH :)
>
> "GA Pinhead" <georgiapinball@SPAMTHISyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:9407a$43279485$a227dd4f$29787@ALLTEL.NET...
>
>>THAT needs to be in the FAQ!
>>
>>(I will not resort to a Clive Mr Kelly joke here) that fire engine
>>comment was over the top!
>>
>>John!
>>
>>Lloyd Olson wrote:
>>
>>>It hangs around on street corners smoking.
>>>
>
>
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Coils do not "wear out". They can be physically damaged (errant screwdriver
pokes), they can overheat if they are energized longer than their duty cycle,
the insulation on the magnet wire can break down due to overheating, or the
magnet wire can break either at the terminal lugs or somewhere inside the
winding.

You can usually detect an overheated coil by discoloration on the coil
wrapper, or by visible signs of melting of the coil bobbin. Melting can cause
the bobbin to deform and interfere with free movement of the coil plunger.

As far as a coil "going bad" there's not a lot to check. Comparing the
resistance of the coil against another of the same type can sometimes indicate
if you've had insulation breakdown; a catastrophic failure often shows up as a
dead short or an open. Visible signs of overheating (discoloration, etc.) may
indicate a coil "going bad" due to insulation breakdown, but more likely would
indicate the coil is being driven beyond its duty cycle.

Joseph "Tony" Dziedzic

In article <1126666373.990616.289230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
drewgall@yahoo.com wrote:
>Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Check a coil to see what the resistance is
with an ohmmeter. If the value isn't known,
you can check it against another coil with
the same part number. In any case, you should
NOT read zero ohms. That will be no good
for sure.

Other than physical, visual damage, this is
the only way. They do not 'wear out'.

--
Fred
TX
CARGPB#8
******************




<drewgall@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1126666373.990616.289230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

No respect, I tell ya, no respect at all.

Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins

"Warning! Achtung! Run away, Run away!: BK restorations may emit a
shower of sparks or flames or both. Keep a safe distance (like four
city blocks). Never return to a restoration once lit. Hot hot hot!"

(Sig line compliments of Clive at the Coin-Op Cauldron.)



Lloyd Olson wrote:
> How about a Clive Mr Kelly limerick then ?
>
> There once was a man named Bryan
> Whose restorations kept a fryin
> Until one day
> He couldn't pay
> For all the luxuries Clive was buyin
>
> AH :)
>
> "GA Pinhead" <georgiapinball@SPAMTHISyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:9407a$43279485$a227dd4f$29787@ALLTEL.NET...
> > THAT needs to be in the FAQ!
> >
> > (I will not resort to a Clive Mr Kelly joke here) that fire engine
> > comment was over the top!
> >
> > John!
> >
> > Lloyd Olson wrote:
> > > It hangs around on street corners smoking.
> > >
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

He hangs out at SS Billiards in Hopkins, MN......no, wait......that
would be "How can you tell if your coil has a mullet?"

Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins

"Warning! Achtung! Run away, Run away!: BK restorations may emit a
shower of sparks or flames or both. Keep a safe distance (like four
city blocks). Never return to a restoration once lit. Hot hot hot!"

(Sig line compliments of Clive at the Coin-Op Cauldron.)



drewgall@yahoo.com wrote:
> Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

There is nothing like seeing the destroyed coil on the floor after trying to
hammer the sleeve out. Wires ? Oh my god ! there must be a million miles of
wire,,,,,.

"Cayle George" <caylegeorge@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126669511.910082.57250@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I had a coil where the vire was broken on the coil its self. I believe
> Marvins guide says for 90's era games you can tell if it is broken by
> checking for voltage on BOTH coil lugs when the game is on. If the
> voltage is only on one lug, then the coil is broken somwhere. (make
> sure door interlock switch is closed)
>
> Please correct me if I am wrong.
>
> -cAyle
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I'm suprised to see so many people say this. They do "wear out," in
that you can have a wire burn through or something, even if it's not
visual.

If you can't get the coil sleeve out, probably time to replace. One
thing I have done on a few bad coils is a continuity test on the DMM
from one lug to the other- if it's open, you have a bad coil.

Fred Kemper wrote:

>
> Other than physical, visual damage, this is
> the only way. They do not 'wear out'.
>
> --
> Fred
> TX
> CARGPB#8
> ******************
>
>
>
>
> <drewgall@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1126666373.990616.289230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> > Is there a test to determine if a coil is "wearing out" or is going bad?
> >
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Also, if it's less than 2 ohms and is not a flipper coil hi power side,
it may be shorted internally.

There used to be a site that had the coils with their resistence ranges
posted so that you could cross reference coils.... anyone know where
that is?
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Well, that isn't "worn". It's "broken".

Open or shorted versus correct resistance reading.

It's yes or no, not "maybe".

Fred
TX
CARGPB#8
===================
ldnayman wrote:
> I'm suprised to see so many people say this. They do "wear out," in
> that you can have a wire burn through or something, even if it's not
> visual.
>
> If you can't get the coil sleeve out, probably time to replace. One
> thing I have done on a few bad coils is a continuity test on the DMM
> from one lug to the other- if it's open, you have a bad coil.
>
> Fred Kemper wrote:
>
> >
> > Other than physical, visual damage, this is
> > the only way. They do not 'wear out'.
> >
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Don't quit your day job Dad. AH :)

"Bryan Kelly" <bskelly3@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1126694276.658243.152070@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> He hangs out at SS Billiards in Hopkins, MN......no, wait......that
> would be "How can you tell if your coil has a mullet?"
>
> Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins
>
> "Warning! Achtung! Run away, Run away!: BK restorations may emit a
> shower of sparks or flames or both. Keep a safe distance (like four
> city blocks). Never return to a restoration once lit. Hot hot hot!"
>
> (Sig line compliments of Clive at the Coin-Op Cauldron.)
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

You'll pay for that remark, son, oh yes, you will pay. 🙂

Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins

"Warning! Achtung! Run away, Run away!: BK restorations may emit a
shower of sparks or flames or both. Keep a safe distance (like four
city blocks). Never return to a restoration once lit. Hot hot hot!"

(Sig line compliments of Clive at the Coin-Op Cauldron.)



Lloyd Olson wrote:
> Don't quit your day job Dad. AH :)
>
> "Bryan Kelly" <bskelly3@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1126694276.658243.152070@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> > He hangs out at SS Billiards in Hopkins, MN......no, wait......that
> > would be "How can you tell if your coil has a mullet?"
> >
> > Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins
> >
> > "Warning! Achtung! Run away, Run away!: BK restorations may emit a
> > shower of sparks or flames or both. Keep a safe distance (like four
> > city blocks). Never return to a restoration once lit. Hot hot hot!"
> >
> > (Sig line compliments of Clive at the Coin-Op Cauldron.)
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Take the diodes off with a soldering iron then check the coil on a
multi meter. You may find out that the diodes have gone and not the
coil. (less than 10cents fix).

Ping
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

He you ain't no door knob either dad. AH :)

"Bryan Kelly" <bskelly3@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1126693335.867779.86260@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> No respect, I tell ya, no respect at all.
>
> Bryan (CARGPB14) http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/bspins
>
>Bryan wears kilts because sheep can hear a zipper.
>
> (Sig line compliments of the Coin-Op Cathedral.)
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

You look to see if its picture is hanging at your local Post Office. ;-)


Rick Swanson
 
Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

or it's dating your 16 year-old daughter . . .

"Rick Swanson" <rns510@charter.net> wrote in message
news:4328651F.3010308@charter.net...
> You look to see if its picture is hanging at your local Post Office. ;-)
>
>
> Rick Swanson
>
 

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