I suspect that my new Whitewater is missing a tilt sensor. Should there not be a plum bob just behind the coin door? Lifting the table doesn't even cause the machine to detect a tilt. Is it worth buying one? If so, where do I get one?

Quoted from jonny_eh

Is it worth buying one? If so, where do I get one?

Depends on how you play.  In some cases it will make the game harder since you have to be more careful about how much you nudge the machine.

An entire assembly is in the region of 7-10 dollars.  But shipping from the US will probably be in the realm of 15.

I would suggest piggybacking on somebody else's order.  Or ask someone going to Allentown to pick you up one.  (that show is in May btw)

Your looking for something like this:

marco:
http://www.marcospecialties.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=04%2D10346%2E1&eq=&Tp=
http://www.marcospecialties.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=PLBAS&eq=&Tp=
PBL:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=135&parent=0
BAA:
http://bayareaamusements.com/M.....0&Category_Code=

Starburst in Toronto may also be able to order an assembly for you as well

Yeah, John, if you wait for Allentown, there is likely someone from Ottawa going that can pick it up for you.   I can't commit, but I'm planning on going.   As for needing one - nah you don't need one unless you have some rowdy friends that are abusing your game.   The tilt assembly can be adjusted to be more or less sensitive - most of mine are are at very liberal settings just in case I get the urge  

What I'm also finding is you want to order a lot of different parts - so wait awhile and build a list up of parts and which suppliers have them.  When the list is reasonable either make and order, or piggy-back on someone elses.

if you think why they are there; to protect the machine from abuse by taking one ball away from people putting 0.25$ in it, I don't think you need it at home.

That said, I have plenty from parted out machines and you're welcome to one for free whenever transport present itself

I personally like both the challenge of a tilt plumb and the authenticity of the complete machine.  They are actually meant to keep you from shaking the machine too much (cheating), as opposed to outright abuse (that's what slam tilts are for, they end the game completely as opposed to making you lose a ball).  Most newer games can be set to give you say three "tilt" warnings. (There is another tilt mechanism that is meant to prevent you from picking up the front of the machine and guiding the ball that way.)  In most cases the tilt assembly will still be there, some home owners and operators simply take out the plumb and bob (or just remove the bob to keep the tilt but make it hard to set off).  A new bob (weight), and plumb (wire stick) are relatively inexpensive to purchase from the above sources.

Thanks for the advice! I assume there's no plumb and bob assembly since I don't see one, but then again, it's my first machine so I don't know exactly where to look.
Even if I got a new assembly, I wouldn't know how to install it.  

Quoted from jonny_eh

Thanks for the advice! I assume there's no plumb and bob assembly since I don't see one, but then again, it's my first machine so I don't know exactly where to look.
Even if I got a new assembly, I wouldn't know how to install it.  

Inside front left of cab:

or will look like this .. either way it will be in the same place

Thanks for the pics.
I'll take a look at it when I get home, but I'm pretty sure it isn't there.

Personally, I like getting the warning when bumping the table. Nudging is part of the game, and so is the tilt warning. That's why videogame versions of pinball almost always have the feature.

My older Williams machines have four separate tilt sensors. There is a plumb bob, but also a ball roll tilt mounted on the left side of the cabinet, a playfield tilt leaf switch with a weight mounted on the underside of the playfield near the flippers, and another leaf switch on the coin door (slam tilt).

All I know is that I can lift the front of the machine in play, and not even a warning. And I've reset to factory settings too.