Problem
All coins not accepted – they return to the pay cup.
Solution
There could be several reasons why the coins are not being accepted. Below lists a selection of the most common problems:
- 1. The coin lockout coil (behind the coin rejecter) is not being energized. Follow the orange (common) wire going from the coin lockout coil to the white plastic Molex plug on the door. There are two Molex plugs on the door – this is the lower one. The common wire is probably loose in the plug and needs to be re-attached. Now power will go to the coin lockout coil.
- 2. The dashpot switch on the handle side of the reel mechanism is not closing. Bend the bracket that holds this switch toward the back of the machine. This makes the switch close sooner.
- 3. The rocker arm in the coin rejecter fell off. Put it back on so the coin will go down the right path.
- 4. Clean contact on the payout relay (the stack of switches at the back of the hopper).
- 5. If a big jackpot has just been hit, it may be necessary to open the door and flick the coin switch once. Casinos did this with a key to reset the machine after a big jackpot.
- 6. See if the fuse is blown. It is usually the middle one of three in behind the hopper.
- 7. Faulty micro switch on the handle release assembly. The 50 volts were not reaching the handle switch solenoid.
- 8. The door must be closed before a coin will be accepted. To avoid this happening, look at the button switch at the bottom right corner at the front of the cabinet. When the door closes it pushes this switch. There are 2 terminals sticking up. Take the wire off the back terminal and solder it together with the wire on the front terminal so both wires are touching the front terminal.
Problem
Coin accepted but not registered in top unit. Buzzing heard in upper right of top unit – sporadic registering of coins.
Solution
- 1. The solenoid mount is loose. Tighten the bracket mount of the step up solenoid in the top unit.
- 2. If sometimes the coin is registered in the top unit, clean the line unit step-up unit. It’s the top relay upper right as you look at the machine. Clean especially between the metal armature and the solenoid.
Problem
Second coin is accepted but top unit wouldn’t go to 3. Third coin sometimes would register as the second.
Solution
Decrease tension on spring on step up unit. Move one of the hooks to the next plastic hole.
Problem
Coins not accepted after the first one.
Solution
- 1. Step up solenoid in the top unit wasn’t soldered well enough to the wires.
- 2. Bad coin switch.
- 3. Bad solders to coin switch.
- 4. Clean the contacts on the step-up unit in the upper unit. There is a stack of switches. The bottom two contacts are too close together or too dirty.
Problem
Only the first coin is accepted and pays off, but additional coins do not step up the odds. This only applies to a 5-coin multiplier.
Solution
Behind the handle switch (inside cabinet just above the handle) there is a little black snap switch which sends voltage to the step up odds unit in the upper unit. The snap switch is not snapping because the armature which triggers it is not touching the snap switch when it should. The armature is moved by a solenoid the space between the armature and the solenoid is too big for the solenoid to pull down the armature. Put a couple washers under the solenoid to make it easier for the solenoid to pull down the armature. Also, tighten the spring on the armature.
Problem
Only the first coin is accepted and pays off, but additional coins do not step up the other four lines on a 5 liner (model 873).
Solution
In the upper unit there are two female beau plugs. Look at the one on the left. The very upper middle receptacle is loose or not making contact with the male contact on the upper unit. Often, the male plug will push the female contact (s) right in toward the back of the cabinet. Push the female contact back into position and epoxy it. If it doesn’t fit, or the beau plug is cracked, replace the beau plug.
Problem
Coins don’t trip the handle latch or activate the step-up in the upper unit.
Solution
- 1. Find a broken or unattached wire coming from the coin relay solenoid which is on the lower left side corner of the reel mechanism. Sometimes the ultra thin wire coming from the solenoid breaks away from the solder at one terminal of the solenoid. Before soldering the thin wire, strip the varnish off the wire and tin it so the solder will stick to it and make a good connection.
- 2. The “dashpot” switch isn’t working on the right side of the reel mechanism is a long white plastic tube. A shaft goes into the tube and eventually starts to stick in the tube. This prevents the switch behind the tube from activating. The stickiness also prevents the handle from going all the way back. A temporary fix is to spray a lubricant into the tube. A better way is to remove the shaft from the tube and clean all the black “guk” off. A new piece of rubber is not needed to replace the black guk (rubber).
- 3. On the back left corner of the hopper is the payout relay switch. See if the white/orange wire attached to it is broken or loose.
- 4. If the handle latch doesn’t trip (work) or if the handle latch is lazy (works but only after a delay) try lubricating the spot where the handle latch and the armature that is activated by the solenoid meet. If it is dry, the two pieces of metal just will not slide off one another – they hang up and prevent the handle latch from tripping. The lubricating point is at the very back of the handle latch.
Problem
First coin steps up twice instead of once (it does the work of two coins).
Solution
- 1. The handle switch is closed and needs adjustment. It is the bottom set of switches just above the handle latch.
- 2. There is a shorted wire in the beau plug at the back of the reel mechanism. In this particular case, model 1090 had a bare wire crushed against the bracket that the female beau plug was attached to the wire came out of the bottom row of the beau plug and touched the metal of the housing or bracket of the cabinet. Thus, the wire was shorted to the cabinet.
- 3. In the upper unit there is a step-up unit that rotates one notch for each coin inserted. There are 2 springs about 2 1/2″ long near the top of the step-up unit. Reduce the tension on the top spring.
- 4. There is a short in the 50 volt line. In this case, in a model 831, the “call attendant” switch had broken inside the front door. The two wires had come out and one was touching the door. This caused a short and the first coin registered like two coins. Also, before a payout there was a loud chatter in the hopper. Tape the two wires.
- 5. In an upper unit there is a step-up unit. Near the bottom of the step-up is a set of switches. There is an orange wire going to the top switch. The wire is loose or not attached. Solder the connection.
Problem
Loud buzzing at bottom of coin rejecter.
Solution
1. Wedge a sliver of wood behind the plastic bracket that holds the solenoid. The sliver of wood is shoved down from above and goes between the plastic bracket and the metal bracket that holds the coin rejector. Insert wood 1/2″ to right of solenoid. Give the solenoid a slight turn with a screwdriver.
2. Change the tension on the spring holding the piece of metal doing the buzzing and put a piece of tape around the metal doing the buzzing.
Problem
Coins don’t step up consistently. For example, on a 5-line machine, 3 lines step up and the 4th sometimes doesn’t step up.
Solution
Weaken the spring (about 2 inches long) that will make it easier for the solenoid to step up for each coin. This occurs in the upper unit in the step up circular unit. Each coin rotates one step. A lever reaches for one plastic tooth each time. If the spring tension is too great the lever doesn’t reach quite far enough. The solenoid isn’t quite strong enough to counteract the spring tension. More than likely, the coin is missing the coin switch (the hair switch on the inside middle of the door). For each size coin there is a different size spacer to make the coin switch move downward. Also, look at the step-up unit in the upper unit and see a stack of switches. The bottom set of switches is too close together or dirty and they are keeping the solenoid from doing its job. Spread and clean the switch visually check that the switch is opening and closing.
Problem
Machine plays without a coin but does not pay off. The handle switch trips after the cycle is completed yet no coin is needed.
Solution
In the upper unit there is a stack of switches which touch a post on a plastic step up disc. One of the wires going to one of these switches is broken or needs to be soldered.
Problem
Machine plays without a coin.
Solution
The handle release solenoid works sporadically causing the latch which allows the handle to function to fall into place. One cause of this is the vertical switches needing adjustment on the left side of the reel mechanism. Watch the machine in the dark with the door open and see the sparks as these switches arc. If the pin that holds the main shaft that goes across the back bottom of the reel mechanism is broken the handle will continue to work without a coin inserted. Usually when this happens one or more reels go ‘clunk’ with no spin. Replace pin – back lower left corner of reel mechanism (on the side).