Expert: Rodger Knutson - 9/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: Everything functions fine except for payout. The lights light recognizing 1,2, or 3 coins played but always pays on the 2 coin column. What can be done to correct this problem?

ANSWER: Hi Rick,

If I could fix machines like this with an easy e-mail I wouldn't have to spend hours inside with my tester, sometimes it's not just an easy fix, it's finding the problem first that is so hard, the fix is not. I guess it works fine as you say, but never paysout with one coin, or three coins in it, only when you play two coins rigt? My guess is that the step up unit needs some attention and might be located up in the top box. Or is it paying out on any reel combination with two coins played?, even if it's not a winning combination? Or, does everything payout ok with one or three coins in it? These are very complicated machines, full of leaf switches, and wire plugs, mechanical step up units and payout units, relays and other things that can cause problems. If the coin lights are stepping up, one coin- two coin- three coins, it sounds like the mechanical portion of the step unit is working but it could be wiper contacts. Can you explain better what it is doing, and what it is not doing, it would help, but I don't think we are going to have much luck fixing it here. Do you have or need a manual for it?
Thanks Rick

Cheers, tell I hear back on this...
Thank You

Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The machine pays out on winners only but always pays on the 2 coin bet line. 3 mixed bars should pay 10 on 1 coin, 20 on 2 coins,and 30 on 3 coins. The machine pays 20 coins regardless of whether i,2 or 3 coins have been played. It always pays the right amount for a winning combination but pays the 2 line amount not the 1 or 3 line amounts.

Answer
Hi Rick,

I just spent a long time with your answer and must of hit ctrl with my little finger, and it all went away, I hate this Dell wireless key board, to small, don't get one. I am a very slow, hunt and peck typer so this is a terrible thing when this happens! I'll try it again but maybe the short version this time. This sounds like the multiplier stepper up behind the top glass and behind the light board, that is behind the top glass. Pull this whole unit out, should have two finger rings and you will need a quick hard pull to unplug it from the back molex plug and slide on out. Then check each stepper unit, I believe you will find the problem in the multiplier stepper unit, it could be marked but maybe not. Ballys manual number 1100 explains these different steppers real good, and shows the configuration by model number. Your 809 always pays out like a one coin bet, the multiplier stepper just doubles the payout after it's finished with that one coin payout. For each additional coin the multiplier steps up one notch. If you put three coins in, the payout unit located down on the back of the coin hopper, pays out like you just won a one coin bet, when it finishes that payout, the multiplier stepper up in the top unit moves or steps a notch and the whole process starts again down below paying out like it's a one coin bet again, finishes the payout, and the multiplier steps down again to it's rest position and we start that one coin payout again, but this time when it is finished with the payout the multiplier can't step down to start it over again as it, is at it's rest stop now, so the payout is finished and you got your one coin bet times three. Once you understand what is going on with all these stepper units and how the payout is achieved, you have a better chance of finding the problem. It could also be a burned out stepper coil, these are monetary coils so if they get stuck on, they fry, and you can't miss one that is burned up, looks like a torch hit it. If that is the case, then replacing the coil will fix that end of it, but you must find out why it stuck on or it will look just like the burned up coil did, real soon again. I am shooting from the hip here on all this, so I hope I have this all correct and laid it out right to you. On my web page I have a link to Manuals, the Bally Number 1100 Manual is not posted there yet, but maybe within the week you will see it there, depends when the guy that is doing this gets it done, he's adding more manuals all the time. The 1100 manual is not common and easy to locate, but it is the best manual for Bally electro/mechanical machines that Bally ever put together. Even tells you wire color codes, and what color wire is used for what voltage, like the 50 volt circuit used for all coils, knowing what color wire is used in this 50 volt circuit will tell you all wires of one color are for the coil circuit, yellow I think are common wires for the DC common voltage. You might see these going to lighting circuits, and other circuits of different voltage. Great manual to have for a guy like you that isn't afraid to dive in, but needs some help and instruction. Check out that top unit and while there step up each step up unit by hand, by pushing the coil in one step at a time by hand, and then releace it by pushing the other coil, make sure these step up each time and snap back when releaced. If it is slow, or gummey,  to return to rest, pull it apart and clean it, polish up the button contacts with metal polish and a drop of oil on the shaft, put it back together and try it again, these gum up and stick, also the large nylon gear inside each stepper has saw teeth on them, sometimes these ware out and the units will not step up, and just stay there, check the saw teeth on these, it's a large nylon part, which also is the shaft for the step up units. I forgot what they call them, the 112 tooth gear or something like that.

Good Luck! and watch for that Bally # 1100 Manual to show up on my web site if you think you would like to have one. Please, don't forget my feed back at allexperts, that is all I get for my time helping here.

Cheers........

Thank You

Rodger Knutson

Http://www.coinslots.com