Expert: Rodger Knutson - 4/10/2010

Question
QUESTION: Rodger,

I have a chance of owning a early model ballys slot machine its an eseries.  But there is a problem.  error code 71.000.  I read from your previous posts that it could be a reel reader, but the problem is the gentlemen who owns the slot machine swapped it with the leftmost to the rightmost reel reader and the fail did not follow.  So it looks not to be.  Any other ideas?  Is it worth buying or are parts going to be a nightmare.

thanks,

Joe

ANSWER: Hi Joe,

There is a clue that may help, something to look at here. Did the reel index? or did the first reel just keep spinning? If it did index, (Locked), the mechanical end of it should be working OK "maybe", then we need to look at the reel reader board, reel reader control board, (located behind front panel of reel mechanism), and then the IO (switching) board, (the circuit board on back wall behind reel mechanism "not side wall"). If the reel did not index and just keeps spinning, it could be mechanical like sticky, gummy, slow, linkage under that reel, in the reel mechanism or even broken wire, or bad coil to the reel index coil. So, if that first reel Did index it may be the reel reader circuit including boards and wiring, if it Did Not Index it could be something mechanical, (maybe). Also, never neglect cleaning and checking the mechanism and hopper pin plugs on back of these components, used to plug in these units to the cabinet, as the pins on these are aluminum and they corrode, and the other end sometimes gets pushed out of the plug. The very first thing I do when starting a repair is spend all the time it takes to clean these pins up, and some of the time this completes my job, my doing this. There are other things that can cause this, like the wrong set of personally eproms, but this can be answered by one question, Has anyone ever seen this machine working? If so, then you could be OK with the other problems that this can cause . There is a test you can also run via the test button on the hopper, which will turn on the reel readers and display what they see but this is involved and you need a manual. If you need manuals, there are all kinds of slot machine manuals located at http://www.coinslots.com Just look for the manuals link to-wards the bottom of the web site. This machine is fixable, and there are parts out there, less and less of them, but their out there, and I have a some of them. As long as you are able to get these error codes on the display, it tells me the MPU board is good, and the power supply is good, so the slot machine is fixable. You really need to know if this machine was working before, as if it came this way, the boards could of been out of other machines. A lot of people just swap boards in trying to fix these machines, and that can lead to other problems if the machine doesn't have it's original boards back in it before they gave up. If it was working with these boards in it know, it will work again.

Hope this helps defines the problem some and gives you some more ideas.

Thank You
Sincerely
Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com

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

QUESTION: Rodger,

The 1st reel keeps on spinning.  Which I hope your right if its just mechanical.  I have made an offer on the machine but im not sure if it will be entertained.  But don't worry your knowledge won't go unused, I will pass it down to the gentleman.  These machines are classics and if I can't have it then I still want someone to have fun with it.  Seriously, thank you for your input and if you have any more ideas I would love to hear them.


Sincerely,

Joe

Answer
Hi Joe,

Thanks for the kind words. So, we know that the first reel doesn't index or latch before it tilts and gives a reel error code of 71, and the reel just keeps spinning with a tilt of error code "71". The machine is tilting before it latches or locks the first reel. This might tell us that the reader board is bad, (but that has been tested right?), so either the machine doesn't like the speed of the reels (do the reels kick off and spin slow?), or something "mechanical or electoral" is stopping the solenoid from firing, or the locking linkage under that first reel from locking the first reel. There is not much more you can do until you get the machine, if you do, and get some time to try looking into some of these ideas. Also if you or the next owner need any manuals or troubleshooting information, there is this an much more located at:

http://jackpot7.freeyellow.com/page21.html

I'll just be hanging around here so if you get this machine and need some more ideas you know where to find me. Good Luck on your offer, I hope you get it.

Sincerely

Rodger Knutson
http://www.coinslots.com