873-C payout issue

[rdaniel]

Those solder joints look poorly done. I suggest you take a soldering iron and reheat those connections to make sure that you do not have a cold solder joint. Cold solder joint could appear to make connection but in reality it might not.

[wolftalk]

after reflowing the solder joins per rdaniel, if the step-up solenoid coil isn't firing the only switch in the circuit is the the middle one on the line step-up (S.U.) relay with the red/black wire.

you should be able to manually hold down the relay armature and the step-up solenoid coil will stay powered.  If it doesn't, use a jumper on that switch to connect the orange/green to the red/black wire, bypassing the switch contacts.  As soon as you turn on the game, the line unit step-up coil should stay stuck powered, so turn off the game as soon as you see that it does to avoid burning up the step-up coil.

if jumpering around the switch powers the coil, it's the switch.  File it and check that neither of the contacts are loose on the blades.  If a contact is loose, solder it to the blade.

the line S.U. relay normally only powers briefly.  As soon as it powers, the line unit solenoid step-up coil (different device than the relay) powers and a switch on the step-up arm opens.  That switch removes power from the line S.U. relay.

[Phan000]

When I jump that switch the fuse blows instantly.  Same thing happens if I manually depress the armature.




Does this mean bad coil?

[wolftalk]

could be a bad coil or the lug with the red/black wire is touching the metal frame. 

actionpinball.com lists the coil as 7 ohms ... I think....their site is on vacation :-(

a quick test is disconnect the red/black wire and manually close the line step-up relay.  If the fuse doesn't blow, it's the coil or the red/black wire shorting at the lug.

[DavidLee]

If you can briefly jump a yellow to the red black connection the coil should energize the plunger.
Sometime in the past that that b-25 coil over heated.
Trace the red black wire back to the prior switch. This switch might of been staying closed, causing the coil to heat up.
Also droopy solder joints can create problems like shorts, cross over to another switch, or orange hot.
Add another layer of protection below the red black.

[Steve Broad]

To my uneducated and novice eyes, this looks very much like my machine. The grommets are filling the holes where the hold and draw buttons used to be and the button on the left was the cancel button.


I believe that my machine originated as a Sir Prize machine. If pays out on random combinations which I think were where the knight symbol used to be which paid out small wins.

[Phan000]

That’s an interesting looking machine!  I think it was confirmed that the round disks were cover plates, and did not have stop buttons  in the past.


I ordered a new coil.


Am looking to replace the belly glass with the standard Bally one.  Only one I see is scratched, in Australia on eBay.


Any suggestions on a better place to look?  Seems like
It would be a common glass.  The current one, cool as it is, clashes pretty badly with the top color scheme.

[Steve Broad]

Yes, I know that you have cover plates, but the holes would have originally held hold buttons. What other use could they have been for?


There are a lot of variations of this model around and I have been unable to find another one identical to mine so I am guessing that it is a mish mash of parts but it does work, apart from not paying the jackpot properly. I am working on that, using the suggestions provided by members on here.

[Simple Sam]

Am looking to replace the belly glass with the standard Bally one.  Only one I see is scratched, in Australia on eBay.


Any suggestions on a better place to look?  Seems like
It would be a common glass.  The current one, cool as it is, clashes pretty badly with the top color scheme.

I find that glass is difficult to acquire for Bally EMs.  Even fairly standard glass can be difficult to find with the correct pay tables and other details.  The color scheme of your machine is going to be very difficult to match but you could try a want to buy ad on here.


After spending too much money on glass or not being able to get replacement glass at any price, I no longer buy machines that don't have glass that isn't perfect or readily replaceable.  I passed up a beautiful 831 recently that had an unusual green color scheme because the belly glass was delaminating and I knew I would never be able to replace it.  Of course, I have enough games already and live in an area where they come up for sale pretty regularly so I can afford to be picky.

[Phan000]

The new coil solved the stepper issue.  Works great now.


Swapped the reel fluorescent for the “lightning” color, and the belly glass seems to match a lot better.


Machine has a pretty interesting look now.

[slcjeeper]

Coos at coos.net makes reproduction bingo back glass but does have art for the Bally with fruit glass. If it’s something you like, contact him and see if he’ll sell you just the artwork film and you can apply it yourself. That’s about the cheapest option I can think of. This is a pic of his glass.

[Phan000]

That is a great idea.  I have a good glass guy, just need a high-res file of that image.  Have had decent success with reproduced artwork and glass  previously.




Thanks for the suggestion!

[Simple Sam]

Coos at coos.net makes reproduction bingo back glass but does have art for the Bally with fruit glass. If it’s something you like, contact him and see if he’ll sell you just the artwork film and you can apply it yourself. That’s about the cheapest option I can think of. This is a pic of his glass.

I got the reel glass for my 742A Deuces Wild from Coos and am very happy with it. I also got two of the Bally fruit glasses which look great.  They were very expensive and I have way more money in that machine than it is worth. Both of the glasses are mirrored and Coos will print them that way, the transfers are not mirrored (but cheaper).


As I mentioned in my previous post, I pay much closer attention to the condition of glass; this is why.