IGT S+ stuck on error code 21

[fedegiova]

Hi there everyone!

At work there's an IGT S  which had been on the warehouse for far too long (about 10 years). A couple of days ago I tried to give it a go and try to see if the machine was working properly. After powering it on, the error 12 came up so I changed the battery and the error went away. After that the winner paid showed the error code 61, I pressed the test button for a couple of seconds and the machine started its booting routine. I couldn't believe  it was working!  

Here comes the problem: After playing a while I said "why don't I insert a coin through the optic board" (I had no comparator installed), so the error code 21 was shown. I tried pretty much everything, I unplugged the optic board and plugged it again, I checked the connectors, I disconnected and connected the mainboard a couple of times, I even took the battery out for a while to see if that could take me to the first time I turned the machine on, but nothing helped.

I read that the error should be erased by opening and closing the door, but this is not the case. I even read that the number 21 should disappear for a while after closing the door but in this case, it's always on no matter what I do. I checked the door optics with the self test and it works OK. When I switch the machine on, the displays show the number of credits that had been inserted with the button before I inserted the coin for a couple of seconds and then the 21 error is shown. The reels don't even turn as they used to when I turned t on before the problem.

When I run the self test the following things happen:

• 10_1: it is always on (1), I block the first optic sensor and it remains on 1.

• 11_1: it is on 1 but when I press the button on the board or when I block the sensor it goes to 0.

• 12_1: it is on 1 and it goes to 0 when I block the sensor.

I even tried swapping the optic sensors among them but the self test results are the same.It seems that the optic board is not working properly. But my question is: why did it work the first time? Is it possible that I broke it when I inserted the coin? Could the problem be somewhere else?

I would appreciate any suggestion.

[rokgpsman]

Welcome to NLG!   

You'll be getting some various suggestions on things to try. Some of the ideas may involve swapping parts from another S+ machine? Do you have another one that you can use to help troubleshoot this one?

[fedegiova]

This is the only machine I've got. I do have some spare parts though. Unfortunately, I don't have a spare optic board.

[rokgpsman]

You say you were playing it for a while before you tried dropping a coin thru the optics boards. Were you able to play because you inserted money into the bill validator? Or were you using "test credits" to play with the door open? In the lower left area of the coin optic board there is a switch you can press to put test credits on the machine.

Also, if the coin comparitor is missing from the machine I'd order one and get it installed. I believe the kind you need is a CC-16D.

And what do you mean "you tried swapping the optic sensors among them"?

[fedegiova]

I was using the switch on the optics board, the one you are mentioning. I have tried with a coin comparitor after the error was shown and it keeps doing the same thing.

[rokgpsman]

Can you post a photo or two showing the inside of the door, where the coin optics board is and the area where the coin comparitor would be?

Is the coin comparitor you tried using a CC-16D?

Just to make sure, are you turning off the machine's power when you disconnect and reconnect parts?

Also, is this one of the prior discussion threads you've seen about error 21? It says that you need to have a coin comparitor installed, or a bypass plug on the coin comparitor cable.

http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=723.msg2867#msg2867

[fedegiova]

After trying some other things I think the problem might been somewhere else. I've managed to cause another error to check if the machine was able to do something else rather than show the 21 message. So I unplugged one reel and nos the error 49 is shown. According to the solution I should plug it and open and close the door. But again nothing hapens when I close the door. It seems the machine can't tell when I close the door. It's kinda strange since the self test number 13 works great.

[jay]

A 21 on an S+ is battery low.


I don't have a S manual around but as the S+ is the next generation I would suspect the error codes were carried forward from the S.
If the battery is low - the coins will just drop through.


Pull the MPU board and measure the voltage on the lithium battery it should be 3.4v - after 10 years of no power .... ya I suspect the battery.

[slots4home]

I know sometimes you have to use a clear procedure to get rid of  a 21 code.

[rokgpsman]

.....A 21 on an S+ is battery low....

Jay, I was thinking an error 12 is for a low battery, and 21 is for a coin-in error?

[jay]

Egad !! your right. I will be seeing a doctor for my dyslexia
sorry for taking the thread in the wrong direction.

[dale]

You might open the door and turn the reset key. That usually will clear that 21 error. The reel errors are the ones I have found need the clear chip.

[Badbaud]

The coin comparator actually fires optic A on the optic board then B and C are fired as the coin travels past the optics.If the comparator is not putting out the A pulse you will get a 21 error. If the comparator is not installed and you drop a coin through the optic board you can also get a 21 error.

[rokgpsman]

Egad !! your right. I will be seeing a doctor for my dyslexia
sorry for taking the thread in the wrong direction.

Ha! Don't worry about it, I don't think any damage was done.

[rokgpsman]

The coin comparator actually fires optic A on the optic board then B and C are fired as the coin travels past the optics.If the comparator is not putting out the A pulse you will get a 21 error. If the comparator is not installed and you drop a coin through the optic board you can also get a 21 error.

That's probably what Jim was referring to in that post from 4 years ago I linked to earlier (and below):

http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=723.msg2867#msg2867

[fedegiova]

Hello everyone! Thank you all for the suggestions.


I was able to clear the error 21 by desoldering the battery for about 15 minutes. After connecting it again, the machine started to work great! It even started the rebooting routine every time I closed the door. I also built an optic board with some opto couplers, a microcontroller and a switch to emulate the coin since the original board wasn't working properly.


In one occasion, I connected the board I built incorrectly and one of the opto couplers blew up. I changed it and now the machine starts ok but when I close the door it doesn't reboot like it used to. So it is impossible to erase the errors that occasionally occur.


Is it possible that the main board needs to be changed? I also realised that I have no U18 chip on my motherboard, is it a critical component?


 

[rokgpsman]

.......Is it possible that the main board needs to be changed? I also realised that I have no U18 chip on my motherboard, is it a critical component?

You are probably referring to your "mpu" board (the large circuit board with the battery).

From what was said in this post (below) I think U18 is not necessary unless the machine is connected to the casino network:

http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=20207.msg106739#msg106739

In one occasion, I connected the board I built incorrectly and one of the opto couplers blew up. I changed it and now the machine starts ok but when I close the door it doesn't reboot like it used to. So it is impossible to erase the errors that occasionally occur.

On a "normal" S+ machine complete with its original parts many minor errors are removed by opening and then closing the door. And maybe sometimes turning the reset key helps with some errors. Since your machine does not have a coin comparitor did you install the bypass connector as mentioned earlier in this discussion? Or is it not needed because of the way your self-made coin optic board is made?

The coin optic board is connected to the mpu board. So it's possible something may have happened to your mpu board when you mis-connected the coin optic board that you made. 

If you have access to another mpu board or can order one you could try it to see if that gets rid of the problem you are seeing now. Or you could try replacing components on the mpu board that directly connect to the coin optic board. Sometimes it is hard to know ahead of time if something will fix a problem, you have to try it to find out.

Congratulations on your success with self-made parts, are you doing that because you can't obtain the usual parts for the machine? It's great that you have been able to work around the problem of not having the proper replacement parts by making your own, but that makes it harder for us to know exactly what to suggest for any problems the machine has.

[Jim]

if you remove Q-2 from the optic board,it will fix the 10_1 problem. the optic board will now work as it should.

see attached picture, Q-2 is a surface mount transistor, not the Q-2 photo optic.   Jim

[Badbaud]

Unless the Vb series diode, tranzorb, or fuse was blown.