Bally 873 (1046) - Tilt light

[chedderboy]

I was grateful to find someone to work on my Bally 1046 criss-cross EM slot machine.  It was completely inoperable when I bought it and had to acquire few parts to get it going again.  It seems this is exactly the same as the 873 series, but it uses the 6" fluorescent bulbs instead of the regular small bulbs when possible.  I could not locate a "winner paid" light, and the factory win meter was missing.  The machine has a "Tilt" light on the bottom lower front of the reel glass, which appears to function like the winner paid.  When the machine pays off, the Tilt light comes on... Otherwise, it's off.  This machine appears to be exactly like the one I had back in 2010, but I don't recall that "tilt" light ever coming on that machine.  Aside from a couple of pay line light bulbs that may be lose or broken from the ride home, the machine seem to work well otherwise.  Any feedback on this Tilt light greatly appreciated.  On another note, the money bowl I bought to replace the one on the machine would not accommodate the metal coin drop plate that was already on the machine - different bolt patterns?  I didn't put the new one on, but it seems odd it wouldn't fit if the new money bowl fit (new one looks awesome!)

[rokgpsman]

Bally was a big-time pinball company back in the day. When they started making slot machines a lot of the terminology and technology carried over. You'll find their pinball stepper units and solenoids inside their early slot machines. The word "Tilt" means an error condition, or a fault as happened. Someone may have wired the Tilt wire to some other connection in your machine, you'd have to trace the wire back to see where it goes. Does the Tilt light come on with all wins and payouts, or just on bigger jackpots?

When you say you can't find a "Winner Paid" light do you mean the bulb itself, or an assembly with the words "Winner Paid" printed on it? There are some folks here with old Bally parts, if you post a request for what you need someone may have it.

On the coin tray that doesn't fit, can you drill new holes in it to match the bolt pattern on your machine? Does the old coin tray have a problem, I didn't see anything wrong in the photo?

I brightened your photos so I could see some details, that's an attractive and colorful machine, looks like it came from Fitzgerald's in Las Vegas, now called "The D". The D has some older machines upstairs in their "retro" room, including a Sigma Derby mechanical race horse machine.

[Jon]

you can print on photo paper( winner
                                                       paid)
with a red background and white letters and put a piece of red plastic in front of it not too dark move the wire from tilt Mount the light bulb where your wind meter was and how the winner paid light instead of the wind mean if you need a wind meter send me pictures of the one you have I have a couple of working with meters here I am getting ready to move my house is in escrow again the kid seems to really want it I need to get rid of a lot of parts I am going to be hauling tons 2500 miles if you would like me to post a picture of what I'm talking up with a winner paid like to go up there I will do some artwork for you

[Jon]

if you make the red dark enough on photo paper and insert a white winner paid in capital letters and put a thin red plastic film over it all you will see is the winner paid you can put it in the window or the counter was and the only one that I know is not Factory is you I suppose if you're good with the computer you can tell it to over-saturate the outer background dark red and put it in saturation of ink on the winner paid in red and tape it in there again no one will ever know but you that is not original just moved out light from the tilt position up to there and it will be beautiful

[Jon]

you can try this artwork there again print it on photo paper put a thin piece of red plastic in front of it

[Jon]

and if you go to Automotive Parts House they have a tail light repair kit a little bit hokey it is a roll of red tape

there again if you need more help I will go print this out put the tape on it and post more pictures of it on one of my machines or maybe I will put a video on the Facebook page if you ask of what it looks like

[rokgpsman]

What is written on the yellow area of the glass that is circled in photo below?

[Jon]

that should say coin accepted

[rokgpsman]

ok thanks. On a complete machine the "Winner Paid" message would be where? And is it written on the glass and gets illuminated from behind, or is it displayed in a digital display?

[Jon]

generally on a newer machine like that it would be right next to the meter but I do not see it there doing the artwork is not that difficult here is more examples of artwork I do for my machine and like I said I probably have a wind meter here

[Jon]

this one is for a 1088 I built in a 742a cabinet

[Jon]

well I didn't think that was pretty enough for this machine

[DavidLee]

Win Meter on the 1090, same location as your machine. Hopefully Jon has a meter. The cost for a new one is outrageous.
I built my own counter and housing. Lots of hours involved, but it was a good learning experience.
Sorry if the photo are not in the correct orientation.