Bally Payout issue

[Damian Rutherford]

My Bally machine has developed a problem and intermittently stops paying out. Nothing is jammed and the motor spins free.  It seems to be in a relay or somewhere I don't yet understand.  If anyone can point me to a relay or other possible smoking gun in the hopper mech please let me know.  Again, thank you in advance.

[Damian Rutherford]

OK I've been digging a bit deeper and found this so far.  There is a circuit board with a rotating wheel.  (first pic)  It seems to sense how much has been payed out and tells the hopper to reset.  There is a solenoid on the underside of the hopper (second Pic) that seems as though it would pull in to reset the wheel, but it doesn't pull in at all.  Initially, it would reset if I removed the hopper from the machine and put it back in.  Now it doesn't reset at all.  If I push the lever manually it will pay out once and then not reset?  If anyone can tell me where the wiring goes from the solenoid or what component sends power to the solenoid it would be a big help in troubleshooting, also, if anyone can tell me what voltage the solenoid operates on so I can test it that would be great.  Again, thanks in advance.  I seem to remember that sometimes when I would replace the hopper, the wheel would spin back to its reset position.  Not sure where it got the signal to do that?

[Damian Rutherford]

Wow, OK, I think I found the problem.  Next to the solenoid is a stack of contacts that seem to control among other things the return of the wheel and the activation of the solenoid.  The top contact seems to be almost worn away.  Bending the arm just a bit seems to have 95 percent fixed the problem.  If anyone knows of a person or supplier that can provide a replacement contact group please let me know, I would like to purchase a new assembly.

[wolftalk]

those are standard open/close-at-zero switches used on stepper units on slots and pinball machines.

if the contact is burned away on the first blade and the second blade has the dome-shaped contact side facing up (touching the first blade contact), then you can try filing the contact face if there's anything left. 

If the second blade has the puck side facing up, then the top blade is mounted upside down.  You want one face puck, other face dome in a switch unless they are high power tungsten contacts.

ideally you never file contacts unless they are larger high-power tungsten ones, but when they get pitted badly enough, you have nothing to lose.

pm me your mailing address and I'll scrounge a good blade off a parts pinball machine and send it to ya.  You'll need to unscrew the switch stack and remove the top wafer, then the existing blade looks like it will just pull off ... wire isn't soldered to it.

the pitting on the payout counter trace is more of a problem ... assuming it's not just carbon tracking that will wipe off with alcohol and a green scrub pad.  Implies a switch is not closing properly elsewhere.

what is the full model number off the plate below the handle?

[Damian Rutherford]

Thanks for responding.  I have been told that it seems to be a Bally 932 Irish made ADD A LINE that has been converted to a Bally 742-a.  It only takes one quarter now and seems to have reel stickers added to change what is on them.  Would love to change it back to an ADD A LINE, but that seems way above my paygrade LOL.

[wolftalk]

let me know your mailing address if you need the switch parts ... you can email me at slotpics@cdyn.com if ya like.


converting back to add-a-line would probably requiring getting an add-a-line for the parts :-)  Looks like your entire reel mech was replaced.


if you wanted the reel tapes to look better, you could remove them, scan them, fix all the cosmetic issues with a graphics editor and print new ones on glossy paper.


may be best to just play with it as-is and if you decide you like having a slot around, keep your eyes open for one that had an easier life.