HOPPER LOG JAM HELP PLEASE

[RiseLikeRa]

Group:


First I hope that you and your families are doing well.  Second,  after being a member of this forum for over a decade I FINALLY learned how to make those colorful circles and reduce my images.


My current challenge is that I have an 809 in my collection in the 10 cent denomination.  For the most part it has worked without incident for many years.  RECENTLY when a payout is called for the bottom of the hopper disc gets jammed with coins that position themselves side by side and prevent the hopper from spinning at all.


In one of my award winning circled photos I noted 2 springs that allow the hopper bowl to move in and out slightly.  Could more tension on these be the solution?  Could coin lubrication do the trick?  Are the coins lubricated too much?


I have never experienced this condition with other denominations.  Any advice for a fix would be depreciated since it is extremely annoying and could cause my motor to burn out if not detected immediately.


Thanks all
Ra

[wolftalk]

I think the idea is the springs let the scoop move outward so a coin that is snagged by a pin/coin wheel peg can plow behind coins that have stacked up parallel to the pinwheel.  Adding more spring tension could make things worse.


get enough coins stacked up and you hit the limit the scoop can move, then you get a jam.  Fortunately, most machines have a safety circuit.  if the payout counter isn't stepping for some amount of time (it's adjustable), the safety trips and turns off power to the game.  That'll save your motor in the case it's stalled by a jam.


I'd guess dimes are more prone to jamming due to the smaller diameter and thinness.


it may also help to clean the hopper.  Hopefully one of the guys with more field experience can give you some insight.  I'll email I guy I know who used to service games on route in nevada and see what he says.

[Amechanic]

I'm no expert in this problem, but I would clean the hopper and coins. We had a change machine where I worked, and from time to time it would take for ever to pick the quarters. We would empty the coin bin, then use a wire brush to clean the wheel that picked up the coins. I would think the same thing could be happening with your hopper. I would think that clean and dry coins would feed better, not stick together.. 

[Badbaud]

Normally there is a concentric nut that is adjusted with a open ended wrench and that nut is adjusted to press against the outside of the hopper bowl and bend the bowl so it is closer to the pinwheel.
Your jam location indicates there is a gap between the bowl and the pinwheel, turning that nut narrows the gap.
The nut is usually the last bowl mounting screw counterclockwise on the outside of the bowl.
 

[Amechanic]

Normally there is a concentric nut that is adjusted with a open ended wrench and that nut is adjusted to press against the outside of the hopper bowl and bend the bowl so it is closer to the pinwheel.
Your jam location indicates there is a gap between the bowl and the pinwheel, turning that nut narrows the gap.
The nut is usually the last bowl mounting screw counterclockwise on the outside of the bowl.

This early style hopper doesn’t have that eccentric nut that your talking about. These hopper bowls are made from a light weight steel. This style hopper bowl rely on the two spring to hold it in place. I’ve never been a fan of the spike style hopper agitators.

[RiseLikeRa]

Thank you all for your responses and thank you Wolf for your inquiries on my behalf.  I will clean the hell out of the hopper and the disc tonight. 


Gary I actually thought that I got lucky when this machine did not have the rubber/goo  agitator in the middle.  MANY of them went bad on me when I first got into this hobby and the mess they made was terrible.


I was told that I could remove 1 or both of the springs used to retain the bowl close to the disc.  It seems to me that this might work OR just create thicker jams.  I am going to examine each coin to make sure I don't have ant grossly deformed pieces.  I did a quick check and nothing jumped out at me.


Sometimes we play a given gave for about an hour continuously.  Now this jam may happen 2 or 3 times in this short period of time requiring me to stop the play and empty the entire hopper to dislodge the wedged coins.  [size=78%] [/size][/size]That is not fun and these games are supposed to be fun.  Right?[size=78%]


Stay well guys and gals(Not sure we have any gals left who visit the EM forum)
Ra


 

[wolftalk]

here's the reply I got back:


------


"Phil NEVER ran dimes and only had cuss words to say about them. The only dime machines I saw were the early machines. The Casinos rarely had any dime machines. They are hard to work with. Too thin and light. They get bent all the time. There were only a few dime hopper plates and coin mechs at the shop. I don't know of any hopper adjustments that will help because I don't remember actually having to work on any dime machines."

--------

they couldn't be that bad, but phil ran route games, so a hopper jam meant driving someplace.  I can see why it'd be more of an issue for him.

guess the best you can do is clean everything and check for bent coins.  I'd take enough stuff apart to remove the pinwheel so you can clean the crud out of the big casting that's behind the pinwheel.

[RiseLikeRa]

Wolf thank you and thank Phil.  I had been warned about dime machines and the trouble that they could be.  After I got thoroughly addicted to the hobby  I just wanted games in every denomination.  I only 2 dime machines, the 809 and my Medalist.  When I got the Medalist it was converted from a 5 cent machine.  The 10 cent coin mech was taken from an old pinball game.  It would not register 2 out of 6 coins.  I got frustrated and had a NEW mech built by the company that makes them.  Since nothing played for a dime in decades they had to go to the warehouse and find the internal parts for 10 cents.   It cost a bundle but it took care of the problem 100%.  Interesting to me is that this current problem just started about a month ago.  I cant imaging what has changed in my set up.  Even the coins are simply re used over and over again.


I will clean, inspect and report to the best forum members on Earth.


Stay well
Ra

[RiseLikeRa]

Ok gang the update is as follows:


After removing the 2 springs and 3 screws that held to hopper bowl close to the disc I discovered that there were about a dozen dimes that escaped the hopper altogether and were having a meeting between the hopper bowl and the bracket itself.  Thew were not stuck tight and did not keep the disc from turning but they definitely did not belong there.   I removed them, cleaned the hopper and disc and then I noticed some deep scratches on the inner part of the disc and filings and wear on the disc by the knife.  Not sure if that knife wear is normal or it needs an adjustment of some sort.


I put everything back together, including the springs and only put 3 handfuls of dimes back in the hopper.  I usually keep mu hoppers full.  It was letting out a mean hum until I put some electrical tape on the diverter plate where it contacts the diverter coil.


I played about 100-150 coins through the game and got assorted hits and pays.  No binding or jamming so far.  I may not be out of the woods since it can go many days without a binding problem then "POW" like in the old Batman show. 


Thanks for everything and I will keep you all posted.


Stay well
Ra

[Amechanic]

I’m sure clearing that dime jam will help with your problem. As for the knife, I wonder if the way those dimes had jammed could have put pressure on the coin wheel, causing that wear? The straight line scratches could have been caused by someone trying to clear a similar jam with a screw driver.

[RiseLikeRa]

Those are great theories.   The dime jam was exactly 180 degrees from the knife.  This might put downward pressure on the jam side and upward pressure near the knife.   I have had this game for almost 10 years.   I may be guilty of inflicting the scratches on the disc in days gone by.   Thank you so much for your wisdom and time.  Hopefully this will be the end of this saga.


Ra

[RiseLikeRa]

Group:


I gave the 809, with the help of my elderly mother in law, an old fashioned gambling session.  2 hours of non stop coin dropping and handle pulling.  Not a single jam up.  So with the expert help of the group I recon this thread could go in the problem solved category.


Thanks again and stay healthy.


Ra

[wolftalk]

I think the symbol shown in the topic listings is whatever icon you have on the first message in a thread.


if you want the "topic solved" to appear, edit your original post and change the paperclip icon (pulldown under the subject entry field.

[RiseLikeRa]

Thank you Wolf.  I appreciate your wisdom.  I learn something new everyday.


Ra