Help with Bally E-1275-1 Golden Continental motor driven reels (E2000??)

[jancsi]

I collect a Bally  E-1275-1 Golden Continental.
It looks like E2000 series with credit version, with  motor driven reels, and old 50V reel reader board.
I manage to repair it, but sometimes (after 5-30 minute play) when all  reels stopped I can't play again.
Start button and any button doesn't lit up. Tilt Lamp doesn't lit , and haven't any error code.
When I push reset button or door hinge switch or door open switch the buttons lamp light and can play again.
What's the problem?

Jancsi

[rokgpsman]

That's a terrific looking old machine, where did you find it?

There is a switch just behind one of the door hinges, it might be mis-adjusted and not working right when the door is closed. Maybe with machine vibration or whatever after a while the door switch changes and the mpu now thinks the door is open, refuses to play? I think it is near the top door hinge. You can adjust the hinge switch so that it works more reliably. I'd also check the other door switch you mentioned.

Also, these machines are notorious for over-heated or faulty contacts on the power supply connector. Look at it closely to see if there are any brown or blackened areas, that will indicate high heat from an intermittent contact. The machine will suddenly just act dead, then moving the power cable will bring it back to life.

Another thing to check is the mpu board, if it has a battery it could be leaking and causing flaky operation.

Can you post pictures of the inside of your machine, particularly the mpu and I/O boards?

below is an example of a bad power supply connector, the power supply location and the door hinge switch on a similar machine-

[jancsi]

I found it in Europe Austria (I live in Hungary).
I played with open door (door switch wire I put another contact) door hinge was ok. too.
Battery not leaking yet but looks like original (??) white battery on CPU board.
On the door inside is  a small status  display it doesn't show any error (00000) during play and  when it stopped.
For door switch or door hinge switch show this small display 50000.

Tomorrow I take photo inside machine, and I will post.

[rokgpsman]

The Bally E-1XXX models are similar to the E-2XXX models in several ways. There was a recent long discussion thread here about the repair of a E-2000 machine, it could be helpful to you if you want to read thru it to see the problems that machine had:

http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=5843.0

I think that display that shows 50 000 is a normal and good display indication when the machine is ready to be played, as was mentioned in the discussion thread above. I am not as familiar with these machines as others here, especially on the mechanical reels and their alignment, they will be able to answer your questions also.

If you moved the door switch wire to the other switch terminal contact that might be incorrect, the switch has both a normally open contact and a normally closed contact on one end, and the common terminal contact on the other end. If the wire is on the wrong terminal it would have opposite effect. Post picture of the switch so we can if it is correct, unless you are sure it is ok.

Does your power supply connector look burned or darkened?

Other problem areas are the fuse caps, they can get corroded or intermittent over the years. You can examine them to see how they look. If tapping or twisting them a little causes machine to malfunction they need to be replaced or shined. Inside the fuseholder is spring tensioner that gets weak or corroded sometimes.

[jancsi]

I moved the door switch wire to the other switch terminal contact because I want testing (playing) on machine with opened door.
When I want close door to play I put back wire terminal to original position.
I can check  power supply connector tomorrow.

[rokgpsman]

I moved the door switch wire to the other switch terminal contact because I want testing (playing) on machine with opened door.
When I want close door to play I put back wire terminal to original position.
I can check  power supply connector tomorrow.

ok, now I understand about the door switch wire, all is ok.

Here is something from the Bally E-Series machine manual that might be helpful for playing game with door open or closed, no matter, will not cause tilt error. It involves removing the ground jumper located at I/O board J2 pin 8.

[Sunrise Side]

The E2000 with credit features, in my experience, need the battery on the MPU at 3.6 volts. I recommend changing the battery before you proceed with other diagnoses . Might not be the entire issue but the battery may be old and start leaking acid  anyway.

[jancsi]

Picture inside 1.

[jancsi]

Picture inside 2.

[jancsi]

Picture inside 3.
I cheked battery after machine was stayed  12 hour power off , battery voltage was 4.1V.
Power supply connector ok, not burned.
In this machine has 2 IO boards?
Another E2000 has also 2 IO board or another has only 1?

[rokgpsman]

There are others here with more experience than I have on the older Bally machines like yours. So I will say my comments to get things started and others can correct me where wrong and add to answers.

I have not seen a model like yours except one other time. It is impressive. From your idplate it says model 1275-1 so I think it is a Bally E-1000 machine with options. It does have a E-2000 mpu board but that is not uncommon, others have said the mpu boards are interchangeable between E-1000 and E-2000 machines. Your machine does have two I/O boards, probably because of the options and it is more complicated machine. One of the I/O boards is probably used for the normal things and the other is for the huge display glass with all those lamps at top of the machine. Each lamp requires an I/O line.

Your machine also has sound, there are 2 sound boards that are located near the speaker. Running thru the sound area are 2 added wires (red & black) that are not part of the original wiring. They may carry a control signal or power, they go over to the back of the top door glass. The photos don't show where they are connected on the other end in top of machine.

The mpu board has what looks like an original white cylinder battery. I would inspect it carefully for leakage as it is many years old now. A measurement of 4.1v seems odd, as these are normally 3.6v at most. Did you measure it with power to the machine turned off? If not, you would be measuring the charging voltage from machine power supply to battery. There may be writing on the battery that says what it is. Perhaps someone has replaced the original battery with a newer one that is higher voltage and there are no worries. The 4.1v is ok, it is used to keep the static ram memory data alive, they are the 2 chips labeled "5101" that are nearby to battery.

You said in your original posting that the machine plays ok, the problem is that after a while it will stop working and you have to press reset button (on hopper board??) and then machine will wake up and work again, is that correct? When it stops working do all of the lights go out, even the general lighting, pushbutton lights, everything? Is it as if all power is shutting off? And all it takes to work again is open & close door, or press reset button?

Do you have manuals for the Bally E series machines?

I brightened the pictures so I could see detail better-

[jancsi]

When I messured battery voltage machine power was switch off state (and before all night was off state)
In this machine hasn't hopper.
All inserted coin go directly into cashbox.
It has on the left side has 2 keys one Credit input key (with dip switch can I setting credit value from 10-150 for one turn), and credit zero key.
Right side has one key for bookkeping.

inside in upper right corner  has 3 button: test, reset,display .
Inside in machine I found some paper with game information about this game,game description and dipswitch setting.
Test data showed on small inside dipsplay, and same game data by pressing display switch.
In E1000-machine was Sound card?

When stopped light doesn't go out , display showed cerdit and selectes stacke, only  buttons (Start, Stack select and Hold buttons) doesn't light up after 1-2 sec when reels stopped.

[rokgpsman]

Is machine configured without hopper, or is hopper missing by mistake? How would machine pay customer for winnings? Perhaps that is problem, when you play for some time and then hit winning result on machine it attempts to pay and without hopper there is error? But on display there is no error code, just 50 000?

Yes, I think it is E-1000 machine with options like sound. But it does have E-2000 mpu. Maybe I am wrong but someone else will say.

When it is working does reel mechanism sound ok, no unusual noise such as grinding or uneven mechanical operation like it is struggling? The reels have reader boards and if they are misaligned or dirty contacts that can maybe cause intermittent operation.

When machine stops working and pushbuttons do not light what does it take to get machine to work again? Just by wiggling something, or just by opening door and closing it, or do you have to press reset button? Have you tried running built in self test, the mpu board has self test that can check many things. It is described in the manual, do you have any Bally manual that gives machine operation and testing info?

[jancsi]

For press reset button or open  door hinge and close or door switch  (what you post) working again for  5-30 min.
On this machine wasn't original hopper.
I  have dowloaded E-series manual (66 page), and I found 9 game specific  page in machine (from FSO-652-388)
Have you another manual?

The two wire red and black (before sound cards) go to coin input (2  coin switch was changed with  optical coin sensor pcb, what you can see on my 1.st inside picture.

[rokgpsman]

Do you mean the machine is supposed to have a hopper and it is missing, or the machine is modified to operate without hopper?

Since machine is without hopper then customer does not receive coins on winning? So is this machine for amusement only, not gambling? The hopper is where the Test and Reset pushbutton switches are normally located on E-1000 and E-2000 machines, so without hopper those switches are on panel inside your machine (along with "Display" button, I do not know what this is, maybe to test lamps behind upper glass??).

Are you able to perform self-test with the test switch?

I have another manual, it may contain similar info as the one you already have, but perhaps it will have helpful info,  can you tell me your email address, this manual is too large to attach here?

The documents you found inside machine, are they helpful for operation and troubleshooting?

[jancsi]

This machine not supposed hopper.
It has reset button  on upper right corner.
It was factory built without hopper,with  crerdit key and credit zero key (hand payout by attendant or waitress) too.
All winnigs go to creedit meter and no cash out is payd out.
All coins entered go straight into to cashbox.
It say the page too what I found in machine.
On machine is sticker "For Amusements Only" in German language.
When  win can winning add to credit, gamble double or nothing, os half gamble-double or nothing.
I will scan the 9 page what I was  found in machine and  will post it.
It describe display button, show accounting data on small inside display.

[rokgpsman]

ok, I have returned from lunch with my wife and saw your new postings. I have sent email to you with info that may be helpful.

There is another arcade repair forum that has long 7 page discussion on this nearly exact machine but unfortunately it is written in French language. They post many pictures of that machine and it reminds me of yours, very similar (see photo below). Are you capable in French or perhaps have French speaking friend?

http://www.flipjuke.fr/mas-bally-golden-continental-1275-306-t95827.html

Also, what about doing self-test using TEST button, have you tried that? During self-test the digital display will show all 6 decimal points (periods) in 6 digit display, along with numbers.

[jancsi]

I received it, thanks!
I will try it tomorrow.
I come home, and machine is in my workplace.
Here is after 10 PM now.
This machine what you post like look as my machine in another color, except my machine is motor driven.
I  will translate it with google.

[jancsi]

I stopped when I play  test play too with open door.
In test mode for door hinge switch can't continue normal play only reset button.

Reel reader board lamp still light when it has stopped (play test or normal play too).

If has any error during spin  (stop manual reel or any error )  reel reader lamp switched off, but it still light.

Reel reader lap also  switched off if no credit in machine.

[ramegoom]

Remove your power supply and look at the solder joints on the header connector. I have seen several bad solder joints in that area. Look closely, as you will likely find separation between the trace pads and the pins. The original power supply used a single-sided PC board and heat/vibration/time will almost always cause intermittent connections.

You will need to scrape and clean each pin in order to re-solder the connection. A bad or intermittent connection here will result in the same problem you are experiencing.