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**Reel Slots** Gaming Machines => Bally Electromechanical => Topic started by: essmeier on August 11, 2019, 03:25:11 PM

Title: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working [resolved]
Post by: essmeier on August 11, 2019, 03:25:11 PM
Edit:  It took nearly two months, but I found a Credit Register, installed it, and got it to correctly increment the register after a win.  All it took was building 17 switches and completely rewiring everything near the hopper.  More here.
 (http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=25288.msg136451#msg136451)

After looking for one for years, I found an affordable Bally 891.The unit accepts coins and pays out correctly.  Good news!

Bad news:

The unit is designed for either coin or credit play, but the entire credit unit has been removed from the machine.  Someone just cut the wires, taped them off, and pulled the entire unit out.  Then they blacked out the window on the payout glass where the counter was supposed to be and got on with their day.

Good news:

I have acquired a counter unit.  Turns out that it's the same unit that Bally used in their pinball bingo machines.  They also used it in a few arcade games.  While I thought it might take months to find one, I opened a post in a pinball forum and discovered that the world's biggest supplier of Bally bingo parts lives 30 minutes away.  I had a fully refurbished one in hand within 24 hours.  I'm hoping that this was the hard part.
Now I just need to wire it up...

The Questions

1. I don't know what switches this unit is supposed to have.  As used in the bingo games, there are two make-break switches on the backside of the unit, one on each side.  From the only photo I've been able to find on this forum that showed a credit unit on an 891, it looks like the switch arrangement as used in the slot machine is different.  The photo was taken at an awkward angle, so I can't quite make out what's what.

I've attached a photo of the backside of the new counter, showing the switches that are currently there.

I'd appreciate it if someone who owns an 891 with a properly installed credit unit could provide some good quality photos of the switches on the back of their credit unit so I can see what's required.   I've got parts, so I can add/remove/modify the switches as needed.

Plus, while I have a schematic, seeing which wires go where would be helpful.   

So, can anyone provide some good photos of the back side of their credit unit?

2.Edit:  I was trying to figure out how the counter was identified on the schematic and thought it was "payout counter."  Found it; it's called "register."

3. Is there a manual for this machine?  I didn't see one in the download area.

There are some other minor issues with this machine, but I'll save those for another thread.

Thanks,
Charlie
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: GOS on August 11, 2019, 04:46:37 PM
not trying to damper your spirits but I believe the units are different - does the one you have 3 digits- i believe the 891 has 4 plus the reset and stepup switches are different - maybe someone has a picture of the 891
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 11, 2019, 05:42:44 PM
I have a four-digit counter unit.

I mentioned in the original post that the switches are probably wrong - that's why I need the photos.
Modifying the switches is not a big deal; I have a box full of electromechanical switch parts. 

This 891 can be repaired.  Just need photos of the counter from an 891 owner so I can make sure the switches are correct.

Charlie
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: 63mini on August 12, 2019, 10:39:00 AM
 I have an upper unit from a scrapped 891-1. Below are some photos. Let me know if this is what you are looking for. If so, I can get you closer photos of the areas you may need.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 12, 2019, 11:14:40 AM
That's the general idea as to what I need.
The first and third images are helpful; they'll show how to build the switches.  Looks like the switch on the left is OK as-is, but I'll need to modify the one on the right.
Can you provide higher-resolution versions of those images via email, PM or some other means?  I know the forum doesn't permit posting high-res images.
Images showing which wires go to which contacts on the switches (and the coils) would be helpful, if it's not too much trouble.
I can likely sort this all out via the schematic once I have the switches assembled correctly, but photos showing which wires go where make the job easier and help prevent mistakes.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: 63mini on August 12, 2019, 11:53:08 AM
 Shoot me a PM with your email address and I will get you the photos.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 13, 2019, 08:49:31 AM
Here's an update:
Thanks to user 63mini, I figured out how to wire up the counter.  On this machine, there's a make-break switch on the left side, and a single switch on the right side that is normally open at zero.
The schematic that I have and the wires that were available at the credit unit were in agreement on that, so it just took a few minutes to wire it up.
But...
I don't have the credit counter working yet.
After installing, and before powering the game up, I put 25 credits on the counter.   I turned the game on, and the credits reset to zero.  I'd expect that behavior.  On most Bally games with 3 or 4 digit replay counters, cycling the power acts as a "knock off" switch that removes all credits.

EDIT:  That didn't happen here.  The credits counted off because the Jackpot Release Key switch was closed.

Other than that, however, I can't do anything to get the credit counter to advance.  The machine pays out in coins regardless of the position of the key switch that toggles between coin and credit play. 

If, with the machine powered on, I add credits to the counter, it instantly resets to zero.
I do have a couple of other disconnected wires in this game, though they're some distance from the counter.  I need to check the wires that connect to the "register advance" coil to make sure they're actually going somewhere.  I'll see if I can figure out where the other ones go.

I've also got some disagreement between what the schematic is telling me about the Replay Key Switch and what I'm actually seeing in the game.  The schematic is referencing more wires to that switch than I actually have, and it doesn't look as though any have been removed.  Could be they just changed some of the circuitry at some point.

I may need a proper 891-20 schematic before I can sort all of this out.  The only one I've been able to find is for the 891-1.

Does anyone have any suggestions where I might find a Bally Super Continental 891-20 schematic?

So, wired up, but not yet working.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 14, 2019, 09:23:24 AM
This project may be dead.  I think my feature unit board has had the count unit removed.  I know that not all versions of the 891 had a count unit, but I think all later versions of the game (891-4 and later) had one.

This particular 891-20 does not have one, but there are some cut wires in the vicinity of where the counter unit would have been mounted.  I suspect the count unit told the credit register how many times to increment after a win.  I don't have a parts list or schematic for the 891-20, so I'm only guessing as to what that unit does.

I think it pretty unlikely that I'm going to find anyone with a complete count unit to sell.  I'd be more likely to find someone with a complete feature unit board that I could just swap out.

Otherwise, I'm out of ideas.  The game works correctly for all payouts with coins, but I don't see how I'm going to get the credit register working unless I can find a complete count unit or a full feature unit board.  Where will I find the EM slot machine graveyard that might have a feature unit board?


Attached: Example photo of a machine with a count unit as well as photos of my own.

EDIT:  User 63mini has a Count Unit, so this project is back on track.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: ricker on August 14, 2019, 12:42:50 PM

Hey,
.
I hate when the memory goes.  Here goes.  The 891-1 was a coin/credit machine. The 891-2 was a coin/credit or coin only machine. There is a key switch located below the handle, One way for coin/credit and the other way for coin only.  I do not know about the other 891 models.


A pic of your feature/payout glass might help to compare with other members who may have an 891-?


Richard
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 14, 2019, 12:59:03 PM
Thanks to another member here, I have a service manual that covers models 891-0 through 891-4.

What I know:

891 - Credits only; the game does not pay out in coins, ever.  There's no payout tray.
891-1 - Operator option for coin or credit; machine locks up for hand pay at 400 coins regardless of mode.  Counter never used in coin mode.
891-2 - Operator option for coin or credit; machine adds all wins to counter without lockup even in coin mode; player can then cash out or play credits.  Game pays out completely, right up to the 1500 coin limit (or hopper capacity.)
891-3 - Operator option for coin or credit; machine adds wins up to 300 to the counter even in coin mode.  Customer can choose payout or play credits.  Machine locks up for hand pay on wins of 400 or more.
891-4 - Unit for Sweden that handled tokens or Kroner

Document outlining above in detail attached for those who might care.

There are other variations of the game between 891-4 and the 891-20 and I now know of variations as high as 891-23.  The manual didn't cover those, so .... ??? ?


Still need an 891-20 schematic....
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: ricker on August 14, 2019, 01:28:37 PM

I think the numbers above 4 were for special multi-unit orders from the buyer(casino). Higher or lower payout %, custom symbols on reels, etc.?,  I would think there is not a separate schematic for the models above 4, but maybe. The number of each symbol on each reel of yours , to compare with other members who have an 891 would confirm a different payout%, and you can figure out your machines payback % too.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 18, 2019, 11:54:08 AM
This project becomes simultaneously uglier and more interesting by the day.

OK, thanks to Ed (63mini), I have a Count Unit and it's been installed.  Can I play credits now?

Of course not. 

I bought this game sight unseen and was assured that it worked and paid out correctly (it does) and that the only part missing was the Replay Register (alas, not true.)

The machine has also had the Jackpot Lockup relay and the Jackpot Meter relay removed.  That seems to have been done to circumvent the 200 coin maximum payout restriction on larger (>400 coins) jackpots.
I manually set the reels for a 1000 coin payout and it spit 1000 nickels at me.

I can live with that.

But...

Both sets of switches that attach to the key that controls credit or coin play have been removed.  The wires are still there, but the switches are gone and the game appears to have been hard-wired for coin play.

I can, I suppose, undo that and hard-wire it for credit play, but I'd like to do this properly, given that I'm already pretty deep in this project.

I'll try to rebuild the switches, but it would help to have photos.

So...

Could someone with a complete 891 with a credit counter please post or send some good photos of their Replay Key Switch switches?
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 25, 2019, 09:47:19 AM
Further update:

User Badbaud is checking to see if he might have a switch stack from a junked machine.

In the meantime, I discovered that I was misreading the schematic.

I saw a switch labeled "Replay Key Switch" mentioned 8 times on the schematic, and all 8 switches were shown as normally open.

I assumed that four of those switches must need to close for coin play and four must need to close for credit play, but I had no idea which ones were which.

I was wrong about all of that; all 8 of those switches have to be closed for credit play.

For coin play, all 8 switches labeled "Payout Key Switch" have to be closed.  I was ignoring those, because I thought "Payout Switch" was referring to the switch that I now know is the Jackpot Release Key switch.

So close 8 Replay Key switches and you should have credit play.  Close 8 Payout Key switches and you have coin play.

IMO, "Payout Key Switch" should have been labeled "Coin Play Switch."

Now that I know this, I realize why I was seeing wires tied together that didn't seem to make sense.

Yesterday, I disconnected the wires that were hard wired for coin play and twisted together the wires that should connect for credit play.

Results?   Nothing happens with a winning combination.  No coins, and no credits.

Could have been worse; I could have powered it up and blown fuses or found that nothing works at all.

Not the case here.  The machine lights up, I can add up to 6 coins and it accepts them, and then I pull the handle and the reels spin and stop as they should.

But I get no credits for a win.  If I manually add credits to the counter, I cannot play them by pressing the credit button.  Nothing happens there, either.

If I reset the Jackpot Release Key, the credit counter will count down to zero.  So part of the Replay Register has power and seems to work.

Gotta do more troubleshooting on the Feature Unit, I suppose.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental Replay Counter Questions
Post by: essmeier on August 25, 2019, 05:07:44 PM
Further update, and a bit of progress:

It appears that I've largely wired everything correctly, but I'm not quite there.

The game does not award credits after a winning combination.  But if I manually engage the Payout relay, the Replay Register will increment as it's supposed to.

If I have credits on the Replay Register, pressing the button on the side of the cabinet does not allow me to play credits.  Nothing happens.  But if I manually engage the Replay relay, the counter will decrement as it's supposed to and the handle correctly releases so that I can play.

If there are credits on the game, closing the Jackpot Release switch does cause the Replay Register to reset to zero.  At least one feature of the Replay Register is working correctly.

At this point, there are two remaining problems:

1. With credits on the register, pressing the button to play them doesn't work because the Replay relay isn't engaging. 
2. With a winning combination, no credits are added to the credit register because the Payout relay isn't engaging.

I'll add a copy of the schematic (for the 891-1) here.  It's the same one that's been floating around on this site, but I've cleaned it up a bit and restored the navigation indices that were cropped off in the original document.

I've run out of ideas as to what to test or check next.   Help or suggestions would be welcome.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: mark the spark on August 27, 2019, 12:07:52 PM
when you press the button does the odds motor run ?
it should run when you press the button
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on August 27, 2019, 12:22:22 PM
No, it does not, though yes, it should.

I've checked continuity through the circuit, except for the item marked "micro switch."  I don't know where that switch is located.

I suppose I could try using jumpers to bypass parts of that path, one at a time, to see if I can locate the trouble spot.

Attached: Portion of schematic showing path for replay button.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: mark the spark on August 27, 2019, 01:01:41 PM
not sure but is it the micro on the back of the hopper payout board ?
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on August 27, 2019, 01:27:27 PM
Micro switch location turns out to be irrelevant.

I have solved remaining problem #1:

1. With credits on the register, pressing the button to play them doesn't work because the Replay relay isn't engaging. 

There is an 81 (black/red) wire running from the replay button, through a Jones plug, to a switch on the Replay Register that is normally open at 0.

I wasn't getting continuity on that wire between the button and the switch.  I put a jumper on the blade of the button where the 81 wire attaches and the other end of the jumper on the blade of the switch on the Replay Register where the other end of the 81 wire attaches.

I had also inadvertently soldered two wires incorrectly on the make/break switch on the Replay Register.  I swear I'd checked that a dozen times, and I still got it wrong.

I put some credits on the meter, pressed the button, and the odds motor turned, the counter stepped down, and the handle released for play.

Turned out to be dirty connectors on the Jones plug.  I'd already cleaned them.  I cleaned them again.  Now that feature works.


Huge win here.  :dancing_2:



Last remaining problem is still a big one and cleaning the Jones plugs didn't fix it - Wins are not getting added to the credit counter.  I'm sure, as with the problem I've just solved, that it's something really simple.  Finding it?  Not so much.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on August 27, 2019, 05:37:22 PM
The back and forth nature of this sort of troubleshooting drives me nuts.

Seeing as though I'd had problems with a dirty Jones plug, I decided to clean all of my connectors.

Took out the reel unit, cleaned the pins on the beau plugs and cleaned the switches.

Took out the hopper, cleaned the pins on the beau plug and cleaned the switches.

Didn't do anything else.

Now nothing works.  I put in a coin, the coin relay engages, the "coin accepted" light comes on, and the Odds unit resets.  The handle does not release.  Pressing the replay button with credits on the counter does nothing. 


Hitting the coin switch after that simply causes the Odds unit to attempt to reset again.

Nothing else happens.  I have no idea what I've done here.  The last thing I worked on before this problem occurred was the hopper, but I've looked at it several times since and can't find anything out of place or out of adjustment.

EDIT (a day later): Nothing is more fun than working electromechanical games.  :banghead:

According to the schematic, most of the signal path to get the handle to release is on the reel mechanism.  So I pulled the reel mechanism out and checked continuity on an A-1 switch, two switches at C-3, two switches on the Coin relay, and the micro switch mounted next to A1.

Of course, everything checked out.  I adjusted nothing.

Since I had the reel mechanism out, I decided to clean the beau plugs yet again.  I also checked two switches on the Handle Release relay, and they checked out as good, too.

Not having anything left to check out, I put the reels back in the machine and powered it up.

And just like that, it's working again.  It's accepting coins and playing off credits.  What was the problem?  Dirty connector on the beau plug that I'd cleaned yesterday?  Perhaps.  I'll never know.

Back to trying to figure out why a winning combination won't trigger the Payout relay, so wins are not added to the Replay Register.  I'm 99% done with this, but...
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on August 28, 2019, 04:03:49 PM

Can anyone tell me what color wire should be at point "B" in the attached schematic section?

I've been checking and rechecking my wiring on this, and just realized that the schematic suggests that there should be two wires meeting 43-4 at the Replay Key Switch.

Edit:  Sorted this out.  It's a jumper on the stepper, and it's connected and working properly.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on September 01, 2019, 10:41:08 AM
I have, for the time being, pulled the plug on this project.  I've rewired the game to play with coins, and it's working in that regard.

I have the Replay Register installed, and if I wire the game for reply mode, with credits on the counter, the Replay Register will correctly count down and allow play when the button on the side of the cabinet is pressed.  That's good.

In replay mode, the machine will not add credits to the Replay Register after a win, though it will add credits to the register if I manually engage the Payout relay in the feature unit (shown on the schematic as "Payout relay (insert)")  In credit mode, after a win, nothing happens.  The machine just sits there.

That's the last remaining problem here.  In replay mode, the Payout relay isn't engaging after a win, which seems to be a necessary step to advance the Replay Register.

I've done all I can in the way of troubleshooting; I simply can't find anything else to investigate.  I'm sure I'm close; it's likely a single wire or switch or contact, though I can't rule out that it might be a wire, switch or contact that is missing from the machine, as this game has had a ton of post-factory work done on it.

Until someone comes along who understands this particular machine and schematic better than I do and who wants to help me with some step-by-step troubleshooting, I'm stuck.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: wolftalk on September 24, 2019, 11:36:08 PM
fwiw, the 891-20 was a variant for the hacienda casino.  The schematic was w-1046-1622, which is going to be pretty obscure.


what the differences are between that schem and the generic bally -1 thru -6 models I don't know.  Which schem are you looking at?


I have a 929 with replay register and a couple 891 schems, so may be able to help once I find the paperwork.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on September 25, 2019, 09:27:35 AM
Quote
fwiw, the 891-20 was a variant for the hacienda casino.  The schematic was w-1046-1622, which is going to be pretty obscure.

Interesting.  How do you know this? 

I'm curious to know how it differed from any of the other variations.   I don't know that it was the payouts, as mine seems to have the same payouts as other versions of the game that I've seen.

Bally probably shipped a schematic with every machine, and the casinos likely kept one and threw all of the other ones out.

The schematic I have, and the only one I've been able to find, is the W-1046-2006.  That's for the 891-1 version, which seems to be the most common model of the machine.

I haven't found any major surprises using that schematic; what I'm finding in the machine is pretty much what the schematic says should be there, aside from one or two wires that aren't the color the schematic says they should be.

I'd be interested in anything you might have to offer in the way of either paperwork or assistance.

Meanwhile, I'm in the process of rebuilding, from scratch, the missing switches that allow the operator to change the game from coin play to credit play.  I was able to get most of the parts I needed from a pinball parts supplier.

I've also created DIY appropriately colored wires.  I haven't yet wired up the switches, as I have some molex connectors on order that should be here any day now.

All of this was removed from the machine, and somebody just tied all the wires necessary for coin play together to get it to work.

As I said before, I'm really close on this, and it's likely just a single connection/wire/switch that's preventing it from working properly in credit mode.  (Edit, 10 days later - No, I wasn't close - it was a dozen wires that were wired incorrectly.)
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: wolftalk on September 25, 2019, 07:31:58 PM
well, that was fun.  Just lost my entire post because an attachment was too big.  So here's the short version.


attached below is a pdf of bally model numbers and engineering drawings that is a snapshot in time.  The 891 goes up to -22, and your schem is not listed, so I assume it's for a model after that.


I put my entire w-1046-1025 schem on http://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/891/ (http://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/891/)   


attached is the chunk relevant to replay register pay.  Since closing the "payout relay insert" works, you just need to get that relay to power when a win is detected.  Looks like it should always power even if in coin mode, and is driven directly from wire 93 on the payout counter disc.  However, see note on payout counter diagram attached ... I dunno what the "new style hopper" is.
 
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on September 30, 2019, 08:15:42 AM
Thanks.  For some reason, I didn't get email notification that you'd replied.

That is a huge attachment; perhaps PNG wasn't the best format for that.  I'll convert it to something more user-friendly and upload it to the downloads section.

I'll also print out a copy, as I'm eager to see how it differs from the one that I have.

The other document that you provided has an interesting note - "Use #87 wire in place of #93 wire on all #847 & #891-1 with new style hopper."  My game has a 93 wire there, and I couldn't figure out why it's a 93 when the schematic I have says it should be an 87.  Glad to have that cleared up; I now know that it's of no importance.

Meanwhile, I've been rebuilding the switch stack, rigging up the wiring harness, and trying to prepare the machine to have all of that wiring put back in.

Attached is a photo of the assembled switch stack with the wiring harness.  It's attached to a piece of wood just to provide a work surface.

The harness has been tested and every connection passes a continuity test - each wire has continuity with the wire to which it's supposed to connect when the appropriate switch is closed.

Those molex connectors have a female end (not shown) that has bare wires coming out that will wire into the machine.  When it's time to install, I'll be able to mount all of it with just two screws and then I'll just have to connect the three plugs and I'm good to go.

But...

In getting ready to wire all of that up, I've had to locate all of the wires that need to connect to the wiring harness.  This is where the strange post-factory wiring comes into play, and over the weekend, I've finally figured out most of what they did and why they did it.

They took all 16 leaf switches out.  They cut all of the wires that were used only for credit play and simply tied them off.

For the wires that are necessary for coin play, they wired them together in two different ways:
It's the second method that had me confused, as wires shouldn't change color at connectors, but on this machine, they do, unfortunately.

Over the weekend, I did something I should have done a long time ago.  I printed out two copies of the diagram on the schematic that shows the wire color for each pin of that beau plug.  (see image)

I labeled one "male" and one "female" and for each, I looked at the 30 pins on the connector, one by one, and wrote down the wire colors that were attached to that particular pin.

On the male side, 2 of the 30 pins had the wrong wire color.  Additionally, one pin on the male connector is missing, and as it happens, is necessary.

On the female side, 5 of the 30 pins had the wrong wire color and two pins had no wires at all, but every pin should have a wire.

The rewiring of the beau plug was an attempt to simply connect wires together that would normally have met at the switch stack that controls coin/credit play.

It took a while, but I finally sorted all of that out.   I also ordered a new male beau plug from KLAR that should be here in a couple of days.

I'll have to replace the male plug, and then I'll have to rewire both the male and the female connectors to the way they were from the factory.

Then I should be able to wire in the harness for the new switches.

In the process of all of this, I also discovered that I was confusing three different 91 wires, as there's a 91, a 91-2, and a 91-3.  I've labeled them and now know which one is supposed to go where.

I've attached a diagram that shows an example of how this thing was rewired at the beau plug.

This is an ugly project, but I've largely sorted out the problems.  It might even work after I'm done wiring this stuff up.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on October 01, 2019, 09:21:47 AM
@wolftalk
Got looking at that schematic (w-1046-1025d) that you uploaded recently.  I initially dismissed it, as a chunk of it was cut away and there was lots of custom wiring added by pen to the document.

But I took another look at it later and discovered that it's quite different from the (w-1046-2006) schematic that I've been using.  That one seems to be the most common version that's floating around, but it doesn't correspond to any model of the 891 listed on your Bally EM Slot Drawing Index document. 

Perhaps it's for a prototype.

The (w-1046-1025d) schematic seems to be more accurate and more closely matches the wiring I have in my own machine. 

There are numerous differences between the two, but I'll attach an image that shows section C-15 of that schematic and how they differ.   The wiring in that area had me scratching my head, and now I know why.  The version you uploaded clarifies what I was actually seeing in my own machine.

I spent some time cleaning up that schematic yesterday, removing the hand-added custom wiring, adding in the number line at the bottom and adjusting some contrast issues.

I don't currently have access to the downloads area, but I'll just upload it here.  For anyone with an 891 with a later manufacturing date, this is probably a better schematic.

I'll add it to the downloads section later.


Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on October 01, 2019, 04:35:22 PM
Thought I had everything sorted out regarding the wiring at that hopper beau plug, with one notable exception.
I had a 23 wire at the hopper that met a 40 wire at the plug inside the cabinet, but the old schematic I was using made no mention at all of a 40 wire. Didn't know if it was important or not, but I decided that I should try to track it down.
 
The old schematic showed that 23 wire as a 23-6, but I couldn't find anything on that schematic for that color wire that should be anywhere near the hopper.
 
I noticed that the new schematic showed that wire on the beau plug as a 23-3, rather than a 23-6.

I looked at the new schematic and found it. It's part of a complete circuit that's present in my machine but is not noted at all on the old schematic - a circuit for the hopper override solenoid.

That circuit includes an additional switch that has to be closed for coin play. My old schematic showed 8 switches for credit play and 8 switches for coin play and I built that and wired it up.

Turns out that it's 8 switches for credit play and nine switches for coin play.
 
Oh. That's kind of a big deal. I need to add a switch.

I never would have sorted that out without the newer schematic.  Another thank you to Wolftalk for that.


See attached.

 
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: wolftalk on October 02, 2019, 10:58:59 AM
whether you actually need the switch is debatable....all it does is stop the over-ride solenoid from being powered during payout in credit play. 


since the 891-2 model will pay the maximum 1500 payout in coin and has an over-ride solenoid, the over-ride solenoid must be capable of being held powered for that long without burning up. 


there's already another switch that prevents the hopper from powering in credit mode, so no danger of coins coming out even if the over-ride is powered in credit mode.


the missing chunk on the bottom-left corner of the schem I assume is the plug chart for the upper insert beau plugs.  I don't have a schem with that info, tho I do have a schem for an 891-14 that has part of it.  Unfortunately, the paper corner was folded when the copy I have was made so I can't read all the wire id's.  If your -2006 schem has a 24 and 22 pin plug down there, I'd like to see it.  Actually, I'd like to see the -2006 schem anyway :-)


the -2006 schem was likely for a 891 model that is later than the list I have.  I don't have the complete master list from bally, I have a copy of it that was taken at some point in time.  Bally continued to add to the list as machines were ordered in later years, so more model variants exist.


anyway, since you have an 891-20, there MAY be some differences from the 891-2 schem.   If you run across wiring on your game that is not on the -1025 schem, yell and I'll dig up other schems and see what's on them.


for example, I have a -1584 schem that uses molex plugs for everything except the reels and hopper.  It's not in the listing and it's pretty hard to read.  The game is described as 3333-891-1 on the schem.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on October 02, 2019, 11:46:05 AM
I'm not sure I need that switch, but it was important that I find out where those wires go, as they're hard-wired at the beau plug.  As I'm rebuilding the entire switch stack, due to mine having been removed, it's best that my wiring be as accurate as I can manage.

I also want to eliminate all instances of wires changing color at the beau plug.

I haven't installed the switches yet, as I'm still hunting down wires and I have to install a new male beau plug on the hopper, as mine is missing a pin.  So it wasn't a big deal to add another switch.  I had the parts lying around and I've got lots of wire.

That's done.  I'll put in that new beau plug today, and then I can rewire the female end so that wires going into both ends of the plug match in color.

Then all put the switch stack into the machine and wire it up.  If it works, great.  If not, I'll know I'm just a little bit closer and that I've got wiring anomalies out of the way.  Troubleshooting is easier when you know you're not having to work around third-party surgery.

There are copies of the -2006 schematic listed here on the forum, but they've got issues.  I'll attach a cleaned-up version here.

The -20, for what it's worth, has a ton of molex connectors.   I've got one to match every connector shown on the -2006 schematic.   I saw that the -1025 schematic didn't show as many, but I thought that was a document issue.  It never occurred to me that the machine just might not have as many connectors on it.

And one more thing - I've got a piece of documentation for the odds unit lying around here somewhere that mentions a -27 variation, so I know they went at least hat high.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: wolftalk on October 03, 2019, 02:15:36 PM
the -1584 schem is a lot closer to the -2006 one.  The main difference is the -1584 still has an override solenoid, so it uses the "old style hopper" and has the associated wire 93 circuit differences.


I scanned the -1584 schem and stuck it on http://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/891/ (http://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/891/)  ... and yeah, it's png and 55MB.  I'm assuming you'll further process it so compression artifacts at this stage aren't helpful.  I cleaned it up a little and it's not as good as running it thru a large format scanner, but it'll do.


if your game has pretty much the same molex plugs as the -2002 schem, then the -1584 may be the closest to what you have.  I didn't compare it to the -1025 schem, so don't know what's different besides the plugs.

attached is the plug info from the -14 schem...but it's not relevant if you have molex to the upper insert


Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on October 04, 2019, 08:48:36 AM
Curious to see the -1584 version, which is not listed on your version documentation.  It might be an even better fit than the -1025, though that one is pretty close, aside from the molex connectors.

Unfortunately, I'm getting a 503 error when I try to download.

The bingo site is up, but the download page....not working.  (Edit:  Working now.  Got it.  Thanks!)

Meanwhile- I added the ninth switch to the switch stack and installed the switches in the cabinet. (see photo)

The harness for the switches has 29 unique wires.  I made a list of them and then I went to the cabinet and looked for each wire, one by one.  Each wire should have either been connected to another wire that was also on the list, or sitting there by itself doing nothing.

Found all 29.  Not 28 or 30.  I had exactly 29 wires there, and all have a color-matched mate on the harness.

That's good.  I then tied each of the wires to its mate with a wire nut.  I'll solder or use butt splices later if I get it all working.

Left to do:

1. Put the mounting bracket back on the female beau plug.
2. Screw it down.
3. Put the shelf back in the cabinet.
4. Put the reels and hopper back in and see if it works.

Ordinarily, I don't like to change too many things at once.  Makes troubleshooting easier.

In this case, unfortunately, I have done a bit more.  Since the machine was last working, I have:

1. Replaced a male beau plug on the hopper.
2. Changed the location of two wires on that plug.
3. Installed 17 switches, with 29 wires and three 12-pin molex connectors.
4. Rewired 4-5 wires on the female portion of the beau plug in the cabinet.
5. Wired up 29 wires with wire nuts.

What could possibly go wrong?  I'll find out later today.

Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working
Post by: essmeier on October 04, 2019, 02:44:25 PM
Wired it up, fired it up, and ...
...it works.   :dancing_2:

It works in coin mode.  I put in a coin, hit a winning combination, and it dumps out coins.

I put it in credit mode, punched off six credits, manually set it to four oranges, and the bell rang and it added 120 credits to the Credit Register.

Wow.  I did not see that coming.

Still have some minor adjustments to make on the newly-added switches.  Need to replace the lock for that switch, as I don't have a key for it.  Right now, I'm changing it from credit to coin play by taking the cam apart with a wrench, moving it, and tightening it back again.

A new lock will fix that.

I bought this thing assuming that all I needed to do was add a Credit Register and wire it up.  Turned out to be 100 times more complicated than that.   I probably wouldn't have bought it if I knew it would take this much work to fix it.  Still, it turned out to be a good learning experience.

Things that I learned:

1. A schematic is not necessarily a schematic, especially on a machine with at least 28 known model variations.
2. I did not need to replace the Count Unit, as it doesn't do anything with the Jackpot Lockup relay removed and isn't required for either coin or credit play.
3. The part of the schematic that shows you the wire colors at the molex connectors is sometimes really important.
4. Lots of electromechanical slot machines seem to have had extensive third-party modification.
5. Lots of Bally Super Continentals seem to have had credit play intentionally disabled.

I'm guessing that the Credit Register just tends to wear out over time and casinos eventually decided they weren't worth replacing.  I remember playing Super Continentals back in the early to mid 1980s and I don't remember ever seeing one with a credit counter, yet as far as I know, they all shipped with one.

Thanks to all for the help, especially Wolftalk for providing better documentation. 

All good now.

Charlie
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working [resolved]
Post by: wolftalk on October 05, 2019, 02:14:59 PM
nice job.


if your existing lock is not an ace (round key) lock and you have a key that fits, take out the cylinder, stick in the key and yank or grind down any of the pins that are sitting up too high.


if getting another lock, make sure it can turn 180 degrees (comes with a 180 degree stop plate).


btw, what were you using to clean up the schematics?  I usually use gimp, but most of my slot schematics are copies from blueprints so it's quite a bit of work fiddling with settings and filters to try and remove most of the background noise.  I'd like to get all the documentation on a web site for free access, but with the color scans at 150MB+ each, I probably need to make a pass at cutting down the sizes and that'll take a while as I don't have a batch process that always works.


btw, below is the missing section from the w-1046-1025 schem.  Same as the -14 game on a previous post? ... not even close.

Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working [resolved]
Post by: essmeier on October 05, 2019, 03:24:10 PM
I use Photoshop.  It can be time-consuming, depending on the amount of cleanup.  I probably spent an hour on that -1025 schematic, mostly cleaning up the additional circuitry that had been added by hand and restoring the parts that had been scribbled out.


Regarding file sizes, if you can scan to a TIFF format, rather than PNG, you can easily get something that's easier to move around.  TIFF is non-lossy, but if you zip a TIFF file, it will compress to only 5-10% of the original size.

Yeah, need a couple of locks, and a new paycup, as mine is missing big chunks of plating.   I also need a new reel glass, as mine had major parts of it scraped away when they disabled credit play.

All in good time.  I'm out of town at the moment, but when I get home, I'll check out the missing section of the -1025 schematic.
Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working [resolved]
Post by: wolftalk on October 08, 2019, 02:21:44 PM
I uploaded a new cleaned up -1025 schematic.  Help yourself.


I've found png compresses a little better than tiff+lossless compression, but in any case the issue is the background noise.  Too aggressive removal and you tend to lose faded areas - especially wire IDs.


I may wind up with a batch process that gets the originals pretty small - greyscale and possibly lossy - then have a link to a much larger color lossless image in case details got lost.

Title: Re: Bally 891-20 Super Continental - Credit Play Not Working [resolved]
Post by: essmeier on October 08, 2019, 04:11:26 PM
That one looks terrific.  I'm converting it to a PDF now. 

Well done.
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