Author Topic: connectors not connected, etc (Read 3403 times)

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #20 on:** December 21, 2019, 09:24:36 AM »

ok, I checked the red and orange as indicated in the photos. readings were 13.1 and 24.1
im guessing that eliminates the power concern. next step?

Tilt · « **Reply #21 on:** December 21, 2019, 10:12:41 AM »

Yeah, those are good. I'm thinking your VFD may be bad (the blue dot matrix display on the bottom left side of the reels. Try this. Pull the MPU board out and turn the machine on without it installed. You should see that display show "Display passes self-test" followed by "Display's Netplex link is down". Let us know if it does.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2019, 11:39:24 AM »

pulled MPU, turned on machine, no change in display. no blue light VFD at all.
( I found a voodoo doll holding a slot machine in my wifes closet, maybe that's the problem )

Tilt · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2019, 01:28:32 PM »

Ohhhh...the vodoo doll, that's not good!

Check ribbon cable that goes from the VFD to the VFD controller to make sure it's completely seated. Same with power and netplex connectors on the VFD controller. If those are all plugged in correctly then I'd say it's time to look for a new controller. I think the machine is trying to tell you what to do, but you can't see it since the display doesn't work. The display itself could be bad, but unless it's physically damaged, like the glass tube being cracked or broken it's probably good. The VFD controllers have a surface mount cap (C3) that goes bad and will cause a blank display when it does. If you have the tools and skills to replace it I'd do that. If not, just find another controller. They're fairly cheap.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #24 on:** December 22, 2019, 06:39:19 AM »

pics attached seem to indicate the ribbon cable is connected tightly at both ends, as are power connectors. pix show all components undamaged visually.
What is the "surface mount C3" ?
also, I removed the snap in card shown that is seated on an angle in the door. is that possibly bad?
which part is the controller needing replacement, is it in one of these pictures?
and lastly, the smaller card positioned next to the mpu box in the main cabinet shows an unused connector. should it have something attached to it?
( had to type fast...feeling a voodoo pin in my right arm suddenly...wheres my wife? )

Tilt · « **Reply #25 on:** December 22, 2019, 09:01:05 AM »

The last photo (labeled vsu ribbon1.jpg) is the VFD controller. C3 is a surface mount capacitor soldered onto it. I didn't see it in the photo, it's hiding behind something somewhere or the vodoo doll got it

.

The other circuit board is the door I/O card. It doesn't have anything to do with the VFD, so you can put it back in and hook the cable back up to it.

I'd start looking for a new controller. Hopefully that will get the display working again so you can see what the machine is trying to tell you. Check with Jim (Midwest slots), he probably has some available.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #26 on:** December 30, 2019, 04:11:20 PM »

got another VFD board, replaced it. blue code screen now shows three things as noted in attached photos:
Door open M.
Bill Validator Stacker Open
Closure B

( don't tell the wife, but when I ordered the vfd board, I taped a rabbits foot to the back of the voodoo doll and put it back in the box. Good for me since the board is now sending signal. Bad for the rabbit since he now needs a walker. )

soo...whats next guys? at least we get a code to work from now. yayyy.

Tilt · « **Reply #27 on:** December 30, 2019, 04:33:08 PM »

Hey alright! Now you can see what the machine is saying and the voodoo doll is at bay. The

will get over it

.

Some error messages can "stack". Try opening and closing the main door a couple of times and see if everything clears. It first showed the BV door open, then closed. So the only one left is Door Open M(ain). When you close the main door make sure to push the door latch all the way down.
See if that works.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #28 on:** December 31, 2019, 11:21:27 AM »

Heres what I did, and the results.
opened door, turned on switch to start machine, closed door( checked to confirm fully closed/latched), messages read same as before but new one was added " call attendant". I opened, closed, and checked for complete closure a few times. Then, I
tried turning key, and the Change button to the far left lit up and the message changed to " 1 Accounting".
Pressed the Change button once, message changed to " 4 I/O Tests "
Pressed the Change button again, message changed to " 2 History Displays"

I noticed that the mpu lights ( two yellow and one green) were off, but each time I turn the machine back on they return.
( maybe the tape came loose on the rabbits foot...geez.)
well...getting some messages is encouraging anyhow, albeit I am....Kindaconfused.

Stayouttadabunker · « **Reply #29 on:** December 31, 2019, 11:53:03 AM »

Turning the key when the door is closed only gives you a few options that an Attendant or slot accountant might use.
Opening the door and pressing the test switch momentarily gives you a lot more options to play with.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #30 on:** December 31, 2019, 12:07:09 PM »

Wow. I opened the door and hit the reset only once briefly, and by pressing buttons saw many different options and tests noted on the vfd. Don't know how to do them, or which to try, but it is fun seeing more messages anyways.
Also, I checked the door and metal box for the bills and noticed the box was not seated all the way in. I took it out and reset it in place all the way, then checked the metal door and it closed correctly and completely.
Thought I had a small victory and would eliminate the BV open code. Wrong. Still shows up. But the taste of victory was cool even though it was just an illusion.
thnx for the input, many replys, and patience guys.

Tilt · « **Reply #31 on:** December 31, 2019, 12:22:28 PM »

I'm thinking the MPU isn't seeing your main door close. Try this. Open the door. Press the white (or chrome) pushbutton right below the MPU LEDs one time. Hit the Cashout button (or cash/credit button depending on labeling) three times. You should see [4 I/O Tests] on the display. Hit spin reels, display says 4.1 Input tests. Hit spin reels again display says 4.1.1 Door Input Test. Hit Cash out twice, should be at 4.1.3 Processor Input test. Hit spin reels again, and then cash out. You should see MAIN DOOR 0 in the display. Now close the main door the 0 should change to an alternating 0 and 1.

Let us know what you come up with.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #32 on:** December 31, 2019, 12:45:48 PM »

main door stayed at 0

Tilt · « **Reply #33 on:** December 31, 2019, 12:56:36 PM »

I was afraid of that. OK. There's two things the main door closure depends on. One is the optics, and the other is the belly door switch. The belly door switch is located at the top left side of the door frame. Open the belly door (there's a knob by the by door handle on the right hand side that you pull out on to open the belly door, make sure to support the door with your other hand so it doesn't slam down and possibly break the glass) and check the switch. It may have been bypassed, and if not you may want to bypass it just so it doesn't cause any problems in the future. You just take the wires off the switch, cut off the connectors, strip the wires, twist them together, and tape them up (soldering them together and using heat shrink tubing is better if you can). Once we're sure the belly door switch is either working or bypassed we can start looking at the optics.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #34 on:** January 01, 2020, 10:46:47 AM »

ok, belly door switch bypassed ( see pic ), and after running the series of buttons to check main door code, it still stays at zero ( see second pic).
( btw...heres to wishing all you guys a safe and healthy New Year in 2020 )

Tilt · « **Reply #35 on:** January 01, 2020, 01:17:41 PM »

Happy New Year! Did you make your resolution to get this slot working?

Bypass looks good, it's definitely not the belly switch, which means one of two things. Bad/misaligned optics or bad MPU. You can try to align them, the one on the frame will adjust up and down if you loosen the two phillips screws. If that doesn't change anything then you can bypass them too, but it's not as simple as bypassing the belly door switch is. In fact I've never done it, but there's drawings here on NLG that show how to wire it to a set of unused contacts on the door switch. Maybe someone here can talk you through that process if you end up having to go down that route.

Try adjusting them first.

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #36 on:** January 01, 2020, 04:16:44 PM »

tried adjusting cabinet main door optics, higher, lower, misc in between. no luck.
however, I did find a post from Stayouttadabunker on how to bypass door optics.
Green door optic wire to purple cab optic wire.
Green cab wire to position one on cherry switch.
Red door optic wire to position three on cherry switch.
Bypass requires lengthening wires and routing from door optic switch to hinge, across reel deck, and then to cherry switch.
so, looks like im gonna be busy for a while trying this one.
by the way, what gage wire do I need for this? I don't have a wire gage anymore. don't really wanna just guess.

Tilt · « **Reply #37 on:** January 01, 2020, 04:44:19 PM »

It doesn't surprise me that adjusting the optics didn't help. Not sure that bypassing the optics will either, but it's worth a shot. Most all the internal wiring is 22 gauge, so go with that or larger and you'll be fine.

qbert · « **Reply #38 on:** January 01, 2020, 08:36:36 PM »

Before you start cutting up the optics have you properly aligned them?
To do this: With the door closed and latched take a wide piece of masking tape and place it on the outside of the door across both the door and the cabinet where the optics are located. Slice the tape at the parting line between the case and the door. Then open the door and on the door side with the door open and the latch all the way down mark on the tape on the outside of the door where the optic is located. Then close the door and latch down extend the line you made on the door to the tape on the cabinet. Now open the door and match the location of the cabinet optics to your line on the cabinet. That should do it if not try moving the optic up or down by an 1/8 inch.
This is really easy to do and better in my opinion than cutting up factory wiring and using the bullshit cherry switch method. Very rarely one of the optics go bad but I would just replace the optic.
Just my two cents.
Rich

Kindaconfused · « **Reply #39 on:** January 02, 2020, 06:10:27 PM »

well, the tape thing from Qbert helped lead me in the right direction. I measured the optic cabinet location versus the door optic and saw the cabinet one was both too far to the right, and also too low. So I made both adjustments, went through the previous door check button process, and the code changed to Main Door with a blinking 0 - 1. success !!! but the Vfd code then displayed, Closure MB, Reels disconnected, and Call attendant.
I opened the door, checked the reels, and reel one was slightly short of being pushed in all the way so I fixed that.
Then i held the reset in for 3 seconds, closed the door, turned the side panel key on the outside right of the cab.
The reels spun briefly, stopped, the music played for a few brief seconds, stopped, and the vfd changed. The messages in total ( some were on the screen at the same time) read: 1 credit 25 cents. ( strange since its a 50 cent machine), Play 3 credits, Insert coin.
Looked like it was ready to accept money and start playing, so I dropped in a quarter and it fell straight through and out of the machine. I had previously checked the Coin Comparator and it has a quarter in it and displays a green light. The quarter is an older style, so I tried a few similar years quarters. All dropped through.
So the great news is that with all you guys guidance I am seeing more activity in this machine than ever before, and the previous codes have disappeared.
Now, to figure out why the quarter drops through.
Thanks so far to all of you for your help, advice, and supply of parts.

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Author Topic: connectors not connected, etc (Read 3403 times)