Bally 831 - Hopper motor runs with every pull

[mark the spark]

I am enjoying this thread so lets throw some ideas out there
I take it that your photos of the hopper were taken after it paid out as your wiper arm is almost at the top
never having had a 831 I take it you can win on all three lines at once?
only 42 coins could represent plums on an all three lines win, if so could you not put a piece of paper under the 14 pay wiper and see if this prevents your hopper from paying out.
is it worth doing that for all payouts  so at least your finding which circuit is hot and then work backwards
as I say just throwing some ideas out there

[Amechanic]

That's a good idea.. The 831 is a 3 coin 3 line machine, but I don't think you can win on all 3 lines at once. I do know that the 831 should have a seperate relay only for the Plum symbols. I'm trying to remember where it's located? Something's telling me its on or under the hopper.. It should be labeled Plums.. Check to see if its contacts are stuck closed..

[rokgpsman]

That's a good idea.. The 831 is a 3 coin 3 line machine, but I don't think you can win on all 3 lines at once. I do know that the 831 should have a seperate relay only for the Plum symbols. I'm trying to remember where it's located? Something's telling me its on or under the hopper.. It should be labeled Plums.. Check to see if its contacts are stuck closed..

info on the Plum relay in a Bally 873, might be helpful

http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=3823.msg21036#msg21036

[DBreneman]

I'll go through and check for that.  It does sound like a vert similar problem.  Thanks!

[DBreneman]

There is no plum relay under the payout unit.

I tried insulating the 14 wiper as suggested and it had no effect.  As soon as the machine is powered on (with the payout counter reset) it pays out 42 coins.  I also tried insulating the other wipers. The only way I could prevent the 42 coins from being paid out (or 42 plus, if the machine is cycled without first resetting the payout counter) was to insulate the "F" wiper.  In that case, it pays out nothing, not even if there is a winning combination on the reels. 

This leads me to believe that all of the payout segments are energized when the machine is reset.  Somehow, when the counter advances 42 after reel two indexes, the circuit is opened.

Recall from earlier that the 42 coins are paid out if the machine is powered up with the payout counter reset.  If the machine is then played, it begins paying out immediately when the reels are released, and will pay out however many coins it can until reel 2 indexes.  Then it will pay out 42 more coins.  This usually results in 54-56 coins being payed per play.

[Amechanic]

Have you inspected your reels beau plugs wiring for a broken or wire grounding out? Remove the Phillip screws holding the retainers, then pull the plugs forward and inspect the wires.

[DBreneman]

I will do that next!

[mark the spark]

if your F wire is the only way to stop the hopper running then we could work from there
the reason it happens with the first reel is all your pays come through the 1st reel contact plate so when the hopper pay disc is reset or  when coining and then pulling the handle the machine resets the hopper pay board but then starts paying out this being broken by reel 2 indexing
stating the obvious your getting 50 volts to the payout counter disc straight away
looking at the schematics the only other way I can see that happening is through the 777 relay or bar relay but would expect a bigger payout than 42
that's of course if theres no shorted wire, or the wiring on reel 1 is correct

[OldReno]

Just for kicks try putting a piece of paper under each of your outboard wipers to insulate them from the board and see if it still does that.
You have 2 sets of 2 fingers each.
This should help determine if the outboard wipers and high pays are involved in this issue.

[DavidLee]

Okay, took a close look at the 4th photo from the top. The Zero switch rubber stop is 90% gone and could be part of the problem.
This is an easy fix. The rubber stopper extends approximately .250 out of the metal holder and about the same inside the holder.
A thick walled vacuum line should do the trick or something to that effect. I cut my piece a little longer and trimmed it to the correct length
after testing it in the machine. Be sure to back out the adjusting screw about 90% as to gain full adjustment later as needed. This is a pretty fine adjustment either way which will be determined by how the machine pays out.