Troubleshooting help for 1983 Ainsworth/IGT Esprit 3 reel coin slot

[Goober]

when I got this machine only the flouresent lights and the cooling fan worked. I found and replaced bad fuse, 24V 7W #2 and replaced a 12V 7amp fuse where somebody had inserted a 3W bulb, #5 i think. No improvement. Found one of the plugs to the counters disconnected. All other plugs seemed normal. When I connected the plug fuse #6 blew. I disconnected the plug. Next I cycled the key in the left door that turns on the bulbs that illuminate the counters in the top right of the case. The solenoids that control the reel spin began clicking when I cycled the key and one at a time, beginning on the left, then the center and finally the right reel spun and the locking mechanism did not stop them. Next I cycled the main power swith and all the "coin played" lamps lit, the jackpot meter lit up and the motor in the coin hoppe began to spin. I turned the power off, and when I turned it back on the only thing working was the flouresent lights and a buzz from either the ballast or the speaker. Pretty sure it was the speaker, and somewherre in this sequence the cooling fan stopped running.


I don't believe the key is supposed to do anything but turn the bulbs on so you can read the counters without opening the machine. So I am hoping what I have is a short across two circuits that is introducing all these gremlins, and an open somewhere that is preventing most of the hardware from getting power. Please don't tell me it is a CPU/MPU.