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**Reel Slots** Gaming Machines => Bally Electromechanical => Topic started by: shortrackskater on January 23, 2017, 10:22:49 PM
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This is what I get for not playing my Bally EM regularly...
The machine was working, mostly fine. All I did was clean some gummy ares and replace a few black and burned out bulbs. I left for 20 minutes and returned to smell something burning.
I found the 15a fuse inside on the far left inside, is frying, not blowing but getting way too hot and likely about to blow. I've isolated the hopper, reel mechanism, and plug to the top lights and it is still frying. The lights work, but flicker just a little. ... I'd think if one was shorted, I'd notice it and since I disconnected the top and the fuse still cooks, it can't be that.
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Mark, you might of gotten something wet and started a low resistance carbon path. If so I would think you would be seeing some smoke or sniff it out. Look carefully with the lights out, see if you see any thing cooking. With a 15 amp fuse I assume it's a low voltage AC circuit. Lights flickering signals something frying. Did you put a ammeter in place of the fuse to see what's actually being drawn? And try a new or different fuse? With persistence you will find it. A schmatic of it would also be very helpful in troubleshooting it. What model is it I could look just in case I might have a wiring schmatic? Gene
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first - 15amp NOT recommended - the standard fuses for an e/m are 10amp for the light circuit (blue wires) - 8 amp for the coils (orange wires) and 5 amp for the power circuit (white/black) wires. If your bulb work was on the door - i would check the "wings" on the bulb holders grounding to the cabinet. to isolate - discount the molex at the door.
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Right GOS,
Probably rotated a solder fin on a bulb socket that now is shorting out on the case or another wire.
May knocked off some electrical tape causing a short. Pull the molex plug in the door.
Good work eliminating the other units.
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you are lucky you didn't melt down your transformer (which maybe the burning you smell) !!!
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Thanks all. I'll trace my path back. I did replace a few bulbs in front. I'll look to see if I rotated a solder fin. I'm usually careful about that but it's entirely possible.
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You can buy this breaker in most hardware stores then I use an AC amp probe on all light sockets to find the shortest one pics a lot less time that way I had a 831 one last year that had a shorted socket the problem was it was the winner paid light the fuse would blow as soon as it got done paying that took an hour to find
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I forgot to mention I would never leave the machine on more than 10 minutes and at least off 10 minutes without size fuse or you can blow the Transformer very easy
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Thanks Jon!
I did find on of the light socket fins on the door appearing to touch ground. I adjusted it and powered up the machine still keeping the hopper, reel mech, and top lights disconnected. The fuse didn't get hot. I reconnected the everything but the top lights, same result. Then I reconnected the top lights and the fuse started frying again! It seems intermittent though. I'm going to repeat every step I did though and report back. I did replace a number of blackened bulbs in the top box but I can't see anywhere I'd get a short. :Scratch-Head:
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Not sure of the light configuration in the top unit. This is the odds pay schedule light board?
Other than searching and test for shorts. Depending on how many lights are involved, you could use the process of elimination.
If there are fluorescent lamps remove the starters and all the 6 volt bulbs. Turn the machine back on, see what happens. If the fuse holder stays cool, start replacing starters and bulbs until the fuse get hot again. This may help narrow down the search. An infrared thermometer would be a great help in this situation.
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Check your wiring harness also. When you close the door, it could move a bit and cause a bulb socket to ground out. Look at the transformer also. If you see drips of what looks like wax coming out of the bottom, your close to shorting it. I bought one that when I went to pick it up, they informed me they were playing it the day before and all was well. But earlier the day of pick up... started smalling and the trans started to drip just a little. I bought it anyway and after getting it home, I looked carefully at it. Then I found the problem. They were grabbing dimes out of the hopper and as their hand came over the top of the door, they dropped a dime and it shorted the lamp socket to ground. The dime was stuck to it and purple from the heat. Removed it and all has been ok since then.
Good luck on your journey to fixing it.
Dave F
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I checked the wiring, inspected the transformer, etc. Went back to the lights on the door (since I isolated the entire top box earlier) and I did end up finding what appeared to be a shorted solder fin. I adjusted it off ground but still had a hot fuse and dim lights. I touched the top of the fuse cap and the dim lights flickered to regular intensity lights when I held the cap down. So I removed entire fuse holder and saw a bit of what looked like solder on the bottom. Also the spring contact on the cap was squished down and appeared dirty. (Down and dirty!) I removed the solder bit and replaced the cap with a new one. Now I have full intensity lights. I've left the machine on for some time and have a nice non-cooking fuse. I'll leave the machine on again tonight and check it but I believe the cap was the problem although I've never had that problem. So far, so good.
Thanks all, so far. :applause:
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Forgot, that fuse has a printed rating (on the stock Bally sticker strip along the fuse mount base) of 15amps but it's working with the 10amp. Should I leave it as is?
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I would.. I've never seen one needing a 15 amp fuse before.. As for the fuse holder and cap, I have seen then go bad before.. I bought a machine a couple year ago, where they had the fuse caps held on with duct tape.. Glad to hear it's fixed...
Gary
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..... I did end up finding what appeared to be a shorted solder fin. I adjusted it off ground but still had a hot fuse and dim lights. I touched the top of the fuse cap and the dim lights flickered to regular intensity lights when I held the cap down.....
glad you got it working, since you are keeping the machine
you might want to make sure your house fire insurance is up to date. :garfield:
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15 amps is too high a fuse.
If it won't hold under 15 you should do a serious check for shorts.
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15 amps is too high a fuse.
If it won't hold under 15 you should do a serious check for shorts.
What size fuse is normally found in that position?
Maybe shortrackskater has 500 ft of oldstyle Christmas lights connected to that line and draped around the area. :propeller:
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OMG ... get rid of those lamps .... WTF would someone do that to that machine?????
Dave F
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OMG ... get rid of those lamps .... WTF would someone do that to that machine?????
Dave F
And I had them tapped off that fuse! :rotfl:
For those who didn't read back...It's working, so far. No hot fuse, nice bright lights.
Again everyone... it's working with a 10a fuse although the stock Bally sticker below it reads 15a.
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I made a joke about Christmas lights, maybe Dave thought it really happened?
Sounds like 15amp is the right size fuse for that machine.
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I didn't read back myself! :duh:
It looks great now so I'm moving on to another issue with it. I'll start a new subject soon I hope.
However I have this little minor surgery coming up... actually it's major - so hope I'll be recovering soon. Just a little laminectomy and fusion at two levels in my really messed up neck. :no:
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Hope all goes well. I may know the pain your in. Blew out three upper disc's in neck. Two went forward, no major problem for now. Third went towards rear pressing on or against spinal cord. There is no pain comparable to nerve pain. No fusion. They replaced the disc. A artificial disc is Prestige disc. First used in US in 2008. Prestige had a surgeon present in op room working with hospital surgeon.
You will be a lot better after surgery. Good luck man, thoughts are with you.
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Thanks Jim
I'm getting fusion but instead of a bone, they're using a bone-like disc (It probably has a name) that is made of some sort of material that's mixed with bone. The doctor says this eliminates the need for a titanium plate as well. I hope it works. I really have no other options due to my level of insurance. A lot of professionals have told me that just removing the bone spurs should be a huge help.
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You're gonna need to stop snapping your head around so quickly
when a woman in a short skirt or tight top walks by. :garfield:
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That may be a problem! :Tongue_Out: