Bally 6000 Monte Carlo/Fortune Finder Wheel Issues

[cheller80]

Having two problems that are driving me nuts. This is on a game that was working properly, and now is not.


First, the top wheel suddenly started having an issue where it only "pulses" 1 notch at a time, not spin like it normally would.  This symptom has been coming and going since then, both at powerup and sometimes during play, and I can't find where the issue is.  It seems like a power thing, as the top fans pulse in tandem with the wheel doing this, meaning the fans start and stop in the same rhythm as the wheel pulsing (but run fine when the wheel is detached and when it is not doing this). I have checked and rechecked all the connectors and not found anything that solved it. The base game still plays fine.


Second, the original wheel PCB (when it does spin properly) now spins continuously, not finding its stopping point. I have a 2nd fully working game where this board now does the same thing - wheel never stops moving (just pauses at 50 and when reset, but then never stops). To add to the fun, I bought another working wheel PCB which worked fine and I thought I was good, but after it working for an hour last night, the "pulse thing" started again and now that board too just spins continuously even in the "good" cabinet with a 91NC error.  UGGGH.


I fear (but also can't believe) that somehow both of these boards went bad because of the #1 issue. It seems that they maybe aren't clearing properly when they're moved between games (I have moved MPUs around too, and ran leave-in full clears when needed)?  Is there a way to specifically "reset" the wheel board? Is there a manual/schematic specifically for the AS-03356-535 board and how they operate?


Thanks for any help, I'm going more nuts about this than the quarantine!

[Sunrise Side]

Have you replaced the Power Supply with a new unit in the bottom of the cabinet? Common problem. I would start there.

[cheller80]

Hi, yes switching the PS was next on my list to look at the "pulse" issue. Most concerned about the wheel driver PCB errors I'm getting now on the boards that were in there. With a lot of digging, I saw some mention from Bettor way back that there is a separate clear for the top box? Haven't found another mention of that or instructions.

[Sunrise Side]

Replace your PS, do another clear and  see if that clears up all the errors. Remember,  errors will stack up  in memory and  you may have to open and  close the main door several  times to clear each error.  Also,  is the  white plunger  switch in the top box bypassed?  Another  note, I  didn't have any luck with leave in mains with the bonus wheel games.  I used removable type mains.

[cheller80]

Thanks!  I wondered if it was a mains issue too and whether "hard" clear chips might take care of it.


Will check when I can and report back.

[cheller80]

Tried a known good PS, and it was *better*, but still replicated the "pulse" issue in the top box a couple times.


Next stop:  backplane connectors/solder joints


This intermittent stuff sucks!


Also tried some 2003 mains instead of leave ins, still couldn't clear the top.


Next stop:  make some hard clear chips and give it a whirl


Thanks Sunrise for your tips!

[pbwizard25]

There is no separate clear for the top box.There is a power supply up top behind the bonus wheel that goes bad often , trace power to and from .
You can run leave in clears in the short bonus wheels not the bigger Monte Carlos.DS1 switch 5 and 7 and 8 off. Make sure that the wheel spinner is on the motor shaft correct, it may be moving slightly and causing it to lose position.LMK how you make out. Scott

[cheller80]

Thanks Scott!  Problem is that I now have 2 wheel PCBs that worked fine and now have continuous wheel syndrome even in my "good" game (after having the original intermittent "pulse" issue in the suspect game). These games both worked fine when I got them a couple months ago, and the one just started acting up. The base game is fine in both places.


I rotated the top box power supplies and they seem fine. The suspect main PS is fine in my "good" game (did touch up the solder on the PS connectors, but not sure if that was it). I think the backplane connector for the wheel may be the real start of the problem, need to pull that out and reflow things.


The only thing I haven't tried yet is using "hard" clear chips vs. leave-ins.


Can't believe that Bally didn't have a solve for those wheel boards if they got out of sync with the MPU. They do pause at "50" first turn, when reset, and when the bill acceptor engages, then start spinning again.  Seems like they know where they are, but not where they're supposed to be.


There are several empty connectors, plus a couple removable jumpers on the wheel board. They do anything?  I just want a reset button or to pull a battery to clear those damn things!


I also tried swapping the socketed chips from my one (still) working board (I know, daring) and still got continuous wheel (and the working board still worked).  Which chip is the "comm" chip or the RAM on these, need a "clean" one? Hard to even guess without a schematic or operating details (bad, bad Bally - nothing much in the Monte Carlo manual I found).  ARRGGHHH!!!

[Sunrise Side]

Have you replaced the battery on the MPU?

[cheller80]

Hi Sunrise!  Yes the batteries are new, and the same thing is happening with two boards. But a thought is to pull the batteries to "start over" with the clears. Thanks!

[cheller80]

Still driving me nuts.  I find myself dreaming the SNL/Martin Short/Ed Grimley "spin wheel spin" skit in my sleep...


In the "good" game, after clearing and such, with one of the wheel PCBs that now has continuous spin issues, when getting the bonus spin, it pays the spin win amount immediately with some background sounds - no voice, music or prompt to press the spin button. All while the wheel keeps on spinning. That mean anything?

[cheller80]

Good news:  seem to have this fixed
Not so good news:  not exactly sure why

The "pulsing wheel" power issue was bad power connections on the backplane.  After touching up the solder joints for the connectors, it hasn't repeated. That makes sense.

For the wheel PCB, it continued to spin continuously until I substituted a different main PCB that hadn't been in a Monte, and then got a 42 error when I moved it between machines.  After clearing the 42, the wheel PCB appears to have "reset" and now works properly.  Didn't do anything else except for all the swapping and clearing along the way, and was working with boards that worked fine otherwise.

Random luck?  Maybe it looks at the wheel PCB like a reel, and when it "cleared" the main reel error (the 42), that cleared the wheel PCB too?

I'll take it, but also afraid to f with "success" to understand further.

Thanks for the help with this, and hopefully this may help others fight "continuous wheel syndrome" too.