IGT S Plus Hot Peppers has a bad arm, tennis elbow?

[Bryan]

Hello everyone, my slot works in every way except an arm pull.  My pull arm solenoid will release the arm when credits are played and I can pull the arm. It doesn’t trigger a spin. I checked the mechanical part of it all and the arm seems to be working as it’s supposed to. 
 I’ve checked the switch with a meter and it seems to work also.  Circuit is open till the switch arm is pushed then continuity.    Does anyone have further suggestions?
 
Thanks in advance!

[Badbaud]

Follow the switch's wires to the other end can check for a open or a dirty connector.
That being said I had that same problem yesterday and even though the switch tested good replacing the switch got the handle working again.
There are two service holes a screwdriver can fit into to loosen the switch's mounting screws, use a pair of long nose needle nose to grab the screw before it falls on the floor.

[Bryan]

Follow the switch's wires to the other end can check for a open or a dirty connector.
That being said I had that same problem yesterday and even though the switch tested good replacing the switch got the handle working again.
There are two service holes a screwdriver can fit into to loosen the switch's mounting screws, use a pair of long nose needle nose to grab the screw before it falls on the floor.

Badbaud:   Thanks for the reply and I did as you said.  I followed my wires back to the board and checked for continuity there, it was good and connections clean. So I think I’ll take your advice and replace the switch.   After I can get that booger out… ha
One more question:  As I went back to the board I found a wire harness (not plugged into anything) that fit the J15 socket.  Is it supposed to be plugged in there?  Pictures below:
Thanks in advance for the help!

[Badbaud]

See attached.

[Badbaud]

Try this one instead.

[Bryan]

Try this one instead.

Thanks for your help!  Very much appreciated.

[Bryan]

Hey all:


I’ve trace the wires back to the motherboard and checked continuity there, all seemed OK.  From there I purchased a new switch and have good readings to the motherboard.   Any other suggestions or does it appear I might have a board issue?

[Badbaud]

The switch signal does go through the main board's opto-isolators.

[Jim]

First off we have to establish what is working and what is not working!! reason for this!, the spin reels button and the handle switch are in parallel. the same circuitry that will spin the reels using the spin switch is the same circuitry that will spin the reels using the handle. If you put one credit on the machine and push the spin reels button and the reels spin, then the board is probably good. if that works and the handle doesn't , then you have either a wiring problem or a mother board problem. I'll explain the wiring so you can trace it out and find out where the problem is!
the spin reels button wire will eventually end up at J-3  pin  15  on the motherboard, the handle switch will end up at J-10 pin 13 on the motherboard (yellow/black)  the ground for that switch is at pin 14 of J-10 (green wire).  the schematic for the mother board shows the input at J-3 pin 15 travels to Pin 13 of J-10 then terminates at P1-pin 19a  which inputs either signal ground to the logic board.

Hope this helps
Jim 

[Jim]

That other connector you showed in your picture, it gets plugged into J-13,  it was for a printer that was never used. Its a six pin connector.

Jim

[Bryan]

First off we have to establish what is working and what is not working!! reason for this!, the spin reels button and the handle switch are in parallel. the same circuitry that will spin the reels using the spin switch is the same circuitry that will spin the reels using the handle. If you put one credit on the machine and push the spin reels button and the reels spin, then the board is probably good. if that works and the handle doesn't , then you have either a wiring problem or a mother board problem. I'll explain the wiring so you can trace it out and find out where the problem is!
the spin reels button wire will eventually end up at J-3  pin  15  on the motherboard, the handle switch will end up at J-10 pin 13 on the motherboard (yellow/black)  the ground for that switch is at pin 14 of J-10 (green wire).  the schematic for the mother board shows the input at J-3 pin 15 travels to Pin 13 of J-10 then terminates at P1-pin 19a  which inputs either signal ground to the logic board.

Hope this helps
Jim

Jim:  Thanks for the help!  BTW  I’m still working on the Sigma Draw Poker. Hopefully soon! 
Anyway,   The spin reel button works as expected, so I pulled the motherboard and check continuity between J-3 pin 15 and J-10 Pin 13.  It was good!
Then I check continuity between J-10 Pin 13 and  P-1 19a, Good again. 
So I’m guessing I have a ground problem at J-10 pin 14??

[Jim]

The ground signal is noted a "Bgnd" on the schematics,  you should be able to put your meter to the green wire from the handle switch and touch the other lead of the meter to any metal surface, you should get a "0" reading doing this.  if it is open (no reading)  then you could ground that green wire to the cabinet somewhere and that should solve the problem.  we hope,  anyway one step at a time, we will get it figured out.

Jim

[Bryan]

The ground signal is noted a "Bgnd" on the schematics,  you should be able to put your meter to the green wire from the handle switch and touch the other lead of the meter to any metal surface, you should get a "0" reading doing this.  if it is open (no reading)  then you could ground that green wire to the cabinet somewhere and that should solve the problem.  we hope,  anyway one step at a time, we will get it figured out.

Jim

Jim:  Just double checking!  If I have a closed circuit "0",(from handle to cabinet)   I can ground to the cabinet?

Thanks

[Jim]

If you get a zero reading with one lead on the green wire and the other lead on any metal surface then you are getting the correct bgnd reading, next step would be to keep the one lead touching the metal cabinet and put the other lead on the yellow/ black wire coming out of the handle switch, hand activate the switch using the pull arm ( this will test the switch and the activation by the pull arm, reading should be open until you pull the handle, then it should go to zero. next would be to go to P1-19a and check the signal there, should have the same results as coming out of the handle switch.

 

[Bryan]

If you get a zero reading with one lead on the green wire and the other lead on any metal surface then you are getting the correct bgnd reading, next step would be to keep the one lead touching the metal cabinet and put the other lead on the yellow/ black wire coming out of the handle switch, hand activate the switch using the pull arm ( this will test the switch and the activation by the pull arm, reading should be open until you pull the handle, then it should go to zero. next would be to go to P1-19a and check the signal there, should have the same results as coming out of the handle switch.

 

Jim:
 Yellow/black wire to cabinet is a closed circuit with switch in any position.
I disconnected both wires from the switch and tested the switch, it works as it should. Left alone “1”,  pressed “0”
With wires disconnected I tested the following:
Green wire to cabinet is a closed circuit “ 0” resistance
Green wire to P1-19a is a closed circuit “ 0” resistance
Yellow/black wire to P1-19a is a closed circuit “0” resistance
Yellow/black wire to cabinet is a closed circuit  "0" resistance - push Reel spin button is an open circuit "1"

Then disconnected J3 from the Motherboad:
Green wire to P1-19a is a open circuit “ 1” resistance
Yellow/black wire to P1-19a is a closed circuit “0” resistance

Thanks Jim

[Jim]

well here are three more checks to make: keep one lead of meter connected to chassis ground(bgnd) for all these tests.

unplug J-3 from the mother board, now insert a small wire into pin 15 you should not have a reading (open), now press and hold the spin reels button, you should get a zero.

unplug j-10  insert wire into pin 13, .  should be open , when the handle is pulled and held down, nothing should change.

insert wire into pin 14 J-10,  should be 0 resistance.

lets verify that everything out side the mother board is good, 

I'll look at my S+ machine tonight and compare.

Jim

[Bryan]

well here are three more checks to make: keep one lead of meter connected to chassis ground(bgnd) for all these tests.

unplug J-3 from the mother board, now insert a small wire into pin 15 you should not have a reading (open), now press and hold the spin reels button, you should get a zero.

unplug j-10  insert wire into pin 13, .  should be open , when the handle is pulled and held down, nothing should change.

insert wire into pin 14 J-10,  should be 0 resistance.

lets verify that everything out side the mother board is good, 

I'll look at my S+ machine tonight and compare.

Jim

Jim:   We failed a couple of these tests.
I grounded to the cabinet for all tests.
Failed**  Unplugged  J-3 from the mother board and inserted a  wire into pin 15  ( Open reading “1”)… Then pressed the spin reels button and had no change (Open reading “1”)
Passed** Unplugged  j-10  inserted a  wire in pin 13,   Open circuit “1” should be open, when the handle was pulled and held down, nothing changed ( Open circuit “1”).
Failed** With J10 still unplugged, inserted a  wire into pin 14 J-10 and read  Open circuit “1”.  Pressed handle switch and still Open circuit “1”


Thanks Jim

[Jim]

Bryan,  I think I have figured out your problem, I hope. I think your spin reels switch is wired incorrectly, all the switches on the button panel use the bottom connector (common), and the next connector (normally open)  the only switch that does not do this is the cash out switch, its active wire is on the top connector(normally closed).  check out those connections.  green wire on the bottom,  yellow /blue wire on the next connection,  the top connection is open, nothing on it.

the reason all the tests failed when you unplugged J-10, J-10 also provides the bgnd signal for the handle switch operation.  when I did the tests on my machine last night, I raised the connector just enough so I could get a meter probe on the little square opening where the connector snaps in place, doing this allowed be to test everything with it plugged in.

Jim

[Bryan]

Bryan,  I think I have figured out your problem, I hope. I think your spin reels switch is wired incorrectly, all the switches on the button panel use the bottom connector (common), and the next connector (normally open)  the only switch that does not do this is the cash out switch, its active wire is on the top connector(normally closed).  check out those connections.  green wire on the bottom,  yellow /blue wire on the next connection,  the top connection is open, nothing on it.

the reason all the tests failed when you unplugged J-10, J-10 also provides the bgnd signal for the handle switch operation.  when I did the tests on my machine last night, I raised the connector just enough so I could get a meter probe on the little square opening where the connector snaps in place, doing this allowed be to test everything with it plugged in.

Jim

Bingo!


Jim:  Can't thank you enough for two things, helping me out and teaching me.      I greatly appreciate your time and talent.
Probably not the last time you'll her from me, I still have a Sigma Draw Poker machine to get up and running.   


Thanks so much!


Bryan