MEI Cashflow Bill Validator Not Working

[darthb10]

Hello all,

I am fairly new to this forum so I apologize in advance if this is the wrong section to post in.

The problem I am experiencing has to do with an MEI cashflow Bill Validator unit that I have installed in my s2000 Triple Double slot machine. For some reason the bill validator isn't being recognized by the slot machine. When I power on the slot machine, the bill validator blinks green whereas the yellow and red lights stay off. It refuses to take any bills in unless it is on test mode. Even then, it takes the bill in and spits it back out afterwards.

I have ran multiple config tests via the slot machine and made sure that all of the necessary values are inputted. The credit limit is not the issue, the bill limit is not 0, etc. When I run a Netplex test to try and find the bill validator, it states that it cannot find it despite it being plugged into the machine. I'm thinking that it has something to either do with a faulty wire or outdated MEI cashflow head. Which, if that is the case, what is my best option? Should I just buy an entirely new Bill Validator system? Do I purchase a new MEI cashflow head? I've been trying to fix this issue for a week now and have nothing to show for it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
B

[Stayouttadabunker]

With the power OFF, push the metal round bar up, and slide out/remove the head from the machine.
Look under the head  , can you tell us what may be printed on the labels?
Maybe a photo?

Does the motor in the head run the stacking mechanism inside the Cashflow biilbox, when you re-seat it under the head?

[darthb10]

I assume you mean these.

[darthb10]

this as well.

[darthb10]

Also, the stacking mechanism does run when it is re seated. It does it's little start up noise before beginning to blink green.

[dailey]

If the green light has a steady evenly paced flash and the red and yellow are off, that sounds like you are viewing it with the door open. With the door open it flashes. It should be a solid green with the door closed. Can you view it from the bill slot?

A solid green with door closed is normal. A single or a double green flash means the head is ok and the problem is elsewhere. See the diagnostic code.

[Stayouttadabunker]

okay...looks good....and the flashing green LED is good too.
Does your cabinet have door optics or a cherry switch?
If it has wired door optics, close the door and watch for the yellow bill bezel to light up.
You can check the bill bezel lamps if the're any good by swappiing with the denomination lamp on the reel glass.
If your machine just uses the cherry switch, pull out the plunger...it will act as if the door is in a closed-state.
Watch to see if the yellow bill bezel comes on.

Also, are there any messages coming up at all on the blue VFD reel glass display?

Finally, there are bill validator tests, door optics tests you can run....but I want you to see if you can get the door in a closed-state.
It's the simplest thing to try by just observing the bill bezel light.
If you can't get that bill bezel light to come on, it won't accept bills.

[darthb10]

I believe my main cabinet has door optics installed, not a cherry switch.
As for the Bill Validator, a miracle transpired last night. Somehow I was able to get it to accept bills and function properly! The downside is that it only lasted a short while before going back to "Not Responding". This leads me to believe that it is either a loose wire or faulty cash box stacker/head. I have already deep cleaned the cash box as well. Just need to keep finnicking with it and see if anything happens.

[darthb10]

The Bezel light does come on when running a test via the MEI head. It also came last night when it worked for 10 minutes.

[Stayouttadabunker]

Hmm...it worked for a bit...all the lamps came on is a good sign...at least for 10 minutes!
But something made it go out again....misaligned door optics maybe?

[darthb10]

I can send pics when I get home of the door optics.

I went ahead and purchased a separate cash box just in case.

[darthb10]

Does this help at all?

[darthb10]

Been messing with it for the past few hours now. No progress at all. Auto config keeps saying Bill Acceptor: Not Responding. Took out cash box, MEI head, both simultaneously. Nothing seems to work. I feel like this will be the bane of my existence.

[Stayouttadabunker]

"The bane of my existence" 

BTW...nice pics of dor optics?
Only tells me you have door optics....doesn't mean they work.
Let me ask you a couple of questions.
What's the machine's ddenomination?
Would you like to see my settings on my S2000?

Maybe we can spot something missing in your settings?
Or we could use Facebook Inbox messaenger and go live with each other with the camera phone thing?
I find that's the fastest way to solve problems...then I'll just write up a recap of what was done to solve it?

[darthb10]

My girlfriend is already getting mad that I'm spending more time trying to fix this than with her today  .

The denomination is 0.05 for all settings.

[Stayouttadabunker]

haha...I'm NOT Dr. Ruth! Lemmie warn you...slots multiply faster than babies. 

[Stayouttadabunker]

darth and I contacted each other thru Facebook and utilized FB's camera "Live" messaging.
We were able to compare each other's machine settings.
His machine keeps coming up as "Acceptor Not Configured" or something like that, as we compared settings.
We performed a "Netplex Configure", but his MPU wouldn't recognized the bill acceptor.

Also, he noticed that there was a lot of corrosion on his interface card....now, this card worked perfectly for 10 minutes last night.
Why wouldn't it work now?
We also did NOT change any settings knowing that the settings that are on his machine..>>worked for a short time.

I made a suggestion that darthb10 try to place a WTB Ad in the Classifieds section of NLG.
I also want to congratulate him on becoming a full-fledge Contributing Member of NLG too!