S+ Bill Validator - I've Tried Everything - Any Ideas???

[gwaltman]

Hey Guys, sorry if this post is redundant to existing posts with the same issue. I have an S+ Hot Peppers 3 reel / 25cent with bill validator. Everything works but the bill validator. When the machine fires up I hear it go through the startup process and then the light never comes on to accept bills. the acceptor has an LED light on the board, barely visable when I have the door open. I can see LED's in the bill shoot as well. Still it will not take a bill.


I have performed a SET on the board to make sure it is set to 91, still not working.
I have checked the dip switches, all set to off.... Still not working
I have reseated the acceptor and the cash box, still not working


Does anyone know a sure fire way to test a bill validator to see if it is functional?


By the way, the model is a DBV-200


Thanks in advance for your expertise.


-G

[TexasMark]

Just a few questions. Did this BV ever work? Does the BV initialization sound right? Some videos I posted here http://newlifegames.com/nlg/index.php?topic=5663.0 Does it even try to take a bill (regardless of the bezel light)? Does the DBV-200 have the power supply with the slots in the case? You said you enabled the BV, but did you set the denomination properly? After you set the denomination, you have to advance through the set chip settings or it will not save it.

There are some dip switch setting on the BV head to test it, but lets start with the questions above.

[gwaltman]

Hey Mark, the BV has not accepted bill since I received it. the initialization sounds sounds correct when compared to your videos (thanks for those). It does not even try to accept a bill. there is a power supply located in a black box located next to the cash bin. When I went through the set, it was already set on the 91, I changed it to 90 and back to 91 and saved the 91 setting. the denom was set to 25.

[TexasMark]

Ok, you may want to try putting the set chip back in and going through and making sure it is still set for 9-1 and the denomination is still set to 25. When you get to the denomination setting even if it is still at 25, keep pressing the self test button to cycle though all of the settings until you are back at the beginning before powering down. It won't always save the setting it if you power down on that setting. The denomination typically always needs to be reset whenever you put the set chip in.

Does that black power supply have vent slots in it? If not, it is a DBV-145 power supply. Someone may have updated the BV head, but not the power supply.

Also what is your credit limit set to? It could be set too low as to never enable the BV. But usually it will try to accept the bill first to see the value of the bill before spitting it back out if it would put it over the limit.

Do you have a clear chip? Every once in a while, that is the only thing that will get the BV to enable. Since it's not even trying to accept a bill, it would probably be a waste of time to do the dip switch settings to test the head. For whatever reason, it is not enabling, so it's not going to even try and accept bills. 

[Shaggy]

Something I did with one of mine was to unplug and plug the connector on the motherboard a couple of times. Mine was cycling also but wouldn't take a bill. It still didn't light up but it started taking bills after that.

[TexasMark]

Something I did with one of mine was to unplug and plug the connector on the motherboard a couple of times. Mine was cycling also but wouldn't take a bill. It still didn't light up but it started taking bills after that.

That's a possibility too. The BV will do it's power up cycle even without a MPU plugged in.

[Jim]

just go into the machines diagnostic tests and check out all the settings, then fix what is broke!

when you see a 5_0 in the winner paid, (depending on the SP chip) use the reset key to advance through that menu, when you get to the 9_0 or 1, that will tell you if the  bv is enabled.
then go to the test that has a 6 in the coins played window, that will tell you what the denomination is set at.
then go to the test that has a number 7 in the coins played widow, that will tell you the two settings for the hopper etc. then do the 8 test, that will show you that setting,
then go back to the 10_1 test (input tests) cycle to the 27_0 or 1 test, that should turn on the bezel lamps (provided they are good) test them in the denom lamp socket, then insert a bill , it should accept it pause then return it.  the second part of this test is determined by all the other settings you just checked. regardless of the settings, the lamps should come on.

Hope this helps

Jim

[TexasMark]

Jim,

One can certainly use the self tests as you described, but keep in mind that unless someone is doing this stuff every day, navigating those menus can be tricky.

[Jim]

it can't be more  tricky then clearing a machine!,  to advance through the entire set of tests requires pushing the test button and observing what the display reads, the only menu to advance through is the 5_0 menu, this will tell you all the settings of the other items plus the settings of the dip switches (if they apply). sounds pretty straight forward to me. 

the results of this action will let you know without a doubt what everything is set at, then you can address what has to be changed.

these tests were designed to aid in troubleshooting the machine, from the door optics issues to the correct position of the reel strips, these tests will tell you whats going on in your machine.

I just try and help the best way I can, to get the machine up and running with the least amount of posts as possible.

Jim

[TexasMark]

it can't be more  tricky then clearing a machine! 

I agree that a clear is a last resort, and even in the past I have said it should never need to be done to fix a BV problem. However, it has been documented several times on the old forum to be the only thing that would resolve a BV not enabling when all of the settings were right.

[therockinelvis]

On the DBV 200 I have found many times that the plug on the right side of BV gets damaged by the door latch. Unplug that connector and check the wires for being broken. Check this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvA70sgMse0

[gwaltman]

Hey Guys, thanks for all the help so far. I've checked all the settings so far and here is what I have:

BV is set to 9-1
6 = 25
7=0802
8=0000
27-0 = Bezel light works, bill acceptor accepts bill and then rejects it.

So far it all checks out but I'm unable to get it working in play. My chips are as follows:

4705
0872

Do you think it's time to clear?

[rokgpsman]

...
27-0 = Bezel light works, bill acceptor accepts bill and then rejects it.
...

Since you are saying that it accepts a bill then rejects it, I didn't see this asked so I wanted to make sure. Are you using a $1 bill for testing? This eliminates any problem or worry that the bill validator software is not updated to whatever new style US bill you are using.

[gwaltman]

yes, I've tried both 1 and 5. unfortunetly, the acceptor does not even accept the bill to even get rejected when its in play mode.

[rokgpsman]

ok, have you verified the BV protocol id is correct for your machine? Someone may have swapped DBV heads and stuck one in the machine that isn't the right comm protocol. Look for a sticker somewhere on the DBV-200 top or bottom, will say something like "ID-003" or "ID-023" or similar. The guys here can tell you if that is the right protocol for your machine.

There is also a dipswitch on the bottom of the DBV-200 head, someone may have set the switches wrong. You might want to post a picture of yours or tell us what the switches are set to.

[gwaltman]

I have not checked that. I have a DBV -200-ss and the id is 22/23

-G

[rokgpsman]

On some of the JCM software updates for the DBV-200 the software was dual-capable for 2 different protocols. You selected which protocol to use with a few of the normally unused dipswitches. Can you check which software is in your DBV? There should be a sticker right on top of the eprom, visible from the bottom of the DBV-200. There will be JCM spec document for whatever software your DBV has, it will define the switch positions. This may not be what is causing your problem but it is something to be aware of. We'll need one of the experts here to tell you what BV protocol your machine uses.

Here are examples of what I mean, the first image is from the DBV-200 manual, the 2nd attachment is a JCM software spec document.

[gwaltman]

Thanks, my dips were set to all off. I'm an ID 23 according to the chart.

-G

[rokgpsman]

ok. Can you check which software the DBV eprom sticker says it has installed? That's all I can think of for now, have you decided to try the clearing procedure?

[gwaltman]

I believe the version is 2.54-04-03  (32FC)