New Life Games Tech Forums

I have a PE+ that has been sitting for awhile and had a dead battery.  I replaced the battery, cleared  the CMOS, and am getting a COIN IN TIMEOUT message.  I pressed the test button and am getting a "1"  for Coin A, and "0" for Coin B and C.  I removed the coin optics and everything was clean.  I reseated the connectors on the front door.  I also ran the thin strip of cardboard past the optics and none of them changed their status.   Is it time for a new Coin Optic or am I missing anything?  Thanks.

If the coin or cardboard goes too slowly through the optics - you will get a [coin in time out] error.
Try releasing and letting coin/cardboard through the coin-in optics at a normal free-fall.

If that has already been tried, do you have a spare set of coin-in optics to swap with?

If that has already been tried, then the problem may lie with a dying out-of-specs opto/timer chip
on the MPU relating the the coin-in signals??
Swap an MPU?
Pinpoint the source of the problem.
Page 92 in the manual may help you.

Bunker-  Re-read what he posted.  The "coin-in timeout" message is appearing as soon as the game boots up.  Further, on the self-test input screen, only one of the three coin-in optics is reporting that it's working (and that's before he sticks the cardboard in).

Markhart- It's possible that two of your coin optics transmitters are burnt out (not very likely, but possible), but it's also possible that you may be able to do Jim's transistor snip trick to resolve the issue.  I've sent Jim a PM asking him to look at your post and suggest which transistor may need to be snipped.

Thank you!  I'll look forward to his reply and post the results.

Mark

There is only one transistor and it is q2 or q4 depending on which version of optics is in the machine.
It is near the center of the board but is not one of the photo transistors.

yes, from the results of your tests "coin in A " a 1 all the time is a good indicator that the Q-1 emitter is off ,thus indicating something is blocking its path.  the test button ( I assume that the one you are referring  to)  on the optic board  will activate the coin in B ( change it to zero).

As Foster said, there are two types of optics that are on the machines today. the one type has Q-2  on it, the other type has Q-4 on it. both are Surface mount transistors. simply cut it off the board. do it with a pair of small diagonal cutters.  be careful not to damage anything else.  there are two types of optic boards in another sense:  one that has the components on the outside (visible to you), and the other that the components are mounted on the inside (you only see the solder pads and traces).  there is a older version that has a 555 timer on it, to accomplish the same thing cut the diode off next to it.

Bunker had some pictures of the boards and the placement of the Q2 and Q4. If I find the link I will post it as well.
Hopefully this will fix your problem. It will in no way affect the coin in operation , everything will work as normal.

Jim
 

Jim-

Thank you for checking out this thread and offering your expertise.  I think the test button he was talking about was the self test button to enter the programming menus, and specifically the self-test input screen where he was able to see the status of the three optics.  :71-

I snipped a leg of transistor Q2 on the Coin Optic board, and am still getting a Coin-In Timeout error.  The only change that has occurred is that I am now getting zeros in Coin A, B & C.  Before cutting  the transistor I was getting a "1" in Coin A, and zeros at Coin B & Coin C.  Does it sound like a bad Coin Optic board?

yes

did this machine work before?   you should be getting all 1's  if everything is normal.   the only thing in question right now would be the voltage coming from the main board to the optics via the motherboard.  the voltage is applied to all three light emitting diodes so they can emit a beam of light, this beam is detected by the three receivers and in turn changes the logic so the MPU will see the optics as working. when the beam is broken, the logic changes and this is how the MPU sees a coin or something else breaking the beam. If pressing the small white test button on the optic board does not produce a change then you have other problems. I find it hard to believe that the optic board would just go south sitting there.
Have you checked all the fuses? 


Jim     

After cutting the transistor at Q2, I get all 0's on Coin A,B & C.  Now, when I press the small white button on the Coin Optic board I get a 0 at Coin A, and 1's at Coin B & Coin C.  I ordered a new Coin Optic board but it will be a few days before it arrives.  The fuses all tested good.   The machine has sat for a few years, and the previous owner passed away and I bought if from the family, so I can't say for sure how long this problem existed.

well that what eliminate the voltage problem. when you press the button, only the b should change, that button is in parallel with that emitter. can you get them to change by running the cardboard strip thru the optics? 

 I could be wrong about the all 1"s  in the static mode,  I don't have a machine to compare the screen, I was looking at the screen presentation in the service book, it showed all 1"s there.

Jim

Jim, you're correct that all three optics should display "1" when they're working and the beam is not broken, and they should change to "0" when the beam is broken.

UPDATE:  I received the Coin Optic board yesterday from Rocky Mountain Slots and have installed it.  Everything is back to normal and working again.  Thanks everyone for your input!

Sweet!  Thanks for posting your solution, and congrats on getting your machine back up and running!   :244-