New Life Games Tech Forums

I just bought my first 2 slots.  My reel Jackpot Party (Williams 40S5) has a hopper problem.  It was working fine on "credit" but I reconnected the credit/cash button (dumb move) and now when you start the game it tries to use the hopper and shows an error.  The hopper looks to have a piece of metal--I believe its called a "coin guide" that is pretty hammered.  I am assuming that is a common problem, but either way I am going to need a new one of those.  The error shows that the hopper is empty--but there is about 50 quarters in it.  Any idea if I have other problems there or things to check?  I would put it back in credit mode but I read the manual that you cant change settings from admin mode while there is a tilt error.  So I am kinda stuck as far as a brand new owner of a slot can see.  I have some mechanical skill and have and work on pinball machines.  Any help on how to proceed would be appreciated.  Also in case anyone has one, I am going to need the belly glass too.  Not sure if it is painted glass or a translight behind glass.  Can anyone tell me that one?  Thanks!  Steve

Welcome to  :nlg-

The nice thing about the Williams machine is that you can run it with the door open.
This is accomplished by pulling out the plunger on the door switch.
Normally when the door closes it pushes the plunger on the door switch closed, but by grabbing the plunger and pulling it out will also send a door closed signal.

To clear the empty hopper error, the machine just needs to see the door closed again. It will then attempt to payout from the hopper again.
Only this time with the door open so you can see what is going on with the hopper. As the hopper motor run the coins should be picked up and brought to the top. They will then lift a lever that is attached to a set of optics on the back of the hopper. That lever will then block the optics for each coin to send a coin counted as it exits the hopper.

You machine will not do anything until it finishes the payout it is trying to attempt.

Worst case until you get your hopper working properly, you can fool the machine into thinking that it is paying out the coins it is trying to.  With the door open, pull out the door switch towards you (that Neon mentioned) to make the machine believe that the door is closed.  When the hopper starts to spin, move a flathead screwdriver back and forth to break and make the coin-out optics on the hopper to make it think that coins are passing through.  Once it thinks that enough coins have passed through, it will stop trying to pay out and be ready to play.

As far as your glass, the image is on the glass and is not a translite like on a pinball machine -- you'll need to find a replacement glass (which, unfortunately, may be hard to find).  You could try creating a WTB (Want To Buy) post in the Classifieds section of the forum to see if anyone has one for sale.  You'll want to specify what the background color of the glass is as WMS made three different background colors for the Jackpot Party glass (teal, purple, and brown/orange).

Post a picture of the glass or machine here and I'll check to see if I have one.
I should have the teal color just need to see which on it is

Thank you for the info.  Using that technique, I was finally able to payoff the 330 credits.  I disconnected the coin/credit button so now it wont ever use the hopper again until its fixed.
Here are 2 pictures, one of the glass I need and 1 of a part in the hopper that is broken that I think is called a coin guide.  I am not even sure if it is all there but this is what I have.  The quarters go around in the hopper without it but if I put this part on, the quarters jam on it.  My DMD has a little fade in the corners but I am figuring there is no fix for that--just age.  Other than that, its a great little machine with the classic casino sounds.  Any help with restoring it back to its former glory is very much appreciated.  Steve
(http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg592/Fourbyracer/coinguide.jpg)(http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg592/Fourbyracer/BellyGlass.jpg)

Steve,
I'm sure I have both parts for you.
I'll get the glass out of the warehouse this weekend and send you a picture.

That sounds great Neon!  I can pay with paypal if that works for you.  Here is another part I just discovered at the bottom of the hopper (on the right) along with the piece I think it came from.  No idea what its called but do you have one of those as well?  Steve
 (http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg592/Fourbyracer/Hopperpart.jpg)

I found one in the warehouse.
I'll mail it with the chrome retainer in place.

Check your mail

Hi Robert

Do you have another Teal Jackpot Party Belly Glass? Mine bubbled up. I haven't found anything that will keep it down and flat.

Sorry Dale.
Only had this one. If Fourbyracer passes, I'll let you know.

Robert,

I did end up finding the belly glass that I needed out here at LA Slots which is very close to me shipping wise.  So I going to say let your glass go to Dale and then everyone wins!  Thank you again for all the help and I am sure I will have more questions in the future.  I am glad I found this forum, its a great resource for a new collector like me!

Steve