New Life Games Tech Forums

I'm new to this forum and hoping to get help solving a puzzle.  Starting with a dead machine, I was able to get all functions working, including the bill validator (DBV 145 SG), thanks to some great posts on NLG.  Now I have a bill problem.  I saw similar posts, but none with this specific symptom.

The problem started when the upper drop door microswitch got erratic and began generating lots of "54" errors.  I took the cash can out and replaced the switch.  After reassembly, the bill validator cycles up to a "green light on" condition, however, all bills that previously worked, now only feed in until the trailing edge clears the head's first sensor array.  The feed motor stops, the faceplate red light blinks and then goes on solid.  I checked all the connectors, wires in the unit, and the machine cable harness for shorts/opens - all good.  Output tests 0-2 & 0-3 work, but test 2-6 does not pulse the motor. On input test #3, green light is off and bills won't feed.  I also checked lenses in the head and all the drive belts.  They're clean.

Anything else I can check to be sure something outside of the head is not the cause (prior to just upgrading the head or the whole bill unit)?  Thanks in advance...

I've tried everything I can think of.  All wires from the bill stacker to the head and through the connector to the lands on the eprom board are good.  All wires from the head to the backplane are good.  This problem acts like the bill validator is sending a message to the mpu and is not getting an ACK.

What's weird is that if I only use coins, the bill validator faceplate is lit green and turns off when the reels are spinning, as it should.  At power on, it also cycles as it should.  If I manually activate the bill sensor in the bill stacker (in diagnostic mode), it shows that's working.  However, the drive just stops cold when the bill passes that sensor.  One other factoid... after the bill stops, the red faceplate led flashes 9 times and then goes to solid red until I clear the validator.

Help....  has anyone seen this symptom???  I really would like to isolate this before I buy any components.   Thanks eternally for any suggestions!!!

The latest chapter in the mystery... I replaced the bill validator head, no joy!  I also tested all the transport sensors, re-checked all the wiring from the bill validator connector on the mother board,  re-checked the dip switch settings on the mpu, looked for pushed/bent pins on all bill related components, reseated all the ICs possible, removed the battery and did a complete saferam clear.

I had assumed that I broke a connection when I removed and replaced the cash can.  But, now I'm inclined to think there's a bad component on the mpu.

Can anyone tell me what is the first component on the mpu that communicates with the bill validator?  Also, is it possible that the erratic upper cash can microswitch took out something when it started rapidly cycling?
 
Please... I'm almost out of things to try.  Will anyone take on the challenge of working with me to diagnose this beast?  Thanks

:99-

Hi and Welcome to NLG

It sounds to me like you may have a faulty stacker or the switch/sensor that detects the stacker present or stacker home position is faulty. The 9 red flashes will be an error code that can help you isolate the issue. I am not sure exactly which method this model BV uses to detect these 2 conditions will see if I can dig up anything.

Edit
Now I remember those - one of the first BV's I worked on. Had to beg for about a year to get the VM test unit. Cant do much in respect to Diagnostics without it.
JCM site does not have any info on this but you can download the IGT manul for this BV from here http://rudysdeals.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=54

According to that manual BV return code 9 means "Bill returned due to output of disable signal"

Ian

I wonder why the bill validator is sending out
the disable signal when he sticks a bill in? :129- :128-
Can the disable signal be disabled?

http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=4226.msg8620#msg8620 (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=4226.msg8620#msg8620)

Whoo Whoo!! Archery girl's back!  :96-

Damn  He has a Bally "oh well "  next time I had better read the whole thread or at least the heading.  She's still nice to see every now and then !!!!!!!!!!  :25- :25- :25- :25- :25- :25-

Thanks to all of you for plugging in.  Based on your comments, I went back and rechecked both the bill stacker sensor and the bill transport sensor.  Disconnecting either the LED or the photosensor signal leads on each sensor unit causes different transport failures.  So, I'm pretty sure the sensors are all good. 

I did see error code 9 in the manual, but when I feed a bill, it goes in and stops, so I have to manually remove it (it's not even trying to return the bill).  And, if I just start a bill in and pull it before it gets to the drive belts, the drive motor does not run, the ready green light goes out, and then I get the same 9 red blinks and then red on solid. 

It would sure be great to get one of the VM-401 testers (it would tell me if this is a transport speed problem).  BTW, does anyone know how much time you have from when the bill first hits the stacker sensor to when the sensor must drop?  On both of the heads I've used, only 1/3 of the bill has traversed the sensor when the feed motor stops, as if the unit thinks a bill has jammed and so it stops to minimize damage.  Does that sound possible?   Thanks again for your help,   
Mike

Hi

Do you have a spare transport or another machine to test the unit in ? . If it initializes and goes into the error condition after a bill insert/attempted bill insert it  would seem that its not seeing the change from an optic that its expecting to see. While reading up on these on other posts I came across this thread http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=1044.0 which describes how to build your own VM401 tester.  Most posts seem to point to a faulty DUART on the processor board if it is a processor fault. (Did you switch the machine off when troubleshooting the switch ?)

Ian

Hi Ian,
Unfortunately, I have only the one machine and transport.  An optic not seeing the bill was a possibility, but a second head that I tried showed the same symptom.  And, since I verified the transport sensors both statically and with power, it points more to the DUART (Philips SCN68681 in my machine).  It is acting like the head is reading the bill and waiting for an ACK from the MPU to tell it whether to continue feeding or to reject the bill.  If the head is not getting that communication back, maybe the unit times out and goes into disable mode.  It's all a guess on my part, but based on your comment about a disable signal, it seems logical.

Thanks for the link to the pseudo 401 tester.  I will definitely wire one up and report back what I find.

Also, just in case, I've done some searches for the DUART chip and have only found offshore distributors... any idea where I can bag one?

Thanks again,
Mike

Hi

You can try the Vendors listed at the top of the page - Channelmaniac is probably your best bet.

Ian

 :131- You are all awesome.... especially TZtech!!!!!  After rechecking the MPU connectors, reseating all the chips, and generally checking all the most likely points of failure, it was TZtech's tip about the DUART chip that did it.   Woohoo.  The bill validator works again (at least for the bills that a 145 will accept). 

Not to get sappy, but my father left this machine to me.  So, getting it up and running has emotional significance.  But, it's a whole lot of fun too!  I've always been around electronics and software environments, and have had an interest in digging into slots since the first one took my money.

I gotta say NLG and the people who help newbies really rock!!!!

Thanks again to all

Mike 

Hello Mag

Glad you got it working - You may consider upgrading to the 200 head. Its not supported anymore either but may give you a better range of bill acceptance. As fas a I understand its a direct replacement for the 145.

Again welcome to NLG and your new hobby  :96-

Ian