On the Care and Feeding of an IGT

[Magicslots]

  Another newbie question here guys, sorry but I am in sponge mode trying to learn as much as I can about my new found passion.
Since there will be extended times when I will not be able to play my game, is there any harm in shutting the power off regularly and just turning it on when I will
be at home to play it?  I realize these things were built to run 24/7 365 and the power consumption is not all that great, but my experience with pc's is that you can extend the life of components when they are not just siting there idle for days at a time. I also realize however that initial boot up is often where motherboards go south from continual rebooting etc.
  And while I am at it, as far as playability/maintenance is concerned, what are the big differences in the S+ models and the S2000 models.  Is the extra cost difference in the machines worth it, or is it just they are the newer models and therefore more expensive for that reason alone?
 Man am I having fun reading all the wonderful info here on this site! My hat is off to all of you

[StatFreak]

It's debatable as to whether it is better to leave the machines on or turn them off when not playing. If the cost is not an issue, then one factor to consider it heat dissipation. If the room that the machines are in will be kept cool and the heat from the units will be well dissipated, then leaving them on would be a good choice. If heat buildup, like in a small room, for instance, would be an issue then don't leave them on.

You might also consider how long it will be before you next play the machine. If it will be played within the next 24 hours, I'd say leave it on. If you're busy and it won't get played until the next weekend or the next party, then turning it off is probably the better choice.

These machines are work horses and are pretty rugged. IGT S-Plus machine batteries seem to last forever. I have a machine that was turned off for two years and still spends a lot of time turned off, and I am still using the original battery nine years later. I think that the battery is original - or 15 years old. The Bally Pro Slots are the antithesis of the IGTs: I have to replace those every year almost without fail.

Regarding the S2000, I don't own one, but I think that many of us would buy an S2000 over an S-Plus today. At this point the machines have come down in price and parts are more available. An S2K will run all of the older S+ games as well as the S2000 games. Of course, you're getting into deeper water, and deeper water means a larger boat, which means a larger hole in your wallet.   Before you know it, you'll be looking at backlit reels, the Multi-Media-Lite sound board, adding 4^th and 5^th reels...

[cfh]

I would never leave a slot on, any slot, unless i was using it.
yea sure in the casino they were on all the time. but at that
point in their lives, they were BRAND NEW.  well they're not
new now!  With 15+ years under their belt, believe me, turn
them off when you're not using them. The bootup (at least on
an S+ is only seconds).

[StatFreak]

The question isn't one of the time it takes to boot the machines, but of the effect of the power surges during power up and power down. Most electronics experts will tell you to leave electronic equipment on 24/7 if feasible. They've done this in recording studios for decades. A piece of equipment is never turned off once installed unless it needs servicing. ISPs and other internet providers do the same with their equipment.
It even applies to the simplest of devices: a light bulb. Remember that commercial that Phillips had a decade or two ago about the longest burning lightbulb? It was in an immobile base attached to the outside of a building in Alaska and had never been turned off or disturbed.

<EDIT> cfh, I would agree with you about the top box portion of the Wms Dotmation machines. I turn off the Dot box by entering bookkeeping mode whenever I'm not using the machine. There are two reasons: First, the piss-poor design and ventilation of the top box that causes the circuitry to overheat. Second, in the case of the dot screens, they do have a limited life and the less they are used, the longer they will last. This is an exception to the rule; it also would apply to pinball machines using the dot screens.

[Foster]

Statfreak has a great strategy, I agree with it

I leave my S+ with Cham II+ and the Vision Ready (S2000) on 24/7 plugged into a surge protector.

The more you turn them off and on the more of a chance that a spike at the output of the supply or thermal shock will take a component out.
  

[cfh]

Definately agree with turning a Williams Dotmation off.
The DMD screens have limited life.

But on all other points i totally disagree.
As someone that SERVICES this stuff, i can tell
you without reservation, that the users that leave
their games on all the time have WAY more service
calls than the people that turn them off when they
are done. There's NO comparison.

You can weigh in all the statistics you want, and
all the laboratory results you want.  But in the real world
the simple fact is this. When the game is on, power
supplies heat up. And they also attract dust and dirt.
Connectors, as ambient temperature goes up, are
not able to conduct as much power. This means they
gain resistance, and this starts a domino effect that
often results in DEATH.

Again, i fix this stuff every day. You can pay me now,
or you can never pay me. But if you leave it on, you're
gonna be cutting a check.

Also in today's green ecomony, it's just irresponsible
to leave *anything* powered on when you're not using
it. You have to take some responsibility for living on this
planet. and turning off lights or equipment when it's not
being used is an easy choice.

[a69mopar]

I turn them off when I'm done, the battery may not last as long, but it uses less hydro and I haven't had any problems due to this whatsoever.  I always use SURGE SUPRESSOR power bars that I switch off or on to turn the bunch of machines off or on.  I have had computers that run 24 hours a day and the amount of dust in them is extreme, I usually blow them out including the power supply about every 6 months or so.  I have considered making air filters for them only it would restrict too much air for the weak fans.  That's my 3 cents worth (2 cents U.S.)

Thanks,
Wayne

[uniman]

It's debatable as to whether it is better to leave the machines on or turn them off when not playing.

And the debate continues.......

I use a surge bar and always shut mine off when not in use. Is it better than leaving them on? I don't know!! 

My biggest fear is the quality of power entering my home.
How reliable is your electric service? In my area lightening storms can cause power outages, surges, and brownouts.
Even a car hitting a pole can cause trouble.
Feel much better when I'm away from home knowing my machines are off. 
And when at home and a storm hits, I shut them off.

[brichter]

How reliable is your electric service? In my area lightening storms can cause power outages, surges, and brownouts.
Even a car hitting a pole can cause trouble.

Funny you should mention quality of power.

My power browns out for a second or 2 every night around 10 pm, it has for the 12 years I've lived here. It is long enough and the voltage drops low enough to clear the memory on the cable boxes and reset the VCR clock (when I actually had one of those), as well as reset any alarm clocks that didn't have a battery backup. The solution was a major UPS deployment, I have 5 in various rooms around the house.

As far as the car and power pole scenario, the high school is the next block down my street and the corner  between my block and the schoool has a power pole on the outside of the turn. They wind up replacing the pole every 2-3 years when the hot rodders make it about 75% through the corner then run out of talent.

My machines are on a surge strip and are powered off at the strip when not in use, I have a remote control for the strip power.

[knagl]

I turn my S+ off when not in use.  I generally only use it once a week, though.

[Ozzy]

To put myths to an end on this subject I have divided this topic in to two sections;

1. for the home user

2. for the casino that is still open out there.

1. if you have a few machines running off the same power coming from your home DB board it should not be a problem, power down/power up being a few amp. Remember that an average slots draws 2 to 3 amp (3 amp being full load with hopper paying out) The only down turn from on/off situation is the loss of flu tubes and electronic ballasts.

2. in the real world of mega casinos, yet to come across a casino that wires the floor correctly, therefore best to leave on 100% of the time, especially if still running with CRT and not the latest LCD monitors.

It's up to you guys, if you can afford the electric bill, leave on for life..................no matter what the situation may be.


cheers


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