POWER THAT TOPPER!!! S2000, Vision, and I-game

[Bettor Slots]

  Special thanks to Jim at Blue Ridge Slots for his expertise and supplying the necessary parts to make this happen so easily.

We all know what a great investment a topper can be for your machine as it really adds to it's beauty and value.  In the past year, I have seen more an more of these standard IGT Oval toppers available on EBay in the $50 range so how can you pass up on the idea?  Problem is often times the top box of your machine has not been prepared yet for the use of topper and there is no good way to use the existing machine's power supply. 

I realize there are some make shift ways out there where can power your topper via a separate AC plug / transformer, but there are always some resulting hassles.  For example, when you want to power your machine down for awhile you always have to unplug the topper separately which for me is behind the machine on the wall and a tuff reach.  And are you really supplying to proper voltage to the topper so that you do not damage it or burn out the lights faster than they are suppose to? So if you can power it from the existing power supply...seems all the better to me.

I thought if might be helpful if I posted a couple of pictures from the simple installation for someones future use.  With the parts that Blue Ridge supplied, the total install time was under 5 minutes.

The first picture below is inside the top box of my Vision S2000 in it's existing condition prior to modification looking at the back right hand side.  I believe it would look pretty similar for most Visions, S2000's, and I noticed it was similar for my I-games machine.  Note the 10 port molex  coming out of the power supply in the middle bottom picture that results in the big clump of unused wires (orange red, black, and brown).  The only thing used from that mess is the red and black power supply wires to the controller board in the top middle of the picture.  Maybe someone else here on NLG can tell us what that controller board is actually doing for the machine.  Anyway, the other wires are unused.

I should mention at this point so that you are not confused by the pictures that I had to loosen and rotate the existing control board 90 degress counter-clockwise as the new wire harness was short by only an inch or two.

The second picture shows the resulting modification.  The existing 10 port molex was unplugged from the power supply in the bottom right, the 4 port molex with the red back wire is unplugged fromthe existing controller board.  Take that mess of wires and put in on EBay.  Next, install the new power distribution board supplied by Blue Ridge onto the existing stems at the center back of the top box.  Next you will see the new "split" wire harness supplied by Blue Ridge installed.  A 10 port molex plugs into the existing power supply shown in the bottom right of the picture.  Then install the 4 port, black and red 2-wire molex back into the existing control board powering it.  Then take the other split connector, 4 port molex, with red, orange, red/black, and orange/ black wires and plug it into your new power distribution board.  Finally, in the picture you see the 4 wires coming down from your topper which is a 2 x 2 - 4 port molex typically and it plugs right into your new power distribution board.  Tie back your loose wires with some zip strips and your done!!!

[Bettor Slots]

And here is a picture of the results....and no cracks about it being the wrong game insert...  I know, I know....next project.

[dpalmi]

Hello all!

Nice job!  That's one of the next projects/purchases on my list - is to get some toppers.  Would really like to get one with the built in progressive unit - but those are still a little pricey for me when the show up on eBay.  I think Foster got the last one

FYI - the board in the pic you asked about is a sound amplifier for the 2 top speakers and the sub in the coin tray.

Dan #2

[Railroad94]

nice job..     If you ever add a player tracking unit like a Mastercom 250 (you can program your own message into it) or just need 110v. The other two plugs in the bottom right corner are 110v ....  one is switched and the other un-switched.

[therockinelvis]

I have the same power dist. and also the one he got from Blueridge. I am guessing that the power comes from that bundle of wires cut and the molex changed. Can the 4 pin square molex be plugged into J2 and then plug topper into J3? Or does that 4pin square molex have to be changed to a 4 pin straight molex?

[therockinelvis]

I have the same power dist. and also the one he got from Blueridge. I am guessing that the power comes from that bundle of wires cut and the molex changed. Can the 4 pin square molex be plugged into J2 and then plug topper into J3? Or does that 4pin square molex have to be changed to a 4 pin straight molex?

[RayV]

I was wondering if anybody could help me out with this for my Game King topper.
I purchased the power distribution board and split harness mentioned in the main post from Jim at Blue Ridge on Saturday and it arrived today....Thanks Jim for the fast shipping!!!
The trouble is, what I thought was the 10 pin connector in my top box turned out to be a 12 pin connector....there is no 10 pin connector at all.
I have attached a pic of the connectors and wiring in my top box....where else if any, can I get power from?

[777sizzler]

Should be a bank of other plugs on other side in your machine.  The netplex/pwr. dist. board must get pwr. from the lower unit.   Your topper harness should plug rite into the pwr. dist. board and that board must have pwr. from lwr. portion.  You may be missing the piggy backed jumper harness?.  What machine do you have,  -date/type etc. 

[RayV]

I have a slant top Game King, not sure of the year but I can check.
There are no other plugs on the other side but I do see an empty 10 pin connector labeled "netplex" in the lower box on the backplane.
But I would need a harness that is quite a bit longer for that plug.

[777sizzler]

Ok.  Just need more info to help.  For all we know this is something that was pieced together and not the norm.  Yes date will help also.  Slant top may be the issue as well.  Post a pic of game.  Not many slant tops had toppers on them.  Should be a easy fix now and with more info.

[RayV]

The Mfg plate says 4/99 on it.
The topper did not come with the machine, I have had the machine a few months now and just picked the topper up last week.
Pic attached -

[777sizzler]

This helps us all out with your input.  Now ask the question How many of these have you ever seen with a topper on them from igt?.  Not top box, topper.  This will be refered to other experts about getting the proper power connection to your dist. board at this point as I do not have a slant in front of me.  Perhaps you did not state when you purchased wiring or toppers you had a slant?.  Anyway this can be done.  You do have a 12 pin mayby to work with- the experts that have these hopefully will chime in. 

[RayV]

I appreciate the help Sizzler!
As a matter of fact, I just saw 2 slant top Game Kings with the same type of toppers a few weeks ago at Greektown Casino in Detroit...that is where I got the idea.
Just wondering if I get a long enough harness, that I could power the board from the top left plug in the bottom box labeled Netplex in the pic below.
I also see that I could stand to blow the dust out of the bottom of the machine too!!

[777sizzler]

I think it may work-not 100% but it should.  Just for info the 10 pin is for,net-plex and pwr..  That being said I think it will work but harness must be built correctly or a factory harness/extender to top.  I think and know you are on the correct path now.

[RayV]

I think what I would do is put the board and harness from Jim at Blue Ridge in the bottom box and splice the topper harness with longer wire to reach.
I have access to all gauges of electrical wire and soldering tools at work so that should not be a problem.