Help with IGT S White Diamonds

[jbshocks]

I just picked up a white diamonds slot today that I believe to be an S model.  Some one has screwed with it that knows less than me which is not much and messed up the coin comparitor so it is no longer spring loaded.  I found 2 springs inside the front glass area shown in the picture.  I have not pulled the comparitor out yet but from some pictures I have looked at it seems that the fat one goes on the back side of the comparitor.  Is that corrrect?  Where might the skinny spring go?

There is more to the trouble then the sticking coin I think some one tried to force it to take coins when the real reason it won't is that it had an error 61.  I cleared the error 61 and got an error 12 (low batt)  I pulled the MPU and put a meter on the battery.  Completely dead.  I am going to see if I can get a battery locally tomorrow and see what happens.  Question i have is that I have read that after a battery change that a clear ram chip is need on s+  is that also needed on the S model?   

After installing the battery is there anything else that I should do at start up?

[jbshocks]

Also attached is a picture of a disconnected wire?  any idea where it goes?  Also attaching a picture of the MPU for model confirmation.

[StatFreak]

The short, fat spring goes on the coin comparitor. It belongs on the chrome side (the side opposite where the coin is placed.) You'll need to remove the comparitor to put the spring on.

I can't tell what the wire harness is for from that picture. Maybe someone will recognize it and post. If not, please show is where the wires are coming from.

The battery is a 3.6v lithium thionyle chloride battery. If Radio Shack still has them, they'll charge you a fortune for one.

I believe that you need a "Test 123" clear chip for the S, but CRS prevents me from being certain. One of our vendors could probably hook you up with both the chip and battery for a good price. The batteries are also available on fleabay, or check out MCMElectronics or Mouser.

There's always the possibility that you won't need the clear chip after changing the battery. You have no bill validator to worry about, and you might be able to simply go through the setup and reconfigure everything after installing a new battery.

[Neonkiss]

Did a battery change on a customers S machine about a year ago.
Machine booted right up. No clear needed for me.

[stayouttadabunker]

The green and purple harness looks like it's for a door optic?
I could be wrong.
The picture is very blurry or I need new glasses.
We need more details...and better pictures!   

[Neonkiss]

As I recall no door optics on the S machine.
Only a Cherry switch.

[jbshocks]

I went to batteries plus and picked up a new battery.  Soldered it in and got a 61.  Cleared the code and it worked.  I put the spring on the coin comparitor and that now works properly.  Does anyone have any idea what the other remaining spring is for?  Also when I hit the first payout I was reminded of something else broken.  Picture is attached.  Does anyone know what this is called and where I can get one?  On a single cherry it cleaned out my hopper.  I super glued it and put a reinforcement plate on it and it seems to hold but I would like to install a good part. 

I have a couple remaining questions,   Can I convert to nickles or dimes simply by changing the sample coin or does it require hopper parts as well?  Can pay out be adjusted?  Are there any features that can be turned on or off on this type of machine?

[StatFreak]

I know that S machines had mechanical switches to count the coins. What I'm not sure of is whether or not they started using optics on later models during the period of transition between the S and the S+, which does use optics to count the coins. Those pieces look like the mechanical part of an optical security counter, but they didn't come out with those until much later.


We'll need closeup pictures of the hopper, particularly where the coin exits and behind that (to the left). You might also look for either a microswitch or a U shaped optic (black plastic). Either one would have two wires attached.

I have no idea what that long skinny spring is for. You could try shooting it at the wall for target practice. 



Stat

[jbshocks]

It is definitely an optical counter.  The broken piece passes through the optic.  Maybe it is a converted hopper?  I will post a picture of it later.  Its strange most pasts with dates have 1988 but the hopper is 1992 and coin comparitor is 1990.  Is there a place with the original date and model of the machine?  I have found nothing.

[Neonkiss]

Standard optics for the S+ machine will work.

[StatFreak]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: As for changing your machine to dimes... fuggedaboutit ! Dimes are a PITA. They're too small and too light, and they'll cause you more headaches than they're worth.

To change from quarters to nickels should be fairly easy. Technically, you'll need a new shelf wheel and possibly a pin wheel for the hopper, but in practice, you can get away with using the quarter hopper. Since you'll be mounting new optics, you'll probably be able to adjust them to make sure that the nickel trips them when paying out. That's the main concern, since nickels are slightly smaller in diameter than quarters.

You should get a nickel coin head. Why? Because quarter coins heads are becoming harder and harder to find, and I would suggest that you not try to file it or make any other changes to it to get the nickel to pass through. If the nickels pass through as it is, then your good.

It goes without saying that you'll need to change your sample coin. Again, the proper procedure is to change the black plastic optic board insert in the coin optics assy., because it has plastic spacers that ensure that the coin passes properly over the optics. However, you can shim it with something to narrow the chute to the diameter of a nickel.

When you take optics apart, you should see three optics. they will be located more towards one side so that one of them is close to the edge of the chute through which the coin passes. You'll want to put the shim on the other side of the chute.

[jbshocks]

This is the hopper that I have.  I have had the optic switch off to glue it and reinstall it and I guess I am not getting how I shim or adjust it.  It almost appears that the knife is adjustable do I adjust that so that the smaller coin moves the switch higher?  What is the difference between the shelf wheels?

[poppo]

Sort of hard to tell from your blurry pictures,   but it looks like you have one one of those anti-tamper rocker things on your hopper. You should be able to take it apart and flip the optic over like this and mount it directly without the rocker part. I think this was the original configuration before they added the anti-tamper thing. Some of my hoppers have the rocker and some don't.

[jbshocks]

Its the rocker thingy that broke so that would be cool if I can install the optic directly.  I will check it out.  Thanks

[Neonkiss]

You might need shorter screws if you eliminate the rocker thingy, as were calling it.
The original screws without the rocker might rub no the hopper disc before they get tight.

[poppo]

You might need shorter screws if you eliminate the rocker thingy, as were calling it.
The original screws without the rocker might rub no the hopper disc before they get tight.

I flipped one of mine and used the same parts without any problem. But it would not hurt to be careful.

>edit> I just double checked and it works fine on mine.

[jbshocks]

at least I got the technical term correct, lol.

[jbshocks]

dumped out the quarters and tried nickles using a nickle sample.  It takes them fine but is not counting on the way out.  I will try to adjust the optic and see how it goes.  Using a nickle wheel doesn't eliminate the need to adjust the optic does it?

[poppo]

Using a nickle wheel doesn't eliminate the need to adjust the optic does it?

Did you move the optics to the other side? There is no adjustment for the optics..

[StatFreak]

If you can't finnagle the optic to read the nickels, then you'll need to buy a nickel shelf wheel. If you do so, you might as well buy the pin wheel while you're at it.

Off the record, you might be able to adjust the knife slightly upward so that the coins ride higher and trip the optic, but that can cause coins to jam and might even break the knife, because the lower tip will no longer be flush with the shelf wheel. You can't move it much without causing problems.

It sounds like you won't need to change the coin head, since the machine is for home use and the nickels are dropping through without resistance, but just remember not to use quarters.   If you forget, they'll get stuck at the top of the comparitor and you'll have to remove them manually.

<PS> You might also want to pick up a 5¢ sticker for the reel glass.

[poppo]

If you can keep that rocker from falling apart after gluing it, you might be able to modify it by sliding something over the roller that the coin hits (like a piece of tubing). That would make it larger and allow the smaller coin to push it up more (and make the other side break the optic path). You might have to cut that part right above the roller off in order to give it enough room.

[jbshocks]

Yeah!  moved the optic to do away with the anti tamper thing and I can freely switch back and forth between nickels and quarters.  thanks everyone for all the help.  The thing runs great.

Where is a good place to get the 5 cent sticker in blue.

[poppo]

Where is a good place to get the 5 cent sticker in blue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-10-IGT-NICKEL-DENOM-LEGEND-BLUE-NEW-SLOT-MACHINE-/300579506019

I got one of the quarter ones for my machine.

Or does your machine use a different type? 

[jbshocks]

That link you sent looks perfect.  I don't really need 10 but that is probably cheaper than the shipping of one from a parts place.  Full picture of my machine below.

[poppo]

He sometimes sells them single for like $3. Might send him a message and ask.