Help with Coral Reef IGT slot machine

[jldarosa]

Hi. I bought a slot machine for my home. The company has since gone out of business. It seems to be working except it only gives credits when you win. I have been trying to change it to coins but to no avail. I have hit buttons and turned the key so many times that I think I have screwed up other things as well. I also do not have a manual. Please help. Thank you

[zarobhr]

Post some pictures of the front and inside so we can see what you have. Then one of us should be able to help you.

[jldarosa]

Here are some pics.  Not great so please let me know if you need more detail

[jldarosa]

More pics

[knagl]

Beautiful looking game -- Coral Reef was my first game, too, but I didn't have that nice 16" top with the great graphics.

Anyway, if you would, please follow the directions here to determine the SP chip in your machine, and we'll be able to give you detailed information from there.

To be clear, you want to set up your machine so that it will always spit out coins when you win, rather than adding credits to the meter?

For the record, you have a 16" upright IGT S+ slot machine with an embedded bill validator.

[jldarosa]

Thank you.  We use to live in Vegas so I bought this right before we moved.  It was in storage for almost 2 years so I was surprised it worked.  They had told me I would have to replace a battery on the board?  But everything is working fine.  I would like the machine to operate like it did in a casino, the same odds, etc

To clarify, I want the machine to give the option of either cashing out or using credits when you win.  When you do win, only the Bet One Credit button is lit.  The Cash button is not on. 

So here is the info you asked for:  Type 05 game using SP1271 game chip, running a SS4280 Reel prom

I sure appreciate your help

[coorslight115]

Here is a file thanks to Stat that should help you

[Foster]

When the bet one credit button (lamp is lit) and the win is over 3 credits you should have 3 different buttons lamps on: Bet one, Cash Out, and the Max Bet (far right button)

Depending on the current settings of the machine it will revert back to keeping credits after about a minute or so of it being idle, or will still pay wins from hopper.

[knagl]

To clarify, I want the machine to give the option of either cashing out or using credits when you win.  When you do win, only the Bet One Credit button is lit.  The Cash button is not on. 

Before you go changing any settings, it's possible that the "Cash Out" (or "Cash/Credit", depending on how it's labeled) button simply has a burnt out light bulb.  If you have credits on the machine, pressing that button should always cash them out.  Is it not?  I'd check to make sure that the button is physically pressing the microswitch on the inside of the door.  Maybe shoot us a picture of the back side of the Cash Out button so we can see if everything is there?

For your reference, here is the "IGT Bible" of games:

http://newlifegames.net/igtbible/

If you click on 3CM (for 3 Coin Multiplier, which describes your game), then Coral Reef, you'll get to this page which lists all of the available programs for your machine.  You said you have a SS4280 -- that's a 90.039% payback game (roughly a 10% casino hold) -- that's pretty authentic to a casino program, and is likely the program that was in there when the game was pulled from the casino floor before you bought it.

[StatFreak]

To clarify the options that coors posted, I usually advise newbies to set option 5 to 0, which causes all wins to automatically go to the credit meter, because most home players want to build up and play with credits.

Since you specifically want to be able to choose credit or cash, you will want to set that option to either "5  1" or "5  2" (probably 5  1). Both offer the player the option to turn credit mode on or off before playing. Setting 1 defaults to cash mode after cashing out or if credit mode was turned on but the slot was left inactive for 30 seconds. Setting 2 does the opposite and defaults to credit mode when left alone. Your choice just depends on which mode you'd prefer to be the default mode every time you first approach the machine and it's been sitting with no credits.

As others have already posted, you can't change this setting (or most others) unless you have no credits on the machine, so you'll have to cashout first. I would also follow knagl's advice and check your bulb because even in automatic credit mode ("5  0") the cash/credit button light should blink slowly whenever you have credits on the machine.

For reference, you can't turn the credit light on before playing in auto cr mode (5  0) because all wins are going to go to credits anyway, and the light will either be on steady for credit mode or always off for cash mode if you are using one of the above referenced manual settings.


<ADD> There is a second setting, option 8, that defines what happens when a bill is inserted. If you set this to "8  0" it will follow whatever you do with the cash/credit button. If you set it to "8  1" it will always give you credits when a bill is inserted, even if you're button is set to cash mode. If you set it to "8  2" it will always cash the bill from the hopper (like a change machine) even if you have credit mode turned on.

Stat

[jldarosa]

Thank you thank you.  It seems to be working!      You were right, the bulb had fallen out so I assume that it lit and powered the button as well?  I had read about changing the option to "5   1 or 5    2" and had tried that but (pushing the white test button) the only option I see is "10    0" ?  I may have pushed something before that took it away?? 

In regards to payout percentage, is that something you can change?  It seems to be winning a lot!

Thank you also for the 1271 setup file, this is a great reference.

And a couple more questions, should you keep the machine on at all times, or only when in use and is there a way to lock the door?  My kids like to cheat!  ha

All the best

[knagl]

Thank you thank you.  It seems to be working!      You were right, the bulb had fallen out so I assume that it lit and powered the button as well?  I had read about changing the option to "5   1 or 5    2" and had tried that but (pushing the white test button) the only option I see is "10    0" ?  I may have pushed something before that took it away?? 

Before you start tinkering with any settings (and be careful when you do mess around in the menus so you don't mess something up), how is the machine behaving now, and what do you want to change it to?  From what I understand, right now when you win the machine adds credits to the credit meter.  From there, you can play the credits or press the Cash Out button to get it to spit out coins.  Do you want this set differently?

If you do want to change the settings, I highly suggest downloading the Excel file attached to the bottom of this post (click here) called "IGT S+ PSRs & TEST OPTION SHEETS SIMPLIFIED V3.zip".  Read the front page of that file to understand what some of the terms mean, and then look on the tabs at the bottom and click on the SP1271 sheet which better explains the menu options for your specific SP chip.

In regards to payout percentage, is that something you can change?  It seems to be winning a lot!

The SS chip in your machine determines the payback percentage -- the only way to change it is to replace the chip.  You could buy a lower percentage chip for your game (see the link to the bible I posted above), but you already have a 90% chip -- that's already a fairly low payout, especially for home use.  In fact, most homeowners like a HIGHER payout chip to increase the number of wins -- it's not a frequent complaint that a machine offers too many wins.

Also, the payback percentage of a machine is calculated over millions of spins.  You're very likely to have "streaks" where you win frequently.  You'll also have streaks where you lose frequently.  Long term the payback will even out to around 90% (based on the chip in your machine).

And a couple more questions, should you keep the machine on at all times, or only when in use and is there a way to lock the door?  My kids like to cheat!

The first half of this has been discussed at length on the site -- use the search button at the top of the page if you want to find some of the threads on the topic.  In a nutshell, if you play your machine on a regular basis, you can certainly leave it on.  They were designed to be on 24/7 in the casinos.  If you only play your machine a couple of times a month, it makes sense to only turn it on when needed.  Personally, I barely ever play my machines (I think I enjoy fixing them more than playing them), so they stay off unless I have friends over or get an itch to play one of them.

The second half of your question is, "yes", there is a way to lock the door.  I'm pretty sure the casinos wouldn't have been happy if there wasn't a way to do so.   

There are two lock holes on the right side of the machine, right next to the lever you lift to open the door.  To completely secure the machine, you'll need a lock in each of those holes.  One prevents the latch from lifting to open the main door, and the other prevents the belly glass door from opening.  If you'd like, you can post a "WTB" (Want To Buy) ad in the classifieds section of the forum asking for two locks for your IGT S+ upright slot machine -- one for the main door latch, and the other for the belly door.  One of the vendors should be able to sell you a set which you can install yourself pretty easily.