Quick questions about slot machines

[5 ACES]

First off, thank you all for the great insight and answers to my questions. You are extreamly helpful! My first question is: Should a person keep his/her slot machine on 24/7? Also, the last person who had my slot machine, glued the reel strips on with white paper glue, Elmer's. I ordered a new set, but for the most part, the current ones are not in that bad of shape. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to get my old reel strips off without damaging them? It feels like they will tear apart if I try and peel them off. If they are beyond keeping, no big deal, as a new set will replace them. Thanks again!!

[Foster]

Casinos keep them on 24/7

For some time I would turn mine off at when I went to bed then on when I got home from work, or when I got up on my days off, I may start doing this again.
For now I keep them on 24/7.


It is really up to you.

The strips are made from plastic materials, so maybe a little soap and water, WD-40, or goo gone. may remove the glue easily.

I use both WD-40, and goo gone to remove the double sided tape normally used by IGT on the reel strips.

[5 ACES]

Thanks, I'll try that.

[rickhunter]

You didn't say what type of machine you had.  If it's an S2000 and it has the newer IGT reel strips, soap and water will destroy the top layer of the strip.  It's pretty easy to tell if you have these kinds of strips.  Just wet the top of your finger and touch the strip in an area, if it's sticky, then you shouldn't use soap and water.  If it's smooth and not sticky, then you can use soap and water.  Also IGT reel baskets are easy to take apart.  They are two halves that are only twisted on.  So if you run your finger along the basket and look for the the little bump that acts as the key (so you know where the reel strip goes into the basket), you could just separate the basket enough to free the indentation on the strip and then just twist off one side of the reel basket and then you'll have your round glued together strip by itself, which you could then soak in warm water until the glue dissolves.

[JRR4]

Be careful cleaning your reel strips.  I used windex to remove finger prints and tape reside and nearly ruined my custom strips.  I'm not really sure what to use now.  the original strips were really easy to clean though.  Laminated I guess.

Oh, I turn my machine on only when I play it.  I don't know how much electricity one uses so better to save the $$$.

[jay]

I have my game room on X10 controls.
www.x10.com

For those of you not familar with x10 you have a module that you set both a house code and a unit code.
There are 16 house codes and 16 unit codes so theoretically you could have 256 devices.

The modules are one of 2 basic types - Lamp Module (dimable) or Applicance Module (on/off only).
     You can get a Lamp Module - Plug in style - Plug it into the wall - plug your lamp into it.
     Or you can get a replacement light switch.

     The appliance modules come in about 3 different wattages with the higher wattages being a 3 prong and the lower only 2 prong but keyed.
     You can also get the in-wall replacement for an electrical outlet.

The classic control system is a small box that plugs into the wall and allows you to press the appropriate unit code.
It sends a small digital signal across the electrical wires that is received at the matching unit.

You can also get a wireless transmitter that speaks to a unit that plugs into the wall. Its radio not IR so it works throughout the house.

X10 is the orginal designer but you can get some higher end modules from Levitron and similar companies.
The levitron wall switches look more like a regular light switch and can even support scene control so when you hit one button it can control several lights and bring them to pre-determned dim levels.

The stuff is dead simple to install and control. About the only problem you ever run into is that your breaker panel is setup to two halves. Sometimes the signal does not transfer well from one side of the panel to a circuit
located on the opposite side. I have this problem. In which case you can get a unit that plugs into your 220v dryer plug. It basically receives the signal on one phase and repeats it on the other. You then plug your dryer back into this unit.

In my case I go into my basement and press the ON button. This triggers 10 modules. Mostly they are connected to my neon lights, but also the pinball machine and the 4 slots.
All of my units are set to the same unit code and house code and are spread aross 5 house circuits.

[5 ACES]

You didn't say what type of machine you had.  If it's an S2000 and it has the newer IGT reel strips, soap and water will destroy the top layer of the strip.  It's pretty easy to tell if you have these kinds of strips.  Just wet the top of your finger and touch the strip in an area, if it's sticky, then you shouldn't use soap and water.  If it's smooth and not sticky, then you can use soap and water.  Also IGT reel baskets are easy to take apart.  They are two halves that are only twisted on.  So if you run your finger along the basket and look for the the little bump that acts as the key (so you know where the reel strip goes into the basket), you could just separate the basket enough to free the indentation on the strip and then just twist off one side of the reel basket and then you'll have your round glued together strip by itself, which you could then soak in warm water until the glue dissolves.

Thank's to all of you for the great responses! I have an S+ machine. I tried the goo gone stuff and some soap but the reel strips won't give. I'm wondering now if it's not super glue that was used on these things. The only reason I asked was in the future, I would like to possibly get a game kit and change the theme. I just wanted to make sure I still have a nice looking set of reel strips that I can change back and forth without destroying them in the process. I think these old ones are headed for the trash.

[jay]

You could always get another set of reels cheap...... leave the old strips on and swap reels.

[tacman]

I think Jay hit it right on the head, especially if the reel strips are from a popular or hard to get theme. The reel set may even cost less than replacement strips!

 Dan (tacman)

[5 ACES]

You could always get another set of reels cheap...... leave the old strips on and swap reels.

That was another option I was thinking about. Instead of swapping out the strips, just get three reels and use them when I change over to another game. I see they run around $40 - $50 for a set of three. Does that price sound right?