MEI Cashflow SC Series - Error, 3 Solid Lights - HELP

[angryninjas]

Hey guys, picked up an S Plus machine with an MEI Cashflow SC Series BV in it.  Never had one of these before, always had the DBV-0200's.  BV does not cycle when the machine is turned on (never has since I bought it), and shows 3 solid lights on the front of it, red, green and amber.  From what I could decrypt from a similar service manual, I think it means it needs programmed???  What exactly would that mean, and how would I get the equipment to do so... or is it just some stupid setting somewhere that is a common problem?  Set chip has enabled the BV as confirmed by 9-1.  Thanks.

[Mirage_Chaser]

The lights on the ba indicate a problem with the ba.

The mei sc series ba's have two parts that can be responsible for the issue you are talking about. One is the sensor head (where the bill goes in like on the dbv's) and the other is the daughter board. It is the interface board that is mounted behind the head.

First thing I would try is to remove and re-seat both parts, careful because it is easy to lose some skin removing the daughter board (it just slides out on plastic rails).  If that doesn't work then it is possible you do need a flash or one or the other of the parts is not functioning properly.  If you don't have one to swap with it is difficult to trouble shoot. It takes about a minute to reflash it if someone around you has the download tool and firmware. Or you can send it to suzo happ and they will do it for you.

Also replacement heads are available.

[CVslots]

From a handy little cheat sheet I have from MEI on the SC series...

Status: 3 Solid Lights (Green/Yellow/Red) indicate: Unprogrammed Unit / Generic Unit
You Need To: Program Unit with a service tool.

[Neonkiss]

I believe that I read somewhere that a unprogramed unit will work with a PLCC chip in the head. But once a unit has been provramed it will no longer accept a chip. The chip socket is located under the yellow cover. Now, does anyone know if this unit will work on A S+ for I'D 023?

[angryninjas]

Hmmm, ok, I'll take a look at it.  Might be easier to just buy a cheap dbv-200 on eBay and be done with it, lol.  This came installed in an S+ Empire King, which is more AC Slots parts inside than IGT... More circuits in that machine than NASA, lol.  Definitely not your run of the mill S Plus.

[CVslots]

No offense, but why would you buy a DBV200 when you can put in a WBA?    Is there something in particular you like about the DBVs versus a WBA? WBAs are so much more plentiful, and being so, probably cheaper...I dunno, personal preference maybe.

[angryninjas]

Just that all my other machines have the  dbv200, so keeps everything uniform.  I've actually never had a WBA, so not sure of the advantages.  Open to change though

[Mirage_Chaser]

I too have the handy dandy card and that is what it says, it is just not always the reality of things. The mei are generally reliable units and have very high accuracy and fast acceptance. If you make it through this issue then it will probably not cause you any more trouble.

The real advantage to modern acceptors is newer software for bill support, lower maintenance, and tito ready readers. For at home users it doesn't matter so much.

Any luck just resetting/reseating the two parts?

[angryninjas]

Nope, no luck.  Took out both the head and the daughter board and reseated them, no luck.  Here's a pic of the chip underneath the yellow cover.  Also, I notice in the back of the unit, behind the head when I take it out, there is a group of wires running down inside the machine, but the end showing in the BV area is a red wire that looks like a ground wire (round screw connector on it), and a black wire and white wire which have both been cut.  The 3 wires are wrapped in one tube of black rubber and goes back down into the main area of the machines somewhere... had trouble tracing exactly where they run to.  None of these 3 wires are going anywhere in  the bv area.  Is that the problem or is it simply a cash box switch bypass or something that has been done?  I don't see any place that these wires would connect in the area that they are sticking out in behind the bv head, so I'm thinking maybe a former cash box switch, but I could be wrong.

Here is a pic of the chip under the yellow cover, so it does actually have one.  I still get all 3 lights lit up solid:

[Mirage_Chaser]

Well good news and bad news.

Bad news is I am not sure that those cut wires are a stacker switch. When you took out the daughter board you may have noticed a small micro cherry switch on the bottom. That is the stacker present switch. On newer IGT's there are two switches there, I am not sure about s games though because I have not seen one with an mei in it.

Good news is if it is just a flash problem all you need is a replacement chip. Again suzo happ could provide you with one.

That being said however changing the acceptor is a breeze assuming you have a spare. 4 screws and a few plugs and you can pop in a wba (or dbv if you prefer).

[CVslots]

I too have the handy dandy card and that is what it says, it is just not always the reality of things. The mei are generally reliable units and have very high accuracy and fast acceptance. If you make it through this issue then it will probably not cause you any more trouble.

The real advantage to modern acceptors is newer software for bill support, lower maintenance, and tito ready readers. For at home users it doesn't matter so much.

Any luck just resetting/reseating the two parts?

We highly prefer the MEI units over WBAs as far as acceptance and reliability. But I have never seen one in an S+. Someone better voiced in MEI protocols/software may know wether this is even possible? If not, you may have a rocking MEI on the shelf for the next S2000 you get!

[angryninjas]

Thanks for the info.  Yeah this S plus is far from ordinary in every way possible.  I'll try to take some pics of those 3 wires. 

[Mirage_Chaser]

I prefer UBA's myself. I am working with multiple currencies and all it takes to change them on a uba is a laptop and 2 minutes.

[angryninjas]

Sorry it took me a few days to get a picture of the 3 wires that are hanging.  As you can see, the white and black have been snipped, and the red has a spade on it, but I don't see anywhere that it would connect anywhere nearby.  I've tried grounding the red spade wire, and the status of the acceptor doesn't change... still 3 solid lights.  Is this my problem, or is it the chip that needs programmed?

[Neonkiss]

Not sure what those wires are for, but that's not your problem.
I have the same wires hanging in my machine and my MEI works.

[angryninjas]

Not sure what those wires are for, but that's not your problem.
I have the same wires hanging in my machine and my MEI works.

Ok, cool.  I didn't want to drop $50+ on a new head if the wires were the issue.

[BigCountry25]

needs to be programmed with a PPM(bananna) with proper firmware

[igor_zsu]

 Hello !
I have this problem with heads of SC83xx too.
All 3 solid light (not fjash), not connecting with PPM, STS sowtware and DEMO POST  - validator  head is "dead". Replasing interfase board, suply 24 V/DC - not resultat. Problems in main board in head.
 We practically have no service for MEI CashFlow, once to me repaired head, but it is very expensive.
 Want to ask:
as I understand it a problem the falling BOOT FIRMFARE in head - a replacement chip decide this problemm ?
Or other problem ?
 Thanks !