DBV-200 Troubleshooting

[Slotster]

Ok, so I got a IGT S+ about a year ago with a DBV-200... worked perfect. Then I installed a progressive display board... and in the process of doing so, managed to break (?) my DBV-200. It continuously cycles from the moment it's powered on. I've been over all the wiring with a multimeter, verified all the bill paths, etc etc... can't find anything wrong. The only spare part I have is a power supply for it... which didn't help a bit. Can anyone give me some advice on how I can troubleshoot this without any additional spare parts? (I.E. Could I take the head out of the machine, power it while separated and see if the problem continues, and if so, that would eliminate the bill path, cash box, etc etc?)

Or is my only choice to start buying more parts until I happen to find the one that works?
 

[jay]

It sounds like the head might just need to be reseated. I would loosen the two screws up front, remove, reseat.

[Slotster]

Done that... many times. How does the head know when it's seated? Perhaps there's a sensor or specific part I should be verifying?

[dpalmi]

Hello!

I had a DBV-200 and transport that would keep cycling at power up once.  Turned out to be a bad BV power supply - replaced the supply and the issue stopped.  But sounds like you already tired that... 

I don't have a S+ to test with anymore, I believe the head alone will power on test correctly even with all the wires disconnected.  So unplug the connector on the right and the 2nd one on the left so that the only connector is the power connector and see if it still keeps cycling.  At least you would know if it's the head or not.  FYI - you don't really need to take it out of the machine to do that.

Dan #2

[OhioGaming]

Have you checked the 4 wire connection on the right side to make sure all pins are connecting?

[Slotster]

Ok... So I unplugged all wires from the head with the exception of the power cord on the left and the brown (8 or so wire?) header on the right, and it still cycles. When I unplug the brown header on the right as well, it doesn't cycle. Can someone try it on their machine and let me know if that's "normal" operation? Would that then indicate a problem somewhere in my bill path?

[stayouttadabunker]

I'd be happy to try that in the morning and give you a reply.
Maybe some else will try it sooner?

[dpalmi]

Ok... So I unplugged all wires from the head with the exception of the power cord on the left and the brown (8 or so wire?) header on the right, and it still cycles. When I unplug the brown header on the right as well, it doesn't cycle. Can someone try it on their machine and let me know if that's "normal" operation? Would that then indicate a problem somewhere in my bill path?

Hello!

Once again, I no longer have a S+ to test with - but the brown header on the right is how the head comunicates with the transport - so that would make me think something isn't right with the transport.  There are multiple sensors on the transport to watch for a bill - maybe they need cleaning?  There is also a disc with slots in it that spins that a sensor monitors - it's kinda hidden within the transport and not as easy to clean - I would check that sensor and wheel too.  It must think there is a bill stuck in there...

Dan #2

[Op-Bell]

Here's the DBV-200 service manual. It doesn't specifically cover this problem, but it describes the built-in test modes and the DIP switch settings to get to them.

This and all other JCM service manuals can be downloaded from product support/tech manuals at jcm-american.com.

[Slotster]

Yeah, I had looked at the service manual myself a bit... but if I'm not mistaken, the LED light they're referring to is the one on the connector they show on their photos... not the one that's built onto the unit itself. Am I wrong about that? Based on the pinout, I think it needs to go from pin 7 to pin 8.

I don't have a SET chip at all... (though I haven't needed one up to this point) I was a little hesitant to start messing with test mode on the DBV for fear of doing something like corrupting the ram or anything that might need me to use a set chip. Is there any chance of that, or is the SET chip all used for internal operation of the S+, and completely independent of the DBV? I also don't have any of that special calibration paper they refer to... so again, I'm very cautious about throwing dip switches on that thing.

I'll start by cleaning every little piece of the transport and going back over the transport's wiring again...

Thanks for the help!

[dpalmi]

Yeah, I had looked at the service manual myself a bit... but if I'm not mistaken, the LED light they're referring to is the one on the connector they show on their photos... not the one that's built onto the unit itself. Am I wrong about that? Based on the pinout, I think it needs to go from pin 7 to pin 8.

Yes - you are correct.  The LED they refer to is not the ones built into the head.  BUT - if you have it in a machine, the yellow bezel on the front of your S+ is wired the same - so you can see the status/response blinks on the front bezel.  Follow?

I don't have a SET chip at all... (though I haven't needed one up to this point) I was a little hesitant to start messing with test mode on the DBV for fear of doing something like corrupting the ram or anything that might need me to use a set chip. Is there any chance of that, or is the SET chip all used for internal operation of the S+, and completely independent of the DBV? I also don't have any of that special calibration paper they refer to... so again, I'm very cautious about throwing dip switches on that thing.

I have done all the tests on a DBV-200 including calibrating with the correct paper and it won't affect the slot or the slots settings...so you won't need a SET chip after preforming the tests.  Just make sure to write down what the dips were set at before you change them so you can put them back

Dan #2

[Slotster]

Ok, so I ran through some of the tests - thanks for the info on the LED on the front... It hadn't even occurred to me that those wires went up there.

Bill Registry without stacker passed with no problem at all.
Bill Registry with stacker sends it into an endless cycling mode. No LED indicators... seems to get locked up the moment I flip Bank 2-#6 off. I let it run for about 20 seconds before giving up... maybe I need to let it think about it for a few minutes?

I thought about doing the Solenoid, Carrier/Storage, and Stacker Performance tests, but all three of them read "With the power off, set the DIP switches for the test. Turn on the power. All three LEDs will light, the left one will blink until Bank-2 #6 is turned off." And I have no idea at all which 3 LED's they're referring to. Can you give me some guidance what I should be looking for on those tests?

[Foster]

Is the Transport engaging fully with the stacker?

I know when I remove my DBV-200 and transport form my S+ that when I re-install it I have to make sure the transport goes in level, and does not stick up in the back once I have released the lever on the transport. Sometimes I have to give it a gentle push or tap to get it to drop into place.

[Slotster]

I don't want to say I'm positive I'm putting it in right, but I had used it for a few moths prior to it no longer functioning and have a pretty good idea as to exactly what you're talking about. It took me a while to get the hang of it when I first bought it... but I'd like to think I have the hang of it now. That, and I've reseated it at least 25 times since it stopped working. I'd *hope* I had it right at least one of those times.

[Op-Bell]

I agree with Foster, sounds like the stacker gear is not engaging, or something else is stopping the stacker motor (in the back part of the transport) driving the pusher plate. Has it got a broken tooth in the stacker gear train or the gear on the cash box? If you turn the cash box gear by hand (very stiff) does it push the plate inside? Does the little plastic plate at the back of the cash box top move? The validator has to sense that going up and down.

[Slotster]

Checked the teeth - none appear broken. Turning the cash box gear by had does move the pusher plate (in one direction - it turns the feeder wheels when turned in the other direction).

I did notice though that the gears on the stacker gear train (the feeder path between the head and the cash box) never even try to move. The cycling I get is alternating between half a second of the head motor running and a quick "click" noise coming from the feeder path. Those gears that would be touching the cash box have absolutely no movement during this cycling. The cycling continues with or without the cash box installed.

[Foster]

I wonder if the harness wires on the right side become broken some how, easy to do on the S+ if you don't have the protection plate installed, keeps the wires away from the door latch area.

[westec1]

Have you removed the entire head, transport and cash box, inspect every thing for some kind of obstruction on a sensor,
also check the drive belts on the head and transport for belts slipping, also there are sensors in the cash back cavity near the
bottom on each side, I believe they are a kind of optical sensor, check to make sure they are not obstructed and the connections are good, check the cash box there is a hole in it near the bottom for those sensors to look through, check for obstruction there, if I remove my cash box and power up my unit it will cycle for several times looking for the cash box.

Wes

[Ron (r273)]

Here are some old notes from my files. Don't know the authors so I hope it may help.


Re: Continuous Cycling of DBV-200
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2006, 09:34:28 PM »   

________________________________________
That black four pin connector to the right of the head is the connector to the optics in the cashbox housing.
This harness itself can go bad by developing internal breaks, causing such symptoms.  And the optics I speak of in the housing also goes bad.  This is quite possible.  It is a great idea to keep a second housing around.  You can take the hopper out, put your head/transport in the test housing and place it all where the hopper would be, put your can in and fire it up to see if you have issues with the original housing optics or harness.
  Another thing that happens is that the heads of the wire ties that hold that same four pin black harness routed along the transport path on their way into the housing can be sitting in such a way as to not allow a good seating of the transport, causing similar symptoms.  This usually occurs after you remove/replace the transport for a bill jam.  Cut the wire ties and tuck the harness under that lip loosely just long enough to test it again, then re-wire tie it so that the heads do not impede the transport from being flush to the housing.
  Those cash box housing optics have to be able to see through the two holes on either side of the bottom rear of the cash can at the exact proper time in the cycle.  If they don't, you will have these issues.  Great idea to have second cash can to troubleshoot.  Also, if the feet that prop up the cashbox get bent too far down (or up), this is another case where those same housing optics will not see what they should when they should.  Check the feet and adjust as necessary.
  Also:  if one particular wire is broken on the 12 pin brown connector that goes from the right side of the head to the transport unit, you will have similar problems.  Great to have an extra of those harnesses to help troubleshoot as well. 
   
 
I had the same problem with one of my dbv-200s when I upgraded my machines. The head that was not flashed correctly just kept cycling quickly o&o. I bought it from Ben Sr. and I just sent it back and he sent me a replacement. Is there any chance you could contact the seller for a fix or replacement?
Even if it's been a while - they might charge you a little, but it might be worth it.
Just a thought.

 
Re: DBV 200 troubles
« Reply #15 on: Today at 08:05:50 PM »   

________________________________________
I'm not sure I am following you. Did you say that you pulled the good machine CPU board/tray and plugged it into the non-working machine, used the set chip (despite the fact that it indicated that the DBV was already set) and then played one coin before getting the error 3200?
 
Did you try using the bill valuator after you reset the denomination in the known good CPU board (before you pulled it back out and put it back in your other good machine)?

If you plug the Non-working Bill valuator CPU/tray into your good machine, does the Bill valuator still work on the good machine?

I am thinking that maybe you have a bad CPU board that is not recognizing the activated DBV?

Another thought ... Are you sure you have the 6 pin plug for the bill validator harness plugged into the correct slot (J6 - perpendicular to the front of machine) on the motherboard?
The correct wiring for J6 on the motherboard (as per my machine) ... Pin 1 (closest to front) Yellow with brown stripe (Bill acceptor output) Pin 2 - Brown with Yellow stripe (Bill acceptor input) Pin 3 - no connection Pin 4 - Green (Ground) Pin 5 - Orange with Green Stripe (24 Volt AC Hot) Pin 6 - no connection.
I ask because you switched the motherboard, and J13 is also a 6 pin slot (positioned horizontally to the front of the machine) but is for a printer.

On the Harness were the DBV power supply connects you should find two additional wires ... Black with Red stripe (117 VAC Hot going to your main Power supply) and White with Red Stripe (117 VAC Neutral also going to your main power supply).

[Slotster]

I took out the cash box and verified the wiring (using a basic multimeter) from the cash box sensors up to the wiring harness... no problems there. I verified all wiring from the bill transport sensors back to the side-mounted PCB. No problems there either. I also verified all wires coming from the head unit to the side-mounted PCB... no issues there. So I'm 98% sure my problem isn't a broken wire at this point.

Noticing that the transport motor never seems to spin at all (and someone mentioning that it sounded like the head thought there was a bill in the path that it needed to clear), it occurred to me to put a bill in the path and see what happens... Doing so caused it to no longer cycle. It doesn't become active (I.E. no Bill-ready LED on the front), but it does seem to stop the continuous cycling. I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty certain that's not normal behavior - I would've expected it to spin the transport motor to clear the bill. Incidentally enough, I also learned that when I have a bill in the transport and the cash box removed, it doesn't cycle (just as it does with the cashbox fully inserted) - BUT, when I then put my hand between the cash box sensors, it begins cycling again.

So at this point, I believe I've eliminated wiring, the cash box itself, and the sensors in the cash box (seeing as how those sensors are detecting my hand). I think that leaves me with the transport itself or the head... though the head seems a little less likely, since it passes it's internal bill validation test without the transport connected.

I do wonder about the J6 vs J13 thing you mention on the motherboard... Can you point me to any pictures or diagrams as to what that's referring to?

And can anyone give me any more detail on how I'm supposed to perform the Solenoid, Carrier/Storage, and Stacker Performance tests (or at least what I should be looking for and expecting)?

[Slotster]

Well, I went through the other DBV tests despite not knowing that LED's they were referring to... I still don't know, *but* I do know that the Normal & Reverse Motor rotation tests rotated the rollers on the head only. The stacker Performance and Carrier/Storage tests sent it into continuous cycling mode, and the Solenoid test toggled the Solenoid, but no continuous cycling. At this point I'm strongly suspecting an issue either with the motor in the transport itself, or a problem with the PCB mounted on the side of the transport. That, or I managed to damage some part of the logic within the head until without damaging the head unit's self-tests - Possible, but seems unlikely. I'm thinking my next step is to start looking for a replacement transport unless anyone has any better ideas.

[Ron (r273)]

FYI Slotster,

[Slotster]

Thanks R... I took a quick look, and although I have the BV connected properly, interestingly enough there is a harness connected to the printer output as well... I'll have to trace those wires one of these days and see where it goes. It did make me wonder though - the problem all started when I hooked up the meter... I have to wonder if I possibly damaged something on the motherboard. One more suspect part to add to the possibility list.

So curious - can I eliminate the MB and wiring harness to it by disconnecting the MB connector and powering it up? Or will it not come on at all if it doesn't have a connection to the motherboard?

[Foster]

The BV will power up, they run off a seperate PS especially in the S+ it is J6 on MB for the S+.

[Slotster]

Yep - powers up without J6 connected, but it continues to cycle... so that at least eliminates the MB and the wiring harness coming from it. I'll try disconnecting the transport motor from the PCB and give it 12v by itself... make sure it still spins. Since that's the one thing that isn't happening but seems like it should. Anyone know of a good way to test these optical sensors? I would assume I could apply 1.5v to one side and check voltage (or resistance?) on the other side... But even if that's true, I don't currently know how to tell which side it the LED side and which side is the sensor, or which is + and which is -.