UK Electronic Coin Mechanism troubleshooting

[kaari]

Hi there, I've just about finished a cabinet project (Mame, sorry!) but am having a few issues with the coin mechanism. Before I get into it I first wanted to thank everyone on the forums for the treasure trove of information held in these pages. It has honestly been the most important resource as the work has continued. I have lost count of the number of "aha!" or "that's it exactly!" moments I have had, so belated thanks!

I'm working with a Mars MS126 electronic coin mechanism (10p/20p/50p/£1), which is attached to a credit board. I wired up the credit board to a 12v supply but am not able to get the mech to accept any coins at all. Basically there are so many different things I might have done wrong that I'm having trouble narrowing down the problem before replacing the whole kit. I have a bunch of small questions.

First, should the coin mechanism work with just a voltage applied to the appropriate pins? I get nothing, so thought maybe the credit board needs to be making a more complex connection to the mechanism for it to function (e.g. inhibits set or something similar)

I think I have the switches set correctly on the credit board (kindly the original manufacturer dug up a diagram for me), however am unclear on exactly the wiring here. The credit board has a bank of 9 connectors - 12v, gnd, credit common, credit NO, credit NC, lamp x2, meter x2. I have the supply sorted (molex) and multimeter shows power to the lamp connections fine. I'm not sure if I should expect a current between credit NC and credit common (there isn't anything -  on other posts that is hinted at being expected)

Checking the output pins of the credit board (i.e. connects to mechanism), the 12v is supply pins are fine, and when I set the coin inhibit switches on the credit board I find power on those pins also (e.g. £1 inhibit -> common). On this note, do electronic mechanisms inhibit coins when a there is a voltage on these pins or not? the switches aren't clear which way is "inhibit".

So, power is getting to the mech, and some switches seem to work, but no coins are accepted (in any combination of inhibits). My next thought is the money. the mechanism has a sticker on it advertising it supports "new 10ps", and a maintenance sticker showing 1992. Do I need to source period authentic coins? I don't seem to have any around. I figure since it uses magnets somehow, perhaps the "signature" of the coin alloys have changed in the past 22 years so are now incompatible, however this is wild speculation and I am trying to resist buying an authentic 1992 settee in hope of finding some coins behind the cushions. I did find hint on the internet that it was possible to get the mechanism into a special mode for "training", to keep up with currency changes.  Anyone had any experience of that?

I'm pretty much convinced that I'll need to source another electronic mechanism (at least), although I'd prefer to repair it somehow. Are the fittings somewhat standard across models, or do I need to make sure to get an exact model match? if I get a top load front reject me111 or somesuch, will that fit into the clips on the back of the door and expect the same input/outputs from the credit board?

Apologies for the barrage, but I've enjoyed learning more about the innards of such machines even if the answer is "it's bollocksed mate".

[ed12]

to answer 1 of your questions
yes if u apply 12vdc to the proper pin and ground
then the mech will work..however u will get the reject problem
until u pull the no-inhbit line low >ie ground<
this will turn on 1 of the 4 channel's
to get an idea of this
google cash code 330,and d/l there pdf
they are just abot the same..
next up-load a picture of the cerdit board and i can explain it's better for u.

ed

[kaari]

Ok cheers, here's the credit board (note only the coin meter is connected here). I have the diagram for switches/connectors that the manufacturer Coinection Sales Ltd kindly provided, however don't want to put them online without permission. I think, presuming the board is working, that this must mean the mechanism is knackered. given it supplies voltage to the mech and the inhibits seem to work correctly based on what you say. Cheers!

[ed12]

ya thats a converter board
it takes in the multi pulse from your coin unit
and combine's it to a single channel out
the dip switchs big bank setup the line's to no inhibit
and the smaller 1 set's up the # of pulse's the realy will give

ed

[lilshawn]

http://www.namco.co.uk/PDF-manuals/mars-manuals/126-129_User_Guide.pdf

page 12 shows the pinout of the validator

the inhibit lines all need to be tied to ground in order to accept on that channel. to inhibit a coin you would remove the ground. often on the interface boards there were jumper links you could cut or switches you could flick to enable/ disable a particular coin (as outlined on the info sticker.) this acceptor pulses a different wire for each of the different coins programmed into it. (5 on A 10 on B 20 on C 100 on D) inserting a coin pulses the appropriate line.

now, the board you have there takes the multiple lines (A-F or 1-6 or what ever you want to call it) and issues a credit on a single line of appropriate coinage. (also called a totalizer)

for instance if a play was 50, it would wait until 5x 10 value coins or 10 x5 value coins where inserted before issuing the credit pulse on the line. Likewise if you insert a 100 value coin, 2 credits would be pulsed and so on. this makes it easy to change the coinage by simply configuring the totalizer for the game cost instead of reprogramming the acceptor every time..

let's be sure the acceptor works first though.

tie the A channel inhibit to ground and supply power to the +12 and ground lines if inserting a 10p coin results in acceptance, your good to go.

if nothing happens, it's programming may be knackerd. there is a teach function outlined in the manual i linked (starting page 16). you can try reteaching the coin to it and trying again.

[ed12]

i thought it was cash flow..
yes that unit can be reprogramed on the fly..
do as shawn and i have been saying
find your vcc/ground pin's
then find the inhibt line's
for a fast test tie them all to ground
with 12vdc appiled it shoud take money..
now it all depend's on what it was taught to take..
older and newer coin's/older coin's olny/newer coin's olny ?
so in short have some of both with u when u do this..
this will
a=tell u the coin unit is working
b=what it will acept and what it will reject
the output line's can be seen on a digital meter to varify that the line is working
and at what value..as u are dealing with 4-6 line's
u might want to make a note on the line..i do just that,so it make's life easier.

ed

[lilshawn]

right about the time this acceptor came out mars got bought out by "cashflow", which later got bought out by "MEI".

the new style mars 111 is nearly identical to the cashflow 126. the 126 was basically replaced by the 330 (often with a 3 to 5 inch adapter bracket)

so if you are having troubles, check out some of the mars 111 documentation (particularly the NSM jukebox manuals cover the wiring needed to get this to accept) and also some of the older style 330 3 inch units had a 15 pin harness on them before they went to the now standard 10 pin (2x5) ribbon header connection and use the same connections. so there may be some documentation of this in the old Megatouch MAXX and XL cabinet docs.

between all that stuff you should be able to get yourself going.

[ed12]

on 1 hand it's to bad they do not have the on the fly
programming port...
but as a god send to the op..he can take his time and do it by the pdf u up-loaded for him..
and good point refer to pg16 it explain's just about everything u will need..>expect your head scratcher<,if u are in doubt ring us up we can decyper the setup for u

ed

[kaari]

Bit of a delay getting back to this but cheers everyone for your helpful responses. With your help I managed to figure out that the validator is indeed broken. the indicator LEDs were hidden behind a bit of plastic, and with 12v applied correctly there is no life in the unit. I double checked the ribbon cables etc and still no luck. Never mind, but again thanks for all the help, it has been fun learning all this new stuff.