Coin mechanisms bad? KeyWiz, etc.

[Dougmeister]

Got an old cabinet (TNT Amusements in Philly).  Coin mechanisms are beat up, but I'm wondering how to tell if they still work?

I have my cabinet working with the KeyWiz.  I have keyboard "5" connected to a Yellow button on my control panel to add a credit.  I found what looks to be the same type of (micro?) switch at the very bottom of the coin mechanism.  I hooked up a ground wire and another wire, hooked them up to the KeyWiz while keeping the other wires where they were and tried it.

Yellow button stopped working; coin mechanism didn't work either (kind of - read on).  I had to reboot the computer to get the Yellow credit button working again.

Furthermore, the coin mechanism wires did not register a credit when a quarter was dropped in, but DID register a credit when I jiggled the ground wire.

Am I babbling or can anyone give me an idea of how to fix it, or determine if my coin mechanism is shot, needs a new switch, etc.?

Oh, and the 2nd coin mechanism just always sends the quarter out the coin return.

Please advise.  Thanks.

(If I need to give more info, post pics, please ask.)

[Ghoward]

Please post pics....

Gary

[Dougmeister]

Ok.  Will try to post tonight.  Thanks.

[RayB]

First of all, if the mechanism is just spitting out the quarters it could be that it is set for tokens, or even might have originally been in Canada and is set for Canadian quarters. Try a token, I bet it will work.

Next, You may have attached the wires to the wrong pins. You're right that the switch at the bottom of the mech is just that, a button. But you have to make sure you connect to the right pins and hook it up like you would any other button.

Hope this vague commentary helps.

[Dougmeister]

I can describe what I did, if that helps:

In the picture, I used the coin mech on the left (as looking at the picture).  Left red wire on top connector, removed other two.  

You can see the connector that I attached the wire to for the "hot" wire (don't know what else to call it - the one that goes to KeyWiz screw for keyboard "5" to insert a coin).  

The 3rd connector is underneath, and that's the one that I ran to ground.  (Also the one that gives a credit when I jiggle it)

Does that shed any light on the problem?

[Dougmeister]

A side view:

[SirPeale]

You've got coin lockout coils on that door.  They're so coins don't get accepted while your game is off, they get safely routed toward the reject tray.

Either remove them, or power them while the game is on.  I think they're 24V, so best to just remove them.

[Dougmeister]

Thanks, Peale.

Trying to not sound like a noob, but I am, so...  

(Edit: I *did* Google this and didn't get anywhere, so I *did* at least try!)

How do I remove the coin lockout coils?

[SirPeale]

1) Remove the coin mech.

2) Unscrew the lockout coils.  They're the little coils that have wires attached to them on the left of your mechs.

[Ken Layton]

Coin lockout coils have a coil, spring, and armature (metal flap). Remove all 3 items and throw them away. The coil has a single Phillips head screw in the back of it that holds it to the door.

[Dougmeister]

1) Is this what you're talking about?

2) Would disconnecting the wires leading to it accomplish the same thing?

(I realize it is useless to me and will eventually take it off & throw it away... just curious)

(P.S.  How do you do >1 picture in a single post?)

[SirPeale]

1) Is this what you're talking about?

Yup!

2) Would disconnecting the wires leading to it accomplish the same thing?

Nope!  It needs to be powered to work, so just remove it.  < 5 minute job.

(I realize it is useless to me and will eventually take it off & throw it away... just curious)

(P.S.  How do you do >1 picture in a single post?)

Post the pictures on webspace somewhere and link to them.  You can't attach more than one item to a post.

[Dougmeister]

< 5 minutes.  I *like* those kind of jobs!

Thanks, guys, for all your help.

Will hopefully try it tonight or this weekend.

[Dougmeister]

Also, does the brand of my coin mechs matter if I want to modify them to accept tokens?

TheNasty's post:
http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=19200

[Dougmeister]

Ok.  Tried to remove the coin mechanism.  There are two (obviously) and each one has four (4) screws, one in each corner.

Looking at the back of the mechanism (see picture), there is a rivet which is holding the lower-left hand corner to the door.  Am I missing something here?  How do I get the coin mech off w/out busting the rivet?

 

[SirPeale]

No, no, no.

The coin mech is the rectangular-looking thing right smack in the middle.  There should be two little screw-things facing you (they have a slot to remove them with a screwdriver).  Take them out, and you should be able to tip the mech out.

[Dougmeister]

Ah.  Now I see.

(Must wait 'til I leave work... ouch...)

[Dougmeister]

Ok.   Loosened the 2 screws & pulled the mech out.

Stilll not sure what  the "Coin lockout coils" are.  I have enclosed shots of the left and the right-hand sides, and labelled what I *think* is the lockout coil.  Please confirm, or tell me how off I am.  Thanks.

[Dougmeister]

Right-hand side of coin mechanism:

[SirPeale]

If you remove that spring then your coin reject won't work.

Now that you've removed your mechs, look back to the door itself.

You see where the coin microswitch is?  Look up about three more inches, on the left of where the coin mech used to be.  You'll see something that looks kind of like a transformer.  I noted a red wire plugged into it earlier.

Remove that.

[Dougmeister]

Ok, Peale.  You've been very patient and I appreciate it.

The thing w/ copper wire then, right?

If so, how do you remove it?  Can't see any screws...

[SirPeale]

That's it.  

I'm not sure, perhaps yours is different.

[Ken Layton]

There's a single screw in the lockout coil that attaches it to the coin door. Remove the screw and the coil comes out along with it's metal post running thru the center of the coil.

[Dougmeister]

Got it working.  Thanks guys.

Now to wait for my custom BYOAC tokens and some modifications...

Again, does the brand of my coin mech matter if I want to modify them to accept tokens?

Refer TheNasty's post:

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=19200

[Dougmeister]

(bringing up a wa-a-ay old post here)

So can I modify these coin mechs to accept tokens/anything or would it be easier to just buy some new ones from TheNasty?

[krick]

There's an article about converting a cabinet to tokens on RetroBlast...

http://www.retroblast.com/articles/token-convert.html

They mention token mechs that cost about $14 from Happ Controls.

[Dougmeister]

Thanks, but that article is for that specific coin mech.

Anyone know about the ones I have?  Made by "Coin Controls"?

[Stingray]

Here's what I've done to mod mechs, it's the cheesy & easy method. I'm borrowing the nasty's pic for illustration purposes.



There's a little coin cradle (labled "A" in the pic) held on with a C clip. Remove the clip & the cradle.

The entire upper half of the mech opens up, pull it open and cut about a two inch section of drinking straw. Lay it diagonally between the areas marked "A" and "B" in the pic. The top portion of the mech has spring tension so just let it close on the straw, the tension will hold the straw in place. The straw prevents the coin from being rejected, and sort of funnels it off into the right direction. After you put the straw in there you can optionally put a drop of superglue on either end of the straw, this will keep it from falling out if someone pushes the coin reject button.

 You might have to adjust the screw labled "H" to allow the token to fall all the way through the mech.

This has worked on three different brands of mechs that I've done it on. Takes about five minutes the first time, about two minutes thereafter.

-S

[RayB]

hi, I may be missing something here, but what is the point of modifying a mech to accept any coin? Why even have the mech at all if that's what you want? Make a cardboard channel instead...

 

[Stingray]

Because it makes that lovely sound as it falls through.

-S

[Reaper]

there may or may not be something http://www.moneycontrols.com/support/technical_manuals.asp that helps