Slot Tech Magazine

Page 3-Editorial
Page 4-One Volt Too High
Page 12-Don’t Get Caught With Your Lamps Down
Page 16-Quick & Simple Repairs #106
Page 22-Subscriptions

To the tune of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

“Goodbye CCFL”
Randy Fromm
When are you gonna light up?
When are you going to glow?
You’ve been on the floor for three, Randy Fromm's
Maybe five years or more. Slot Tech Magazine
I know you can’t hold up forever,
With your electrons stripped away, Editor
From your cathodes, coated with oxides, Randy Fromm
This lamp’s too old to continue. There’s no blue. Technical Writers
James Borg, Jason Czito,
So goodbye CCFLs, Vic Fortenbach, Diana
You’re made of such very thin glass, Gruber, Henry Kollar, Chuck
You can’t be replaced very easily, Lentine, Craig Nelson,
So fragile, with low-pressure gas. Kevin Noble, Pat Porath

I’ve found a much better source for my light, Slot Tech Magazine is published
A semiconductor’s just swell, monthly by
Slot Tech Magazine
Oh I’ve finally decided my future lies,
401 W. Lexington #777
Beyond the CCFL. El Cajon, CA 92022
tel.619.838.7111 fax.619.315.0410
What do you think you’ll do then, e-mail editor@slot-techs.com
Where do you think you’ll begin, Visit the website at slot-techs.com
To repair the backlight,
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Lighting your world all around.
Subscribe online at
So goodbye CCFLs, slot-techs.com
You’re made of such very thin glass,
You can’t be replaced very easily, Copyright 2014 under the Universal
Copyright Convention. All rights re-
So fragile, with low-pressure gas. served.

I’ve found a much better source for my light,

A semiconductor’s just swell,
Oh I’ve finally decided my future lies,
Beyond the CCFL. TechFest 29
Mystic Lake Casino
With apologies to Bernie Taupin
May 13-15, 2014
Enrollment is open at
slot-techs.com
 Slot Tech Feature Article

One Volt Too High

By James Borg

T
he other morning,
after a never-ending
night, one of my work
colleagues was busy clean- Once I finished what I was in case a lightning bolt
ing out the slot machines doing, I went to find the decided to strike me but
before the casino opens cleaner so he could show nothing happened. I think I
when I heard him utter- me exactly which machine have been watching too
more like shout-some it was that made him jump. many sci-fi films lately or
words, in an angry sort of He pointed toward a bank that nightmare about Van
way, words, which you will of Casino Technology ma- der Graff Generators must
certainly not be reading on chines, one in particular. have affected me more than
these pages. I imagined. However, I
These machines are very didn’t feel very brave that
He ran up to me, white- popular here in Malta and morning, so I reached into
faced, still looking flustered hardly give me any hassle, my shirt pocket and pulled
and obviously pretty upset. apart from the usual button out my little neon tester. I
He told me that one of the replacement after some touched its screw-driver tip
machines had given him a extremely delightful cus- to the chassis and earthed
nasty electric shock and tomers beat the blazes out the other end with my
that I should check it out. of them. They sometimes finger while I gazed at the
Since I was busy doing pop up weird errors but a neon in the plastic hous-
something else at that RAM CLEAR usually solves ing. The neon didn’t come
moment, I just acknowl- the problem. I have found on. This can mean two
edged his request and them to be physically ro- things. Either the
solemnly promised him I bust and can take quite a machine’s chassis wasn’t
would have a look at this bit of punishment. So far, sitting at hazardous poten-
hazardous machine as soon these machines have tials or my tester’s neon
as I could. He mentioned mainly suffered from moni- died a death.
that the machine was still tor problems (namely their
on and seemed to be work- power supply goes FUBAR) Not taking any chances,
ing fine but it still gave him but other than that, it’s all since we’re only granted
a shock. It’s not ideal to systems go. but one life and I don’t
have clients (or staff for that think it’s time for me to go
matter) receiving electric I approached the machine and meet my maker as yet,
shocks. with extreme caution, just I popped the tester into a

Page 4 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 5
live electrical outlet, earthed the other end flash of light dart across my eyes and
and I could then see its neon light glow- expected all my muscles to contract but
ing. So, this little test confirmed that the none of these things happened. It was as
neon tester was working fine. Using my safe as it could be. So how on Earth did
super powers of deduction, I concluded the cleaner receive the jolt, and why? Lost
that the machine could never have hurt in a multitude of thoughts and enjoying a
the cleaner. The neon in the tester would cup of tea in the process, I tried to figure
only strike when the potential across it out just what could have taken place. I
reaches a voltage greater than about 90 leaned on the machine as if expecting it to
volts. Whatever the machine was pumping talk to me, to confess, to tell me what
or leaking out, it was obviously less than happened and then I accidentally touched
this voltage. the machine next to it. I wish I hadn’t
done that.
After having second thoughts, if the
cleaner had wet hands which made his On touching the adjacent machine, a
skin resistance a great deal lower than lightning bolt flashed through my eye-
normal and he happened to touch the balls, which blinded me for a second and
machine’s chassis, I could then imagine all my muscles contracted rapidly in the
how an electric shock could have assaulted process. I unwillingly found out just how
him and even prompted such flowery far my neon tester could fly. It seemed that
verbal comments to come out of the poor I had found the problem and then de-
chap’s mouth. However, if the machine duced that THAT is what the cleaner must
was properly earthed, than only minute
voltages would be present on the chassis,
if any.

To follow up on my theory, after a quick

inspection of his hands, there was nothing
obvious which could have contributed to
his dilemma, which made the mystery
deepen even further.

Just to make sure, I pulled out the

machine’s mains plug and checked its
earth pin to the machine’s chassis using a
multi-meter set on Ohms. It was a dead
short. That totally eliminated the mains Note to readers in North America: This is the standard 13
cable being damaged or if the earth wire amp UK mains plug, also used in Malta. The pin at the top
had been yanked out of its place. is the “earth” (we call it “ground”) pin. Note the solid brass
pins and internal fuse, far superior to the system used in
North America, especially when you consider that 13 amps
It felt safe to actually poke the machine X 240 volts equals over 3kw where we are limited to 20
with my finger. I was still a bit wary but it amps X 120 volts or 2400 watts. At maximum current, our
was something I needed to do. I braced plugs get hot. Theirs remain cool with less current and
myself for the worst. I waited to see a white WAY better contacts.

Page 6 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 7
have experienced and why he uttered not to damage the machine in any way
those nice words, with good reason, I and that also includes applying excessive
might add. force on the mains power cable.

I picked up my tester from the carpeted So, just what did actually happen to the
floor and touched it to the next machine. cleaner, where did the 100 Volts come
Lo and behold, the neon came on! Hmmm from, and how on Earth does a neon tester
. . . Now that makes sense. THAT makes a work?
great deal of sense. It seemed that the
nasty machine wasn’t the one I tested in The measured 100 Volts is basically leaked
the first place but the one next to it. voltage and the current flows to ground as
best as it can. This being true if there is a
Just for the sake of it, I set my multi-meter circuit to ground, preferably hard wired.
on the Volts AC range and with one probe However, in the absence of such a wire, a
I touched the machine on which the tester good conductor, this voltage will hover
came on and with the other probe, the around the surface of the unit, with evil
machine I had checked originally. It mea- intent, until it finds a circuit to take it to
sured a nice and juicy 100VAC potential ground. This circuit could be some inno-
across. Just to make sure that I was on the cent individual, like a cleaner busy clean-
right track, I also took as reference the ing the equipment or it could be you,
machine on the other side of the one on while resting on an earthed object and at
which the tester came on, with the same the same time touching the equipment
100V result. with this malicious voltage present.

This potential is what the cleaner must Such a tester basically consists of an NE-2
have copped and I couldn’t really blame neon lamp, in series with a 1 Megohm
him for being upset. This type of jolt, is not resistor.
pleasant in the least.
The screwdriver part connects to the point
I followed the mains cable to the plug, a 13 under test, namely a potentially hazardous
Amp type, and found the earth wire pulled voltage, the mains, for example. This can
out of its place. be 120VAC, or 240VAC, depending on
which part of the globe you come from.
Hardly surprising with all the machine Inside the plastic semi-transparent case,
movements the metal point is connected directly to
we’ve had to the neon, in series with the resistor,
carry out which is itself connected to a spring
lately. Not all which makes contact with the top bit (an
who move slot external metal tail, if you wish) which is
machines tend the part that you touch with your finger.
to do it with a
great deal of
TLC. Only a
select few, the
ones directly
involved with
keeping them
alive and kick-
ing, are the
ones who go
the extra mile

Page 8 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

 TechFest 29
May 13-15, 2014
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

Final Appearance at Mystic Lake!

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Casino has some super-special things going for it:
* It’s a wonderful hotel with luxurious rooms and really comfortable bedding.
* The food they serve to us at TechFest is some of the most tasty you’ll ever eat.
They bring us mountains of salads, meat, potato, pasta and deserts that will
knock your socks off.
* Most importantly of all, they have the finest casino slot shop in the world and
we get to take a back-of-house tour of the entire operation. You will see how one
of the largest casinos in the world covers their huge slot floor of close to 5000
machines with 99% uptime. You will leave with many new ideas on how to set up
and run your own shop.
To Enroll:The enrollment
Technical presentations from: form is now available on the web-
Casino Air Products-Air Filtration Systems site at slot-techs.com. Please
for Slot Machines download the enrollment form and
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TechFest also includes instructions on LCD For more information, please visit
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more, presented by Randy Fromm, publisher contact us at techfest@slot-
of Slot Tech Magazine and your host for the techs.com or call 619.838.7111 to
event. speak to Randy Fromm directly.

“HANDS-ON” LABS!
Free Digital Multimeter Included!
Free CCFL Tester Included!
Free Textbooks and Handouts Included!

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 9

Should the screwdriver part some awful words, is be- minute current (in the
be making contact with a cause a circuit has been order of a few microamps)
high voltage (over 90 volts) made. No circuit, no elec- will flow, which for all in-
the neon will not come on tricity flow and no shock. tents and purposes, is very
unless the top bit is actu- The circuit is usually made safe and not in the least bit
ally touched with your to ground. If you are not alarming.
finger. The reason behind making contact to any
this is that you yourself ground, you can carry Having said that, some will
have actually completed the millions of volts on you have their hair stand on
circuit and a little bit of without a single hair of end at this thought and
electrical current will flow your body rising but once would never, not even in
through you, to earth. you touch ground, well . . . their worst nightmare, ever
That’s not really recom- think of using such a piece
Your body conducts elec- mended. The cleaner and I of test equipment. I even
tricity, even though the had touched an unearthed heard cries of “Ban these
skin resistance is in the machine with one hand neon testers!” Personally,
order of hundreds of and at the same time, I’m never without it and I
Kilohms. This resistance is touched one which was also have one as a spare,
reduced drastically if the properly earthed with the should the need arise.
hands are wet or if the skin other hand. A circuit had
is damaged in any way. The been made and the 100V Using a multi-meter is, of
less resistance, the more passed through us with course, a more professional
current will flow through distasteful results. approach as not only will it
you. Many people have, at show you there is a high
one point or another in For the sake of discussion, voltage present but you can
their life, experienced an should both of these ma- actually know just how
electric shock. This can be chines have not been high this voltage is, where if
a little sting or it can be a earthed, should the earth you just use a neon tester,
full blown major shock. I wire been pulled out of this voltage can be any-
have been the victim of both of them, touching thing, within reason of
both of these on more than them both at the same time course, over 90 volts. These
one occasion so I have a would not have induced testers are rated not to be
pretty good idea of how it any hair-raising experi- tested on voltages exceed-
feels. For obvious reasons, I ences because the equip- ing a certain level, for obvi-
try and avoid these situa- ment would have been at ous reasons. The one I use
tions as much as I can. It’s the same potential, hence, is rated at 220 – 250 V AC
no fun jumping up and no current would flow. maximum.
down and reciting words However, if somebody de-
which you don’t normally cided to touch an earthed I have come across a par-
find in religious publica- machine and touch YOU at ticular and extremely rare
tions. At that point, you the same time, then the case, where a multi-meter
obviously have come to the two of you would receive an had totally misled the con-
conclusion that there is electric shock as this some- clusion of whether a mains
something wrong with the body would have made the voltage was present or not.
appliance or in this case, circuit to ground, through It was a case where a friend
the slot machine. you. of mine was checking out
an electric outlet after
For electricity to flow, for Under normal conditions, appliances were not work-
you to feel the jerk, and for when your body is making ing. The same appliances
the cleaner to jump ten foot the circuit through one of worked fine in a different
in the air while saying these neon testers, a area but not from this par-

Page 10 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

ticular outlet. He checked, using his
multi-meter to see if there was a live wire
present, by holding one of the meter’s
probes on the Live, and the other meter’s
probe to the Neutral and then to Earth.
There was no reading at all, and he
thought that the problem was lack of Live.
He was already on his way to check the
distribution box for a tripped switch or an
open fuse along the line.

WRONG! VERY, VERY WRONG!

As luck would have it, I happened to be in

the vicinity. I have a habit of being at the
wrong place at the right time or in this
case, to be at the right place at the right
time. Just for kicks, I applied my neon
tester to his ‘dead’ Live wire and the neon
came on. My friend’s jaw dropped to the CHEAP ADVERTISING
floor. It turned out that both the Neutral To advertise in Slot Tech Magazine,
and the Earth wires were broken, so his
multi-meter was totally useless in this
contact Randy Fromm at
case, even though it’s generally a much 619.838.7111 or email
better instrument to use than my 99 cent advertising@slot-techs.com
tester.

What I had concluded was, that after some

structural work in the area, somebody
could have decided to play at being Tarzan,
using these mains cables hanging from
the soffit, which broke two of the three
conductors, leaving the Live wire the only
one intact. Weird? Strange? Fantastic?
Unbelievable? Yes, all those but so very
true and so very dangerous. I thanked my
lucky stars I always go around with my
trusty neon tester in my pocket as it has
proved to be a very handy piece to always
have close at hand and you really never
know when you might need it.

- James Borg
jborg@slot-techs.com

For schematic diagrams, service

manuals, diagnostic software and
more, visit the Slot Technical De-
partment at slot-tech.com.

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 11

 Slot Tech Feature Article

Don’t Get Caught With Your

Lamps Down
By Bill Mikulski

tors anymore. Now we are fact that heat rises. These

noticing something differ- conditions are not what you
ent. After changing these would call “normal.” This
sub-assemblies, we still can shorten the life of our
have a black screen or, monitors.
perhaps the monitor lights

T
his article pertains to for a few hours, then goes Okay let’s move on to what
casino LCD monitors, out again or we see a dim, can be done to resolve
what to look for and faded monitor. these issues, using LEDs to
information about the bring life back to our moni-
lifespan of these monitors. Firstly, let’s look at some tors.
We’ll also be taking a look facts about CCFLs and their Let’s talk first about the
at Cold Cathode Fluores- lifespan. These lamps in lifespan of an LED which
cent Lamps (CCFLs) and our monitors have a rated are anywhere from 60,000
upgrading them to the lifespan of 40,000 to 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Also,
latest LED backlighting. hours under normal condi- LEDs use far less energy
tions. This is approximately and create less heat. There
It has been a while now five years. If you take a look are benefits you will see
since the casinos have at the back of your moni- with with your own eyes as
switched to LCD monitors, tors, there is a sticker with well. Once these monitors
approximately five or six the date of manufacture. If are converted to LED, you
years. By now, most of us you are seeing a date of will notice brilliant image
have learned how to keep 2008 or earlier, you are quality. Contrast is en-
them going by changing probably already seeing hanced, colors are richer
inverter boards and power some of the symptoms I and black has more depth.
supplies and we have even described above as the
learned what an A/D board CCFLs in the monitor are LEDs have advanced signifi-
is and how to fix it too. nearing the end of their cantly in the last five years.
lifespan. Also the lifespan I have tried various LED
Now we’re getting to a point of 40,000 to 50,000 hours strips to convert these
where we are seeing differ- are what they describe as monitors, some with suc-
ent symptoms in these “normal conditions.” In our cess but some not all. Some
monitors. Replacing and/or casinos, we have dust and of these strips were much
repairing the A/D boards, heat issues, especially with too wide for the channel,
the inverter boards and the some of the video slot ma- making them difficult to
power supplies do not bring chines with two monitors. install. Some were too
life back to our LCD moni- The top monitor often gets narrow and many of them
extremely hot, just from the had the LEDs too far apart,

Page 12 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 13
causing a “spotlight” effect designed for a 22 inch two LED strips in one chan-
on the monitor screen. monitor and cut it to size. nel if you want or need
You can cut it down to fit a more brightness for the
Finally, help has arrived 15 inch monitor, a 17 inch screen
and someone has created monitor, a 19 inch monitor
an LED strip specifically or a 22 inch monitor simply Basic Installation
designed for casino LCD by cutting the strip along a
monitors. Harry Iversen at section that is clearly By now, you have had some
Pacific Illumination has marked. In other words, experience in taking apart
been making replacement you will never be out of a LED monitor down to the
CCFLs for casino monitors stock by doing it this way. panel itself. Most of these
for many years. He has By purchasing an LED strip panels are made by
designed a new LED strip for a 22 inch monitor, you Samsung, keeping the
to replace the existing have stock for all these dimensions quite the same.
lamps, making life a little monitors; you just simply For instance, if you have a
easier for techs like you cut it to size. 17 inch monitor, the panel
and me. will more than likely fit in
The strips are also available all of the manufacturers’
New LED Strip for 22 in 32 inch length. They are LCDs.
Inch LCD installed in the monitor
pictured at the end of this For ease of installation,
These LED strips have been article. They are also avail- Pacific Illumination makes
designed from the ground able for Bally Iview, IGT their LED strips to run
up for casino LCD moni- NexGen & Aristocrat Senti- directly on 12 volts DC
tors. Design considerations nel 111 6.2 inch LCD dis- which is available in all
include the spacing and plays. OEMs take note: machines. The easiest place
size of the LEDs them- Pacific Illumination will to locate 12 volts is on the
selves, their color intensity even custom make an LED A/D board of most of your
and brightness and the strip if your project needs monitors or you can pick
diameter of the strip for it.
easy installation and con-
version. Another new
feature that
I’ve been lucky enough to Pacific Illumi-
work with Pacific Illumina- nation has
tion and have installed provided is a
many of these LED strips double-sided
on our monitors at tape on the
Greektown Casino with back of the
great success. Not only do LED strip.
these strips look fantastic This holds
but they’re easy to install. the LED strip
in place for
One of my favorite features easy installa-
of this strip is having the tion. The LED
ability to make any size you strips are
want. For instance, you can made narrow
The LED strip can be cut to fit any size monitor
have an LED strip that is enough to fit
Page 14 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014
up the 12 volts from your Illumination LED strips all If you haven’t changed out
power supply if preferred or come with a male, 2 pin lamps in an LCD monitor, I
anywhere else there is 12 make JST connector at- suggest that you read one
volts available. Current tached to the LED strip and of the articles about this in
requirements are low and it a separate wire assembly slot tech magazine for more
generates no noise (EMI) as with a matching female JST information.
it is all DC. connector. If you ever
needed to replace the LED - Bill Mikulski
Another money-saving strip then you just unplug Greentown Casino
feature is that you will no the LED strip from the Detroit Michigan
longer need your CCFL separate wire
inverter board, since the assembly
Pacific Illumination LED which you
strips work directly on 12 will have
volts. You can save this wired to any
inverter board for another 12 volt source
LCD that needs it, saving in the ma-
your casino money again. chine, prefer-
Nowadays, the casinos love ably the A/D
these words “saving your board, As you
casino money.” see, with this
set up you do
So basically (keeping it not need the
simple) you are going to extra “con-
pull out your old cold cath- troller” that
ode lamps from the display other LED
panel and install new LED strips often
strips in the metal channel require.
that held the CCFLs. Pacific

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 15

 Slot Tech Feature Article

Quick & Simple Repairs #106

By Pat Porath

to a different version, then and swapped, during boot

back to Aruze software, up a “ROM read error” and
then it works properly. On “game ROM authentication
the bench, I reprogrammed failure” appeared. A couple
a spare and simply wanted more reboots of the game
to swap the printer on it. It only resulted in ROM er-
didn’t quite work that way; rors also. Now it was time
Aruze “Game ROM Er- no such luck. Please don’t for plan B (Bash it! Naw . . .
ror” get the wrong impression, I Just kidding). As I tried
personally do like Aruze different techniques to

F
or some reason or games, the history behind open up the CPU door to
another, we have had the company, also the reseat it, I had to resort to
a few of our Aruze games run very well. using heavy duty pliers just
games lock up for small to get the darn door open. I
hand pays. It seems the fix Anyway, after the ticket have no idea what caused
is to reprogram the printer printer was reprogrammed that ordeal.

Page 16 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

Once the CPU was pulled out a little, the
blue “media dongle” was reseated too. The
CPU was put snugly back into place, the
CPU door lock paddle was adjusted so it
closed easily and it was finally time to
power up the game. This time it loaded
past the text start up screen like it was
supposed to. Things were looking good.
Now the screen showed the normal DOOR
OPEN message, along with “MEDIA RE-
MOVED DURING POWER DOWN” and
“SECURITY CAGE ACCESS DURING
POWER DOWN.” Hoping only a turn from
the reset key would clear all of the errors it
was turned slowly. “VERIFIING MEMORY”
appeared, after a moment the game lit up
beautifully. It was ready for play, the bill
acceptor bezel and all. A ticket was in-
serted then cashed out, which worked too.
The game did not lock up for a hand pay.

Aristocrat Slant Top-Distorted Game

Sound

I’ve heard a few complaints about very

distorted game sound from a slant top
Aristocrat game. It sounds similar to a
blown speaker or a very poor speaker
connection on a home stereo system. It
seems that whenever I had some free time,
the game was being played or I would get
sidetracked and forget about it until I was
reminded again. When the game did get
looked at, the audio connections were
reseated on the sound amplifier board and
both the left and right speakers were
disconnected one at a time to see if it
helped the problem, however nothing
seemed to help thus far. In the logic door
area, the I/O board was reseated and the
main board was removed for inspection.
There sure was a lot of dust buildup on the
cooling fan for the processor chip. Sure
enough, it didn’t spin very freely so it was
checked with a flashlight with game power
ON. No doubt the fan was faulty because it
didn’t spin at all; it was replaced with a
new one. After the main board was put
back into the game and it booted up, I
heard a normal Aristocrat door open sig-
nal. To make sure game sound was nor-

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 17

mal, promo cash was downloaded. When
playing it like a customer (testing the
sound effects) everything sounded totally
normal. The cooling fan was definitely bad
which would have caused the processor
chip to get hot which may have caused the
problem or it may have been reseating
both the I/O board along with reseating
the main board. Either way, the game was
fixed and didn’t sound like crap anymore.

IGT Trimline AVP 3.0 “Fatal Error:

Non-volatile Memory Failure”

In our slot tech log book, the game had

had the power supply replaced along with
the I/O card replaced in the brain box;
neither had any results. If my memory
served me correctly a similar error was
fixed by reseating both of the memory
sticks which are located in the brain box. I
also asked the opinion of a co-worker to
get a second opinion. My associate said it
may be a bad hard drive so after reseating
the memory sticks, a new replacement
hard drive was put in it. No such luck
there either.

We had downloaded OS390, that had

displayed “preparing Hard Drive…Hard
Drive is detected…Formatting Hard
Drive…and so on. Everything looked pretty
good so far. But when rebooting the game
and having USB KEY 7 inserted, the same
exact failure re-appeared.

What the heck was next to try to repair or

replace? This time with the “USB diagnos-
tic key” we wiped (cleared) the hard drive,
cabinet memory AND safe storage. More-
or-less a total RAM clear of everything.
Once again, the failure appeared during
boot up. Maybe something else was bad
inside of the brain box? We both looked for
a spare but we didn’t find one. A different
tech that was coming in for their shift said
there should be two in storage. The re-
placement brain box was installed, OS and
game software was loaded the next morn-
ing. Then I got the call to verify informa-
tion on it which meant the game tested

Page 18 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

fine. After verification, the 7-SEG LEDs DISCON- pins on both the bill accep-
game was finally running NECTED- The display may tor and the game side,
once again. Only after a not have power. Check check DIP switches to make
power supply replacement, cable connections around sure they are in the correct
reseating memory sticks, a the reel glass and connec- positions or possibly re-
new hard drive, a full RAM tions on the upper reel place bill acceptor.
clear, and finally finding backplane board. BILLVAL DEVICE ERROR-
out the main brain box BEZEL DISCONNECTED- Try reseating the bill accep-
board was bad, it was re- The main door bezel may tor and cashbox, possibly
paired. not have power. Check out swap bill acceptor and
the bezel board to make cashbox with game next
Editors Query to Read- sure the jumper is correct door to see which one may
ers: Troubleshooting like for one or two bezels. Also be bad. If needed, replace
this is sort of a crap shoot check connections. bad bill acceptor or cashbox
(metaphor intended). You BILL REJECTION LIMIT with spare.
try to follow some sort of CLEARED-Shows the “bill BILLVAL PORT ERROR-
logical procedure, based on acceptor rejected” problem Shows a problem with the
deduction combined with had been cleared, game is bill acceptor communica-
experience and/or perhaps playable. tion port. See if there are
a bit of research through BILL REJECTION LIMIT any loose connections. Test
the Slot Tech Forum, Slot EXCEEDED- To clear, open the UART on I/O board
Tech Magazine and the and close main slot door. If using the “diagnostics
manufacturers’ websites. it doesn’t clear, cycle power menu” and replace if
on the MPU. If it still needed. A main door open/
Would YOU have ap- doesn’t clear, replace the closed reset should clear it.
proached this repair any bill acceptor and clear RAM CHECKSUM FAILED-If this
differently? If so, what on game. error is displayed, there is
would you have done? BILLVAL COM ERROR-The an incompatible software
Remember, you DO NOT game lost communication version.
have the benefit of 20/20 to the bill acceptor. Check COIN ACCEPTOR TAMPER-
hindsight here. Explain connections, check for bent Possible unusual use of
what you would have done
and, most importantly,
WHY.

E-mail to editor@slot-
techs.com. All responses
subject to publication.

Bally “Alpha 2 Wave”

Troubleshooting Tips

“AWAITING PLAY COM-

MAND” message: A newly
installed game may display
the message until info is
received from the tracking
system or “host.” It’s a
message that shows the
status of the game, not an
error or tilt.

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 19

coin acceptor. Make sure when they should not have select SAS setup” area.
coin acceptor and coin in been dispensed, check PRINTER OFFLINE-loss of
path are clear of coins, hopper optics, knife, per- ticket printer communica-
paper, dust, or something form hopper test, replace if tion. Check connections
blocking a coin in optic. bad. and host system communi-
DOOR OPEN/CLOSED LOW RAM BATTERY-Low cations in diagnostics.
messages-M=main door battery voltage on MPU, PRINTER RECEIVE ERROR-
L=logic door t=top box check for a plastic battery Printer communication
d=deck access door insulator that may not have error from host, check
U=upper door C=middle been removed, replace connections.
door, D=drop door B=belly battery if bad. VOUCHER PRINTER
door V= bill acceptor door MACHINE DISABLED- POWER OFF-No power to
S=stacker door Possibly a host communica- printer. Check printer for
DOOR MONITOR BATTERY tion problem, SAS commu- power.
FAIL- The backplane bat- nication, software, proto-
tery may be low. The non- cols. Check interface cable More information can be
volatile door status circuit from game to tracking sys- found at ballytech.com
uses power from the tem.
backplane board battery MECH REELS DISCON- WMS Bluebird Buzzing
when the game power is NECTED-Loss of power or Sound From Chair
turned off. The circuitry communication to the reels.
does not use the battery Check USB connections, A slot attendant stated a
when power is on. Under try a door reset. Also check slight buzzing type noise
normal conditions, the the RCU board and chip, was coming from the speak-
battery provides backup check all of the physical ers on a WMS sound chair.
power for up to one year reel connections and that Once at the game, it sure
when power is off. To re- they are firmly in place was. It was something like
solve, replace the battery with no loose pins or bent the 60Hz hum you hear
on the backplane board. pins. when an audio cable isn’t
EEPROM DEVICE ERROR- NVRAM CORRUPTION-RAM plugged in all the way to an
Try a power cycle of the ERROR-Turn reset key to amplifier. As I was taking a
game, check for bent pins, reboot game. If the error look at the sound chair, the
make sure EEPROM is clears, the game will be OK problem was quite obvious.
compatible with other game If the error happens again The chair had became
software, replace if bad. after the restart, a RAM partially disconnected from
EEPROM SYSTEM ERROR- clear is needed. the slot base; it was simply
Indicates a malfunction of PROTOCOL COM ERROR-A a loose connection. Firmly
the EEPROM process, problem with the tracking pushing it back into place,
power cycle game, check system communication. the noise stopped. When
compatibility with other Check game settings, inter- pressing the “selectable
game software. face cable, address identifi- volume level button” which
EXCESSIVE METER INCRE- cation number. was located on the game
MENT-Shows an excessive RAM CORRUPTION-Minor screen, everything sounded
amount of credits accepted RAM error, should clear by as it should. The chair
and dispensed in relation turning reset key twice to simply wasn’t firmly in
to games that were played, reboot game. place and had a poor con-
to clear main door open/ VALIDATION NOT SET-Set nection with the slot base.
close reset. the ticket printer and bill
HOPPER IDLE COIN ER- acceptor validation type,
ROR-Indicates that the such as “enhanced.” This is
hopper dispensed coins located in the “protocol

Page 20 Slot Tech Magazine May 2014

Slot Machine Base ply was easily replaced with
Lighting Power Problem Slot Tech Magazine is an
a spare. Instantly when it
official publication of the
was plugged in, all four
Currently on our gaming base lights lit up great. In a
floor, there are 1,212 nutshell, no power, re-
games. The majority have placed bad power supply,
house slot base lighting fixed.
which are basically blue
color LED strips, fired up - Pat Porath
by a 12VDC power supply. pporath@slot-techs.com
A work order was printed
from a slot attendant that a
game had a base light out
on it. The floor was slow in
the morning and I didn’t Attention
have much going on at the
moment so the slot base
was checked out. When I
Slot Manager!
arrived, the whole bank of Four-Day Classes With Randy Fromm
base lights were out, only
totaling four games but it
-Power Supply Repair
still needed attention. -LCD Monitor Repair
What could cause all of the No previous electronics knowledge re-
lights to be out? The an- quired. It’s easy and fun to fix casino
swer: a main power source
problem. No juice, no light. electronics down to the component level.
Just by glancing at the
power supply, I could tell it
was dead; the power light Call Randy at 619.838.7111 to discuss
wasn’t on at all, not even
dim. The dead power sup-
your needs.

ADVERTISEMENT - Power Supply Repair

May 2014 Slot Tech Magazine Page 21

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 “I can help you bring down the
cost of casino electronics repairs”
Randy Fromm

“OK. You asked and I listened. My new tech class eliminates obsolete CRT
monitor repair and the associated monitor repair lab. In just four or five days,
your slot techs can learn to repair Power Supplies, LCD Monitors, Ticket
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tel.619.838.7111 fax.619.315.0410