Author Topic: igt s plus flip flop locked (Read 6172 times)

ssc · « **on:** August 31, 2018, 07:05:23 am »

I have a IGT flipflop machine that I believe is locked. My grandson was playing the machine when it locked up. He was playing the Turtle Beach bonus game when this occurred. He chose a turtle, turtle flipped to show the bonus coins won. I do not know if the credits were awarded. It does not show any amount in the winner paid window, but has a value in the credits window. This is where the machine froze. I do not see any error codes. When I shut the machine off and turn on again it starts normally, but ends up at the same place. It will not accept coins, (nickel machine), none of the spin or play game buttons are lit. The insert coin and coins played flash alternately. The machine will not accept any coins, they drop straight thru to the coin tray.

I have browsed the forum and found with the door closed that the light on the coin comparator is not lite (red LED).

Any help would really make my wife happy, she jonesed for this machine for years before she found it a year ago.

sixcardmark · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2018, 08:00:11 am »

Did you try turning the jackpot reset key?

ssc · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2018, 08:15:38 am »

Yes, I did try the key on the side of the machine.

qbert · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2018, 08:46:23 am »

Is this an s+ machine or a Reel Touch machine?
Please post a picture of the machine.

rickhunter · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2018, 09:04:05 am »

This is one the machines I've always wanted to have. If you get 3 frogs from left to right on a symbol, you start the bonus game. It is a 3 reel 5 line game S+ with a special bonus top made Anchor Coin (later bought out by IGT). Then IGT made the Reel Touch Flip Flop Deluxe (which was not as good in my opinion). If the machine is locked, it most likely needs to be cleared and setup again. But being that it has that special top, I'm not sure if the steps to get it going again are the same as a regular S+. I remember when I almost bought a broken one (decided not to on fears I wouldn't be able to find the parts), it had a special requirements because the top box is so heavy it could "tilt" forward. It has a CRT in the top box!

ssc · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2018, 09:13:43 am »

The machine I have is as pictured by Rick Hunter. It is an s+ machine. It took 3 of us to lift the machine to put it on a pedestal, CRT on top. It seems to me that some form of memory needs to be cleared.

qbert · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2018, 10:10:39 am »

That is a good looking machine.
I always wondered why the Reel Touch machines were called Flip Flop "Deluxe" now it makes sense the predecessor was a S+ machine. Hope someone can give clear direction for a resolve as I am not familiar with this type machine.

rickhunter · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2018, 10:11:58 am »

You probably need to clear the Motherboard's EEPROM and the nvram on the mpu. There's a chip that does that, but the issue I brought up is because it is a "unique" S+ that might require some settings that are not common, so getting to settings back up after the memory clear might provide a challenge. Maybe someone who has had that machine can chime in if the settings are any different than a run of the mill S+. I could be wrong about this, but before you clear anything, I would find out for sure. I realize the machine is basically a brick right now as it's not doing anything, but better to be safe than sorry.

knagl · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2018, 10:21:21 pm »

Is the CRT monitor showing anything right now? I suspect that the S+ portion of the machine knows that there's a bonus game in progress and is waiting for the conclusion of the bonus game (the CRT in the top box). I'd be looking at the top box components to see if anything is amiss. I have never worked on one of these, though, so aside from playing it in the casino years ago, I'm not sure how they work. Is there a CD-ROM drive in the top box?

ssc · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2018, 07:23:30 am »

The CRT monitor shows that a turtle has been chosen, and the help screen on the monitor responds and cycles thru the 5 screens. There is a cd-rom drive in the top box. When the machine is shut down and restarted I can see that it is loading from the cd=rom, but always ends up at the same frozen state.

cowboygames · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2018, 08:42:55 am »

Could it be a low cmos battery situation? Maybe some pictures of what's in the topbox as far as bords and whatnot would help

ssc · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2018, 09:38:50 am »

top box has cd-rom, 4 transformers and 4 starters/capacitors. Also the CRT chassis. 3 of the 4 starters look new.

knagl · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2018, 05:15:49 pm »

Quote from: ssc on September 01, 2018, 07:23:30 am

The CRT monitor shows that a turtle has been chosen, and the help screen on the monitor responds and cycles thru the 5 screens.

Well, the fact that the help menu responds is encouraging. With the power off, I'd carefully check and re-seat the cable(s) that connect the top box to the S+ motherboard. My suspicion at this point is that the top box is trying to communicate the bonus win to the S+, and there's a communication failure, so it's stuck until it can finish that communication.

ssc · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2018, 06:06:21 pm »

I think I checked all the cables, some felt a little loose, did not change anything. I did find when checking the cables, that there is a red button on the motherboard. The cover for the motherboard has a mechanism to activate the red button on the motherboard. This button was hidden by the reels. What function does this button perform?

knagl · « **Reply #14 on:** September 02, 2018, 09:53:56 pm »

The motherboard is the fixed board in the bottom of the machine that the removable S+ motherboard plugs into. I'm guessing that's not the board you're referring to. Can you please post a picture or two of what you're talking about so we can try and help you out.

ssc · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2018, 07:50:53 am »

Here are some pictures i took, hopefully they are what you need

rokgpsman · « **Reply #16 on:** September 03, 2018, 08:58:00 am »

The photos are kinda small and difficult to see details. Can you post some that are larger? The system here allows photos to be as large as 1meg each.

ssc · « **Reply #17 on:** September 03, 2018, 09:33:08 am »

Additional pictures. Hope these are better.

knagl · « **Reply #18 on:** September 05, 2018, 01:14:15 am »

I wish I knew the answer for you. Do any of the cables that are plugged into that PC motherboard go down to the fixed smaller motherboard in the bottom of the slot machine, behind the hopper? That cable(s) would be the communication link between the PC in the top box that runs the CRT monitor and bonus game, and the S+ guts of the machine.

My #1 suspicion would be the cable connector circled in yellow on the left in the picture attached to this message. Unless that goes to CRT monitor, I'd be very suspicious of that being the communication line to the S+. With the power off, I'd recommend unplugging and then carefully re-plugging that connector in. It's also possible that it's one of the two cables circled in green, but my money is on the one I circled in yellow. Either way, I'm really only taking an educated guess -- I have no way of knowing for sure as I've never seen the inside of one of these Anchor Coin add-ons. Also, it looks like one of those two green-circled cables leads to nowhere -- it looks perhaps like the other end is just sitting in the lower-left corner of the picture, not plugged into anything? It's not possible that your grandson opened the machine and unplugged anything, is it?

With the machine's power off (preferably unplugged), see if you can determine which cable(s) connect between the PC in the top box and the S+ motherboard behind the hopper in the lower part of the machine (more on this in my next reply, below). Be aware that the CRT tube still can have high voltage present, even with the power disconnected -- give it plenty of space while working if the back of the tube is exposed.

knagl · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2018, 01:52:29 am »

So, to expand on this a bit more, I just opened up my S+ Barcrest Pinball game, and was able to determine the following.

Now, I realize yours isn't a Barcrest game, but the concept is the same -- it's an S+ base game, with a third-party add-on top box. The communication between the S+ machine and the top box should be similar.

The picture I've attached below is from the bottom of my machine with the door open, the hopper removed, and the removable MPU board (mounted on the silver tray with the black knob on it) removed. As always, have the power off when removing any components.

The circled wiring harness on the left side of the MPU enclosure (click on the picture to enlarge it and see the circle) connects down to the fixed motherboard at the bottom of the machine, but more importantly leads up, behind the reels, and to the top box. This is the wire harness that carries the communication between the fixed IGT motherboard in the bottom of the machine and the bonus unit in the top box of the machine. I would check every connection on this wiring path. In particular, due to age, it is possible that the contacts inside the various harnesses and connectors have oxidized, causing them to no longer make a good electrical contact even though they are physically connected. I would recommend carefully, one at a time, unplugging and then re-plugging all of the harnesses/connectors between the IGT motherboard and the top box to ensure that a good, fresh contact has been made. Once you have done that, button the machine back up, turn it on, and cross your fingers.

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Author Topic: igt s plus flip flop locked (Read 6172 times)