Bally 955 multiplier 5 coins reset issue

[eyevisions]

Hi all, i bought a bally 955 slotmachine. it's complete and working but i have a issue. When i drop one coin it works all fine. But when drop 2, 3, 4 or 5 coins and play it doesnt reset back to 1 coin.

I can reset it manual behind the hopper. But i have no idea where to look or what to do. Machine itself is very clean. Anybody knows what to do?

Thanks alot!

Henk

[wolftalk]

the line unit is keeping track of how many coins are played.

the line unit reset solenoid coil energizes when the first coil is played and the wipers on the unit should whizz back to the reset position.

there's an "open at zero" switch on the line unit ... one blade on the switch has a yellow/red wire (31-2) and the mating blade has a jumper wire that connects to the reset coil.   Make sure that switch is:
- closed when the unit is at step 1+
- open when the unit is reset

it's harmless if the switch is always closed, but it's added wear-and-tear as the reset coil will fire on the first coin even if it's not needed. 

as a test, you can jumper the switch closed and see what happens, or just clean/adjust the switch to make sure it's closed at at step 1 (step 0 is reset, so push in/release the step-up solenoid plunger once and adjust the switch).

paperwork for a 955 can be found in https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/ ... if you want to email highest possible resolution pictures of the machine to slotpics@cdyn.com, I'll add them to that site.  Lots of pics of the insides, but take them from far enough back that you get the entire side of whatever you're taking a picture of.  Close-ups aren't too important if the picture resolution is good high since it's easy to zoom in on the picture.  e.g if taking a picture of the line unit, get the whole thing including some of the wiring harness and surrounding area so people understand where it is.

[eyevisions]

Problem is i know nothing about electronic. Only mechanical slot machines i mostly work on.

When i insert 2 coins as example, i have to manual push the knob under the blade to reset it to 1 coin. I think that is what you mean what the switch is?
So push the knob back in to reset is zero?

Here are a few pictures i made.

[DavidLee]

The top two pictures of the stepping units might need some basic maintenance.
Manually operate the units to check there mechanical operation.
Do this by stepping up the unit by depressing the step up coil plunger.
The do the same to the reset coil. Observe how they function and be sure they return completely.
Lightly lube the mechanical pivot points with 3 in 1 or any similar oil. Wipe off any excess oil.

Regarding the contacts associated with the units in the pictures.
Basic cleaning with a card stock (a 3/8 slice of a paper base business card will work) with a little bit of denatured alcohol for cleaning. Observe how much dark matter is removed.

The unit with the rivets can be cleaned the same way.

Testing the coin unit can be done by playing one coin. Then manually step it up a few times.
Then insert a coin for a new game. This should return the unit to first coin.

[eyevisions]

@DavidLee, i did what you said but still the same. But i came across some other issues.

When i manual reset the steps it goes sometimes back to coin 2 instead to coin 1.
Also when having jackpot, the slotmachine shuts off. Maybe because not having much coins in the hopper. But when i press the button left in the back it will starts up again. But the hopper keeps running so i had to reset this manual too.

[wolftalk]

When i manual reset the steps it goes sometimes back to coin 2 instead to coin 1.

that's a problem.  If the ratcher/gear and wipers don't whizz back to the reset stop and a couple switches open, the line unit reset solenoid coil and the line unit reset relay can stay powered ... result is the solenoid coil turns into a toaster element and eventually fails.

based on the charred paper wrapper, your coil has overheated - it may or may not be okay.

in the below picture the red arrow points to the coil wire on the line unit reset solenoid.  Is that wire broken there (technically, burnt and acted like a blown fuse)?  If yes, the coil is kaput, tho you have a chance to fix it:

1] remove the unit from the machine.  I think it can be unplugged?  If not, just unscrew the frame from the base plate so you can spin the unit around for easier access to the bits.

2] note the number on the reset coil wrapper.  It's probably C-28-1100

3] remove the paper wrapper.  If the coil wire still on the bobbin looks ok (maybe darkened, but not obviously burnt), you can try grabbing the broken wire end and unwrapping a turn of wire from the bobbin.  You have a 50-50 chance you can do that.  If the broken wire end goes to the inside of the bobbin, you're screwed unless you unwind the entire wire and rewind it (power drill helps, but I'd just buy a replacement coil).  Pinball parts suppliers have them.

4] if you can unwind a turn of wire, gently scrape/sand off the insulating varnish so you have bare copper and solder the wire back onto the lug.  Leave some slack so the shock of the plunger slamming into the stop doesn't break the wire (look at another solenoid coil for an example).

the blue arrows in the pic point to switches that should be closed when the unit is stepped up at least once from reset.  You step up the unit by pushing in/releasing the plunger on the bigger solenoid coil.

the assembly itself should step up and reset easily.  If not, it could be:

1] crud on the wiper fingers/rivets
2] wiper finger tension pressing down into the rivets/contact plate is too high
3] crud on the white plastic ratchet and you get to take the unit apart to clean it.

if you do take the unit apart, note the wiper orientation at reset since it's possible to install then backwards.  The center torsion spring typically has 1.5 - 2 turns of tension when the unit is reset.  Clean the ratchet shaft, the hole it goes in and the torsion spring so the spring coils aren't sticking to eachother.

before taking the unit apart, you can try cleaning off the rivets with ispropyl alcohol and a scrub pad.  Step the unit to move the wipers to get at rivets.   If the unit can step all the way up and also reset from one step up without dragging, you're good.

if you remove the wipers, keep the white ratchet pressed against the unit frame.  If you let the ratchet move away too far, the reset stop barb will disengage the torsion spring will unwind.  No big doeal, you just have to rewind/reinstall it after putting the wipers back on.

make sense? 

[DavidLee]

Cleaning and lubrication could help.
Other options would be to move the short side of the spring to the next hole as to add tension.
That would be the hole to the right. Get a good grip on the spring as it will want to uncoil.
Also, inspect the unit for and obstructions or parts misalignment. ie switch stacks occasionally but rarely become loose and move from side to side causing problems.

Taking the unit apart would be a last resort procedure.
If the unit is removed, deep cleaning, lubricating the ratchet wheel axle, re-cleaning and bench testing.
Would be recommend before taking it apart.

In summary cleaning and tightening the spring would be the first step.

[eyevisions]

I encounter that the coil is a bit loose. See video: https://youtube.com/shorts/F3b3YBNafa8?feature=share

another video with manual stepping: https://youtube.com/shorts/1vkuy3eQ-U4?feature=share

When i manual reset back to 1 coin, first it goes back to 2 coin. Then insert coin again and i manual reset again it goes back to 1.
If i dont reset at all and it stay as example on coin 3. It's sort of free play and it wont payout either.

Any sound i hear inside is this: https://youtube.com/shorts/NPe6S9QIUNY?feature=share

[wolftalk]

the line unit can't reset if the coil wire is broken :-)

refer to post #5 wrt taking off the paper wrapper and seeing if you can find the wire end that is under the paper.  If I had to guess, you're pooched and will need a new coil.  You'll need a soldering iron to install it, so if you don't have one it's time to buy tools. 

Something like this will work fine and comes with solder:

   https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-soldering-solder-adjustable-temperature/dp/B09DY7CCW5

there's also internal battery, usb-powered and units that use power tool batteries (like dewalt, milwaukee, etc) that are overkill if you rarely solder, but kinda handy if you work away from places to plug into.  They cost more tho, and make sure to read reviews.  You care about "recovery time" - time to reheat after soldering something - and battery life.

if you're reading this and have never soldered something, watch a couple youtube videos on the right way(s) to solder.  Putting the solder on the hot iron and dripping it onto the wire is not the right way.  If you want the foolproof method, heat the wire and apply some fresh solder to it so it obviously melts into the entire wire.  Heat the lug and apply fresh solder to that.  Then hold the wire to the lug and heat both until the solder is obviously molten on both pieces and remove the iron.  Hold the wire a few seconds for the solder to solidify.  You may want to use gloves or pliers to hold the wire, but if pliers don't hold so tight you damage the plastic insulation when it's hot.

the coil wobbling around is normal.  As long as the coil stop (the end piece with the two screws) is tight, the coil can't go anywhere.

it's best when manually stepping the unit to push the plungers into the coil so you get the right amount of travel on the arms/pawls.  The unit at reset position will light the 1st coin, then for each step up it moves the lights.  The unit therefore can step up 4 times to the flat spot in the ratchet where it can't physically step up more.

to test reset ratchet movement, manually reset and step up the unit once, then manually reset again.  You can look at the wiper side and see if the wipers contacts have moved more-or-less completely onto the right rivets.  There's a bit of slop/misalignment at the reset position, but at each step up, the wiper contacts should be pretty centered on rivets.  If the wiper contacts aren't centered well enough at step 1, you adjust by loosening the two screws that fasten the contact plate to the unit frame and twist the contact plate a little.  Do not do that adjust at the unit reset position tho or you may step up the unit and find the contacts are way off on steps 1+.

the problem with resetting from step 1 is you don't have a lot of momentum and the white peg in the ratchet needs to push the open-at-zero switch blades.  If the blades have too much tension (bent too much toward the mating blade), the ratchet rotation can stall.  Not enough blade tension and the switches may be unreliable.

It's a balancing act and david's suggestion of relocating the center torsion spring end to the next hole clockwise will likely fix it (i.e. move the end from the 9:00 hole to the 12:00 hole) ... easiest if you unhook the long end from the peg.  I'd remove the entire torsion spring and clean it, then reinstall with either the current 1-3/4 turns or go to 2 turns if you need more reset force.

after repositioning the torsion spring, verify you can manually step the unit all the way up (4 steps).

the unit should work with 1-3/4 turn of tension, but if things are a bit cruddy it will slow down.  Adding tension to the torsion spring is the quick fix, but you can't add so much that the unit can't step up to the top position.  This is more a problem on the payout counter since those wipers spin 720 degrees and if the torsion spring is too tight, the rotation will stop before payout ends and you get runaway payout until the machine shuts down (or the hopper empties).

if you want to play the game without the line unit resetting, stick paper between the switch contacts on the open-at-zero switches (see blue arrows in pic in post #5).  You mainly care about the switch with the yellow and grey/white wires.  You want that open so the line unit reset relay coil doesn't stay powered.

note the line unit reset relay/coil is different from the line unit reset solenoid coil that is kaput.  On your game, the relay is probably an "ice cube" style one.