New Guy, first slot purchase, need help.

[MrDanB]

I found 2 slots @ a local estate sale. I will make seperate posts for each machine. The first is a Bally model 962 MGM. It lights up when plugged in, but no keys came with it. I bought a jackpot reset key  #2341. I ordered a manual for EM Bally slot repair/service.
I'm wondering about the tubular key to get the door opened. Locksmith? Drill it out and replace? Once the door is open, what's the simple things to look for? I drop a quarter in it and it comes out into the pay out tray right away.
       The other machine is apparently a '94 Bally "slant top", 3 reel quarter machine. It does not light up, but a quarter did land in the payout tray in transit to the man cave! I'll make a thread for that machine as well. I need to learn to shrink pics so I can post some too... Dan in central Tx.

[wolftalk]

you can get a tubular lock pick ... I've tried them and they mostly work.  Sometimes you are lucky and it just immediately opens the lock, other times you make have to fiddle with the pin slides a bit.

it may be cheaper/easier to drill out the lock and replace it tho.

the coins reject to the tray when the game is not ready to accept a coin - on the 962 meaning the coin unit is stepped up all the way - or when the 50V isn't working.  Usually it's quick to find out what's happening, and one fast test is open the door and push down the coin switch tripwire below the coin mech on the door and see what happens.

second quick test is pull forward the spike sticking out of the top of the handle box - or manually trip the handle release relay if triggering the coin switch doesn't trip it - and pull the handle.  You want to see if/how well the reels spin.

if you want to email highest possible resolution pictures to slotpics@cdyn.com, I'll add them to https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/ ... I think the only info I have for 962's is the schematic 962-15, which was made for mgm casino in reno.  If you have that machine, lots of pictures including the codes stamped into the slotted reel index discs and the m-645-xxx number on the payout counter disc may help find more documentation, but in any case the 962-15 schematic should be close to any 962.  They did make 25 stop and 22 stop 962's, so another question is how many symbols are on your reel 1 tape.

[MrDanB]

Excellent! Thank for for good info and help! Once I get the manual and keys made I will post more on it.

[MrDanB]

Turns out, the jackpot reset key did NOT work on this machine, but did work on the slant top...

[MrDanB]

Locksmith came by today. Got the 962-11 (and the pro slant machine) opened! We had a huge rodent nest on the left hand side of the reels. Got it cleaned up. Now I need to read up on things to look for and why a quarter will just slip through into the payout tray.
He said that the jackpot reset key would be hard to make.
If anyone knows a key code for a 962-11 that would be very helpful!

[DavidLee]

Jackpot key is really not needed, it can be reset inside the machine.

There is a coil behind the coin mechanism, commonly known as the coin lockout coil.
It needs to be powered up when the machine is turned on.
If this in the rodent nest machine.
The coin relay bottom rear left of the reels chassis could disabled by debris.
Try lightly clearing all the contacts on that switch for now.
Then manually test it by latching and unlatching it.

Activating the reels without a coin can be done.
On the handle side above the handle mechanism box. There is a lever protruding from the top.
Pull and hold it forward this will release the handle. It should be ready to pull.

[wolftalk]

you can do these to help assess how much work you may have in front of you:

1] do what david said to release the handle and spin the reels.  You want to know if the reels spin easily and lock into place in 1-2-3 order.  If the reels or the mechanism is sluggish, you're possibly looking at a few hours to disassemble and chip off the dried up grease on the reel mech.

2]the coin switch is on the inside of the door more-or-less in the middle.  There's a microswitch under the coin mech that the coin triggers.  Push down and release that switch.  What happens?

3] inside the machine will be a "stepper unit" with a brown contact plate with rivets and wiper fingers.  There'll be two solenoid coils on the ratchet/gear side (solenoids are the coils with the hole thru them that a plunger sucks into).  Push in the plungers and release to see if the unit is stepping ... i.e. the ratchet is turning and moving the wipers one rivet.  The unit will only step up twice then the step-up pawl will reach a flat spot on the ratchet so it can't physically step more.  That's a good time to push in the reset plunger :-)  What you are hoping for is the wipers step up and whizz back to reset easily.

4] when you power on the game, the flourescent tubes should turn on.  Other lights may or may not turn on ... depends whether you have a door relay/switch.  If you do have a door switch, sometimes a buzzer will sound if the door is open or the door is not locked and many lights will turn off.   What the game did if the door was unlocked or opened was casino options and one area of difference between the 962 models.

the lowboy machines are a bit cramped, so you'll likely be removing the reels and/or hopper to get to various things.

more pictures of the insides of the machine - all sides, top, bottom of the reel mech, inside the cabinet with the reel mech and hopper removed, the payout counter unit and rear of the hopper, inner side of the door, etc. all helps if you're getting stuck on what pieces are where or some of the terminology.

[MrDanB]

Ok. Here's where I'm at with it: I did what David suggested. I was able to get the handle to pull down. I saw a bladed "fan" like device on the left of the reels go spinning real fast. The reels don't turn. I heard 2 clicks for stopping the reels, but no 3rd click. The coin switch is neat how it works! I tripped it and heard a clicking noise up by the reels somewhere, but did not allow me to pull the handle.
   I was not able to see a stepper unit. I can't figure out how to get the reel tray to slide out, even after flipping the 2 stops up...
When I plug in the machine, lights come on. I heard a loud buzzing, like vibrating metal parts. I think it was some kind of coin deflector plate resonating. I wiggled it and it stopped. No alarm sounds.
     Sounds like I need to learn to remove the reel tray and clean everything/contacts and find and check the plunger you referenced.
I took several pics. Im shrinking them down and will post them soon. Thanks for the great info!

[MrDanB]

Bally 962-11 MGM quarter machine pics:

[MrDanB]

962-11 pics cont'd

[MrDanB]

962-11 pics cont'd

[MrDanB]

962-11 pics cont'd

[MrDanB]

962-11 pics finale!

[wolftalk]

you'll need to fix the pushed back pin in the hopper socket ... the bottom round hole in the middle.

wire 78-1 (orange/black) is probably on that pin, and if not working the payout counter won't reset.

at may be repairable, or the socket shell may be damaged.  The options are:

1] push the pin back into place and make it stay there.  There's at least 3 different styles of beau plugs ... the one you have needs the end of the round tube flared to stop the pin from pushing back into the hole.  You can push the pin out from the back and use something round-ish to flare the end again.  If not much luck, it depends on the back of the socket.  One style had +-shaped grooves so the pin could easily be disengaged by depressing a couple tabs and the pin slid out the front.  A different style was just a round hole and the rear/blade part of the pin was too wide, so you had to squish the pin to curl it enough to fit thru the hole

2] if there's an unused pin, move wire 78-1 to that pin position on both the plug and socket

3] replace the entire socket (only if the shell is damaged and there's no spare pins ... or pins you can make spare if you don't need the function the wire on a pin is currently doing.  e.g. a meter you don't have or care about)

if you don't have a soldering iron, you'll need one.  The cheapish T12 style irons are great, and you can get ones that run off usb power bricks or 120V.  Something like this is fine also:
https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Digital-Welding-Portable-Electric/dp/B08R3515SF

your machine is absurdly clean, so I wouldn't worry about the stepper (back/bottom of cabinet) unless the lights won't reset to 1 line or playing multiple coins don't work ... or the game won't accept a coin after the spin.

to get the reels out, you always need to lower the two latches on the left/right side.  You sometimes need a cocktail or two, and often need to swear a lot.  Once you get it out tho, it's usually more forgiving until it the plugs pins corrode together again.  Don't be gentle.

[MrDanB]

Wolftalk, you're  handier than a shirt pocket! (Texas speak for "you're awesome and thank you so much for your help!")
   I have multiple soldering irons, flux and solder. I'll go out to the shop tomorrow and have a look. I'm gonna get this thing working with all the great help here. Seems this slot needs some PM and minor repairs. It's a bit overwhelming to see all of these electronics jammed into a tight area. Amazing they run as good as they do...

[wolftalk]

once ya get the reels out, you can wind up/kick the reels by pushing the U-shaped bar in the air cylinder on the right side of the mech.

usually if the reels don't spin the reel wipers arms aren't being latched back away from the reels so as soon as the kick happens the reels instantly index.  Sometimes they'll move a position or two, sometimes they just judder and stay put.

the first thing to check is the "stop bracket" ... it's an L-shaped bar on the right side of the mech at the bottom rear.  The back edge of the stop bracket should be roughly flush to the unit frame ... maybe a little forward of it.  If it's too far back, the kick happens before the reel latch pawls engage.  If the stop bracket is too far forward, the handle will bottom out before the kick and you've got a wedgie.  Easiest thing is push the bottom of the pivoting latch pawl (item O on the 2400 manual page 10) so it releases the trip lever to kick, then move the stop bracket rearward some.

note the stuff on 2400 manual page 10 is way overkill for making adjustments.  It's unlikely anything needs to be done, but if you removed pieces, the main adjusts referring to page 10 are:

1] adjust nut E so the fork on the handle mech is more-or-less centered on the peg on gear A - probably trial and error unless you can reach in to access the nut.

2] adjust nut H so you get the 1/16" free play

3] adjust stop bracket (J) so the right edge is at/slightly in front of the unit frame

4] ignore all the other dimensions, angles and commentary.    Do check that the fork is not sloppy on the handle mech.  It's keyed on, but over time the flats can round out and the fork twists out of alignment.  If that happens, you replace the fork ... and in this case try and be gentle removing the nut holding the fork on.  Shearing the shaft instead of loosening the nut is suboptimal.

there's some truly awful videos in https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/videos/ that occasionally have a nugget of useful info mixed in by accident.  There's a couple that show the windup and kick as well as kinda what is going on with the bits under the reels themselves.  It's easiest to see stuff if you remove the reels/shaft by flipping down the retainers and pushing the shaft back then up ... a bit of wiggling and the entire reel assembly lifts out.

[DavidLee]

When working on old slot machines that have been out of service for a long time.

It’s best to blow them out with compressed air, but without a lot of pressure.
Clean off any obvious solidified lubricant, then lightly re-oil.
When making adjustments to contacts, it’s best to do one switch stack at a time then test.
If more than 3 different stacks are adjusted it becomes more difficult to trace back to the original malfunction.
When working on a section, check for loose/broken wires, missing springs, burnt coils, contact blades out of alignment and mechanical malfunction.

Your machine looks fairly clean and most likely just needs some light cleaning maintenance.
Just one section at a time.

[MrDanB]

I cleaned all contacts, found a silver spring on the side that had come off @ other end. I adjusted the "L" bracket forward a bit and tried it. I think I gave myself what you called a wedgie. Handle is forward, so the reels mech is trapped. How do I unfubar this one?

[MrDanB]

You push down on the release tab with Avery long screwdriver...

So, reel mech is back out, adjusted back off just a bit and tried with plunger. Now I hear 3 stop/clicks, but no reels spinning. In the normal position, sitting idle, the U-shaped plunger is forward enough to make the contacts all together/touching. If I push in about 1/4", they don't touch. I'm having trouble figuring out the sweet spot for the reel kick off....

[MrDanB]

Contacts touching and position of "L" shaped stop bracket @ rh rear of reel mech....