Questions about an IGT PE+ Slant top video poker

[manmythmusic]

First, thank you for this forum. It's been a tremendous help.  We just purchsed an IGT PE+ Jack's or Better slant top video poker machine model # GD70CF from FB marketplace and we're getting it set up as a surprise gift for my Father in Law.  I've managed to get it pretty cleaned up and 'mostly' working but have a few questions and hope someone can offer guidance.

Currently, the hopper does not carry the tokens up the escalator for coin return.  And I don't mind that.  I don't want to have my Father in law to have to open up the heavy slant top to refill the hopper.  Instead, I plan to cut an access hold in the right side of the cabinet and install a collection bin under the coin comparator.  But, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to disable the hopper.  When the game starts, it keeps trying to complete a payout and running the hopper and giving me a hopper empty code (even with the hopper full of tokens).  I do play to contribute and download the manual for this machine and hope to find a DIP switch setting to disable the hopper but haven't figured that part out yet.  If I go into the screen menu, there's no option to adjust the hopper settings, only to do the input tests, output tests, hopper test and screen tests.

My second question - What's the best LED option for the switch lights?  I managed to borrow bulbs from the call attendant and cash out switches to get the imporant ones illumiated like the 5 dead/hold switches and draw switch but would like to get the other lights working for him.

I did find out that the Data and Program chips are labeled XM00002P PE+, the C47-C50 chips are all CG2174 and the CAPX is 1321 if any of that information helps.

Thanks!

[Chris-socal]

Welcome to NLG.
I am going to address one subject first because I feel it is a conversation in itself. The subject is the operation of the hopper.
One must keep in mind that you are dealing with a machine that was specifically designed to work with a hopper. It was designed before tickets and really before bill validators were common. While it might have a bill validator, the machine always needs to pay out in coins. Until it completes that task it will not let you proceed.
I seriously doubt your father in law will be needing to refill a hopper that is reasonably stocked, rather he will be needing to get more quarters to play….unless of course you have a machine that happens to be 100% or more payout….or you hit a jackpot larger than the number of quarters you have in the hopper.
I believe there is a jumper setting on PE+ to tell the machine maximum hopper payout…you will use the reset key beyond that quantity, 200,400, 1200 are options you might have…something like that. Or possibly even zero which means again, he will not be getting any quarters from the machine so he will need to retrieve them…..from the hopper. Or wherever you divert them to.
If your machine declares hopper empty that means the hopper is either not connected properly or it is stalled due to a stuck coin. You need to put on your technician hat for awhile, we don’t have a magic wand. Pull it out and look closely. Post some pictures, We  might see something. Post lots of pictures. Each image must be 1Mb or smaller, maximum of 5 per post.

There is a diverter solenoid that you might be able to disconnect and force all coins into the overflow. That is one issue with slant tops, the hopper isn’t as easy to access as a flat top. It isn’t exactly impossible either, it was designed to be emptied by the casino floor staff. Why change the system?

First lets get the machine working, then lets look at setting it up the way you want or as close as possible.

Chris

[manmythmusic]

Thanks for the reply.  Because of his mobility issues, I want him to be able to access the coins as easily as possible.  It's currently setup with tokens.  I had it working great accepting tokens and I had a plastic tub in place right below the coin comparator to collect the tokens.  But, then in the process of cleaning and testing, I hit the payout button and now I am stuck in a limbo where it tries to pay out but keeps getting a hopper empty error.  I did find the coin blade separate in the parts that came with the machine but I did not find any screws to attach it to the hopper area.

I recorded an overview video of the machine, it's current insides and menu screens and uploaded it to a private youtube link.  If anyone is willing to watch it and give me pointers, I'd really appreciate it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1J6Y5jG8ok

[Chris-socal]

Other than doing a complete reset by removing the backup battery on the game board you have no choice other than paying out the quarters. Can you imagine a machine in a casino not completing a payout?

There aren’t that many wires on a hopper. Two are power for the motor, two are the switch that is activated every time a coin passes through it. It might have a wire for hopper full but that isn’t critical at this point, the motor isn’t getting power or it is locked up.

If the hopper motor isn’t even trying to run you need to do as I suggested. That hopper knife assembly on top of the machine is critical, the hopper will jam up and be a big mess without that in place. The knife rides on the edge of the coin shelf, the other is a slot that the coins pass through after they are counted by the switch. Im sure there is an assembly drawing in the manual.

Chris

[BrianT]

I think (if I remember correctly) that the "grounding" wire you mentioned is supposed to be inserted through the plastic shroud of the coin hopper at a certain level.  Then when the hopper is filled with coins and high enough to make contact with bolt sticking into the hopper "bowl", making that circuit tells the machine the hopper is full....

BrianT

[manmythmusic]

I was able to download the manuals after becoming a contributing member and learned a TON about this machine.  Including the placement of that wire. Thanks for the advice!

I had tried removing and resoldering on the battery on the board hoping to clear out the cash out but that didn't work.  What that did do was unlock access to more menus when I select the reset button.

I've now been able to get the machine functional again.  Had to take the front door panel off... which I didn't realize was possible before reading the manual.  When it tried to run the hopper motor to cash out, I manually triggered the coin counter sensor at the top of the conveyor belt until it finished the pay out.  Now I have it working the way I want where tokens collect in a basin directly underneath the coin comparator and I have disabled the pay out switch so it won't trigger the hopper.

I know it's not how the machine was designed to work as Chris explained in an earlier reply but that's not how I want this machine to work for my Father in law.  He doesn't have the arm strength to open the slant top to access inside the cabinet and I don't want him to have to wait for me to pay him a visit to retrieve tokens for him.  So, I've cut an access hole on the right of the cabinet directly under the coin comparator.  Just need to create a stable basin to collect the tokens that's easy for him to access.

I have been able to change the light switch lights to LED and the top candle lights to LED.  I would like to convert the 17" fluorescent bulb behind the top sign and the 8.5" fluorescent on the left of the slant top to LED but haven't figured out the correct products for that yet.  Does anyone have advice for converting those?

[Chris-socal]

You could put a button on the panel to run the hopper manually if he ever runs out of coins. You might have to bypass the counter switch as part of this but it preserves the mechanics as they are intended. It allows coins to be paid and if he runsbout he can reload with the push of a button.

Chris