Powering Up Lots of Machines

[gwarzin]

I've got 24 pachislos. The tangle of wires and outlet strips was a mess.

Here's some things I did to make it more manageable.

1. Like many of us here I use the Target Mudroom tables as stands. My machines tend to be grouped in clusters of 3. I leave the back out of one of the mudroom tables in each cluster - the one in front of, or closest to, the wall outlet. The outlet strip and the excess length of wire from each pachislo is now placed out of sight in the table.

2. Walking around the room, opening the table doors to turn on or off each outlet strip got old fast. So I used X10 appliance modules and can now turn them on and off by a remote control signal sent over the power line. See www.x10.com or www.smarthome.com for info on these modules.

3. Many pachislos put so much electrical noise on the power line that it interferes with the X10 modules. So once you turn on one cluster of machines you might not be able to turn on the next. Or you might be able to turn on machines, but once they are on, the AC noise prevents you from turning them off. If you run into this problem the solution is to use noise filters. Here's a link to the filters:

http://www.smarthome.com/1626.html

The filter goes after the X10 module and before the outlet strip. That is, it's wall outlet, X10 module, filter, then outlet strip with pachislos.

Because the body of a filter plugged directly into an X10 module prevents the X10 module from being plugged into a wall outlet you will need to use a short extension cord either between the wall outlet and the X10 module or between the X10 module and the filter. I use the short extension cords designed to plug wall wart power supplies into crowded outlet strips. Radioshack sells 2 wire versions but I like to use the 3 wire one. These can be found cheep at Cyberguys.com. They make them in different lengths. Here's a link:

http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/s...sp?T1=121+2550


So now my room looks pretty and my wife is happy :smt008

[azlew]

Thanks for sharing that !

[gwarzin]

Here's a little more info on the X10 system I'm using.

I use a controller called a HouseLinc. I've had it for years, so there are probably better things out there now. But the basic idea is about the same for all of them.

It's free standing, but you program it with a computer. It responds to and sends out X10 commands. In my system I have a wireless light switch module stuck on the wall just above the real light switch at the entrance to the room.

Pressing button 1-on sends a command to the controller to tell it to send a series of commands that turns on each cluster of pachislos (one cluster at a time so the turn on surge doesn't pop a breaker), turn on the neon lights, turn on the pinball machines, turn on and set the dim level for all the lights. (The only thing it doesn't turn on automatically is the disco lights and fog machine. That's because those draw a combined total of 10 amps. So I don't want them coming on unless I really want them on.)

Pressing button 1-off tells the controller to turn everything off, except the lights you need to safely climb the stairs.

Pressing button 2-on turns on the lights without turning on anything else. This is intended for cleaning, going to fridge to get a drink, etc.

2-off again turns off everything except the light you need to get up the stairs. So it doesn't really make any difference if you press 1-off or 2-off the end result is the same.

You should see the look on people's faces as everything powers up automatically over about 20 seconds. As each bank of pachislos comes on the game room looks more and more impressive. It even impresses me and I know what's going to happen! Sometimes I go down there just to press that button and watch.

[chrisg]

You should see the look on people's faces as everything powers up automatically over about 20 seconds. As each bank of pachislos comes on the game room looks more and more impressive.

Then you can take your guests outside and show them how fast you get your electric meter spinning! Whee! :wink:

I really liked the pictures you posted this summer of your setup. You should post more photos for this website. By the way, how is that table that you built for 8 machines holding up?

[azlew]

You should see the look on people's faces as everything powers up automatically over about 20 seconds. As each bank of pachislos comes on the game room looks more and more impressive.

Then you can take your guests outside and show them how fast you get your electric meter spinning! Whee! :wink:

I really liked the pictures you posted this summer of your setup. You should post more photos for this website. By the way, how is that table that you built for 8 machines holding up?

I agree that it is one of the most impressive gamerooms I have ever seen pictured.
Hopefully I will be seeing it featured in Gameroom Magazine soon.

[Ken Layton]

X10 also makes noise filters and signal couplers that mount in your circuit breaker panel.

In movie theaters when we need to have a bank of high powered amplifiers turn on we use time delay relays that turn on certain power outlets several seconds after the other outlets so there's not a huge surge at once.

You could also use a "contactor" to turn on a large group of outlets from a single switch. We use Furnas catalog # 41DA20AF line contactors rated for 30 amp loads in some of our movie theaters.

[gwarzin]

A few weeks ago, while searching Japanese sites, I came across "The big red button of doom." It appears to do nothing, but might just end the world if you pushed it. It was joke item made by a Japanese manufacturer. The press release was picked up by a lot of gadget oriented sites like this one:

http://www.thegreenhead.com/cool-stu...red-button.php

When I saw it I thought that something like that would be perfect to activate the power-on sequence for my pachislos. So I searched the attic and found an old model rocket launch controller that I made 20 years ago.

Dusted it off, updated the switches, put on a coat of paint and some new graphics, and I had a "Solid State, Massive Load, Power Sequencer."


http://www.audiophilesystems.com/~wa...rsequencer.jpg


When a guest walks into the darkened game room all they see is the control panel illuminated by a bright spot light.

When the "Power" switch is turned on a green light come on.

When the protective cover is flipped up and the "Arm" toggle is turned on three things happen:

1. The red light comes on.
2. The red tip of the toggle lights up. (The toggle is a Radio Shack part.)
3. Three red rotating beacons in various areas of the room start flashing. (They are $10 at WalMart.)

When the red button is pushed a beep, beep, beep... floods the room. When the beeping stops, each bank of pachislos powers up in sequence followed by the neon lights, and then all the room lighting fades up to the proper level.

[Lazarus]

COOL!

[Tulsa]

Just one day, I want to come to your house and play, all day long! 8-)

[Utopia1dc]

gwarzin-

You got some pretty nice toys! 8-)

Makes me want to crawl under a rock and cry. :cry: :oops:

[slotter]

We were in Walmart today and I was looking at those $!0 rotating red lights wondering about a use in the game area. No one would want them on for any length of time, of course. You found a good use! :lol:

[RKnarr01]

Is it possible to hook one of the red lights up to the machine so that when you hit a bb or rb it starts flashing?

[gwarzin]

Is it possible to hook one of the red lights up to the machine so that when you hit a bb or rb it starts flashing?

The interface board has relays for both RB and BB. I don't see any reason you couldn't use them then turn on the beacon.

I don't know if the relays (and associated parts) are rated for 110v. So it might be safest to just run low voltage through the relay and use an external relay to turn on the beacon.

I also don't know if the relay stays activated the whole time you're in the bonus round, or just for a brief pulse when you go into the round. Anyone every check into this?

[RKnarr01]

i saw on a japanese website that they had these but they had the male/female type connectors that plugged into an internal board is it possible to install a connector like that into the wire?

[LaughingJim]

I have one observation that may or may-not help your setup...

These machines are not designed to have thier power switch internally kept on while they get powered up. EG, if the internal switch is in the ON position, and you repeatedly use a powerbar switch to turn them on, you will damage them.

The power supplies need to have voltage applied prior to activation because they use that power to regulate the output from the switches. If there is no power, and the switch is on, then when you power it, you shoot unregulated power breifly into your slot machine computer. There are devices in place that will protect against a few accicental occurances of this method, but they are weak and will only last a few hundred times before they also fry.

My suggestion would be to have all the machines plugged in, but use an internal relay that would be powered by one single x10. Possibly one x10 per four machines, I am not sure how high of a load your x10 can handle.

I would set them up so the relays are normally open (Off), and turn on when the x10 gives them power. Since they will be off more than on.

Then, I would make a single master switch for the main power. If you know you are not going to use the machines for a while, turn off all the power. x10's and slot machines that are off, all drain constant power... not much... but they do. That will also stop your neighbor from accidentally turning on a slot machine in the middle of the night because he is playing with a noisy shop vaccume, sending signals to your x10 that turn them on...

You could also hook up a massive UPS with AVR to the main power switch, that would totally filter out any unwanted noise and damaging voltage stress that will ultimately kill your machines. (Brown-outs, Black-outs, Surges, Dips) EG, All machine power and x10 are hooked up on a track light bar... The bar hooks up to a master circuit-breaker or switch, that plugs into a large 2000va UPS, which plugs into a normal wall socket, or two sockets, depending on your setup.

[TheCardMan]

Since turning on from the power supply is the recommended way to avoid and issues down the road, is it possible to extend that switch so it can be drilled in and mounted say to the top of the cabinet. So you do not have to open the door all the time to turn on and off? Is it a matter of extending a couple of wires? I haven't taken part my power supplies yet but will to see if this can be done.

[johntofva]

Most of this electronic stuff is way beyond me. But sounds like a VERY nice set up. In fact I think I am going to have to find out where Gary lives. So I can come over and "barrow" some of his toys. (Just remember guys not to go beyond 75% of the breaker load.)

[arbycoffee]

These machines are not designed to have thier power switch internally kept on while they get powered up. EG, if the internal switch is in the ON position, and you repeatedly use a powerbar switch to turn them on, you will damage them.

The power supplies need to have voltage applied prior to activation because they use that power to regulate the output from the switches. If there is no power, and the switch is on, then when you power it, you shoot unregulated power breifly into your slot machine computer. There are devices in place that will protect against a few accicental occurances of this method, but they are weak and will only last a few hundred times before they also fry.

Can you elaborate on this subject ? This is something I have never heard before, how have you arrived at this ?

I have Pachislo That are powered up off power strips well over 1,000s times and have not had any problems. Also I would venture to guess that most Pachinko Parlors use breakers to turn banks of machines every day. Since they are hooked up to a computer to keep track of all door openings & closings. It again would be easier to turn on Banks of machines. when opening up each day.

[logicprobe]

I just took a moment to see how the power switch on a power supply is wired. It's a "spare" from an Aruze... a 100V switching supply.

The PS power switch (for this one, at least) is in series with the line... it wouldn't make a difference which one is turned on first. Turning either on would produce the same "surge" if there was any. Without that switch on, there is NO power to ANY other circuitry in the PS.

Is there a different style PS you're speaking about, LaughingJim?

[arbycoffee]

I also just checked 5 spare boxes three 24v and two 100v all are in series with the power line. All are different manufactures and I don't know much, but I can see this.