Arrange Ball Parts Info

[hanabi]

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[Moparformances]

I really have no idea what makes the machine pay out, other than the printed pattern on the machine.

Regards,
Game Guy

the placard on the front is really all you need.. getting balls in a pattern to light the bulbs and win payouts.. posting a pic or two would be great..

[emmadog]

i don't need any tokens but thanks. i don't like them as i use quarters and dollar coins but in the end, it doesn't matter. i just like the feel and weight of real coins.
the balls are standard for all pachinko and arrangeball machines. they should have characters engraved on them which means they're actual 11mm pachinko balls and not some random ball bearings.
there are no user manuals, schematics, or spare parts for these machines. not much is known about their history and reason they are no longer made but this site has just about all the info that is known among us enthusiasts. they're sort of a mystery at least here in the States, and that adds to their appeal. spare parts are pretty much only available from a parts machine and in general, these machines are very rare.
once you post pics of your machine, we'll be able to tell you more about your machine but game play is not complicated.
as far as you can tell, is it paying and playing correctly?

[Game Guy]

Here are some photos of my machine. Do you know anything about them?
Regards,
Game Guy

[emmadog]

Thanks for the photos. I used to have that same model and its a great machine. Basically all there is to know about gameplay is on the instruction placard. If I remember correctly the bonus pocket lights a few additional numbers and a couple of the pockets award coins.
Many of the electronic parts can be replaced with new old stock or modern equivalents. The mech on the back that spins is what "counts" and tells the computer how many coins to pay out. Those contacts need to be aligned properly and kept clean. I think your machine is a mid to late 70's model and I only know of 2 other of that model. As far as worth-just depends. Cleaned and properly working they can easily fetch hundreds of dollars and are very rare and collectible. Much more fun to play than a typical vintage pachinko.
It's also a good idea to clean all the mechanisms in the back such as the ball drop solenoid linkage, and channels where the balls travel, etc. these machines are old, were used commercially, and usually have sat unused and neglected. I do extensive tear downs of these when I get them for the above reasons, same process I use on my EM pinball machines. I just like knowing all the parts are clean and working as designed plus it adds to the life of the machine.

[emmadog]

Also the manufacturer of your machine was one of the two main makers of arrangeball/challengeball machines. The other one was Satomi Check out my album for more pics of these machines that I've been collecting for about 5 years.

[Moparformances]

Here are some photos of my machine. Do you know anything about them?
Regards,
Game Guy

Lt Teddy has the same machine.. he had a temperamental issue with his.. last i remember he had it all sorted and working.. its a nice machine to play

looks like a nice machine

[Lt Teddy]

Their are four machines including yours. Emmadog gave his away to a drawing on this site. I sent my machine that was not working back to the winner and he rewired the machine and it was about ninety percent when it got back. I ended up then taking mine to Portland and having it worked on and it is working fine now. I have ten arrangeballs left and it is my favorite machine of the ones I have. you have a keeper their. When Moparformances comes up this summer he will be taking one or two home with him as I am downsizing. BE real carefulof the wipers on your motor. Mike Bodi has one also but last I knew it was not work

[Game Guy]

I'm learning about this machine even as I wait for the balls to arrive. Can you tell me what causes a payout? I see winning numbers on the four targets but I dont know if all the numbers on all four targets must be hit for a payout? Should the machine pay out automatically or must the red button be pushed for a payout? I have not been able to get any action to payout but I'm only using 5 balls. Thanks in advance for your help.
Regards,
Game Guy

[emmadog]

Any 4 lit numbers "touching" or next to each other causes a payout. Each additional lit number next to those original 4 will add another to your score. LT can verify this as its been a long time since I've played this model.
I think the 4 targets you're referring to are the ones on the instruction card. Those are just examples. The red numbers are just depicting lit numbers to show what pays out what. To get a payout, either press the red button or start a new game.

[emmadog]

To see if the machine is paying correctly, open the machine and place 4 of the balls in the correct pockets so that any 4 touching numbers are lit. I forget what the payout is and then do it again with 5 balls. The payout should be one more.

[Game Guy]

I tried that but no pay out. I'll do more tinkering as time allows, so any input or suggestions will be appreciated.
Regards,
Game Guy

[emmadog]

was the game working at all when you got it?
did you try both ways to get a payout, the red button and by starting a new game?
does a game start normally? as in the balls roll down to the shooter area.
open the machine and find the vertical coin tube that stores coins for payout. there's a small switch that is activated when the coins are low. on all machines this turns a red light on at the upper right or upper left front of the machine. if your light is not on it's because the bulb is bad, is missing, or the switch is faulty or missing. on some machines in addition to turning on the red light, it will also prevent a coin from being entered and will divert the coin back out and into the coin return. it doesn't sound like yours has that problem though. anyway, fiddle with that switch on the coin tube. i've never seen an arrangeball that prevents game play from low coins via logic though. in other words, you should still be able to start a game by moving the game start microswitch lever regardless of amount of coins. this lever lies somewhere in the path that the coin travels. it's either in the coin mechanism or in the coin chute.
also with the machine off, gently unplug and plug back in all electrical connections. corrosion and time can make for a bad contact.

[emmadog]

just looked at your pics and facing the back of the open machine is the reference point here. the low token light is the bulb in the upper left plastic lens. the coin start switch is the thin wire poking up thru the diagonal coin chute. something else to try is to attempt a payout and see if the payout motor (the thing that spins at the top) is working. if none of this works it could be a bad chip or relay.

[Game Guy]

I continue to trouble shoot my machine ( when I can resist playing it). Do you know of any source for the bulb holders or if anyone has discovered a way to mount the 2187 miniature bulbs? I am in need of 6 total. I put balls in 4 number that are touching but nothing happened, even when I pressed the red button. However I powered the machine down and it paid out one token. Is this normal? The machine may not have worked when I found it. I put it in my daughter's play room, she and her friends enjoyed it but we had no idea how to play it really. We just plunked tokens in and sent the balls on their way. She loved to hear the tinkle of the balls hitting the pins.

Now that I'm getting into it I find I cant resist putting a token in as I pass, so I'm becoming an addict. LOL.

[emmadog]

easy to get enthralled with arrangeballs. i'll look and see if i have any bulb holders left but i think i've given all of them away. an alternative is to cut two pieces of insulated wire that is just larger than the diameter of the electrical pins the sockets attach to. remove the wire from the insulation so you have 2 pieces of insulation. these function as sleeves for the bulbs. slide each piece of insulation over the bulb wires and then slide the sleeve/wire combo over the pins for the bulb. PM your addy to me and if I have any sockets left I'll send them to you but the method above works just as well.
the operation of your machine is: turn on and insert coin. game resets and balls travel to shooter area. shoot all the balls and then by pressing red button or starting a new game will yield a payout if any are owed. that's it. anything else is incorrect so your payout button itself mas not be making contact but the fact that it pays out when you turn it off means something is definitely wrong. also, try all the suggestions I or anyone else mention and then reply to those so we can do this logically and not go round and round. for example does it payout when you start a new game? did you try and have 5 adjacent numbers lit up and then power it off to see if it pays out 2 coins? this will tell us if it at least can keep track of the right amount of coins won.

[emmadog]

also, the silverish sticker on the frame above the playfield will say the max amount of tokens that can be paid per game. it'll be something like the number 5,10 or 15 surrounded by a bunch of japanese characters

[Game Guy]

Here's what I've found so far. I insert a coin and balls are released to the shooting area. The correct light comes on when the ball lands in the target but I get no pay-out , nor does the game reset when 4 adjacent are hit or when I press the red button. I placed balls into all 16 slots but still nothing occurs. I may not have continuity from the button to the circuitry. I'll investigate more as time allows.

[Moparformances]

Here's what I've found so far. I insert a coin and balls are released to the shooting area. The correct light comes on when the ball lands in the target but I get no pay-out , nor does the game reset when 4 adjacent are hit or when I press the red button. I placed balls into all 16 slots but still nothing occurs. I may not have continuity from the button to the circuitry. I'll investigate more as time allows.

when you get a winning combination you are not getting a payout after the red button is pressed..

question

if you get a winning combination try inserting a coin and see if it pays out then??

ArrangeBall machines only pay under 3 options.. first would be if your game has an instant payout for hitting a certain pocket.. (not all machines have this option) second is the machine will pay out if there is a winning combination once the red button is pressed (ie end of game play) last would be the machine will pay out if there is a winning combination once the player inserts a token to start a new 2nd game.

hope that makes sense

[emmadog]

mopar laid it out very well but it sounds like you still don't understand the basic game play. so here it is again:
1. turn on and insert coin.
2. shoot all the balls. 4 lit numbers touching means you won one coin but ONLY when the red button is pressed OR when another coin is inserted will cause the machine to actually pay you. each additional lit number touching the first 4 lit numbers will add one more token to the amount you won up to the max for your machine which is 10 or 15. you can also have a group of 4 lit on each side or 5 or 6, etc.
3. the large tulip pockets return the balls back to the shooter area and the other 2 smaller ones pay a coin immediately and the bonus pocket simply lights the numbers that it shows.
4. after all balls are shot and you are owed coins, start a new game or press the button. these are the ONLY ways the machine will pay out so YOU have to initiate it. the button is to pay you when you don't want to play anymore. if you still want to play then insert insert a coin and the machine will pay the coins owed and start a new game.


-the game should not reset no matter what numbers are hit, only pressing the red button or putting another token in it will reset/restart the game or end it if you pressed the button. the machine has no idea when all balls are shot, it's "dumb" in that respect. also, if the game were designed to reset on it's own after just 4 numbers were hit then you'd never be able to get larger payouts. with every number lit you should get a payout of 10 or 15, depending on your machine's max.
-i've encountered faulty buttons before. start a game and put balls in 4 adjacent pockets. open the machine, find the rear of the button and you'll see the two wires coming off it. put a screwdriver across those contacts to short them. if you get a payout then your button is faulty. if not then then it's likely a logic problem but it may be confined to just the button's operation.
however, before i'd do all that, i'd start a game, put balls in 4 adjacent pockets and then start a new game. you should get a payout of one token. make sure the numbers light up. if not it could be a bad bulb or dirty switch. also with a game in progress, drop balls in the 2 small pockets above the larger tulip pockets ans see if the machine pays out right away.
do this and report back