Modern Machine - Confused / Need Help

[TheGoondockSaint]

So I got my first modern A Monako - Charlie Chaplin Model
The thing is, I am confused on this machine.

1. All the pockets around the board are blocked 100% by pins except the middle pocket which begins the spinner/slots action on the LCD .. Why are these blocked? If I manually push a ball into the chute the machine does absolutely nothing. They appear to be cosmetic only

2. There is a LED display on the back that starts at "0" but after several game plays it will display a "2" and stay on "2" -- any idea what this means or is?

3. It doesn't seem to ever win any balls back. After a handful of plays a chute on the back will start dropping 1 ball back to me at a time about 1 every 15 seconds... What on earth is that about?

4. I did manage to hit a "fever" mode is guess is what it is called and a bottom door opened up on the cell to catch more balls... but this didn't seem to do anything. I didn't like get a win of balls or anything.

5. After a few mins of playing/spinning the reels I get a red light on the left of the frame, the 3rd light lights up RED and seems to be stuck in RED the entire time even though plenty of balls in the hopper etc.

Can someone provide more details here on what is going on, is this machine broken? How is game play supposed to work on these moderns?
Thanks.
IMG_20200916_201453.jpg

[lotsoballs]

Sounds like payouts aren’t working and someone’s clearly been fooling around with the nails to bend them that badly to block pockets for some unknown reason?

The LED number 2 on the rear is likely the error code.

Some things to start with:

1. Do you have enough balls in the rear hopper?

2. Bend those nails back straight; no idea why somebody would do that.

3. Make 100% sure the chutes that feed the payout motor are clean, unblocked and allow flow of balls.

4. Make 100% sure the “ball flow stopper” on the upper right is not engaged and preventing flow of balls to the payout mechanism. (Newb mistake )

5. Locate the payout motor mechanism; remove it, inspect for foreign objects; dead insects, anything blocking the payout motor mechanism and the chutes. Clean it really good while it’s out.

6. Test the payout motor while removed (but still connected) by dropping a ball in a pocket.

7. Do full reset holding down the reset button for 5 seconds when turning it on.



These steps will fix 95% of payout problems in my experience. Good luck!

If none of that works pics from the back of the machine may help.

[TheGoondockSaint]

Sounds like payouts aren’t working and someone’s clearly been fooling around with the nails to bend them that badly to block pockets for some unknown reason?

The LED number 2 on the rear is likely the error code.

Some things to start with:

1. Do you have enough balls in the rear hopper?

2. Bend those nails back straight; no idea why somebody would do that.

3. Make 100% sure the chutes that feed the payout motor are clean, unblocked and allow flow of balls.

4. Make 100% sure the “ball flow stopper” on the upper right is not engaged and preventing flow of balls to the payout mechanism. (Newb mistake )

5. Locate the payout motor mechanism; remove it, inspect for foreign objects; dead insects, anything blocking the payout motor mechanism and the chutes. Clean it really good while it’s out.

6. Test the payout motor while removed (but still connected) by dropping a ball in a pocket.

7. Do full reset holding down the reset button for 5 seconds when turning it on.



These steps will fix 95% of payout problems in my experience. Good luck!

1. Back hopper packed full
2. The nails aren't bent at all.. there are literally nails over top blocking all of the chutes. Look at the photo and zoom in to look you can see all the chutes are covered. When I manually put a ball in one the machine doesn't react at all
3. I'll double check but they seemed clean and operational
4. Flow stopper is not engaged, the balls do flow it just seems the payout is 1 ball every 15 seconds... really weird.
5. Will check that.
6. Will check that.
7. Where is reset button lol?

[lotsoballs]

I don’t have this machine so can’t tell you where the reset button is; it’s small and near the power button usually.

The nails around the pockets should allow a ball to fall in; even if it’s from the side. I see some nails that are bent...lol

[TheGoondockSaint]

I don’t have this machine so can’t tell you where the reset button is; it’s small and near the power button usually.

The nails around the pockets should allow a ball to fall in; even if it’s from the side. I see some nails that are bent...lol

Ok, i'll clarify a bit. The nails don't appear bent when I am looking at them but they only allow a ball to enter from the side. I can slide a ball in the opening and down the chute but the machine doesn't seem to react at all.

There is no power button on this machine that I can find. I just plug it into the wall. I actually couldn't find any buttons on the back anywhere at all.
There are two buttons on the front a red and green button that appear to allow you to change the background music on the machine. Maybe they do something when held or pressed in a combination?

[pachiwall]

I'm a vintage pachinko guy (25+ vintages...maybe 3 moderns), so not my arena. I noticed a combination of bent, and nails that look like they MIGHT have been added. I can't be sure, as zooming loses clarity. The fact that they do nothing is unusual. On the moderns that I have played...seems like all outer pockets paid something like 3 or 4 balls, without spinning the reels ( or whatever its "gimmick" was). The start pocket, which always seems to be an electrical tulip, also only pays 3 or 4 balls...but spins the reels. They often also have "pass throughs", The "go" pass through to the left of your screen...for example. It probably has a sensor inside that changes something. Maybe it just opens the start tulip for a fraction of a second!
Upon zooming to find your pass through...I looked at your nailed up pockets. With the difficult to hit side opening...I think it was made that way. Look at all of them to see if any nails are "off center". If original (installed by a machine) they will look perfect. If done by hand...something will likely be "off". Post a picture of the back. Is there any balls jammed up where they should not be? I had an early modern that spit balls out slowly. I can't remember what fixed it...but, it had a large backup of balls that needed clearing out. Plus, it had payout problems that were resolved by removing and cleaning the payout motor. However, on this particular machine, the payout motor had about 1/8" play and needed to be just right. It also payed out 1 ball at a time very slowly (I think), and it just had to run through all the winning balls...I think.
I can't remember. I'll search for that thread and post a link, if it looks helpful.

[lotsoballs]

Ok, i'll clarify a bit. The nails don't appear bent when I am looking at them but they only allow a ball to enter from the side. I can slide a ball in the opening and down the chute but the machine doesn't seem to react at all.

There is no power button on this machine that I can find. I just plug it into the wall. I actually couldn't find any buttons on the back anywhere at all.
There are two buttons on the front a red and green button that appear to allow you to change the background music on the machine. Maybe they do something when held or pressed in a combination?

Read this, looks like this particular frame has no reset button:


https://www.pachitalk.com/forums/sho...obocop-machine

Are you sure its not just catching up on payouts? (Does it pay out without shooting balls)

This is common from somebody playing it with no balls in the hopper or doesn’t keep up with loading balls during a fever.

I’d figure that out and turn your attention to the payout mechanism/motor if still an issue.

[TheGoondockSaint]

The nailed over pockets definitely look factory made that way. I'll look over it all more carefully again later this evening but from what I could see it is all 100% supposed to be this way it just makes landing a ball in those pockets nearly impossible. Some of those pins may be bent a bit, but when I say they aren't bent, I mean they were not bent to the point I couldn't pass a ball between them. So they aren't bent and blocking the passage, I just don't see a way a ball could naturally enter those pockets lol.

I had left the machine on for a few hours with a full hopper to let those payouts catch up but they were slow like it would trigger a drop of one ball every 15 seconds. You could hear it clearly. The mechanism triggers, a ball drops, then it stops for 15 seconds then triggers again. So I believe you guys are on to something with the payouts catching up. I had let them all catch up, ensured hopper was full and played a few rounds. The balls still dropped one at a time at about 15 second intervals. So I think something may be wrong with the mechanism. Should it drop them all rapidly?

The center tulip doesn't really stay open at all. It will open for about 1 second then close and it seems random at that. I think it may also do that when you hit the "go" pass through you mentioned.
I would have expected the tulip to be more useful and stay open for longer than a darn second.

[lotsoballs]

The nailed over pockets definitely look factory made that way. I'll look over it all more carefully again later this evening but from what I could see it is all 100% supposed to be this way it just makes landing a ball in those pockets nearly impossible. Some of those pins may be bent a bit, but when I say they aren't bent, I mean they were not bent to the point I couldn't pass a ball between them. So they aren't bent and blocking the passage, I just don't see a way a ball could naturally enter those pockets lol.

I had left the machine on for a few hours with a full hopper to let those payouts catch up but they were slow like it would trigger a drop of one ball every 15 seconds. You could hear it clearly. The mechanism triggers, a ball drops, then it stops for 15 seconds then triggers again. So I believe you guys are on to something with the payouts catching up. I had let them all catch up, ensured hopper was full and played a few rounds. The balls still dropped one at a time at about 15 second intervals. So I think something may be wrong with the mechanism. Should it drop them all rapidly?

The center tulip doesn't really stay open at all. It will open for about 1 second then close and it seems random at that. I think it may also do that when you hit the "go" pass through you mentioned.
I would have expected the tulip to be more useful and stay open for longer than a darn second.

The tulip opening for 1 sec is part of the sub-roulette function. All it does is give you an extra opportunity to score. Also comes into play during the high probability mode following a fever (sometimes called chance mode). Sounds normal to me.

Don’t worry about the nails around pockets either as long as a ball will physically fit between the guarding nails; balls can and do travel sideways and bounce in directions you wouldn’t imagine; I’ve got plenty of machines with sideways pockets that I score in all the time!

[TheGoondockSaint]

Better photos
If anyone has any of these Monako frames for sell let me know. This one has a damaged ash tray.

IMG_20200919_171930.jpgIMG_20200919_171927.jpgIMG_20200919_171510.jpg

[billyp203]

That last picture it does look like there's an extra pin added! I don't see them bent that close.
I never had a machine that tight!? You really need to socially distance those pins.

[Spyder138]

Here is a video of one in action. Maybe you can compare the nail patterns to your machine. Has your machine been converted to cyclic?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLg6FcDhYYg

[TheGoondockSaint]

Here is a video of one in action. Maybe you can compare the nail patterns to your machine. Has your machine been converted to cyclic?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLg6FcDhYYg

Thanks, I found that one earlier today. It didn't answer my other question about the ball dispenser being slow or should it be fast etc.

Also what is cyclic mode?

Also to update this thread entirely
I've fixed the machine.

The back payout channel was jammed up in a spot you couldn't really see and it was jammed good too. See the image.

This part was broken off and jammed in there. It wouldn't let any balls pass through and load the channel. It looked loaded from what you could see.

I suspect this part is a weight that was to help ensure balls are not doubling on each other as they load in. I couldn't find an obvious spot where it broke off though.

The minute I loaded both channels fully, the machine dispensed the balls like it should and it works really good now.

Now here is the way the self diagnostics show this issue.
Code 2 is shown on the diagnostics display.

Code 2 is actually tripped when the sensor for channel 2 on the dispenser senses no metal ball waiting to be dropped.

I've actually charted most the diagnostics codes for this machine now. Which I'm willing to bet are the same for all cels that fit a Monako / Okumora Frame.

0 -- All Clear
1 -- Hopper Empty entirely
2 -- Channel two empty at dispenser sensor
4 -- Channel one empty at dispenser sensor
5 -- Dispenser motor not found
6 -- Front panel open

I never found anything to trip code 3 but I'm betting code 3 would trip if no ball is sensed in channel one or two at the dispenser.

Also note when code 2 or 4 are shown the dispenser will still try to dispense any payout due but will drop one ball every 15 seconds.

I also did bend some pins out a bit for all the other pockets. While looking them all over and testing again it was clear they were to tight. I could put a ball in them but actually pressing a ball against the cel and trying to get it between the main opening pins wasn't working without lots of force. So I know someone bent them inwards.

Game was actually fun to play now and I hit a fever round tonight. Problem is, it dumped so many balls I did have to refill it lol.

I hope these diagnostics codes are useful to others.

IMG_20200922_004436.jpg

[MrGneiss]

Glad you got it working!!

Parlor probably bent the nails near the side pockets..they can sometimes payout more, but I doubt players in a parlor cared since they are only concerned with the start packet..

[TheGoondockSaint]

Glad you got it working!!

Parlor probably bent the nails near the side pockets..they can sometimes payout more, but I doubt players in a parlor cared since they are only concerned with the start packet..

It's a 6 & 13 ball payout
So each pocket pays 6 balls until the 4th hit. Every 4th hit pays 13 balls.

[pachiwall]

How did you calculate that? I know that it says 6&13 on the front. Did you drop 4 JPs and count? T was always under the impression that every pocket,,,including the start pocket was 6. I always thought this was stingy, since I am used to vintage machines. I guess moderns make up for it with fevers. The 13 (as I always believed) was for the rectangle door below the start pocket, that only opens during a fever. If you manually open the rectangular door and drop in a ball to test...it will probably sound an alarm.

[TheGoondockSaint]

How did you calculate that? I know that it says 6&13 on the front. Did you drop 4 JPs and count? T was always under the impression that every pocket,,,including the start pocket was 6. I always thought this was stingy, since I am used to vintage machines. I guess moderns make up for it with fevers. The 13 (as I always believed) was for the rectangle door below the start pocket, that only opens during a fever. If you manually open the rectangular door and drop in a ball to test...it will probably sound an alarm.

Yea, I manually put a ball in each pocket one by one and counted the payout. Every 4th test gave 13 balls. I'll double check everything this evening again, I was up late last night and was tired but pretty sure that's what I counted out.

[ladebalken]

hi, i have 3 modern pachi's and on all machines the sidepockets are nailed around like on your photos. only very seldom a ball gets lost in there.
i think this is normal...
tuj.jpgsummer.jpg

[pachiwall]

Yea, I manually put a ball in each pocket one by one and counted the payout. Every 4th test gave 13 balls. I'll double check everything this evening again, I was up late last night and was tired but pretty sure that's what I counted out.

Makes me want to look at my modern and see if mine does that too. I only have a couple...I'll check Yellow Cab, since it is already set up.

[TheGoondockSaint]

Makes me want to look at my modern and see if mine does that too. I only have a couple...I'll check Yellow Cab, since it is already set up.

Confirmed it again just now just in case I mis counted the other night. Every 4th hit of a pocket gives 13 balls.