Electric Amuser info

[gameswat]

I think you're over thinking this, the only reason the shocker was present was as a way to get around a legal ruling, just like mint vendors or any number of other examples. The shocker just had to work with every coin played, most players would never have ever used it, like they didn't often take a pack of mints each play. I'm guessing the light is there to show the shocker is running so the battery won't get run down if someone walks away, since any other players would spot the light straight away and play the game thus cutting off the battery.

[widget2k4]

I just want to get it back working how it used to when it was made. I know it was just a way to get past the gambling laws but it would be nice to get it back to the way it used to work, whether it was bulb lights on a win or when you insert a coin, I am not sure.
I have never seen one before so don't know how it's meant to work.

[gameswat]

If you re-read all the posts in this thread you'll see multiple times it was proven that the shocker works on deposit of the coin and has nothing to do with winning or losing the game. The shocker either stopped when the handle was fully turned, or a ball was released to play the game.

The electrical shock function is activated when a coin is dropped in the machine.
It will be deactivated when you release a ball or turn the knob for the electrical shock the full way...
(so this info is for the Jentzsch & Meerz version...)

SKILL OR A GAME OF CHANCE ?

By placing a coin in it caused an electric contact, which gave the player an electric shock. When he released the handle the penny dropped and released a small ball.

[widget2k4]

I understand all of that, I just don't know when the bulb was meant to light, either on a win or on coin insertion.

[wembleylion]

Hi Widget,
I think that Gameswat is right when he says that we are overthinking this. If you think that the wiring is original then his guess is very probably correct; it makes good sense to me because the arcade owner, as well as the players, could also keep an eye on the machine.

I'm guessing the light is there to show the shocker is running so the battery won't get run down if someone walks away, since any other players would spot the light straight away and play the game thus cutting off the battery.

John

[widget2k4]

Ah right, now it makes sense
I need to look into wiring the bulb so it comes on with the penny then, and not the way it was. Strange for them to have a switch on the handle though.

[gameswat]

The light was also probably supposed to be a visual way to show the machine was actually shocking. If the light wasn't working the operator would know instantly to replace the battery, otherwise the law was being broken. Real arcade shock machines always have adjustable voltage from low to high by being able to move the coil plunger in and out, but your machine is just set in one place proving it was purely a legal ruse.

[widget2k4]

I still can't get my head around why there would be a switch on the payout though.

[gameswat]

Widget, you're going to have to post up some decent size close up photos and draw a diagram of the circuit as it's hard to figure out exactly what's going on. The only mech pic you posted was far too small to see any wiring detail at all. Though I'm starting to think this could be something to do with the reserve ball feature??

But from what I can surmise you're saying the ball when released makes a circuit to start the shocker, then cuts out when the ball is fired. But you think the switch on the win hole is original to light the bulb, but can't without a ball in the start position making the circuit? If this is so then it can't possibly work the way it's currently wired - unless just maybe the extra balls for the reserve are supposed to make the circuit? You think it's all original, but the battery wires to the terminals on that shocker look like modern plastic covered to me, not cloth covered or thick old cracked plastic like under the coil. I'd guess it's been either altered by an operator and/or messed with by a previous owner who didn't understand the circuit.

[widget2k4]

I rewired it exactly as I took off the original cloth covered wires, as there was no cloth left on them hardly. I drew a diagram as I went but I am unable to upload it as I'm not at home at the moment. What happens is a coin pushes a lever which makes the circuit; the lever is below the ball release lever; once the lever is operated it makes the electric shock come to life, but that lever is then disconnected once the hammer is pressed. There are no more contacts anywhere except for the contact switch on the payout lever. I have another one the same and it had the same wires going to the contacts on the payout switch. I will try and upload some more photos when I get home.

[widget2k4]

OK, here is the diagram I drew exactly as I took off each wire at a time. It's nothing flash but gives you an idea. The (+) on the coil board had no wires going to it, which I found strange, but without a wire to it, it couldn't possibly have worked. I have uploaded a close-up of the switches as well to see if you can shed any light on it.

[pennymachines]

...the circuit must be made by the ball falling into a win. The lamp lets you know you've won and the machine is waiting to pay out. Turning the payout handle would switch it off again. I don't think it has anything to do with the shock feature (except it uses the same battery) and you will find it on some allwins without shockers.

I think your diagram and pictures confirm my theory. There are two independent circuits, hence the two switches. The wiring for the bulb is similar to your other Electra.

[widget2k4]

I have tried wiring it up like this as two individual circuits but it's not possible. The complete mech becomes an earth and as soon as the bulb lights by the win switch it activates the electric shock feature. The payout lever would have to be completely isolated from the rest of the mech to work I think?

[gameswat]

Widget, sorry about the slow response time, been flat out the last few weeks helping a buddy with urgent non coin-op jobs. So only just found time to think about this problem fully. Think I've solved it. PM was correct and these are two separate circuits, but looks like someone was very clever and simplified the circuits down to the absolute minimum wiring needed. My revised plan shows how I think it should be wired, red + & - for battery terminals.
The coin switch completes the circuit to start the shock coil and this effectively makes both sides of the light bulb Win ball switch (-) negative. But once the ball is fired the grounded negative circuit to the Win switch is open, now what happens is this circuit is actually grounded to the positive side of the battery as it runs back through the shock coil which is a closed circuit to the battery (+). The shock coil has a set of contacts but these only open when the coil is running. I don't have a working shocker here to try this circuit on but through a pinball coil it worked fine.

[widget2k4]

Wow mate, thank you for going to all that effort for me. I will get onto it and give it a try.

[widget2k4]

Absolute genius

[gameswat]

I was just about to ask how this went and then noticed I'd missed your last post Widget! So I can figure out a goofy schematic but not how to read new posts?!

[calf28]

Topic merged - Site Admin

I bought this machine a few years ago and it's been sitting in a corner until now. I've got the mechanics working ok, the electrics are an unknown quantity but they seem to be complete. I'm in the process of cleaning them up and I've found a circuit diagram on this site but this machine has a bell so not quite sure how that fits in the circuit. My main question is: how is the shock triggered? Reading the blurb it's when the penny goes in but I'm puzzled. Doesn't seem obvious. Also, should it have another knob for the shock? Any help would greatly appreciated.

[pennymachines]

I've appended your post to this thread because it covers most of your questions.
Yes, the electricity comes on as soon as a coin is inserted. Yes, there should be another knob on the left side (where the large stud is). It was presumably removed to disable the shock feature, which might have been deterring players from approaching the game. I'm not sure about the bell. Usually a bell is used on wall machines to announce a win to everyone within earshot. It's possible it has the same function as the lamp on Widget's - i.e. to signal when the shocker is live. Nice allwin.

[calf28]

Topic merged - Site Admin

I Finally have the induction coil working, a nice 'healthy' shock off a 9 volt battery. But still not sure how the shock was triggered originally. I can see other ways of doing it but it would be nice to have it as it should be. If, as the blurb on the front says, putting in a penny gives you a shock, but how? There are a couple of things on the 'penny in' chute which I find puzzling, first is a flap (last photo) connected to a small right angle bracket (penultimate photo) via a wire which doesn't seem to do anything and below the flap is a sort of hook shaped swinging arm (next photo up) type of thing which the penny hits and it swings out. Not sure what this does either. Are they to slow the penny down or somehow to complete the circuit for the shock?

Any help would be much appreciated. Next is the bell!! (see first two photos) This goes into the wiring circuit and when the contacts close the shock starts. This works OK. The bell has a clockwork timer which is activated by pushing the 'bell push to the right by some means unknown.

Either something is missing, or the bell is in the wrong place, or the bell doesn't belong to this machine at all or it's me!!! I start by assuming when I first open up a machine that what I see is correct; gradually I realise that someone has been at it and has not quite got it right! This could be the case.