Rotamints

[jonesthegarage]

As promised - pictures of Rotamint Luxus.
PM me if you want close ups of any thingies, wossnames, doings, or doo-dahs.

[simon]

I've done a couple now, currently replacing the motor on one. The help from Europe is most welcome, as are their replacement parts.

[malcymal]

Unfortunately, the best source of information regarding these machines was lost when the expert Harold English passed away. RIP Harold. I often wonder what I will do when both my machines I got from him decide to pack up. Good luck with the Rotamint. I really like them and find them fascinating to play and often wonder how their mechanics work. They are certainly a niche area of penny machines collecting, not to everybody's liking but personally I love 'em.

[simon]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Hi! I need a new frame motor for my Duett.
A couple of photos for you.

[hiflyer]

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

I picked up the Rotamint at the Coventry auction. It was pretty cheap so I wasn't expecting much from it. To my surprise it worked (sort of) and obviously has had some restoration work done inside. Messing about with these things is new to me so if anyone here can help I would appreciate it. All the wheels spin, although judging by a Youtube video of another machine, they may not be running at full speed. They stop in sequence and the payout works. The stop pushbuttons however don't appear to work so it's not possible to manually stop the wheels. All the pushbutton microswitches have been replaced with new ones. The note below was inside the machine so may be a clue.

I can see the yellow/red wire it refers to but can't identify its connection point. Perhaps the previous owner gave up trying to get it work 100%. If the seller reads this I would appreciate some feedback. You can PM me if you prefer. I would like to restore it cosmetically but it may not be worth it if it isn't going to work properly. Having done a bit of internet digging I think it may have been sold previously on eBay as it looks identical to the one in a listing from June this year (seller in Mablethorpe).

rotamint ebay.jpg (18.23 KiB) Viewed 5645 times

Many thanks in advance for any help that may be forthcoming.

[jonesthegarage]

I've got a Luxus. Show me a picture of the offending area and I'll show you mine!

[badpenny]

My experience of them is that if they run slow, but the motor seems up to speed then it's the spring bands/belts slipping.
Either oil has dripped onto them or they've stretched.

Also the skill stops aren't immediate and I seem to remember they each operate within different time periods of the cycle .... or am I thinking of the later model that has a lion on the front that winks?

[hiflyer]

I've got a Luxus. Show me a picture of the offending area and I'll show you mine!

Thanks, here's a pic of the top block of switches and the disconnected wire poking up from the back. If you can see where it's supposed to go I would be a happy chappy. I have to wonder though why it was disconnected in the first place. Better get the fire extinguisher ready! Bottom pic shows the new stop button microswitches which I have to assume at the moment are connected correctly.

[hiflyer]

Jonesthegarage, are you still able to help me locate the correct fixing for this yellow/red wire? Here's a pic from the other side of the bank of switches. The loose wire is the one with the tape on it. Many thanks.

[jonesthegarage]

Hi Hiflyer, sorry for the delay but it looks like they will be no use to you anyway. Mike

[badpenny]

First check it doesn't go to earth.
Is it live?
Use a continuity tester and trace that wire backwards until you identify what it serves.

If there is a problem with the skill stop on a reel, and you have a loose wire, could it be related?

Edited, because I've just remembered back in the 80s I had one of these that was showing an intermittent skill stop issue. It turned out to be one of those weird combinations of circumstances at first that defies explanation.
It originally worked fine whilst some of the bulbs in the buttons were out.
After the bulbs were renewed it started going odd. I think power was shorting from the bulb connector possibly to the micro switch which allowed power to continue to the reel stop solenoid allowing it to stay out, consequently the reel doesn't stop.

Seems it could be a common issue, incidentally if I'm right it could make the metal chassis live, probably to the tune 115 volts.
So make sure you stand in a bucket of water ........ I might be wrong there, as I can't be trusted.

Good luck BP

[hiflyer]

OK, thanks guys. I'll just have to keep investigating. It would be so much easier if I could find a wiring diagram. I have traced the yellow/red wire to the back of the coil which controls the centre wheel. It is connected to the top terminal of the contact switch. You can see it in the pic below showing the bank of three coils removed and turned around for viewing. Just need to know where the other end is supposed to be connected.

I have cured the slow wheel problem by the way. The bank of metal pulleys on the back of the motor shaft were slipping too much on the shaft so I took them off and cleaned all the excess oil of the shaft and bearings. Problem solved.

[slotalot]

Hi, you could try asking here https://www.antik-automaten.de/wbb2/ The lads on this site are usually very helpful, and a lot of them speak English. Give them a try - you have nothing to lose. be sure to tell them that your machine is a Rotamint Luxus, as there are lots of other Rotomint variants.

[hiflyer]

Thanks for the tip, slotalot. I had a quick look at the site but as it's all in German. I don't understand it. I'll crack on and try to solve it myself. Will report back if I get anywhere.

[badpenny]

There's usually an option at the top of the page on that site to translate into English.

[tazmantic]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Hi all, anyone got a wiring diagram/cam switch layout for a Rotamint Duett?

[coppinpr]

I'm not 100% certain but I think the wiring is all but the same as the Deluxe Rex and a couple of others if that makes it any easier to find a copy. Nothing in resources?

[jonesthegarage]

If you're out of luck on the wiring diagram and if they're any use, I've got Rotamint, Luxus, Record 2, Gold and Silver if you want photos of the gubbins to be bewildered at.

[tazmantic]

Cheers guys. Well it did nothing when I picked it up and after a few repairs to the relay and motor and a bit of tinkering it's now running - just not sure if quite correctly so just wanted to know what all the cams etc. did.
I've watched a Rotamint Gold on youtube and it basically runs the same but the lights on mine don't work quite the same.

[badpenny]

The horizontal cam at the top of the machine which makes one rotation per play has a host of ridges which trip different switches.

The first three that click over activate the brakes on the three reels and light the buttons allowing you to drop the brakes early.

The final set that go clickety clickety clickety at the end (I'm sure you get the idea) are closing normally open switches that would form a circuit through the reels if there is a winning line.
Those switches are directly in line with the payout solenoid, thus it gets activated.

Be careful if twiddling around inside with the juice on, you could end up melting your screwdriver and causing much merriment amongst your dearly beloveds as they pick you up with tongs and take you down A&E in a bucket.

BP