Rotamints

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porf
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Rotamints

Post by porf »

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Hi,

As an owner of 2 non functioning Rotamint Luxus's (you'd think one would be enough really!) I wondered if anyone on here has any experience with these.

I know a fair bit of the innards are at line voltage so haven't strayed too far into the machines yet. I'm trying to pick up bits from a manual for a similar model but as my German is non existent this mainly involves using Google Translate.

Primarily I'm after info about the initial cabinet wiring on these as both of mine seem to be wired differently from plug to first terminals on the main chassis board and I want to get this right before venturing further.

Also are the 3 components immediately inside the cab (smoothing circuit?) actually required or can they be safetly bypassed as I've seen other cabs with these absent.

Any help appreciated as the last time I switched one on it took out the main RCD.

Cheers

Paul.
pennymachines
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Post by pennymachines »

Hi Paul,

I'm afraid there's a deafening silence on your Rotamint query at the moment. Will nobody out there admit to owning or even knowing about these things?

A couple of times after switching one on for the first time (after it had lain 30 years in a damp cellar) I've been greeted by a loud bang and acrid smoke filling the house. I believe my electronics savvy friend then bypassed the first bit of circuitry which was not essential to the machine's function but included a capacitor to suppress RF interference. But don't quote me - I don't really know what I'm talking about.

I think a circuit breaker would be advisable when testing. In fact, it's probably wise to keep one permanently between any old e/m slot and the mains.

Often there's a circuit diagram stuck inside the back of the case. Anyone got one they could post up here?
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simon
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Post by simon »

Hi - I also suffer from 'I've got two of these' syndrome. One's a Deluxe and the other is (I think) a Luxus.

Both are just about working, but are not working properly.

Anyway, back to the question.

The choke seem to blow on these things after being left and yes, you are correct it has no function in today's world, other than to a) annoy and b) burn.

Good advice on the circuit breaker. I have been using a standard RCD device and that has proved sufficient. I have a circuit diagram printed on the back of the box, but it will not remove and is, in all honesty, too simplistic. It shows the relays and their function - but it means little to me.

I will try and take a photo of it but will not be able to do so for a week.

I have also been trying to source belts and bulbs for these machines. The chap on the Danish (?) Rotamint site can provide a lot of parts. Let me know if you need the URL.
porf
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Post by porf »

Thank you both for the replies. Looks like there's a concensus that it should be fine to bypass the choke components.

I've just got hold of a plug in RCD. Hadn't thought about one of those before and just relied on the the house one. It'll find plenty of use around here!

Will hopefully try the Rotamint that I think is in the best condition with the choke section bypassed.

I'll let you know how it goes !
porf
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Post by porf »

Well the house is still standing!

It doesn't work properly yet, but nothing started smoking and the RCD didn't trip so I consider that the biggest improvement in the last year or so.

Will try the 2nd Rotamint tomorrow with the choke bypassed, tonight's one now has illumination and no smoke, but flicking the coin switch doesn't start the reels spining.
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simon
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Post by simon »

Hello -I have now photograhed the ciruit diagram from a Duette (which is v.similar) send me a Private message with your wmail address and I'll send it over.
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simon
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Post by simon »

hoorah - I've got my Luxus working.

Well two of the three controls are anyway.

It starts on receipt of 1p.

All three dials rotate and wheel 1 then lights up inviting the use of the Breme (brake??) and the the middle one and then after a period of time it stops the last one and then illuminates the wheel.

So either my Cam setings are out of balance or a relay is not behaving.

Does anyone have a spare front glass for one of these - mine has been hand made (not by me).

I also need to know the winning combinations and payouts. :cool:
porf
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Post by porf »

Hi Simon,

Glad to hear yours is up and running. Haven't had a chance to look at mine again, but many thanks for the diagrams you sent me.

I had a quick look at my Luxus(es) and the following are the winning combinations shown on the front glass (although on one machine the "Pays 8" payout has been blacked out and presumably disabled in some way internally) :

"Pays 10" Payout combinations
1, 1, 1
1, 1, 3
5, 5, 6
5, 5, 5
4, 4, 4

"Pays 8" Payout combinations
3, 3, 3
3, 3, 1

"Pays 4" Payout combinations
2, 2, 6
2, 2, 5

"Pays 2" Payout combinations
2, 2, 2
2, 2, -
-, -, 2

I can take a detailed photo of the Luxus front glass if that's of any use to you?

If you need to know which relays drive the payouts I can have a look in the German manual for the Rotamint Record, but I guess the workings may not tie up 100% across machines (It may also take me a while to work some of the bits back into english!)

Paul.
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simon
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Post by simon »

Many thanks for your help here.

I have finally fixed the third reel. A wire had become detached on the third brake button. Trouble is it is behind the coin-payout tube so was not visible.

In doing this, I worked out that the relay contact diagram I sent you for the Duette is not relevent to the lexus as it appears to have an extra function on contacts 4 etc which are not present on the Lexus. You can restart a real on the Duette.

The Luxus contacts are very simple: number 4 controls the third reel brake and when at rest, current passes through the lower pair alowing the disk to start. This is then switched via the cam to use the upper contact. This sends the current via the brake switch. So, when you press the brake button it breaks the circuit and the solenoid is released applying the brake.

All the reel controls work like this.

Now then... why isn't it paying out to all of those combinations???
aibuis88
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Rotomint

Post by aibuis88 »

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I bought a Rotomint game at a local auction but have not been able to find much information about it. I believe this one was manufactured in the early '60s. Does anyone know where I might find schematics or any other info for these games?
pennymachines
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Post by pennymachines »

Take a look at this technical description of a Roulomint at Bei t2Balli. Like the Rotamint, it was made by NSM and the innards are quite similar.

Other good German sites are Automatix and Das automatenarchiv (some knowledge of German would help).

What happens if you figure out how to beat the Rotamint:



ricassin
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Rotamints

Post by ricassin »

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Hello everybody.

During a transfer, they broke the glass of my Rotamint Luxus 1957...
I'd like to know something about it:

What's the value of the machine or the glass only? (they have to give back to me some money for the damage).

Is it possible to find and/or buy another?

Can I find some high quality pictures to try to make a similar glass?

Thank you very much to everybody, R.
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simon
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Rotamints

Post by simon »

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I now have three of these b*^&&%^$ things. I have a Luxus with a missing front glass(as does someone else on this forum) and I now have a Rotamint Karat (1961).

This has damage to the driver motor and is missing a switch on the coin acceptor.

Has anyone else got a Karat who could take a few photos for me of the insides?
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slotalot
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by slotalot »

Hi Simon,
Is your Karat a floor standing model like this?... If so, I have a Bergman Imperator that has the same style cabinet. Maybe some of the working will be the same. If you post a better photo of the insides of your machine I will see if it is in any way the same as mine. Regards Stuart.
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badpenny
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by badpenny »

Would you like me to have a hunt around the back of my compost heap just in case there's one there?
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slotalot
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by slotalot »

Hi Jeremy :D, I think you will find the frost will have killed them all :oops: , but you might find traces of a manual for one ;-) wink-wink, nudge, nudge. If you know what I mean?..... By the way are you feeling OK now? Last I heard you were keeping the nurses busy..... :byee:
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simon
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by simon »

Ha ha ha!
I'm actually quite fond of electro-mechanical stuff.

Anyway - thanks for the assistance Stuart, but all of mine are wall mounted. The Karat is 1961 version of this Rotamint and mine runs on 3d.
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badpenny
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by badpenny »

Stuart, the frost didn't kill the one I gave you .... oops! I confess I left it outside longer than I admitted to.

Oh my god I just realised I haven't sent you the manual yet ....... I can't blame it on the electro shock therapy as there is a long waiting list for that now they've discovered how to do it under anaesthetic .... very popular and doesn't knacker your liver like the pills they pedal ............ anyway it's safe here and I promise I'll get it to you as soon as they trust me to enter a Post Office again without freaking out the pensioners.

Just to prove that Man from Coventry not gargle with forked tonsils: -
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slotalot
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Re: Rotamint Karat

Post by slotalot »

WHAT!.. Are you saying you still have a post office that's open in Coventry? ;-)
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coppinpr
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Rotamints

Post by coppinpr »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

I just bought my second Bergman Electro-mech slot machine (I can hear all the purists groan from here!) But I wanted to say a little in their favor.
I bought my first one (now finished, see photo) really because I used to be a pinball guy and they have much in common but when I started work on it I really enjoyed getting it looking and working right; the end result really looks great. Now I'm very much looking forward to working on the Rotamint I just
bought, and boy it needs some work!

I believe this type of machine has a unique place in slot machine history as they represent the period of change from the lovely mechanical machines of the pre-60s to nasty chip-driven machines of today and they definitely have a 1950s charm with their increasing use of plastics and their very 50s designs. The Rotamint shown below is surly a late 50s classic with its plastic numbers and plain case. They were cheaply made for sure but are still going today with little repair needed. They are cheap to buy, around £100 gets you a machine in good working order, making them a good entry level machine for someone looking to start out collecting. One thing I particularly like is they almost always still have their metal name plate on the outside which, with typical German attention to detail, tells you exactly the date it was made, to the day! No 'somewhere around 1959' for these boys : '3rd April 1959', it says on my Rotamint and no mucking about.

So don't just turn up your nose and polish your Rol-A-Top one more time; these machines deserve a place in slot machine history. I like them anyway!
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my finished 1959 Rotary
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