Semco Dial for Money info?

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pennymachines
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Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by pennymachines »

This is a very long shot, but is there anyone else who has one of these or can offer useful advice (apart from 'give it up').
I bought it off eBay in 2015 and after a long but fruitless hunt for the correct type of rotary selector I got lucky at the last Coventry auction and picked one up for £12.

This is now incorporated into the controlling unit (shown) which fits into the machine as a complete chunk. Connected to this is the power supply, dial and a thermal switch (shown). As far as I can tell, the thermal switch gets a constant supply while the machine is on causing it to make and break as its bi-metalic arm warms and cools. This causes the selector to step the nixie tube through the numbers as an attract feature. There are 5 relays (one has 6 contacts and the other four have 10). Unfortunately, relay number 4 has no wires on four of its contacts, so without a wiring diagram it's a bit tricky to work out where they go...
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Dial for Money
Dial for Money
Missing connections on control unit relay
Missing connections on control unit relay
Four relays
Four relays
Underside control unit, showing relays
Underside control unit, showing relays
control unit
control unit
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Thermal switch
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badpenny
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by badpenny »

Is this the gubbins that fried poor old Stuart Dale's brain?
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by pennymachines »

It was probably what impelled him to renounce slot machine restoration for life. :-(
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JC
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by JC »

I got lucky at the last Coventry auction and picked one up for £12.
I presume you mean the uniselector, in which case you actually paid more than £12 - I think it was £18 + comm, but still far too cheap! I had had it in stock for a good number of years and decided I was probably never going to need it, so stuck it in the auction.
I had intended to get in touch, but I had personal problems back then and I'm afraid it got forgotten. But here's the thing - it is not your run of the mill ex GPO device; it's actually a NOS MOD uniselector. Thus, it may well be the case that the coil voltage is different to the more common GPO units. I can't remember what the coil voltage is, but I have a vague recollection that it is 28v - in any case, this doesn't appear to be an issue at the moment.........just bear in mind, it is not ex GPO.

Jerry
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by slotalot »

badpenny wrote: Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:21 pm Is this the gubbins that fried poor old Stuart Dales brain?
I never quite got over it :oops:
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badpenny
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by badpenny »

Yay Stuart's back!

BP !!YIPPEE!!
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by pennymachines »

slotalot wrote: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:44 am I never quite got over it...
But thank goodness you devoted your newly-acquired superpowers to ridding the world of evil. :frankie:

Thanks for the info JC - it was a bargain even at £18 and hopefully will be put to good use. Stuart pointed out that the more common Strowger uniselector (often found on Jamieson games) would not do the job. This looks the part, although it has more banks than the one it replaces. I'll check out the coil voltage.
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by malcymal »

Well I've seen some very unusual machines before, but this one is quite frankly bonkers, but brilliant. Hope you get it running. :shock:
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treefrog
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by treefrog »

Although tempted as I like Nixie machines, but I don’t like electricity......there is a Dial for Money being sold by our collector colleague in Holland Laurens ......not sure if you still have yours MR PM, but this one is tidy, but not fully working
https://www.facebook.com/groups/289907117793253
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by dutchboy »

I saw it for sale and I am curious about the machine. Only thing is it is a two hour drive...
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by treefrog »

dutchboy wrote: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:33 am I saw it for sale and O am curious about the machine. Only thing is it is a two hour drive...
Did you buy it Dutchboy......
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by dutchboy »

No I didn’t because of the distance. Maybe when I have to go for a trip I could combine. !!BRRRMM!!
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by pennymachines »

treefrog wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:09 pm ......not sure if you still have yours MR PM, but this one is tidy, but not fully working.
I still have mine, but have yet to get it working, despite buying the rotary step-by-step switch and borrowing bits off another Semco wreck. It has numerous 'issues'. A pointer attached to the central axis of the rotary switch is supposed to indicate the user-selected number, but how it was attached is unclear. Surprisingly, this latest example to turn up is an earlier or later version, and is quite different internally (and externally). Bakelite cam switches (similar to many German electro-mechanicals of the period) take the place of the rotary stepping switch, which makes me wonder how this one indicates the bet. There doesn't seem to be anything behind the dialled number indicator. Do you just have to remember what it was? :!?!:
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treefrog
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by treefrog »

I never looked at the inside, also the cabinet is more like the type Cam or Whittaker used, maybe a different maker !PUZZLED!
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by brigham »

Goldings of Essex, perhaps?
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by pennymachines »

It has the Semco name on the dial.
STURGEON ELECTRONIC MFC CO - BOGNOR REGIS - SEMCO - Trade Mark
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dickywink
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by dickywink »

Hi PM
looking at the photo of the machine with just a Cam unit .. has me confused ... i cant see how it would work with just those parts ...
the machine needs to remember the number dialed and the pulses from the dial need to move a uniselector to the correct position
also there does not seem to be enough contacts for the cam unit to switch all the number grids in the Nixitube either

My theory is ...
the cam unit is for payout only and is used to fire the payout solenoid for the correct amount of coins as it only has an ac synchronous motor
I believe there could be 2 uniselectors or equivalent hidden behind that central wooden panel... a reason they may have put them behind may possibly be to try and reduce the sound of them noisy old buggers.

the clue is the big old transformer and rectifier ... because otherwise the synchronous motor and payout solenoid could just run on 240v AC so i believe there is more than meets the eye :)

anyway thats my theory and if anyone has a better one please spill forth

all the best
Dicky
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by dutchboy »

I translated a part of the text from the add in google translate, maybe it will clear something? I know nothing about electricity but i know you can blow fuses :D .
In the middle is a red lamp with different numbers passing by for a short period of time

If it stops on your dialed number, it pays out

The machine comes straight from the attic of an old building

Seems to work partially or completely (insertion works / after dialing the number, different numbers appear on the lamp / when matched it pays out)

As far as I have seen 2 wires are loose and I do not know the whole game principle -> so it should be checked carefully.
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brigham
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by brigham »

I'd say it's an after-market conversion of a Semco, by someone who doesn't like Uniselectors.
It seems to have no provision for operating the 'dialled number' indicator.
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Re: Semco Dial for Money info?

Post by treefrog »

Look what's happened to the same machine above discussed in 2020, now in Belgium and turned into a Cowboy :HaHa: :HaHa: :HaHa:

https://www.troostwijkauctions.com/uk/a ... 8-8343401/
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