Non-arcade tech help: Pacer Poker countertop machine with flip cards...

[pookdolie]

Non-arcade tech help: Pacer Poker countertop machine with flip cards...

I finally got some pictures of the innards of this machine:

And I need help. Here's the backside / innards of the cardflip mechanisms:

I need a new connector here; it holds 6 wires from the card flip motor:

This one is shot. It's very small - about a centimeter and a half long. It connects the card flipper motor to the PCB associated with it:

Here's another shot of the setup:

The info I got off of the motor: manufacturer is, I believe, "Crouzet" (looks like they're still making small motors - a good sign?), and one of the TI chips is marked "Portugal". As you can tell, I have very little idea what I'm working with. I'm thinking this stuff is shot-in-the-dark but, at first glance, do you think I can get parts to patch this up? If so, where from?

 

[mecha]

worst case scenario you could just hardwire it. if you want to you could create some quick disconnect apparatus of your own.

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

Are there any markings on the connector? Is the pin spacing the same as the red connector below it?

 

[KevinMullins]

If you can get the pins out of the blue connector I'd just solder the wire to the pin and then push them back into the connector.
I say solder because you'll unlikely be able to re-crimp them properly.

Hard to tell in the pic just how damaged the blue plastic part is.

 

[pookdolie]

worst case scenario you could just hardwire it. if you want to you could create some quick disconnect apparatus of your own.

My idea right now is that I'm going to pay a local technician to fix this, re-solder the top light wires, and test the voltage to make sure the power supply is doing its thing (the machine would occasionally reset before). If not, a re-build. I wanted to see, however, if the parts looked like something I might be able to order for him in advance.

Are there any markings on the connector? Is the pin spacing the same as the red connector below it?

Zero markings on the connector; I looked carefully. And I'm almost certain the spacing is different.

If you can get the pins out of the blue connector I'd just solder the wire to the pin and then push them back into the connector.

We're talking tiny connectors. Like half of the size of a grain of rice.

Hard to tell in the pic just how damaged the blue plastic part is.

I'm pretty sure it's toast.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far, ppl. I'll keep looking into this...

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

OK, knowing the spacing will help me to try to locate the replacement parts. If you can pull the lower connector and take a pic with them both exposed it would help.

 

[pookdolie]

OK, knowing the spacing will help me to try to locate the replacement parts. If you can pull the lower connector and take a pic with them both exposed it would help.

Cool. I'll see if I can snap some more pics once I get home...

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

Cool. I'll see if I can snap some more pics once I get home...

Great, can you also use the micro setting on your camera? These pics are pretty blurry. It is usually marked with a flower.

 

[pookdolie]

Oryk, I'm sorry I haven't gotten your pictures yet. But I do have a pretty cool update.

After a lot of research online, I finally found what looked like a possible link to a new company being run by the guy who built this machine 25 years ago. I couldn't find mention of "Pacer Poker" or anyone who owned a similar machine; instead I found the creator's name through the company name on the machine.

I called up this afternoon and got a guy on the phone who struggled to figure out who the heck I should talk to (understandably). I was transfered to a woman, who sounded like she thought I was going to try to sell her something. Instead, I began:

"You're pretty much my last hope on this. I have a machine called `Pacer Poker' which was made by, I believe, the president of your company a loooooong time ago -- "

She didn't let me finish. "Of all the machines we've made, that was my favorite."

She's going to have a conversation with the founder, and dig up any info she can on it next week. Progress!