25 cent Golden Nugget

[capt7310]

Just picked up this Golden Nugget, was all complete got it for a great price, the owner said he had it for many years but it needed an adjustment, he said it never paid out correctly. So after hours of looking into the reel strip book and checking out reel strips from Mr. Frinks catalog, every symbol seems to line up correctly, but I keep getting mystery payouts. If I line up Orange, Plums, Bells and Jackpot it pays correctly, but then every few pulls it will payout random on 2 different symbols. I'm at a loss. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

[nvmos2]

These fake Golden Nuggets seem to vary widely in quality and reliability.
Since "it never paid out correctly", you've probably taken the obvious first step;
Perhaps the reel discs don''t match the reel strips; when it gives a random payout, check the reel payout discs to see if there is a hole and the fingers are properly calling for a payout.
If the fingers aren't detecting a payout, it could be a number of things; you'll have to trace the payout system to find the worn part/spring that is allowing the payout slide(s) to release.

[capt7310]

Thanks for the info. I actual noticed the vertical fingers were bent at the bottom and 2 of the horizontal fingers were also bent. I straighten them both out and it was playing great, but it stills pays out on 2 plums and a orange and 2 orange and a plum, very frustrating, maybe I'll make it mystery payouts LOL

[Shane]

As mentioned, you can map out the pay combinations by turning the reels and referencing where the disk holes meet the payout fingers. The closest holes to the outside are cherrys, then oranges, plums, bells, Jackpot.

When a hole lines up with a payout finger, the symbol on the front should match up to the appropriate hole position.

I'm guessing your reels strips are close but do not exactly match up with disks.

[marsonion]

...but it stills pays out on 2 plums and a orange and 2 orange and a plum, very frustrating, maybe I'll make it mystery payouts LOL

I had a similar problem with a Pace Primadonna (the first slot I ever bought): it would pay out correctly on all oranges, but also payout sometimes on two oranges and a plum, and sometimes even on two plums and a bell. What I found was a very loose/wobbly third reel payout wheel, and vertical fingers that were bent in such a way as to probe the adjacent symbol-hole (sometimes) on that wobbly third payout wheel. Stabilizing the loose payout wheel and bending the vertical fingers to make them "stay in their lane" solved the problem. I got the impression that both the wobbly wheel and the canted fingers combined to create the problem, and that one or the other alone would not have caused the odd payouts to occur.

[pdxracer]

@marsonion your knowledge and insights are exceptional. Thanks for your contributions on this board. I'm in the Portland area and am looking for help getting a Groetchen Columbia in good operating shape. I believe you have several working examples? Are you in a position to assist?

[marsonion]

@marsonion your knowledge and insights are exceptional. Thanks for your contributions on this board. I'm in the Portland area and am looking for help getting a Groetchen Columbia in good operating shape. I believe you have several working examples? Are you in a position to assist?

Hello-- See PM reply!
Thanks!