Wurlitzer 1700 to Free Play

Hi all,

I have a Wurlitzer 1700 which is working really well, however, the coin operation is getting a bit tired.

Can I convert this to free play?

Any help is greatly appreciated but please keep it simple as I am no technician.

The juke also has a Seeburg 3W-1 wallbox attached and working (not sure if this makes any difference).

Thanks so much in advance

Gordo...........

I've not had a 1700 in 22 years,but do currently have an 1800. Here there is a button on the panel where the latchbar solenoid and various leaf switches are located.

Grounding one terminal of this button reestablishes credit each time a selection is made. I put a clip lead on there in early 1988 when I restored the machine.

Bear in mind that the 5 watt resistors for both the latch solenoid and credit light do get quite hot. It is not a bad idea to use a larger wattage resistor and higher voltage -lower current bulb, but I've not found it absolutely necessary.

Note that the credit unit must still be in the circuit for the timing relay but the (dopey) "grinder" motor no longer runs.

As much as I like the 50's Wurlitzers for looks mech and sound, I have no idea what they were thinking about when designing these credit units.

If you think that setup is odd, I have a 2300S w/dual pricing accumulator. When a coin is inserted a motor runs and generates a series of pulses on an accumulator wheel. Just like a stepper. Given that it is mounted on the side wall of the machine, it sounds like a machine gun. Even though the machine was in great shape when I got it in early 1994 and had a little over 40K-plays, the accumulator was worn and inaccurate. I replaced that with a modified Rowe accumulator (was considering commercial service).


Grandpa had some odd engineering ideas.

Rob/NYC

Thanks for the advice. It works as you say.

The resistor gets really hot and that does concern me a little. It burnt my finger after about 30 seconds.

Reading my schematic, it says that the resistor is 150 OHM at 10 Watts. What size should I change it too? Do resistors go either direction?

Also, I have found that the Jukebox man in England sells a 'credit unit eliminator' for 60 pounds (probably about $100) . This is an expensive switch.

Has anyone used one of these eliminators and does it work? and is it worth the money? I assume it does not activate the solenoid (but I don't know).

Regards

Gordo...........

Gordo, if you decide to change the resistor it would be -wattage- that matters here. A ten-watt resistor of similar ohms would be used.

I don't know about these "credit unit eliminators" I do know that the latchbar solenoid is essential to operation so, these units might just switch the solenoid into the circuit as the first letter or number button is pushed.

If you disconnect the solenoid it should be possible to select by pressing both buttons simultaneously. This is clumsy and you probably won't like it.

In most cases with machines like yours, I'd just change to a larger resistor if the heating bothers you. It can also be somewhat higher ohms, perhaps as high as 200 ohms.

I did mod two Seeburg V's to engage the latchbar when either a letter or number is pressed. I did this after one solenoid smoked about 22 years ago. I never did bother doing this on the other 7 machines, just fused the 25V line that feeds it in case it shorts out. In commercial service most people use all the credits quickly.

Rob/NYC

Gordo,
Those "latch bar coils" are designed for constant duty, as long as the resistor is "switch into" the circuit. There is one caution on changing that resistor--you must check the "ohms" value, as there were two different coils (brand) used, interchangeably, and the values are very different. I have seen a lot of Wurlies "on free play", without having changed the resistor--never saw a "bad" resistor--yet. But if you are not comfortable with the heat, change the wattage from 5 to 10--this will run cooler, and cause no problem. If you do that--you might as well up the wattage on the second ( select lamp) resistor also-- Ron Rich