Count and Report Pulses

[vngypsy 0]

Hello to all,

 

I have a little project that I would like to ask for some pointers. There are these coin-op machines. The wiring schematic is attached. Basically, I would like to collect the quantity (number) of coins passed through slot daily, weekly, monthly, from each machine, or within any custom time frame.

 

So, which model of Unitronics should I choose? and how the report can be extracted? ie, email, sms?

 

How should I wire everything together? I'm pretty sure that each time a coin passing through the slot, it sends a pulse out to the CPU.

 

Sorry, the more details the better as I do not have electronics background.

 

Thanks.

Hoai

[Walkerok 29]

The voltages in a coin operated arcade game are +5, -5, +12, and depending on exact game 3.3V and -12V.  None of these voltages can be read by a Unitronics PLC in its standard form.  There are low voltage models, but If your games follow standard JAMMA convention then there is not actually a voltage line but a ground line being run through your coin switch (and that is good) as the signal to your motherboard to register either coin or bill pulses.

 

For this to work you will have to install a 24VDC power supply in your arcade cabinet that will be used to power the PLC.  The ground of that power supply (0V) will have to be joined up with the ground of your arcade power supply (not knowing what supply you have I can't tell you exactly where to land).  So for example if you have a computer style supply in your game then you would join 0V from your new 24VDDC power supply to any black wire from your game supply (they are all jumped together internally).

 

So if you are reading coins then one pulse is one coin.  Just increment (do not use a counter) in your PLC to a memory integer location and use the clock functions found in Visilogics to make the pulses per day/week/month/year (don't forget the extra day in February on leap year if you want to be exact).  You can store all of this information on an SD card in a .CSV format and then you can analyze to your hearts content in Excel.

 

As far as the model of PLC to use the lowest cost unit that will do what you need is the V130-33-TR20.  This would let you have switch readings from 10 locations (multiple cabinets if you join the grounds from all games you want to read together with your one 24VDC power supply).

 

Good luck and have fun

Keith

[vngypsy 0]

Keith,

 

Thank you for your input. Would you please go further as to offer how to actually wire the coin mech (priorly attached) to the PLC (V130-33-TR20)?  Also, in the PLC software, how to write the code up?

 

Thanks again,

Hoai

[Walkerok 29]

On your connector that says "coin" pin one is what needs to be jumped with the 24VDC power supply negative that powers the overall PLC ("0V" on the PLC).

 

The two connector locations labeled coin1 and coin 2 are the signals from the coin switches to game board.  You have to connect one wire to each of these locations and connect them to two of the PLC inputs.  (the common for these inputs should be the +24VDC from your supply).  You have jumpers you are going to have to set on your V130 to make it NPN for all of this to work.

 

I am sorry but I just do not have the time to write out how to program and connect everything.  I strongly suggest you watch the webinars (they are good) and read through the V130-33-TR20 installation document carefully and have fun figuring it out.

 

Best Regards

Keith

[vngypsy 0]

Keith, thanks for your detail infomation. One last question, will this circuitry independent from the machine's? Other words, will this 24+VDC shoot back and interfere with the 5+VDC internally? I hope it won't cause any issue to normal functionality of the game machine (???).

 

Thanks again Keith.

[Joe Tauser 270]

Never let the PLC's 24V directly interface with the machine's 5V system - magic smoke will come out of things and your games won't work anymore.

 

You will need to put some isolation circuitry between the game's power supplies and the PLC I/O.

 

Joe T.