BF74

there should be four Leds lit on the main MPU those are voltage present indicators. two out would suggest PSU fault. There is a switched mode power supply fitted within the black caged unit. they are a regular fail on older Electrocoins Two leds out will probably be both the +12v and +5v and both supplied from that switch mode unit.

1981 advertisment

At the moment,The only early adverts with pic I can find are from 1974 showing Gemini and Kaleidoscope However I have found advertisements in 1976 with a number of listed used Barcrest's. King 40 Crackerjack Spellbound Stuntman Winnerama Solitaire Contrasts Masquerade Extravaganza

May 1985.

I would say it would have two tubes minimum to cover the £100 jackpot in old big 50p coins.

When I worked at Bell Fruit Manufacturing, My depot was at Westerhope in the West end of Newcastle. Apart from a service contract to look after a few one arm machines in bingo halls, Every machine both in manufacture and on site operations were electro mechanical. No merging or takeovers from other companies, no other manufacturers machines like juke boxes pool tables or video games to look after. Only BFs own manufactured fruits. Obsolete, badly damaged and scrap machines were returned to Nottingham. Working in workshops until I passed my grade 4 then just one week later I arrived one morning not to work in workshops but taken to the stores where I was handed two bespoke wooden spares boxes containing a good selection of electro spare parts then shown outside to take possession of a new mk1 white Escort van ( all service vans including installation transits were white and only the large vans were sign written). In the van was the first time I had ever seen a two way radio never mind used one but after some good instruction soon got the hang of taking the service calls. On returning to depot you handed the spares boxes over to stores where they would replenish all the used parts and ready for you to pick up again on your way out. I was to cover area engineers sickness and holidays until assigned my own area so got to see the whole North East operation. Not including the bingo contract along with sited club machines, the AWP machines were sited in Brewery managed sites, brewery tenanted and free trade. All rented no sales.

I would be very surprised to see if any still exist because of their size being premium in arcades plus it was only 1p play with a 15p payout in 1p coins were not high money takers. Gemini did manufacture a custom version of two machines for casino use with just a single jackpot win line, These were for export to South Africa so if they are still around would make them rare indeed.

Gemini Big Ben..

This advert is from May 1985..

It's BF Jokers Wild

Bell Fruit Reel n Deal?

Tell me about it, tbh I thought and to this day still do think it was an illegal way to control the machines %. Amazing that all the machines on my patch jackpot controls suffered malfunctions for some reason.🤐

Just a quick enquiry but, Do the emulations on club electro's take into account the jackpot control switch as that switch has a big effect on BF club machines % payout.?

Looks in very good condition for it's age too. One of a collection of Peter Simper machines from late 60s early 70s. There were at least four others on a similar cabinet and themed around at the time this one was manufactured, Manhattan, Arizona, Tahiti and Saturn. This is actually made for clubs with the £5 or 500p cash jackpot although this one has been upgraded on both coins and win lines to our decimal coins. The original coin mechs were similar but as 1 shilling now 5p, 2 shillings now 10p but have left the original 6d or 2.5p. the original price of play was 3d or threepenny piece value per play which in old money was two coins = 6d. The number of plays has really stayed the same as it says 4 plays for 5p which in old money is 1 shilling which = 4x3d in coins. Really quite good for a £5 jackpot. It should give 2 plays for the 6d coin mech but not sure whether it gives credit or change for the 10p? As it was manufactured and runs it's components completely on our 240vac mains over here in the U.K. I do believe your mains in the States is 120v so it will need a step up transformer to run the machine.?

Would it be this one, ACE Joint Favourite from 1980.?