I picked up a 1955 United Manhattan for my first bingo adventure. It seems to be working well after spending the past month or so doing my best to figure out how it ought to work and then slowly and methodically troubleshooting and fixing the various problems it had. Given that this is the first bingo I’ve ever played/worked on, I have studied the manual and schematics, watched various bingo videos, read many threads here and lots of the info presented on the bingo.cdyn.com site, listened to many of the bingo podcasts, etc. to understand how a machine like this should operate. Despite all this, I am still trying to figure out the dynamics of game restarts and extra ball adjustment features (see below). These are both very minor issues, but I’d like to ensure that the machine is working exactly as it should. Given my impression of the deep knowledge base of many of the bingo pinsiders, I assume these are easily addressed.
1. Game restarts.
Based on how the machine currently operates (and best as I can tell is configured to operate given the circuits involved), starting a new game is only possible by inserting a nickel, even if replays are available on the register. Once a game is started, replays can be used for adding options, etc. or for attempts at extra balls, but not for starting a new game.
Moreover, if there are replays available, a replay is subtracted from the register when a new game is started with a coin.
Is this how bingos normally operate (or at least United bingos from this era)?
2. Extra ball adjustments (“coin” and “game” modes).
When the adjustment is set to “coin” mode, the extra ball push button relay engages when the extra ball push button is pressed. A replay or coin insert can then be used to try for an extra ball. The relay disengages as the extra ball routine completes (due to a switch opening on one of the cams on the control unit which cuts power to the relay). And then if the relay isn’t activated, a coin added will start a new game.
When the adjustment is set to “game” mode, the relay engages when the extra ball button is pressed as it does in “coin” mode, but then it stays engaged even after the routine is completed (the “game” mode circuit bypasses the cam switch that occurs in the “coin” mode circuit). Because of this, in “game” mode, coins added after the extra ball push button is first pressed only activate the extra ball routine and cannot be used to start a new game. Hence, once players begin to try for extra balls, they cannot abort this path and start a new game instead (like they can do in “coin” mode).
Is this normal operating procedure for a bingo machine (or again, a 1955 United)?
Thanks in advance for any comments or advice!
And if anyone has a nice backglass for a 1955 Manhattan (mine has a bit of flaking paint, but luckily it’s only very minor and in unimportant areas), I’m interested!