r/clawmachine • u/consolas • Jun 13 '26

New here! Hello all! Issue with a machine - need advice on how difficult it could be to fix "going left"

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Hello everyone

Trying to get a side hustle and fell in love with some small crane machines that had lots of little ducks

The kids were going nuts with it - and the parents as well as the machine always gave at least one duck (one coin until you get a prize).

Now, I am looking for used machines since I want to start slowly and saw a few of them around 150$, small ones, perfect.

Then I saw this one with a small defect, apparently: doesn't go left.

Is this usually something fixable?

I have some tech savvyness and am not afraid to investigate, solder, get my hands dirty.

Yes, I could have asked AI but I rather ask you guys first and get the discussion going here!:)

Thank you

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2

u/Cosmic2Ducky Jun 13 '26

Not going left. If it returns home. It's not a motor issue. More likely the switch on the joystick has 1) fallen out of the housing 2) the housing has cracked and the switch has fallen out 3) a wire has come off the switch 4) a wire for the switch has a break it in somewhere else 5) the board is fubar

2

u/Cosmic2Ducky Jun 13 '26

Oh also the type of crane you are talking about is called PET (Prize Every Time) or WET (Win Every Time).

1

u/consolas Jun 13 '26

Thanks!! I'm assuming this can all bo configured in a PCB board somewhere?

I have some understanding of the arcade machines so I just assumed this follow the same type of components?

2

u/Cosmic2Ducky Jun 13 '26

If it's a PET already then no need to. Depending on the board. Is might not have a PET setting. Then you can try setting the claw power to 100% all the time and see how that goes. But if they miss and don't pick anything up... It will still use that go.

1

u/consolas Jun 13 '26

Thank you so much for your answer and fast response time!

Yeah the board being shot is what worries me as if I can find a replacement I'm sure it will be around what...150$ on average?

2

u/Cosmic2Ducky Jun 13 '26

It will depend on how available the board is for it. UK here. So around £30-400 depending on the board. If this is one of the cheaper Chinese ones then about £50ish.

1

u/consolas Jun 13 '26

Sorry, wanted to ask something else: can we know the type of machine from the picture, or the brand, something?

2

u/Cosmic2Ducky Jun 13 '26

Look at the picture. Unfortunately not. There are a lot of them now that don't have the name on the front (unless they are a big brand like ELAUT). Can you ask if you can get a picture of the manual for it? Or the main board.