Every ArcadePay Controller ships with two harnesses. The right install is the one that matches the connector already in the cabinet — not the one that looks more involved. Most machines never need a cut wire.
Here is how to pick Easy Connect, CandyMachines/Neofuns plug-and-play, or hardwire before you open the coin door.
Look at the Connector First
Power the machine off. Then look at how the coin mechanism is plugged in.
- A standard coin-mech plug you can unplug → Easy Coin Mechanism Connector
- A CandyMachines or Neofuns cabinet with a dedicated 4-pin or 6-pin port → plug-and-play
- No compatible plug at all → hardwire
Do not cut the converter just because it came in the box. If you are unsure, photograph the coin-mech area and email it to ops@arcadepay.app before you start.
Easy Coin Mechanism Connector (Most Machines)
This is a Y-splitter. It sits inline between the factory harness and the coin mechanism. Coins still work. ArcadePay sees the same pulse.
By default you get credits in and cash reporting on most machines. Prize tracking and locker box are not on this harness unless you add extra pulse wiring later (prize sensor to Pulse 2, locker box switch to Pulse 3).
- Power off the machine
- Unplug the factory connector from the back of the coin mechanism
- Plug the Easy Connector into the coin mechanism
- Plug the factory connector into the pass-through side of the Easy Connector
- Plug the 6-pin end into the ArcadePay Controller
Walkthrough: Easy Coin Mechanism Connector install.
CandyMachines and Neofuns: Plug-and-Play
These cabinets have a dedicated cashless port. Use it. No Y-splitter, no cutting.
- 2022–2024 machines: 4-pin. Use the included 4-to-6 converter. Credits, cash reporting, and prizes out. No locker box on that generation.
- 2024–present: 6-pin. Credits, cash reporting, prize sensor, and locker box if the machine has one.
Every ArcadePay Controller includes the 6-to-4 converter, so both generations work out of the box.
Walkthrough: CandyMachines / Neofuns plug-and-play install.
When Hardwire Is the Right Call
Hardwire is for cabinets with no compatible coin-mech port and no CandyMachines or Neofuns connector. Stern pinball is one example. Most claws, rides, and standard arcade pieces are not.
If you do hardwire, use the included 4-to-6 converter. Cut off the 4-pin plug only. Leave the ArcadePay 6-pin harness intact.
- Yellow — 12V power
- Black — ground
- Brown — Pulse 1 (credits / cash reporting)
- Pink — Pulse 2 (prize sensor, when the machine has one)
If you are not sure where those wires land on the board, stop. Send a photo of the connector area to ops@arcadepay.app before you cut anything.
Walkthrough: Hardwire method.
After It Is Plugged In
Power the machine back on. Confirm the controller is online, scan the QR, and make sure buy options load before you place stickers. NFC tap-to-pay tags go on glass, not metal.
If you already completed first connect at home, the shop, or the warehouse, on-site should be wiring and a pulse check — not waiting on cellular.
Before you leave the stop:
- Scan the QR and confirm the machine name and prices
- Send a test play from the dashboard (on a phone the Pricing tab is shorter; desktop may say Products & Pricing)
- Watch the machine take the right number of credits
The Takeaway
Match the harness to the connector. Easy Connect for a standard coin mech. Plug-and-play for CandyMachines and Neofuns. Hardwire only when there is nothing to plug into. Power off first, test before stickers, and ask before you cut.
Need a second set of eyes on a cabinet? Email a photo of the coin-mech area to ops@arcadepay.app and we will tell you which method to use.
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