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I basically circumvented ordering directly from Pepsi. I use a different distributor. From what I understand though, both Coke and Pepsi tend to focus on trying to force you (the operator) to buy more SKUs of product by offering rebates if you do. For example, if you buy at least 40 cases of Starry, maybe you'll get $3 rebate per case of regular soda products like pepsi/dew. It does help the bottom line but the issue is that the prices may still be higher than going through someone else (maybe) and they pretty much twist your arm to buy even MORE varieties of products in the future or kind of threaten to put you to a lower tier which means higher prices. And if you have equipment with them, they really give it to you. I have a great relationship with KDP so I am almost exclusively 7up items on the non-cola flavors. I get a great price on their items and they happily send me machines because I keep buying. No pushing me on varieties. My rep does send me new things and I try things out from time to time but I already carry maybe 30 different SKUs from them.

Be prepared for vandalism to your machine. All apartment complexes come with that option enabled.

I have a older royal machine (GII I believe, with the shorter front columns- I know its a dinosaur but Im trying to make it work) with a older board, it doesn't report cash sales through the card reader and I am wondering if there is an updated eprom that would allow it to. Here are some photos of the board and the eprom for reference. Thank you all for your help! Images for reference- https://ibb.co/HzYD0Yv https://ibb.co/KFJ4phN https://ibb.co/mJs8mCn

No, you just have a used soda machine.

It’s a limitation of the eprom/board. this machine is a tough one…. I have one that reports and one that doesn’t. it may be a simple eprom update, but maybe a complete board. post a picture of your board here or pm me for my email to send it to. I can flash you the latest eprom if you have a compatible board. But I fear an inone kit may be in your future.

simple way is this- Monsters.

Then there is a broken wire that opens when it flexes.

Let's see.... let me find a machine designed for 12 oz cans and 20 oz soda bottles and then see what oddball, non-conventional products I can cram into it.....

The condenser is plugged into the side of the power distribution box. With the machine powered down, remove the air dam (metal plate surrounding the condenser coil). This will expose the side of the power distribution box and the plug for the deck. It looks like a plug for any standard lamp or box fan. This will disconnect the deck from the power source.

Many machines use a relay to control the LED power. If you hear a click then I would expect that the relay is being engaged but the power the relay is meant to supply to the LEDs is not there due to an open fuse, disconnected or cut wire, etc. If you're comfortable with a volt meter, I would start by checking for power at the LED and work backwards.

Go with the 24VAC VN2502 and the proper harness to interface to the board. In the future, you can convert it to MDB with just a harness change. A 110VAC is already obsolete

Ok so I got a hold of Pepsi and they told me the machine should not have been sold to me but since it's older they are totally fine with it. They are even going to come to my house and program a key fob for me for $75. I can't beat that. I'm assuming they will open it and take the money in it which I am fine with since they decided not to press any charges. Really nice guy said he converted one to a gun safe as well, told me the compressor is worth a couple hundred bucks on eBay so that may be something I do if I do choose to convert it.

It sounds like it's been outside for a few years. Your main power harness is probably brittle as well.

The harness is old and the wires seem hard or brittle. I will put a new harness from board to the coin and bill mechs.

Sounds like the harness is intermittent.

Yup, you might need to replace the entire power harness, which is still available.

Oh shoot, I indeed have the machine with the 12 large buttons. Hopefully Pepsi will call me again with some more info. Thanks for the reply.

Keep the vent screen under the cabinet clean and the machine away from the wall. To replace the thermostat you'll have to pull the front vend door off and try to squeeze a hand inside to place the capillary tube into the fins of the evaporator. If the cans aren't freezing then the thermostat is probably good and just set too high. Turn it all the way counterclockwise so the compressor turns off. That will be zero. Then turn it all the way clockwise to where it stops turning. From that, figure out where 3 1/2 is and that's where to leave it set at. 3 1/2 is standard for all thermostats except for USI which is 2.

Failing compressors don't make product too cold. This is either a thermostat setting, the probe is in the wrong place or the thermostat is going bad. You are correct about needing to allow space behind the unit. Condensing units need to breathe.

My old boss said people normally have the options quality, fast and cheap...you get to pick 2 but can't have all 3.

Temperature adjustment is done with a small screwdriver through a hole in the front of the box. That machine is over 20 years old

Have they tried adjusting the thermostat? It's in a power box mounted to the front of the cooling unit

Don't count your money while not in your secure office/building. That's just asking to get robbed. If you're in amusements then I guess you would need to for the location split.

I have a board for my crane national 148 that looks similar to this one. I was told It was a Greenwick revision board, and I'm assuming that is what yours is as well. I really couldn't find much online about my board, but you might be luckier with yours. Best of luck!

My answer is don't buy the combo if you don't think you can find someone to fix it. Wild guess.. $1,000+ to fix it. This is NOT a machine you want to deal with if it's not cooling and you don't know what you're doing

Felt snarky, but I’ve been helped out on here so many times I wanted to pay it forward as best as I could

My best location grossed 2k last month. Four machines on location- two snack two drink, no commission paid. The rest of my locations gross 500-700 each a month, two machines per location. 20% commission paid at one. A friend that taught me about the biz before I got in told me locations should gross $100 a week to be considered decent. Not sure if others on here will agree, but curious to see. Convenience of service is also a big factor to me because I still have a 9-5. So even though I pay 20% commission on net at the one location, it's a 7 min drive from where I live.

You might be waiting a while….

Press the blue service button, navigate to the USER menu by holding buttons 1 & 2 together, hold button 1 to enter the USER menu, then press buttons 1 & 2 again until you get to SSM. Press and hold button 1 until the machine says "ON". Here's a helpful manual: https://www.dsvendinginc.com/images/pdf-manuals/S2D-Program.pdf

Looks like the bridge circuit and likely the varister have shorted. The diodes that the 2 blown traces lead to are probably shorted out. The 4 diodes in that bridge circuit and the varister will need to be tested and likely replaced. To LACanteen's point, I'm pretty sure that's the supply for the 110V Micro Mech which likely shorted as well.

Check the coin mech. There's likely a dime fell through the space above the dispenser and is shorted to the board in the mech. If you laid the machine down when moving it I am certain this is what happened

Thanks will get them put on👍

You are missing the stabilizers or “diving boards” https://www.dsvendinginc.com/p-8392-d80190501-dn-stabilizer-tray-slide-1375.aspx

I beseech you, do not spray paint them. Put the Tuff Front kit on it.

Not everyone has adopted using apps. It's not so bad when you have a younger workforce at a place of business where there's no expectation of visitors using the machines, but older workers aren't fond of using apps and may choose to bring their own items in out of spite. A card reader accepts everything and it integrated nicely with a vms (vending management software). A card reader allows someone to simply pull out their card and pay without an app. Payrange isn't bad, but not great for everywhere. I'm marketing my company as a professional company. We service the locations that the big boys won't do and the little guys can't do. Our prices are a little on the higher side compared to big companies but fair. I've been working on this since 2022 after COVID restrictions eased up. The majority of the population wants a swipe/chip option and I need whatever it is to integrate with my vms.

nice video by a forum member. Plus, LMK if you need the latest eprom.

Merch-A-Vend might sell them.

I'd guess that Vistar would have that. Possibly uline. It's not something I think most of us deal with on this forum.

I would be very careful about going too "tech" in areas where you need to keep it simple. As AZ is saying, you need total control over access into your equipment. This idea is almost like leaving a key in the coin return on every machine. Once someone sees how you enter your equipment and then starts to investigate further, it's not a stretch to believe that a hack will be out there to circumvent your locks. Let's all remember the KIS method Keep It Simple

That is a great bulk set up for that spot. In my opinion, going head to head, cranes will regularly out gross bulk racks just because they take bills, the game play is more exciting and the chance of winning a big prize is often too hard to pass up. Since you have operated cranes in the past, you know it is a completely different animal than bulk vending. Cranes can make great money but require a lot more attention and capital to operate. Generally, if you are going to delve into that business, it's not a bad idea buy several of them and put together a small route. That way you can buy more mixes and rotate items from location to location. If I were going to add one there, I would swap out the sticker machine for the mini crane (if it will fit) and leave the rack. You would also need to bolt it to the wall or floor. I guess my ultimate advice would be to ask yourself where you want to be in vending 5 years from now. Is this something you really want to expand on or is it just a side gig for the foreseeable future? Bulk vending is a lot less demanding than a claw machine route but claw machines have a better future than bulk. If it is a just going to be a side gig, I would stick with bulk for the time being.

Try cleaning the home switch on the bottom of the picker cup. If there has been any damaged drinks that may have sprayed onto the bottom of the cup it can delay the operation of the switch. If switch is delayed it will cause the cup to reach incorrect height which will cause your issue.

I have 2 refresh machines, one works fine, the other.... is the reason you are turning off auto calibration! Have been working with them for 2 months trying to get the machine right but mine has picker issues that won't go away. Dropping product is as CV says a cleaning issue in most cases. Be sure you are putting the product in fully and not leaving the first item stuck in the gate. Get some food grade silicone spray to help you clean and lube the gates and levers.

The cup has to be in front of the selection for the plunger to hit the ejector to deliver product. My guess is that there is dirtbuilt up on the selectiuon rails and can is not able to slide out smoothly into cup, then falls to bottom. Use warm waater and a bristle brush to clean rails and also clean picker cup base at each service.

Just to follow up and close this out, I replaced the X-axis motor with a new one and it's been trouble free the past 24 hours (knock on wood), so it seems like the motor was the culprit.

MDB protocol is how the vending machine talks to the coin mech and bill acceptor - and card reader if installed. What the supplier is asking is if any vending machine card readers are used in your country and who supplies them. I would look at Nayax, but buy machines that are cash only and then only add card readers if they are necessary. And your bank won't have card readers for you to use. Whatever they have won't communicate with a vending machine.

Hi everyone, Glad to have found this incredible forum and social space. I am very very new to the vending machine business and am looking to get started, which proves to be a bit of a difficulty (at least prior to finding this hidden gem), as I am based in a Southern African nation, which is French speaking and where vending machines are practically non-existent. I have gotten in touch with a few suppliers, mostly Asia-based, and they insist on finding out who the payment providers are here and if they use MDB protocol (which until now seems to be jargon to me). Please help me understand why can't I just buy and import a vending machine (off the shelf), and upon arrival here fit it with a card machine reader from our local bank? Thank you guys and excited to learn and hear from yall!

lol She takes a lickin, and keeps on tickin! (now that I am bragging about her, she will probably keel over dead) :'(