Royal 552?

[CajunCandy]

<p>Around here Pepsi rules the roost. I hardly sell any Coke products at all. In this area Pepsi only uses Dixie & Vendo & they usually have the answers to most questions I have for for those types of machines. The Pepsi tech's just don't know much about the Royals because they rarely see them. As far as their age I would have to guess 45 or older but never really thought about that till you just asked. Personally, I myself had never even heard or Royal till I found this awesome forum. I saw one of your posts on a Royal then shortly I started noticing them which is why I bought this one.</p>

Dr Pepper and Mt Dew down here sells big time. I also just bought a couple of Royals a 660 and a 650, so far I like them. I'm vending 16.9 oz bottles in eight slots and 20 oz bottles in four. There programing is just a little different from DN and Vendo. I also like the drop sensor on it.

 

mike

[AZVendor]

<p>Around here Pepsi rules the roost. I hardly sell any Coke products at all. In this area Pepsi only uses Dixie & Vendo & they usually have the answers to most questions I have for for those types of machines. The Pepsi tech's just don't know much about the Royals because they rarely see them. As far as their age I would have to guess 45 or older but never really thought about that till you just asked. Personally, I myself had never even heard or Royal till I found this awesome forum. I saw one of your posts on a Royal then shortly I started noticing them which is why I bought this one.</p>

I didn't realize that the local techs you were referring to were from Pepsi.  Not all bottlers used Royal equipment so it's very possible they've never seen any.  Try to find an independent repair tech; they should know the Royal stuff if it's been sold around there by distributors.  Or you can get help from us, we'll always be here for you.

[mojorhino]

I got my Royal 552 to vend 12 oz water & Gatorade in the narrow columns.

 

http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/gallery/image/830-12-oz-bottles-of-water-gatorade-that-work-in-my-royal-552/ Its hard to tell from the picture but what makes them work is that the bottles are the exact same circumference as a 12 oz can.

http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/gallery/image/831-12-oz-bottles-of-water-gatorade-that-work-in-my-royal-552 I put a case of water in last week & when I got back this week I had sold all but 4 bottles. I just added the Gatorade & got it working it today.

 

I ordered the 12 oz. Aquafina from Pepsi & I bought the 12 oz Gatorade at Walmart.  Both bottles are stiff enough that they work every time.  The margin is not the greatest on the Gatorade since its 11.98 for a case, but I can live with a quarter per vend as long as they keep buying it. 

 

Coke also delivers to my house & the delivery driver says that they make 12 oz Dasani but whenever I call Coke to place an order they cant find it.

 

I did not have to make any adjustments to the programming of the machine.  I left it set for 3 deep.

The only other adjustment I had to make was to move the spacer at the back of the machine forward.

 

[AZVendor]

Those products should do just fine as you have found out.  You should be able to get a little more for the Gatorade, but it's probably not worth charging a different price for the same 12 oz and fielding the complaints.  Be aware that moving any spacer forward may cause the locking tabs on the spacer to protrude through the side wall into a column of cans and possible cut cans in the adjacent column.  If this is the case you can put a couple of layers of Duct Tape over the tabs the poke through.

[mojorhino]

I bought another Royal 552 & it has a TRC-6010XV coin mech

 

 

along with a Mars VN 2511 U3 validator.

 

Currently the machine takes coins only.  The validator is not working & is displaying 2 flash error code.  I spoke to the person I bought the machine from & he thought the validator was bad is sending me a replacement.  Based on what I've read the in VN 2000 series validator manual & TRC 6XXX coin mech manual this appears to be setting(s) that are off.  The validator manual says 2 flashes

 

Indicates that the unit is

not enabled.

 

& suggests the following

 

Verify configuration.

Check the coin tube levels in the coin

changer. Check the option switches in the

coin changer.

Note: Many machines disable the bill

acceptor if the machine door is open and

the door switch is not activated or if the

machine is out of product

 

I have tried the following so far

 

*The machine takes coins & the coin tubes are all full

*All of the columns (except one) have product in them

*I have tried all the columns & they all work

*I had recently ordered a refurbished VN2511 from AZVendor & received/installed it last night but I am still getting the same 2 flash error code

*I have tried multiple combinations dip switch settings on both the coin mech & validator but still get the same 2 flash code

**When I close the door & wait a couple of minute the 2 blinking arrows on the validator bezel DONT come on & start blinking like they do on my other MEI validators do

 

When I left the location last night the dip switch settings on the validator were

 

 

1 left

2 left

3 left

4 left

5 left

6 left

7 right

8 left

 

& on the coin mech were

 

 

1 down

2 down

3 up

4 up

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to do to get this working?

[AZVendor]

What version of logic board is running in this machine?  The version number is on the eprom.  I have seen some version 11 boards that will stop working with micromech validators and then will only work with MDB.  You might have to change the board to get the micromech interface to work again or you may need to get an MDB harness for the board and run a different coin mech and validator.

[mojorhino]

I was thinking about what the manual said about the error message & started looking at the cabling between the bill validator & coin mech & between the validator & system board & noticed that the red cable was smashed. 

I thought that could very likely be the problem, so I called the person I bought the machine off of & he said to try & cut the wire & splice it back together.   At first I was going to do that. Then I thought (process of elimination) would be better to try, so I took the validator, wiring harness & mech off of the recently purchased machine & took them to my other Royal 552 that was working.  

 

I tried the coin mech first thing because it was the easiest to swap.  I plugged it & at first it took coins . . . . Then I tired it a few more times & it kept giving me a sold out message.  So I unplugged the machine & plugged it back in & this time the coins kept passing through the machine. Next, I tried to put bills in the validator & it would not take them even though the 2 green arrows on it were flashing.  I opened the door & looked & the validator was giving off a 2 flash error code, so I put the good coin mech back in & it was doing the same thing (coins were passing through & 2 flash error code on the validator).  At this point I was very frustrated because I now I had 2 machines that weren't working. . . . . . .   I thought about it for a bit & I unplugged the machine & waited for about 5 minutes then powered it back up & it worked fine with the good mech .  So I tried the other mech again & it takes coins at first then after a few vends the coins start passing through & I am getting a 2 flash error code on the validator again.  So this time I powered off the machine & waited several minutes before putting the good mech back in & powering up the machine.  Once I powered up the machine the mech & validator were working fine. 

 

I called the person I bought the machine off of & he is sending me a replacement coin mech & wiring harness, after having already sent me a replacement bill validator.   I took the original harness & validator, & working mech back to the machine I recently purchased & it is working fine now. No more errors . Now all I have to do is take the replacement mech that they are sending to me & put it back on the machine I borrowed it from.

 

Lesson Learned: Having spare parts & buying machines in pairs makes troubleshooting heck of a lot easier .

 

Speaking of which can anyone recommend where I should send the bad TRC-6010XV to have it repaired so I can have a spare?

[mojorhino]

I did a little research & it looks like a Coinco 9302-LF will work as a replacement for the TRC6010XV.  Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[AZVendor]

The coin mechs you can use in your Royal Merlin machine will depend on whether the machine has a 12 or 15 pin socket for the coin mech.  If it's a 12 pin, your only coin mech options are a TRC6010 or a 9302L only.  If you have a 15 pin socket, you can use those two mechs or also a TRC6010XV or 9302LF.  Send me a PM if you would like me to send you an exchange coin mech for your bad unit, allowing you to have a spare.

[deee_z]

Got a new vend rotor for my 552, any instructions for installation?

[AZVendor]

Just unplug the power and carefully remove the motor winding connectors.  There are no motor switches on the motor as the machine uses a drop sensor to stop the vend.  Remove the 4 motor screws and pull the motor off the stack assy.  Remove the journal screwed over the front of the rotor and remove the rotor from the stack.  Move the front nylon nyliner from the front journal of the old rotor to the new one and install the rotor.  Replace the journal already removed and reinstall the motor.  There is no correct orientation of the motor to the rotor because of the vend sensor system.  Turn power on and test the motor.

[mojorhino]

So I've got 2 Royal 552's now

The first one takes gold dollars & the one I installed most recently does not.  The Coin mech is capable of doing it on both machines however the coins just wont fit in coin slot on the front of the machine because it is not wide enough.

 

I am thinking of using a file & making the slot on the front of the machine wider. Any reason why I shouldn't be able to do this?

[AZVendor]

Is there any reason gold dollars are so popular that you need to modify the machine?  I don't believe you will have any problem with dollar coins once you get the slot big enough.  The coin chutes should be identical - this must just be an older model prior to a manufacturing change making a larger slot.  Keep in mind that filing the finish off the slot will leave bare brass colored metal underneath.  Though the coin mech should be able to accept dollars, your might need to be re-tuned for that coin, and if it's a MC series changer from Mars you might not get it to accept the newer coin.

[mojorhino]

I already know the coin mech takes gold dollars because I had a few of them in the original machine when I took it out & put it in the new one for testing.    Speaking of which the "bad" coin mech was never bad.   Here is how I figured it out the hard way. 

 

After putting the "bad" coin mech in the original machine & duplicating the error I called Blue Sky Vending (who I bought the machine from) & they said they were sending a replacement.  They told me they were going to ship it (last Thursday) & it would be there the next day.  I took the good mech out of the original machine & told the location I would be back with a replacement.  I suspected worst case scenario so I told them I would be back on Friday or Saturday (at the latest) to install it & they said they would be fine with that since they are closed on Saturday.   Friday came & it didn't show up as I suspected.  I called Blue Sky was assured that it was shipped so I was still expecting to have it on Saturday.  Saturday came & did not show up.  

 

Fast forward to Monday morning & I called Blue Sky & asked them where it was they said that they shipped it but didn't pay extra for weekend delivery & that it should be there sometime later on in the afternoon.  I went home Monday & it was not there after picking up my kid from school, so I called Blue Sky back & asked for a tracking #.   The said they would call me back with one.  I didn't hear back until Tuesday morning & was told they could not find a tracking # but was certain that it was shipped.  They were going to keep looking for it & call me back with it.  So I go home to pick up my kid from school & its still not there, so I call them back & now they tell me they have it in the box & that it never was shipped.  He had shipped me a replacement validator a week ago & got it confused with the mech.  He tells me that he is taking to FedEx immediately & I should have it on Wednesday. 

 

So now at this point I have a machine that has not been working for 3 business days so I decided to take the "bad" mech to the original machine & see if I can get it working.  When I get there I plugged it in & powered the machine up . . . fingers crossed . . . . .  & the bill validator is still giving a 2 blink error.  At this point I decide to partially take the validator apart & see what I can do with it.  I take it apart & check the connections in the front portion that flips down & make sure they are nice & tight.  I plug it back in . . . & power the machine up. . .  still 2 blinks on the validator.   So next I try unscrewing the back portion of it & looking inside.   After opening the back I press all the connections nice & tight & put it back together.  I connect it back to the machine & power it up. . . . This time no errors.  I test vend it about 20 to 30 times & it works with no further errors.  It was a loose connection the whole time. . . . . must have came loose during the trip to the location somehow.

 

So now I have a spare MEI VN2511 validator & Coinco 9302LF without having to pay them even though I bought 2 off of Ebay for $90 last Saturday so I could have some spares.

 

To answer your question about gold dollars, almost all of my machines take them.  I told my 7 year old that I wold give her all the gold dollars that I find in the machines as long as she saved them in her piggy bank so she could use the $ to buy a car when she gets old enough.   The piggy bank is pretty big & I'v been vending for about 3 years now so I suspect there is probably about 200 to 300 dollars in there at this point.

 

I also keep 10 of them on me when I fill my machines & use them to give refunds.  Usually everyone just puts them right back in the machine then when I find them in the machine on the next trip I take them home & give them to my daughter for doing various chores or helping load my vehicle.

[rmorris1953]

I use a file to enlarge the slot. Get one thin enough to fit in slot. It doesn't take much on each side to let a gold coin go through. Be careful not to make it large enough for a 1/2 dollar. Had one guy at pepsi that took a dremel. Idiot is all I can say. Also some foreign coins are larger than the golden dollar so make it only as big as needed.

[mojorhino]

A couple of days after getting the coin mech issue fixed I get a call from the site saying that the machine is taking people's money & not giving them any product.  So I let them know that I will stop by after I get off of work to check it out. 

 

I show up at the location & was told that it took $2.25 from someone & they didn't get their NOS & it also took .75 cents from someone else & they didn't get their Dr. Pepper.  I open up the machine & the NOS & Dr. pepper are both in the double columns with the NOS being in column 2 & the Dr. Pepper being in column 3

 

I look up inside & there is a NOS stuck in the machine.  The bottom portion is touching the product chute & the top part of the can is stuck up inside the machine.  So I reach up in side the machine & pull it out, then I put it back in & test it & on the 6th time it gets stuck again.  This time I reach up in side the machine  pull out the NOS & it starts leaking & I notice that there is a puncture hole in the side of it.   I remembered what AZ had told me in an earlier post about the locking tabs poking holes in cans if you moved the back spacers forward so I checked for that first. . . .  I determined that was not what was going on & I couldn't see any reason why it should do it again.  So I start testing the NOS several times & on the 6th vend same result it gets stuck & I reach up inside of the machine & pull the 2nd can of it out & it also has a puncture hole in the same area. 

 

What was happening was the cans were dropping bottom first & every so often the cans were falling at just right angle that they were getting stuck & the bar at the bottom was puncturing a hole in them.    So I fixed it by swapping the NOS to a single column.

 

I tested it about 15 times to make sure that I would have no further problems & now the machine is vending NOS without any issues.

[moondog]

A couple of days after getting the coin mech issue fixed I get a call from the site saying that the machine is taking people's money & not giving them any product.  So I let them know that I will stop by after I get off of work to check it out. 

 

I show up at the location & was told that it took $2.25 from someone & they didn't get their NOS & it also took .75 cents from someone else & they didn't get their Dr. Pepper.  I open up the machine & the NOS & Dr. pepper are both in the double columns with the NOS being in column 2 & the Dr. Pepper being in column 3

 

I look up inside & there is a NOS stuck in the machine.  The bottom portion is touching the product chute & the top part of the can is stuck up inside the machine.  So I reach up in side the machine & pull it out, then I put it back in & test it & on the 6th time it gets stuck again.  This time I reach up in side the machine  pull out the NOS & it starts leaking & I notice that there is a puncture hole in the side of it.   I remembered what AZ had told me in an earlier post about the locking tabs poking holes in cans if you moved the back spacers forward so I checked for that first. . . .  I determined that was not what was going on & I couldn't see any reason why it should do it again.  So I start testing the NOS several times & on the 6th vend same result it gets stuck & I reach up inside of the machine & pull the 2nd can of it out & it also has a puncture hole in the same area. 

 

What was happening was the cans were dropping bottom first & every so often the cans were falling at just right angle that they were getting stuck & the bar at the bottom was puncturing a hole in them.    So I fixed it by swapping the NOS to a single column.

 

I tested it about 15 times to make sure that I would have no further problems & now the machine is vending NOS without any issues.

Good work Rhino - sounds like you may have had a bridging issue.  They make those plastic phenolic pads that stick on the sides down low to solve that but it sound like you got around it.

[mojorhino]

So my first Royal 552 took gold dollars & the second one didn't.  The coin mech had the capability but the coin slot was to narrow to insert one.

Since gold dollars are only slightly bigger than quarters. I decided to do something about it

So I went to the local Atwoods & bought this file for less than 3 dollars.  Then I put the tip in the coin slot & rubbed it against the edges about 15 or so times on each side.  It only took a few minutes to make it so that the dollar coin went in with a very slight bit of force the first time.

After that I ran several more through & each time I tried another it got easier & easier until now they go in perfectly each time.  The hole is just barely big enough.

Now both of my Royal 552's take dollar coins. 

 

Next week I am going to perform this "low cost upgrade" on all of my machines that have coin mechs that are capable of taking gold dollars but have coin slots that are too narrow.

[mojorhino]

My Royal 552 is acting up.  Here is what its doing.  

1. It will take 1 coin and then stop accepting coins.  When I look inside the bill validator shows 2 blinks (disabled from coin mech) I can clear this with a plug/unplug but then it it repeats when I enter more coins
2. I changed the coin mech and got the same results
3. The fuse in the inner door had been blown so I replaced it and after that I noticed that it would vend multiple cans when I pressed the first selection button once
4. I checked and all of the prices were reset (e.g. selection # 1 was set to 0.00 selection #2 was set to 0.10. selection #3 was set to 0.10. etc...) I reset them to 0.75
5. All of the depth setting had been reset also. I reset them to the proper configuration per column.

Once I was done with the settings I closed the machine up and the settings go back to the wrong ones (e.g.selection # 1 goes back to 0.00 selection #2 goes back to 0.10. selection #3 goes back to 0.10. etc... ).  I tried this 3 times and got the same results.  The settings don't stick. Am I missing something in the programming (possibly ...  saving the settings somehow)?  Any others suggestions/things to try or check?

[AngryChris]

Sounds like you had a short or surge that took out the fuse and possibly damaged the board or the battery on the board.

[AZVendor]

There is nothing to do to save the settings other than leave them where you want and move on from there or close your door.  The fuse is for the 110v motor circuit so you should look for a jammed column that blew the fuse.  Once it blows then the entire machine will show sold out as you try vending each selection.  You might have also pinched a wire under the motor cover that could also blow the fuse so check for that.  If the board keeps losing its pricing then you probably need a new board.  Let know if you need one and what the version is of your eprom and I can send one out to you.

[mojorhino]

I took a board off a machine i had in storage and its working now with change only. It accepts dollars but doesnt give change and wont give you a soda. Any suggestions on what to check?

[AZVendor]

What coin mech, validator and Royal version do you have?

[mojorhino]

Here's the Board

 

[mojorhino]

Ive tried 2 validators and coin mechs

• MEI VN2511 U2 110 VAC
• MEI VN2511 U2 115 VAC
• Coinco 9302-LF
• TRC6010-XV

It takes the bill and shows 1.00 credit but it wont vend or give change. 

It works fine with coins. 

The bill validator shows no error blinks