How can someone learn to repair validator & coin mechs?

[mojorhino]

So far I have just been replacing them with used refurbished ones when I am unable to repair them on site. How can you learn to repair them? Where can you get something that you can use to power & test them outside the machine? I've got numerous mechs & validators in my garage that I can't tinker with because I have no way to test them outside the machine.

[Walta]

The last test set I priced was $900.00 about 15 years ago.

I say the Coin mech repair is very completive and many have cut their prices to the point it is not worth your time to learn.

Walta

[mission vending]

The last test set I priced was $900.00 about 15 ioyears ago.

I say the Coin mech repair is very completive and many have cut their prices to the point it is not worth your time to learn.

Walta

Agreed, a set of bench testing equipment will be pretty expensive and, imo, not worth it. Your time will be better spent building your business.

[moondog]

Yep,

 

I know people that have all the equipment and send their mechs and validators out anyway.  Sure you can do it,  but it's time intensive unless you're doing it assembly line style.

 

Offer your old stuff to them at a three for one deal - they need the cores and you need something that works.

[AZVendor]

If you don't have a local Coinco or Mars repair facility then there are many around the country that you can send your equipment to for repair.  The pieces will then be repaired with factory parts and by factory trained technicians.  If you try to do it yourself, you will likely be buying aftermarket belts (because they're cheaper) and then wondering why the validator stops taking bills 1 year later.  There are so many things that can go wrong, simple and hard to find, that you are rolling the dice on every repair you attempt.  There are many links to coin mech tuning online and there are coin mech and validator parts sellers online as well, though not all parts are even available to the public.  

 

You're truly better off paying the man and getting it done right.

[Vendors Tech]

We sell all the test equipment, its around $1100 to get the basics, and for $100 an hour, we teach anyone whatever they want to know. :-)  However, it usually isn't worth your money unless you plan on investing time and money into it in order to do repairs for others and make up for the cost learning.  If you are large enough, I would recommend hiring a technician to do repairs for you.  Parts are almost impossible to get for the major brands, unless you are an authorized service center, or unless you are large enough and have enough buying power to twist arms to get them.  Don't worry about buying "aftermarket" belts though.  Belts are belts, and with a few exceptions, everyone I know selling them either orders them from the same company that makes them for the manufacturer, or has them made out of the same materials and to the same specs.  If you buy them from any large reputable vending company, they will be OEM.

[Feral Vending Mechanic]

I'll echo what's already been said. True repairs to coin mechs and BVs should be done by a professional. That said, you can and should clean them first yourself. It doesn't take long, and that takes care of about half of the problems they experience. If you have a spare machine in your warehouse, you can always use that for testing purposes.

[mojorhino]

I rarely have spare machines & when I do I find a location for them ASAP.  I also work full time & do vending on the side for now.  My problem is that most of my locatons are M-F 8 to 5 so I am limited on the amount of time I can spend on site messing with the coin mechs & validators. If I can't get them working fairly quickly I just install a refurbished one. 

 

If anyone is interested here is the best site that I have found so far for getting vending machine parts (at least orgainzation/picture wise).

 

http://www.capitalvending.com/

 

What I am really looking for is a way to power BA30B & MEI 2000 series validators as well as TRC6800 & Coinco 9300 series coin mechs at home so that I can do minor repairs such as change the belts as well as clean them see if they work after right that is done  Can anyone tell me if this will this

 

http://www.capitalvending.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=631&category_id=1072

 

do the trick & if not where I can find such a device. 

 

They have several youtube videos showing it in action but I am currently unable to post links for them because I am currently at work & youtube is restricted here.

 

I also found a site that has pretty good videos on how to change the belts

 

http://www.vendingworks.net/

 

there is a youtube link at the bottom of the page that takes you to their videos.

 

One thing that that is lacking in the videos is are instructions on how to clean validators & mechs as well as how to tell if the belts need to be replaced.  How do you tell if the belts are good or bad & how do you clean them properly?

[ANDERSONVENDING]

I rarely have spare machines & when I do I find a location for them ASAP.  I also work full time & do vending on the side for now.  My problem is that most of my locatons are M-F 8 to 5 so I am limited on the amount of time I can spend on site messing with the coin mechs & validators. If I can't get them working fairly quickly I just install a refurbished one. 

 

If anyone is interested here is the best site that I have found so far for getting vending machine parts (at least orgainzation/picture wise).

 

http://www.capitalvending.com/

 

What I am really looking for is a way to power BA30B & MEI 2000 series validators as well as TRC6800 & Coinco 9300 series coin mechs at home so that I can do minor repairs such as change the belts as well as clean them see if they work after right that is done  Can anyone tell me if this will this

 

http://www.capitalvending.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=631&category_id=1072

 

do the trick & if not where I can find such a device. 

 

They have several youtube videos showing it in action but I am currently unable to post links for them because I am currently at work & youtube is restricted here.

 

I also found a site that has pretty good videos on how to change the belts

 

http://www.vendingworks.net/

 

there is a youtube link at the bottom of the page that takes you to their videos.

 

One thing that that is lacking in the videos is are instructions on how to clean validators & mechs as well as how to tell if the belts need to be replaced.  How do you tell if the belts are good or bad & how do you clean them properly?

I bought one of those for 110 volts and it works great, you will however need two one for 110 and one for 24 volts.But that won't help you on coin mechs.

John

[Vendergy]

I rarely have spare machines & when I do I find a location for them ASAP. I also work full time & do vending on the side for now. My problem is that most of my locatons are M-F 8 to 5 so I am limited on the amount of time I can spend on site messing with the coin mechs & validators. If I can't get them working fairly quickly I just install a refurbished one.

If anyone is interested here is the best site that I have found so far for getting vending machine parts (at least orgainzation/picture wise).

http://www.capitalvending.com/

What I am really looking for is a way to power BA30B & MEI 2000 series validators as well as TRC6800 & Coinco 9300 series coin mechs at home so that I can do minor repairs such as change the belts as well as clean them see if they work after right that is done Can anyone tell me if this will this

http://www.capitalvending.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=631&category_id=1072

do the trick & if not where I can find such a device.

They have several youtube videos showing it in action but I am currently unable to post links for them because I am currently at work & youtube is restricted here.

I also found a site that has pretty good videos on how to change the belts

http://www.vendingworks.net/

there is a youtube link at the bottom of the page that takes you to their videos.

One thing that that is lacking in the videos is are instructions on how to clean validators & mechs as well as how to tell if the belts need to be replaced. How do you tell if the belts are good or bad & how do you clean them properly?

You can go on Craigslist and find a vending machine that doesn't get cold anymore, I've seen them for under $100! You can tinker with that, or just get some old wiring harnesses and jig them into a wall outlet so as you can power your mechs. But an old machine is probably best for testing if you have the room.

[Vendors Tech]

You need this tester:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320901493694?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

And then the EBVM (External bill validator module), and those two together will power just about anything out there, 110 volt, 24 volt, MDB, single price, bill validator, coin changer, you name it.  We have the EBVM, and it is $149.  If you want to get that along with that CT3, then PM me.

 

As far as cleaning, we tear the validators and changers down pretty much to where anything that can come apart is taken apart.  Then we take all the plastic parts and scrub them in running water with a toothbrush or some small brush that will get into tight places.  We then immediately spray them off and dry them with a 150 PSI air hose, then hand clean them and scrub them with a wet rag, and clean all the hard to get to spots with wet Q-tips.  You will always want to dry whatever you get wet after you have cleaned it, otherwise there will be water spots there.  After that, we polish everything with Novus #1 plastic cleaner.  That will make it shine like new and protect it from dust, fingerprints, etc.

 

Then we reassemble the unit, replacing things like belts, work wheels, housings, etc.  We also have a standard service procedure involving a lot of preventative maintenance for all the sensor boards and control boards on the validators and changers.  Certain capacitors and drivers are always replaced, if they are dead or not.  Solder connections, such as where the unit plugs into a machine harness, are all reheated and re-soldered. 

 

There is quite a process for doing it right.  A lot of people out there put new belts on a validator and call it "rebuilt", which is a HUGE joke.  Rebuilding validators and changers is an art, and you have to exert quite a bit of care, time, and a good deal of mechanical inclination to do it well, and to make the unit last.

[orsd]

You need this tester:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320901493694?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

And then the EBVM (External bill validator module), and those two together will power just about anything out there, 110 volt, 24 volt, MDB, single price, bill validator, coin changer, you name it.  We have the EBVM, and it is $149.  If you want to get that along with that CT3, then PM me.

 

As far as cleaning, we tear the validators and changers down pretty much to where anything that can come apart is taken apart.  Then we take all the plastic parts and scrub them in running water with a toothbrush or some small brush that will get into tight places.  We then immediately spray them off and dry them with a 150 PSI air hose, then hand clean them and scrub them with a wet rag, and clean all the hard to get to spots with wet Q-tips.  You will always want to dry whatever you get wet after you have cleaned it, otherwise there will be water spots there.  After that, we polish everything with Novus #1 plastic cleaner.  That will make it shine like new and protect it from dust, fingerprints, etc.

 

Then we reassemble the unit, replacing things like belts, work wheels, housings, etc.  We also have a standard service procedure involving a lot of preventative maintenance for all the sensor boards and control boards on the validators and changers.  Certain capacitors and drivers are always replaced, if they are dead or not.  Solder connections, such as where the unit plugs into a machine harness, are all reheated and re-soldered. 

 

There is quite a process for doing it right.  A lot of people out there put new belts on a validator and call it "rebuilt", which is a HUGE joke.  Rebuilding validators and changers is an art, and you have to exert quite a bit of care, time, and a good deal of mechanical inclination to do it well, and to make the unit last.

wow... i dont think I quite have the patience for that.

Thats a lot of work, and refurb prices seem cheap now, for all the stuff that is put into a refurb unit.