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For a small timer or someone just starting out 20oz can be a pain to source, especially if you don’t have a cash and carry that carries 20 oz nearby. Commercial address requirements, minimum orders, and can’t just pop into a grocery store to get more either.

Yes, technically you can charge liquid through the low side if you throttle it slow enough that it turns into vapor before it hits the compressor, but that’s a risky game that isn’t ideal.

Yeah if the majority of your fleet is E models they basically all came R134a. Just buy R134a and cross the MP39 bridge if and when you need to.

I disagree with you on that one. Keep R134a machines R134a. R12 machines that are still running R12 are becoming rarer and rarer. No point in dropping in expensive refrigerant just in case you have an R12 machine still running R12 that needs a charge. At this point most R12 systems have been converted to R134a, junked, or are needing a compressor (and conversion to R134a anyways) soon anyways. In addition, MP39 is a blend, so you have to charge it as a liquid, can’t just charge it as a gas through the low side service stub on the compressor. So it’s easier to charge with R134a than MP39. Also, MP39 is also known as R401A, might have an easier time finding small containers if you look for that (401a, NOT 410A)

If you don’t have R12 machines no point in buying MP39. R134a is way cheaper and more plentiful.

Get a liftgate truck from Penske. If you call and say your a commercial business they will give you a higher day rate but a really cheap mileage rate. Same with Ryder, but they are business only. Budget truck is really cheap but their rigs are pretty beat up, and not a whole lot of locations or liftgate availability.

Standing up, always. If you use a pallet Jack to move soda machines bring along 2 pieces of 4x4 lumber cut to 32-36” long. Tip the machine to 1 side with a helper just enough to slide the 4x4 under the edge. Repeat on the other side so that it’s sitting on 4x4s. Then you can slide the pallet jack under the machine from the front. Always use ratchet straps to secure your load. I prefer using straps that have the ratchet handle to crank it down, not just the cheap type that you pull on. At least 1000 lbs working load limit (not breaking strength), and at least 1.5 in wide strapping (preferable 2 in) Always use at least 2 straps over the top at the very minimum, preferably a third wrapped around it, and use a piece or cardboard where the strap touches the machine to protect the strap and the paint. Also, always stop after a few miles to check and tighten. Those drop deck trailers do ride very rough. And make sure to cinch things down tight.

Vehicle: can be rental or owned. Renting is probably better for those just starting out. Good choices, from best to good: box truck with rail style lift gate, pickup and lift bed trailer, box truck with tuck under style lift gate, pickup with Tommy lift lift gate. Tools: Dutro dolly, preferably with a top hook strap. Pallet jack, both short and narrow and full size. Piano dollies for tight doorways. If I could only have 1 the Dutro would be my pick, followed by a short and narrow pallet jack. Don’t use regular appliance dollies, they suck and you will drop a machine and or hurt someone.

The RS232 ports on the Rowe are for connecting a printer to print out sales reports. They are not setup to work with a converter, and almost certainly will not work with one.

Yup. Abloy and Medeco are the best for security. Even the LSI Cobra 7 are a small step above because they don’t fit the cheap tubular lock picks due to the shape of the center post, and are a bit hard to tension for hand picking. Still pickable by experienced hands but will deter a casual. And honestly if a Medeco or Abloy and a couple hockey puck locks isn’t enough to stop theft it’s time to pull the equipment from that location or switch to card only before your equipment gets Swiss cheesed by a guy with a sawzall.

No. Don’t do it. These machines are golpher garbage.

There’s a jumper harness for Mars 110v VN series validators to make them always enabled.

Remember that the newest E series machines are pushing 15 years old now and the oldest are over 30. The VMaxes are only slightly newer. Vending machines generally have phenomenal service lives.

It was built to do either, with the right parts kit but the parts to make it vend glass were never very common and haven’t been made in a long long time. Not that it’s a good idea to vend glass in the first place from one of the these. The bottle opener was standard in pretty much all Dixie Narcos up until the 90s, even if the machine was never setup to vend glass from the factory.

Oak Vista cab. Made anywhere from probably the 60s or so (not super sure) to the 2010s. Glass panels instead of plexiglas would indicate earlier production, as would 5 or 10 cent mechs, but parts can and do get swapped all the time so not a very reliable indicator. Best bet for parts would be eBay. The center rod can be replaced with 1/4-20 threaded rod cut to length from a hardware store, if you don’t care about originality. As for value unfortunately not worth a whole lot, 20-60 bucks is fair but you could probably get 70-80 for it in an antiques store storefront. Just way too common, and lots of vendors are selling off equipment.