New Vendor in Mountain Home Idaho

[JN8884]

Well hello everyone, I've been looking to get into the vending business for a little over a year now but it wasn't until around 3 weeks ago that I finally found a machine that is worth the risk. I paid 260 dollars for a Dixie Narco 6 Selection can machine. It's a Pepsi brand and my wife and I spent a lot of time cleaning it up and making it shine again. I JUST got the thing placed in a local skateboard shop so I'm hoping the foot traffic through there will pay the machine off. I'm really looking forward to learning about this and the same guy who sold me mine has one more that he wants to get rid of. However, I'm scared that with it not blowing cold air, I think he wants to much for it. Anyone have any expierence with getting a machine recharged? How much was it? This may also be a naive (spelling?) question to ask but do I need to get some sort of owner/operator license from the city/state to do this legally? Last and certainly most importantly, where in your expierence have you been able to pick up canned pop cheapest? I've been thinking I need to go to Costco to check their prices.

 

Anyway, that's my short intro. I look forward to the advice that I will more than likely recieve. Thanks everyone!

[AZVendor]

Welcome to the forum.  Now that you have chosen what we call Full Line vending (soda and snacks) you can post questions in the Beverage and Food Vending forum. 

 

In answer to your question, recharging a machine is no big deal.  You would need to find a vending technician qualified in refrigeration to do the work.  Just to give you an idea of cost, I charge $65 for a service call plus freon ($18.50) and a line tap ($8.00) if needed.  If the compressor and fan run, and there is no obvious leak found by the tech, a recharge is real simple.  Post info about the machine and we can tell you what it is worth.  A model number and photo would be very helpful. 

 

Purchasing soda can be done at any grocery store, Costco, Sam's Club or a vending products distributor such as Vistar, if you have one in your area.

[moondog]

Well hello everyone, I've been looking to get into the vending business for a little over a year now but it wasn't until around 3 weeks ago that I finally found a machine that is worth the risk. I paid 260 dollars for a Dixie Narco 6 Selection can machine. It's a Pepsi brand and my wife and I spent a lot of time cleaning it up and making it shine again. I JUST got the thing placed in a local skateboard shop so I'm hoping the foot traffic through there will pay the machine off. I'm really looking forward to learning about this and the same guy who sold me mine has one more that he wants to get rid of. However, I'm scared that with it not blowing cold air, I think he wants to much for it. Anyone have any expierence with getting a machine recharged? How much was it? This may also be a naive (spelling?) question to ask but do I need to get some sort of owner/operator license from the city/state to do this legally? Last and certainly most importantly, where in your expierence have you been able to pick up canned pop cheapest? I've been thinking I need to go to Costco to check their prices.

 

Anyway, that's my short intro. I look forward to the advice that I will more than likely recieve. Thanks everyone!

Welcome to the forum.  Sodas only are the best way to get into full line vending and with summer coming on, your timing couldn't be better.  If you end up buying that other machine,  you'll find it's very easy to remove the compressor deck from the bottom of the machine - the last one I did took about ten minutes.  Then you can take it to an A/C repair place - like AZ said, a simple recharge is no big deal.  Just make sure the compressor and the fans are actually running before you buy it.  This is also a good time to clean out the machine with a power washer preferably.  Once the deck's out you can really clean that area on the bottom out and don't forget to shoot down the deck as well, it won't hurt it and they all should get a thorough cleaning occasionally.

 

I buy all of my sodas at Costco as they normally run 25 to 27 cents each.  I know that you can also get even better prices at Supermarkets when they put them on sale but I don't mess it because they're so "hit and miss" and I hate making a special trip to only get two or three products,  plus they're not set up to handle a resale so you end up paying the tax.

 

As far as licensing goes, you're probably going to need a state resale certificate and I wouldn't worry about the rest of it for now.  Some towns do require a business license but hey, the store your machine is in already has that license - it varies by locale.  One thing you didn't mention, is the liability insurance.  This something you should have and it doesn't cost that much.

 

Again, like AZ said, if you have questions post them in the "Food and Beverage" forum and you'll get more responses

[JN8884]

I just called Boise Refrigeration and they told me it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 dollars to leak check and diagnose why the machine quit blowing cold air. So with that being said I will just wait for the guy to be sick of it collecting dust in his garage. Eventually he's going to call me and beg me to get it out of there. I'm in no rush anyway.

[moondog]

I just called Boise Refrigeration and they told me it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 dollars to leak check and diagnose why the machine quit blowing cold air. So with that being said I will just wait for the guy to be sick of it collecting dust in his garage. Eventually he's going to call me and beg me to get it out of there. I'm in no rush anyway.

Well, I definitely won't be taking any of my decks to Boise Refrigeration (and you shouldn't either)

[AZVendor]

I just called Boise Refrigeration and they told me it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 dollars to leak check and diagnose why the machine quit blowing cold air. So with that being said I will just wait for the guy to be sick of it collecting dust in his garage. Eventually he's going to call me and beg me to get it out of there. I'm in no rush anyway.

That's why you need to find a good vending repair tech who can do this work.  I don't leak check any units I recharge unless a visual check shows some oil leakage from other than the condenser fan or if I can smell freon.  They don't generally have large leaks, but can lose tiny amounts of gas over a period of years.  95%+ of the units I recharge don't have leaks per se. 

 

The unit should be serviced when it's in the machine so that the pressures will be correct.  This is for a true recharge where new freon is being added to the unit on top of the old freon.  If you pull the unit out of the machine you can't get proper pressures if you can't simulate the unit operating in a closed box like the soda machine is.  If you pull the unit and try to recharge it on the bench, you have to evacuate the system, replace the filter/drier, install a Schrader valve and then weigh in the correct amount of all new freon.   A recharge on location is not that involved.

 

Again, find someone local who repairs vending machines and have them do the work.  I'm sure there are vending companies at the very least in Boise who would do this work for you.  They will be familiar with the proper way to recharge one.  An A/C guy can't use normal air conditioning service procedures on a vending machine.

[moondog]

Maybe I'm the one who should keep looking - the compressor guy I use will only work on them at his shop but I can get a recharge and visual inspection for $75 and no, he's not an A/C repair guy - only vending machines.

 

Actually, he does have a box, I just never realized what it was for until now - looks like it may have been an old Pepsi machine gutted, maybe a 511 or 601.

[JN8884]

Where do you find guys like that? What do you look for in the phone book to be put into contact with those people?

[moondog]

Where do you find guys like that? What do you look for in the phone book to be put into contact with those people?

I found this guy through a local vending supplier who doesn't do deck repairs.  Maybe ask around if you know any other vendors in your area - most guys are willing to help but you'll find some that think everything should be a state secret.  An appliance repair guy might be closer to what you're looking for or he might send some of his decks out.  If you can find someone who will come to your machine for a reasonable rate - great.  I've only had three compressors that needed servicing and I can't just haul the whole machine in.

[VendingExperts]

Welcome! Stick with it and build an empire! Good luck.

[JN8884]

Pulled my first bit of cash out last friday, Took 21.65 and gave the store owner 5% and put 33 more cans to fill it up again. I was so excited to see all the change and the dollar bills in the thing! It was such a relief to have it out making money rather than just taking space up in my garage. I'll head out there this friday again to check on it. This is seriously the easiest thing I've ever done! Love this business. I've already got a deal with the trailer park to set up another one. The only thing I worry about with that one is that it's going to be outside subject to the weather and possible vandals.

[moondog]

Pulled my first bit of cash out last friday, Took 21.65 and gave the store owner 5% and put 33 more cans to fill it up again. I was so excited to see all the change and the dollar bills in the thing! It was such a relief to have it out making money rather than just taking space up in my garage. I'll head out there this friday again to check on it. This is seriously the easiest thing I've ever done! Love this business. I've already got a deal with the trailer park to set up another one. The only thing I worry about with that one is that it's going to be outside subject to the weather and possible vandals.

Vandalism is going to be your problem in a trailer park unless it's for retirees - apartments seem to be the same way.  Get an external hasp on  your machine before placing it - makes it hard for them to crow bar it.  If it's a Dixie, Royal or Vendo it will be rated for outdoor use.