Machine Problems

[dutchboy]

Tonight my family ate dinner at one of our best vending locations, a Chinese restaurant.  As soon as we walked in the door we were greeted with an "out of order" sign on our double head machine.  I hate it when that happens.  Sure enough a quarter was stuck in the mechanism on one side and the other side would turn and not yield any product.  We ate dinner, then loaded up the machine and took it home to work on it.

The side with the stuck quarter had a toothpick jammed in the mechanism under the quarter, and that is why the quarter would not budge.  The other head seemed fine, until I realized the screw holding the back sprocket had loosened and the sprocket was not making contact with the wheel gears, and not turning the candy wheel. 

Just a note to myself to tighten all screws each time I check a head.  They have a way of loosening themselves.

I would like to hear other things that you check when servicing a machine.

[caserri]

I always make it a point to check the bolts that hold the machine to the stand, or the ones that hold the double bracket to the stand.

I also grasp the machine by the base and give it a firm twist to ensure the pipe is screwed tightly into the stand base. Mine have a habit of becoming loose.

Make sure product is not pyramiding and wheel is in correct position.

There are other things as well but these are the often overlooked ones.

Steve

PS, Also make sure you lock the machine back up and dont leave the key in the lock!! :shock: 

[SHEN]

Hmm... This is a great scenario to learn from but I wonder.. Is it common to get a phone call from the place of location or do you have to find out for yourself?  Of course during servicing you would but what if you service once every two weeks and the very next day the machine is jammed?... This is lost sales for 13days:(

...that really hurts 

[caserri]

It has not been common in my experience. Unfortunately, the location might not even know that your machine is jammed as customers will usually just try to vend and realize its broken then leave. I have a location that usually does really well. When I went to service one month I pulled about 3 bucks from it and realized that there was a bent quarter in there jamming it. Judging by the take, I assume its was like this for at least 3 weeks.

Steve