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VendNet/Wittern door issues


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We have acquired a route, with many Wittern/Vend/Net CB500 drink machines. They all seem to have issues with the t-handle not lining up with the nut to lock properly. Is this a common issue? The doors do seem quite heavy for their size. Anyone have any experience with these machines?

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The short answers is yes

 

If you push the door closed to firmly you will often bend the holder for the T nut.

 

I can bend them back with without tools.

 

 

Walta

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We have acquired a route, with many Wittern/Vend/Net CB500 drink machines. They all seem to have issues with the t-handle not lining up with the nut to lock properly. Is this a common issue? The doors do seem quite heavy for their size. Anyone have any experience with these machines?

I've had the same issue with the one machine I have. The bracket where the nut is located is very easily bent out of place. Make sure both nuts that attach this bracket to the machine are tight. I am able to bend the bracket back to 'square' by hand.

The most important thing for me has been to close the door a particular way. Right hand on the T-Handle. Left hand on top of the door directly above T-Handle and right foot on the bottom of the door below the handle. As you are closing the door, pull back with the left hand while pushing with the right foot. It sort of torques the door which helps it line up better with the nut in the bracket. Twist T-Handle and voila! Since I've been doing it this way, I have had very few issues with the bracket inside the machine.

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USI CB700s have the heaviest doors in the business and they will sometimes sag at the hinges.  That isn't too terribly common but the bent cage nut bracket or cross-threaded cage nuts are the usual result of the heavy doors and the route drivers who feel they must slam the door for some reason.  The drop you describe is likely the door rolling over the roller that's under the right side and the door will actually drop before it engages the cage nut.   This is not indicative of a hinge issue but is rather typical of the working of these poorly designed doors.  The best way to close them is to push with your left hip and leg as you turn the T-handle waiting for it to begin threading into the cage nut.

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Yes it is a common issue and the cb 700's are much worse. As many have mentioned, this is generally caused by slamming the door. You hsve to lift up on it if it's fairly new and you may need to bend the door at an angle slightly if it's pretty bad as golfdogs mentioned.

I have serviced many cb 500s and 700s and pretty much all of them do it if route drivers slam them. I have an older cb 500 that needs to be propped up with my foot while I lift the handle but it has never gotten worse.

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Cvending,

 

I am sorry to hear you are having issues with the CB500 machines. I encourage you to please call Vendnet Service Department a Wittern Company  800-833-4411.  Our goal is to always make sure customers that use our equipment are satisfied and happy. 

 

Please give us the opportunity to resolve any and all issues you are having with Wittern equipment.

 

Thank you,

 

Joe Ruth, Jr.

Director Vendnet Parts & Service

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Nah, I think it was a fluke.  He just signed up yesterday and it was his first and only post.  I doubt that any vending manufacturers are lurking here unless it's to see if anyone bad mouths them so they can ask the site to remove a comment.  I believe they are actually afraid to answer for some of the products they produce or the prices they charge or the poor parts offerings they have. 

 

Joe Ruth's Linkedin profile says he is Wittern's Loss Control Manager and that he has 20+ years of financial experience so I don't see how he can understand and run the Parts and Service Division with the vendor's and repairman's interests in hand.  He can probably only look at the department from a financial standpoint - how much inventory value is taking up how much warehouse space and what cost per foot to run the warehouse and how many tech support and parts people they can eliminate - that sort of thing.  With a money guy in charge there we will probably see even more part numbers disappear and become "obsolete."  Say it ain't so, Joe! 

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Joe Ruth, thanks for the advise to call Wittern, but I think it is just poor design. That door is too heavy by design to let the t-handle and nut align properly. I think Wittern needs to address this issue if they ever want to keep operators happy.

 

Steve

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I am sorry to hear you are having issues with the CB500 machines. I encourage you to please call Vendnet Service Department a Wittern Company  800-833-4411.  Our goal is to always make sure customers that use our equipment are satisfied and happy. Please give us the opportunity to resolve any and all issues you are having with Wittern equipment..

Hi Joe, welcome to TVF & thanks for taking the time to comment. I also like the fact that you registered under your own name & didn't try to hide your identity like other companies have done in the past..

 

Joe Ruth's Linkedin profile says he is Wittern's Loss Control Manager and that he has 20+ years of financial experience so I don't see how he can understand and run the Parts and Service Division with the vendor's and repairman's interests in hand.  He can probably only look at the department from a financial standpoint - how much inventory value is taking up how much warehouse space and what cost per foot to run the warehouse and how many tech support and parts people they can eliminate - that sort of thing.  With a money guy in charge there we will probably see even more part numbers disappear and become "obsolete."  Say it ain't so, Joe! 

I know what you mean AZ but I would like to give Joe a chance first.. maybe if he can't resolve the problem he can direct the question to someone who can like Gary Walke..

 

 I think Wittern needs to address this issue if they ever want to keep operators happy.

I hope they do,, I have always like Wittern as a manufacture 

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Kiwi is an informant! Conspiracy!

No, Kiwi's just pro USI because that's the only game in town where he lives.  He doesn't have access to the other brands like we do.

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No, Kiwi's just pro USI because that's the only game in town where he lives.  He doesn't have access to the other brands like we do.

Ok Mr Royal... I mean moondog.

 

I am a USI fan (I will admit that) but its not because we don't have the choices here... we probably have more different manufactures in our market here than you do in the US but we do have to pay a lot more for our equipment here especially US manufactured equipment.

 

Mite have something to do with us being 8,000 miles away..

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Ok Mr Royal... I mean moondog.

 

I am a USI fan (I will admit that) but its not because we don't have the choices here... we probably have more different manufactures in our market here than you do in the US but we do have to pay a lot more for our equipment here especially US manufactured equipment.

 

Mite have something to do with us being 8,000 miles away..

 

That sounds exactly like something an informant would say...

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No, Kiwi's just pro USI because that's the only game in town where he lives.  He doesn't have access to the other brands like we do.

 

 

That sounds exactly like something an informant would say...

 

You guy's are starting to sound like a butch of whinging aussies....  ;D

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Ok Mr Royal... I mean moondog.

 

I am a USI fan (I will admit that) but its not because we don't have the choices here... we probably have more different manufactures in our market here than you do in the US but we do have to pay a lot more for our equipment here especially US manufactured equipment.

 

Mite have something to do with us being 8,000 miles away..

Kiwi,

 

All those Chinese brands don't count.  If you guys pooled your resources you could move that island a bit closer to civilization and then your machines could be cheaper - maybe just leave the south island where it is  ;D  ;D  ;D

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