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Surge Protector Update


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2 hours ago, Sgolembiewski0903 said:

Just had a  snack machine go down and the repair guy said it was due to a power-surge and that a surge protector would have possibly prevented the situation. I'm going to put surge protectors on all my snack machine... drink machines unfortunately will go without - correct guys? 

Only thing I don't like about surge protectors is that sometimes they get a little sensitive and go out even when there's no surge big enough to do any damage (if any surge at all) and you have to physically reset it yourself.  If you are talking about the cheap surge protectors you buy from any hardware store of walmart, then I don't recommend those.. I think it's often against code too.  If it's the kind that are part of the actual cord that plugs into the wall, then those are okay but they still go off for stupid things sometimes...

In my experience, making sure all of the grounds are on properly will prevent most issues.  Call me ignorant if you will, but I definitely believe that a bunch of surge protectors will cause me more grief than having to replace some boards here and there.

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Chris, you're confusing GFCIs with surge protectors.  The inline devices are GFCIs and are to avoid electrocution from a non-grounded device.  Surge protectors are what a machine plugs into and are only good if they are rated at 800 joules or more of clamping force to quickly shut a circuit off when a surge comes in.

Putting a surge protector on every snack machine is foolish and expensive.  If a surge took out your logic board at one account doesn't mean it will happen anywhere else.  You might not have even had a voltage surge, it might have been a brown-out or not even an electrically related cause.  Without knowing the circumstances around your machine failure I can't determine if a surge protector would have saved your machine.

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Vendors Exchange sells them for $12.44 which handles two machines.  Not much of an investment really.  All of our machines had them and we got a 5% discount on our commercial insurance which helped pay for them.  If you do a lot of blue collar or warehouse or collission centers they will pay for themselves.  If you do a lot of multi-story offices most building management companies require them.  At the end of the day better safe then sorry.

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On 1/10/2018 at 11:18 AM, Poplady1 said:

For what, the protectors?

I'd like to see it too!

Without knowing much about the topic, but reading both sides, I for one think I'm going to air with the side of caution... and while perhaps a surge protector might cause more harm than good, if Vendor's Exchange sells them, how bad could they really be? 

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What is the arguement against a surge protector?  Just got off the phone with VE Parts and they told me to check out this link.  They don't carry these yet but he said they will be soon.  It also has 2 usb plugs for machines needing that type of hookup as well...

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-Outlet-Surge-Protector-Ports/dp/B01BYO79UE/ref=zg_bs_761520_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VZX1841YZMJPQ9MZ9J8B

 

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8 hours ago, Poplady1 said:

What is the arguement against a surge protector?  Just got off the phone with VE Parts and they told me to check out this link.  They don't carry these yet but he said they will be soon.  It also has 2 usb plugs for machines needing that type of hookup as well...

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-Outlet-Surge-Protector-Ports/dp/B01BYO79UE/ref=zg_bs_761520_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VZX1841YZMJPQ9MZ9J8B

 

 Actually I misread... It seems to me that there would not be a single reason to equip all of my machines with protectors the same way you do! 

 

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8 hours ago, Poplady1 said:

What is the arguement against a surge protector?  Just got off the phone with VE Parts and they told me to check out this link.  They don't carry these yet but he said they will be soon.  It also has 2 usb plugs for machines needing that type of hookup as well...

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-Outlet-Surge-Protector-Ports/dp/B01BYO79UE/ref=zg_bs_761520_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VZX1841YZMJPQ9MZ9J8B

 

Do you have any two machines sharing the same protector? 

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We did. We always used them on machines in schools.  We had most of our problems at mfg plants.  Sometimes on machines outside too.  The nice thing about surge protectors is the low cost and high benefit of them.  Food machines can draw a lot so you might want to be sure those are by themselves.

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I ran vending machines for 16+ years and never used or needed surge protectors.  The only issue I had was brown outs in a mall retail breakroom during some construction which would lock up a Rowe 548 in whatever condition it was running in at the moment - turret turning, not cooling making everything melt or cooling making everything freeze.  Since I couldn't afford a power conditioner that could handle a 1/2 hp compressor for one machine I just dealt with the 2 or 3 times it happened.

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You had some good luck AZ.  We had one plant that caused us problem after problem with boards burning up.  Finally put on a $9 surge protector and no more problems.  We keep the account for 17 years so we did have to change it out once in a while but we keep the account.

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