Tech Tip: Using a Mars VN validator in an amusement machine

[orsd]

With this downturn and stay at home order I have a golpher ton of time on my hands. 

As I have been cutting down my fleet of single price sodas and upgrading my snacks with UCBs I have found myself with a golpher ton of surplus Mars VN 2501s and 2511s. Many are in nice shape and are new 5 ready, so I wanted to see if I can use them in my cranes instead of buying AEs. Normally, the VN needs a coin mech to enable it to work. The AE can be enabled without anything plugged into it using a switch, which is why it is ideal for amusements.

I found the manual, here: https://www.vend-resource.com/sites/default/files/mei_vn_series_2000_operational_service_guide.pdf

It references enable jumper cable, Mars P/N 250074011. This allows the validator to remain always enabled, like an AE.

A quick search reveals this: https://www.dsvendinginc.com/p-2360-d250074011-marsmei-harness-vn-series-125-enable-jumper.aspx

And this: https://www.capitalvending.com/mei-enable-board.html

However, the same shutdown that has blessed me with a bunch of time has also taken my money. And DS is closed.

So, I set off to make my own. Turns out shorting pins 10, 27, 28, 29 together, and then 25, 13, 14, 15 together (2 different sets of shorted wires) is what the jumper harness does. Disclaimer, do it at your own risk. I am not liable for any errors or omissions, nor your own incompetence.

Then, you just plug in a regular Mars power/credit harness. https://na.suzohapp.com/products/bill_validators/42-7057-00

For the full line guys out there this is also a good way to test a 110V validator without needing a machine. 

Voila.

Edited March 28, 2020 by orsd

[Coal River Vending]

Thank you!! 

[marzban]

This topic is exactly what i was looking for! But I still have a couple of questions. 

 

My main concern is the voltage. The VN series i have are all 24V but amusement is normally 110V. I see you have a link for a 110V harness, but I'm a little confused on what roll that plays and how you wire this all up to work. I have some 24V power supplies lying around. Any help on wiring this up would be appreciated. 

 

Second question: does this send 4 pulses per dollar? 

 

Thanks for your help!

[Vendo Mike]

The AE series has a switch making  "pulse / dollar" settable between 1 and 4.  VN series are just going to offer a single long or short pulse. 

The harness for 110 VAC units will not make your 24 V unit function.  You'll need to wire up a transformer to knock your voltage down to 24 VAC to supply to your DBV. 

You're issue is likely going to be "enabling" the DBV.  Vending (VN) bill accepters require an outside source to allow it to "enable" to accept bills.  This is because in vending equipment, you normally don't accept bills without knowing you have a coin inventory to pay change.  For this reason, the VMC monitors the coin mechs inventory level and if it's deemed "enough", it will send an "enable" signal to the dbv to accept bills.  If the coin inventory is low, the VMC will "disable" the dbv until coin level increases back above a threshold. In the case of Change Machines, they offer an enable based on coins in the hopper so "vending" style dbvs can sometimes be used. 

That said, a video or claw game doesn't do that.  AE (amusement/entertainment) style DBV have an "always enable" switch for this application.  VN will generally not just "plug and play" into this configuration.

 

[orsd]

2 hours ago, marzban said:

This topic is exactly what i was looking for! But I still have a couple of questions. 

 

My main concern is the voltage. The VN series i have are all 24V but amusement is normally 110V. I see you have a link for a 110V harness, but I'm a little confused on what roll that plays and how you wire this all up to work. I have some 24V power supplies lying around. Any help on wiring this up would be appreciated. 

 

Second question: does this send 4 pulses per dollar? 

 

Thanks for your help!

The 24v validators I don’t convert, no point as I use them for newer MDB machines. This guide only applies to 110v Mars validators, and only works with applications that take 1 pulse per dollar.