japanese drink and snack machine!

[mgdo]

Hi all, just wanted to introduce myself as a newbie to vending. We currently have 3 vending machines (vendo vue 40, Automatic Products LCM2 Snack machine, a Red Bull can machine) here in the US. We are a Tokyo, Japan based craft beverage maker and have a few machines in Japan, but this is a first here in the US. We primarily service restaurants, grocery stores, bars, etc. Our first US vending machines are in the San Francisco, CA area.

I just set up the space and noticed I needed to make some changes to the vendo vue 40 machine. When I click the diagnostic mode button, it does not enter diagnostic mode now. I currently do not have access to unplug the machine to do a power cycle because we added trim around the machines to avoid tampering as they are outdoors. I was able to restart the machine by turning on and off the circuit breaker for that outlet. Any suggestions on why the machine isn’t entering diagnostic mode and how I can resolve? Thanks!

[orsd]

First off, welcome!

The Vendo Vue is an extremely problematic machine. It is notorious for being unreliable, to the point almost every major vending company and soda bottler in the US has sold theirs off for cheap.

My suggestion is to buy a Dixie Narco or Crane 5800-4. It is the gold standard for glassfronts here in the US. However neither this nor the Vue nor the LCM are outdoor rated.

Also, when you said that you cannot unplug the machine as they are outdoors and built in that raises a few concerns.

First off, the Vue and AP LCM are not outdoor rated. This can create a liability and reliability issue. In addition, the glassfront may experience cooling issues on really hot days, especially if the glass faces the sun. There a machines that showcase the product but are outdoor rated, Google Vendo 720 live display for an example.

Second, there should be a power distribution panel in the lower left of the machine cabinet. There is a power connection there to unplug the machine. Make sure you unplug the machine whenever you plug or unplug a coin mech or bill validator.

Third, an outdoor location presents a significant vandalism and theft risk, especially in a city like San Francisco which is extremely reluctant to prosecute property crimes of any sort. One way to cut down on theft is to go credit card only.

Just curious, are you selling your own products from these machines? Also, any particular reason you jumped into the US market so soon?

Edited October 4, 2020 by orsd

[orsd]

Here is the manual.

https://www.amequipmentsales.com/manuals/pdf/Vendo/VENDO VUE MANUAL.pdf

Have you tried pressing and holding the mode button?

[mgdo]

Thank you @orsd for the quick reply and glad to be here!

We had been planning to secure a location or two for a couple vending machines prior to COVID and there were a few things that made it come together easily at the same time.  Now knowing your suggestion about the type of machine we have, i will need to be careful and hope for the best. We have installed quite a few blockers for theft and vandalism though. I will see if there is a power distribution panel inside the cabinet And try that. The machines are outdoors but have a good amount of protection from elements and covering around and on top of the machine. This, along with sunlight have been a concern though. An awning or a glass tint of some sort would be helpful to minimize the sun exposure to the items behind the glass. Any recommendations? I’ve also read that a simple fan can be mounted inside to provide some cooling to the snack machine at least.