MOROSIRUS Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 (edited) Hi everyone! The boss at my new job has asked me to help him solve his vending issue, though I have no vending experience. He would like his vending machine to accept $5 bills, which it currently does not. His family has ran a small icehouse since the 1960's and it's old-school mechanism has been integrated with a Coinco 9300 DEX coin changer accepter (Model # 9370-SR) and a Coinco Bill Accepter (Model # MAG50B). I did notice a round white sticker on the bill acceptor in the "Coupon Accept" box reading $5 2008. This led me to believe it 'should' accept $5 notes, alas. I have pics of the wiring (which I find utterly fascinating) and all of the Coinco markings, toggle setting positions, etc. I've always been curious about the vending world, and I guess this is my chance to get my toes wet, so to speak. Can any of you help me or point me in the right direction? Edit: OH! I should note the vending price for a bag of ice is $1.50 and I just discovered the bill acceptor DOES accept a $5 bill, but the coin changer only returns 50 cents, as though only $2 was inserted. Edited August 13, 2022 by MOROSIRUS More information and correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 You need to buy a different bill acceptor that is $5 ready or send yours off for repair. Yours appears to have been updated but isn't working correctly. I would advise a MEI 2500 with a new harness to connect to the Coinco coin mech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 15, 2022 Author Share Posted August 15, 2022 Very helpful, thank you! Do you know if the MEI 2500 has similar size dimensions? Would we just hot-swap it with the current acceptor without making any changes to the coin changer accepter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 You would need to look at the validator harness connector on the coin mech to make sure it has a white square 9 pin connector. If not then you would need to change it out for one that has that connector and then be sure to get the power pigtail with the validator you buy. You probably need the bottler mask that has flashing arrows on the front. I would opt for the steel armored mask if the machine is unattended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southeast Treats Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 The incorrect change could be a control board issue. Sounds like this is a homebrew ice vendor? Any idea what kind of control board powers it or who made the machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 lol It’s…unique? It’s a 1960’s icehouse, ran by at least the family generations, so some creative configuring has been used as Vending technology has advanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 Again, to be clear, if you put in $1.50 in quarters, it will vend. If you put in two $1 bills, it will vend and give two quarters in change. If you put in one $5 bill, it will vend and give, also, two quarters in change. Three bags would cost $4.50, so I don’t know if it’s giving change for $5 for maximum purchases, or change for $2 for some reason. It only vends one bag, and only offers two quarters change, whether you put in two $1’s or one $5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 I'm still recommending that you have the validator replaced. Your coin mech does have the connector you need to a MEI validator so I would go that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 Boss says this bill validator was installed about a week ago, and it has the same trouble as the one it replaced, and also that bills sometimes misfeed causing a jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendo Mike Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 The red and white lines going from the DBV to the coin mech represent the Common to N/O connection on your mech's credit relay. When the DBV accepts a bill, it is supposed to fire that relay 1 time for each bill so the mech knows how much credit to post. If its accepting the bill but still giving 2 quarters, you might consider adjusting the pulse length setting using Switch #3 on the DBV. Sometimes they fire too fast for the mech to recognize and properly count the pulses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendo Mike Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 If the bills are wadding up in the dbv, take the bottom track out of the dbv and confirm the bill path is clean and clear of debris. Also, the anti-cheat lever in the rear of that track can stick causing issues. If all that looks good, check the stacker plate for the same as well as making sure the belts aren't super slick and the rollers are clean. Cash is one of the dirtiest things out there and well transfer that filth into your payment systems causing headaches. If you need belts or it sounds like your DBV motors are straining, you should consider having it repaired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Vendo Mike said: When the DBV accepts a bill, it is supposed to fire that relay 1 time for each bill… Interesting. Does it fire one time for each bill or for each dollar to be credited? I assume the latter, but thought I’d ask for education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendo Mike Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 It's been a while but I believe it's 1 / dollar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 (edited) Currently the #3 toggle on the DBV is set to “ON,” according to the manual this is the standard pulse. “OFF” would be the short pulse, according to the book. Edited August 19, 2022 by MOROSIRUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendo Mike Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 IF you're accepting $5's and using a Single price mech, be ready to refill quarters constantly. There are sensors in the bottom of the coin tubes so the mech knows it can pay change. When coin levels fall below those sensors, the coin mech will "disable" the DBV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendo Mike Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 Change switch 3 and cycle power to ensure the new setting is recognized and then try a bill. Start with a $1 to make sure your payout is still correct and then try your $5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 On 8/19/2022 at 10:07 AM, Vendo Mike said: Change switch 3 and cycle power to ensure the new setting is recognized and then try a bill... This had no effect. I do have a working theory, though. This is a 1960’s era mechanical vending machine that dispenses either a bag of ice cubes or a bagged block of ice, depending on user selection. Both are $1.50. Aside from the coin mech and DBV, there is no programming, per se. It’s entirely wires, relays, switches and motors. Owner says the vender does not send any signal back to the coin mech. My understanding of the setup: User puts money in, coin mech turns ON relay allowing user to choose ice cubes or blocks, user selects either ice cubes or blocks, vender is activated and dispenses one of the selection, then the relay is set to OFF. To me this sounds like the coin mech might be sending a signal to the vender indicating bags can be dispensed, but the primitive ON/OFF relay only triggers once (one bag), and the coin mech assumes the vender dispenses the maximum product for the money in escrow. So I guess the theory entirely depends on if it’s the coin mech that keeps track of how much credit the user has and how many items are dispensed, and if so, how is it supposed to know? If the coin mech does not keep track of user’s credit and number of items dispensed, then what we’d need to do is upgrade the vendor in some way so that it does just that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 The coin mech has no brain. It compares all of the coin and currency inputs it receives to the price you set in the coin mech and once the vend price is met the coin mech stops accepting coins and currency and sends a pulse to the credit hold relay. The relay waits for a motor to begin to run when a selection is made and then the relay cancels the credit, pays change in the difference between credit inserted and the vend price, then re-enables coin acceptance. As for the bill acceptor, it accepts a bill and compares it to a valid bill of that denomination through its firmware and then sends a pulse for each dollar credit - one pulse for a $1 dollar bill and 5 pulses for a $5 dollar bill. It was common for out of date bill acceptors to give a $2 credit (2 pulses) for a $5 bill so I still think that is your issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 11 hours ago, AZVendor said: The coin mech has no brain. .. …out of date bill acceptors give a $2 credit (2 pulses) for a $5 bill If it has no brain, then I gather there’s no way to accept a $5 and let user select a bag of ice 3 times? Owner said this DBV was just sent back from Coinco and completely overhauled and reinstalled about a week ago. Would that still qualify it as out of date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Have you tried a different coin mech? Maybe it's not interpreting the pulses correctly. And no, you can only process one transaction at a time. You would have to incorporate a logic board for multiple purchases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 4 hours ago, AZVendor said: Have you tried a different coin mech? ... And no, you can only process one transaction at a time. You would have to incorporate a logic board for multiple purchases. Interesting. Where would one get such a logic board? From what I know, he's tried a second identical coin mech, but it doesn't work at all even after sending it in for service. However, I'll double-check. If the coin mech has no brain, and only one transaction can be processed at a time, wouldn't that mean it's giving $0.50 change on a $1.50 purchase for a $2 bill instead of the $5 that was inserted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 You won't find a logic board that would work, that was only an example. You might want to try a Mars TRC6800H coin mech instead of the Coinco. I would also be prepared to use a Mars VN2500 validator if the credit issue isn't resolved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venddoctor Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 First off one of your problems is you are trying to have the coin changer recognize 2 different prices, however the changer installed is only a single price coin changer so that will not work. You would need a 4 price changer but it is unkown whether the 4 price changer would work. Could it be done? Yes as I have made single price machines work with 4 price changers before in order to sell specialty coffee blends in single price machines. The 50 cent change is a different issue and I am unsure why it would be doing that as the single price mech should still recognize the $5 credit and payback accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 4 hours ago, AZVendor said: You might want to try a Mars TRC6800H …(and) a Mars VN2500 validator if the credit issue isn't resolved. I’ll check it out, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROSIRUS Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 2 hours ago, venddoctor said: First off one of your problems is you are trying to have the coin changer recognize 2 different prices, Sorry, you lost me here. Two products are vended (ice cubes and ice blocks) and both are $1.50. I’m not sure where 2 different prices comes in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now