Dixie Narco 414/239-9 Coke Machine Not Vending

[RileyMN]

Hello All,

I am new to this group so thank you for welcoming me.  I recently acquired the machine mentioned in the title. I'm a tinker guy so this is all pretty new to me. I've checked out the archived posts similar to my machine but am still a little stuck on how to proceed (before I start buying parts).

The problem:

It is a single price machine, set at 50 cents. You can put 50 cents in, but no selection button works. Nothing will vend. It does have a bill reader as well, but I'm not sure how to load change in considering anything past 50 cents it just drops out, as expected. So I'm guessing it won't activate until enough change is in the counter to offer change? I have only one column filled past the sold out sensor, and that's the one I have been trying to vend. And nothing.

I also noticed the previous owner put egg cartons in some of the columns...assuming to press against the sold out sensor to douse the light up front?

After checking connections in the door panel I couldn't find anything loose, no buttons stuck, nothing. (I took a break and retrofitted the old T12's in the sign to LED's :D)

After this I moved onto the Vend Motors. I manually ran each one, everything went fine until the last motor in the 10th column. It wouldn't manually run.  I thought cluster switch was bad, so I swapped it to the motor next to it, and it was fine. I checked voltage on motor 10 and it's getting the proper voltage on the line side, so I'm guessing that motor is bad. I think I've found a replacement, but let me know if any of you have any input on that.

Does the fact that motor 10 is most likely dead mean that it would halt the whole vending process? Yes it was homed when I inspected. 

 

Potentially another problem:

The bill reader will make noise when plugged in, but the green arrow don't illuminate. Throws the Code 2, assuming from the chart it means it was put out of the system because adequate change wasn't in the counter? I haven't been able to use the change return lever and get change back from this machine either. As stated somewhat before, When plugged in, 50c is added, use exact change disappears, but nothing will vend. Also, the sequencing relay, it only responds to certain buttons, is this normal?

 

 

I know that was a lot of information and questions, but I really appreciate any and all help! Images will be added!

 

Thanks, 

 

Riley

 

 

[AZVendor]

Okay, first off, the coin mechanism and bill acceptor are their names.  You have a Coinco 3341S (for single price) and a Mars VN2501 bill acceptor.  The coin mech coin tubes can be filled manually and you should have 15 coins or so in each tube to cover the lower tube sensors so the coin mech recognizes it has coins in those tubes.  The minimum tube to have coins in is the nickle tube.  The correct change light goes off when you insert .50 because the price set in the coin mech is .50 and the machine then sets a credit and waits for a vend to be made.  The credit won't be erased until a motor switch cancels it or the machine is unplugged.  On a properly functioning machine, if you manually run a motor, empty column or not, that should erase the credit and allow more money to be inserted and accepted. The bill acceptor won't take bills until there is sufficient change in the coin tubes to pay change from. 

The sequencing relay may only switch when columns 1 or 2 are vended, since that is the columns it switches between.  Some Coke machines are wired to switch the relay when any column is vended though.  Since this is triggered by the selection switch panel and not the motor switches you will want to verify that all of the selection panel is wired correctly and the harness from it to the cabinet is intact.

I see lots of soda has sprayed all over the inside of the machine so this could have gummed up your motor brakes and/or your motor switches. 

You should also inspect the wires coming out the bottom of the credit relay and the coin mech socket to ensure none are loose and easily pulled out.  Do this with the machine unplugged.  Just a tug on each wire will confirm they are fulling seated and locked in.  If one wire pulls out that could be your problem.

Your primary issue is that the machine won't vend after a credit is set.  The fact that motor 10 won't run could be the issue and the switch hanging loose will also cause that.  Be aware that the reason motor 10 won't run could be that the can rotor is twisted and jammed in the column, so when you pull the motor you'll need to check that. The motor switches are at home when the short switch arm is in the notch of the motor timing cam and the long arm is on the high side of the cam.  In addition, if the switches have been messed with, make sure all contacts are plugged into the switches, especially the common connectors on the sides of the switches.  After that is checked and the motor is replaced (a working grey cam motor is a good choice, don't get an older used red cam motor) if it still won't vend then take a good cluster switch and start substituting it, motor by motor, right to left, until the machine vends.

Yes, you should wish I was there to fix this for you.

[RileyMN]

Thanks a lot for the response and good information. I appreciate it!

I added a few more coins in each slot to get to the second monetary level. The bill acceptor started flashing normally out front and didn't throw the error code anymore. It accepts bills but as I expected it still won't vend. I did recheck all connections below the vend relay and at the coin mech socket as well.

Also, I forgot to mention, the cluster switch was hanging there because I swapped it out to motor 9 to see if the switch was the problem, it was not. Upon learning that, I verified I had 120v going to the coil from the current switch I had put on motor 10. 

I removed the motor today and did notice that the can rotor spins, but does tend to try to catch on the left exterior wall of the unit, making me think that potentially could have assisted in frying the motor. I did 120v across the motor once I removed it just out of curiosity and it didn't budge.  So new motor has been ordered (grey one).  After reviewing the schematic again, how is it possible that motor 10 being down would shut down all vending? Especially considering its the last one in the series? 

 

Again, Thanks AZ, much appreciated

 

Riley

[AZVendor]

It's not the motor but the switch that will disable the vend circuit.  That's why you need at least one new cluster switch so you can start swapping switches.  Whether the rotor is bent is easy to see if you turn it to show you the long edge.  If the edge isn't perfectly straight with the column wall then it needs to be replaced.  Also, for 12 oz cans in those columns, you need a white plastic shim on the right side wall.  If that's missing you'll get can jams.

[RileyMN]

The motor I ordered is coming with a new switch, but I ordered an extra. I did test for continuity across all switches and they do have continuity. I did notice something today that I missed yesterday. The double column motor for 1 and 2 seemed to be homed, but the long arm of the switch was not seated on the closed position it should have been. I did try to test vend while holding it in the closed position, to no avail. How does one go about adjusting it? 

Also, I do have all the white shims. The were installed on the left, should I move them to the right?

 

Thanks AZ,

 

Riley

[AZVendor]

Your wide column motor has coasted too far because the brake is gummed up from all the spilled soda.  Even with the motor cover on, the soda will spray around the end of it.  You can spray glass cleaner on the two brake pivot points on the two screws that hold the magnet to the motor. Then work the brake (brass lever across the top of the magnet) until it moves easily. You may have gummed up switches as well. You know, I would actually just take this thing outside and hose the heck out of it since you have soda all over the inside and outside of the machine.  Then put a fan to blow on the open cabinet for a couple of days.  Things might work a lot better after that.  

[RileyMN]

Hey AZ,

I hosed it all out. Looks a lot better now. I received the new motor today and popped it in. Works like a champ, but didn't solve the problem of not vending. I went down the line and swapped the new switch at each motor. Still nothing. I'm starting to think vend relay. Also, my coin plunger for the return does not refund coins...not sure if that is significant or not. Also, I've been reading you should hear a click once the vend relay accepts a credit to vend. I don't hear anything after inserting. 

Is there a way to test the relay with a meter? Or is that not even worth it?

 

Thanks, 

 

Riley

[AZVendor]

Maybe the relay but in all honesty, while I always carried one on my truck I never needed to replace one.  You should pull yours out though and compare it to a Vendo relay because they are different and someone might have put a Vendo relay in it.  Did you ever check for loose wires under the relay or under the coin mech socket?  Other than that you could have bad wiring between the cabinet and the door, an open circuit in the selection panel and even a bad coin mech.

[RileyMN]

I checked the relay and it seems to be factory. I checked the wires under the relay and coin mech again. Everything seems to be in order. Metered out everything between the cabinet and door and everything seems to check out. I did notice something that seemed odd. Although it might be normal...I've noticed the sequence relay is activated by very random selection switches, 3,4,6,7,10. I'm not sure if this is significant or not. I also found it odd that the 1 & 2 button "big coke one", only ever receives power if I'm holding down one of the switches that activates the sequence relay. Otherwise, that selection switch never receives power. The coil will suck in and it will cycle, but the second I release an associated selection switch, I lose power for 1 & 2 switch. I hope that made sense and I didn't butcher it too much.

 

Thanks,

 

Riley

Edited August 9 by RileyMN

[AZVendor]

https://www.vendmedic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/dn4.pdf

This manual discusses the operation of the sequencing relay.  That might be part or all of your issue but I can't remember if it will kill the vend circuit or not.

[RileyMN]

AZ,

The machine is working. This may seem odd, but I decided to hotwire the sequence relay off of the # 4 selection switch (since I was getting power there but not the common wire going up to the 1&2 switch. Once I did that the 1&2 obviously autovended upon receiving the correct vend price. I switched it back to the normal NC/NO wiring after that....and the machine worked. Although I'm happy about this, I'm just curious as to how and why. Can that sequence relay or the coil operating it get stuck in an open position? Or can it put the vend relay in a static state? Just curious if you've come across a problem and/or fix like this before.

Thanks,

 

Riley

[AZVendor]

The relay assembly can fail and it might be worth replacing it to ensure that isn't going to open the vend circuit again.

[RileyMN]

Sounds good. And again, thank you for all of your help!!