Rowe Changer problem

[Splish_Splash]

Hello

One of my Rowe BC-1400 change machines is starting to reject bills more frequently. It accepts one dollar bills about 25% of the time and other bills about 90% of the time.

So it’s the one dollar bills that produce the problem and the Error message displayed reads “Reject – Bill (E)”

According to the manual this is what needs to be done:
1) Check the VR/VT Cells for proper Voltages and switching.
2) Replace the VR Cell VT Cell VR/VT LEB or Transport.
3) Replace the CCC.

What the manual is telling me to do does not really make that much sense to me as it is working Kind of ok with other bills. I have taken the Transport out and looked for dirt, it looked very clean to me. My next step would be to swap it around with the changer that works well.

But I want to know if anyone had the same problem? Is it common and how is it resolved? I was talking to a guy that works for one of my competitors and they are having the same problem on one of their changers. The problem has him very puzzled and frustrated too. Any ideas?

Gavin

[Jefflange]

I have many of these changers and the validators suck. They need to be serviced at least once a year. I converted all my Rowe to Mars validators and now I never have a problem. You can get a kit from Veii.com to do this.

[Adamski]

Gavin,

Generally a high reject rate is caused by defects within the transport (bill accepter). Those defects may include:
A. worn belts
B. worn or dirty shaft bearings
C. worn or dirty shafts
D. a weak drive motor
E. a dirty magnetic head assembly
F. obsolete software (this would not cause your high reject rate for ones though)

You can call Darrell at Changetic in Grand Rapids, Michigan for additional information as they rebuild my transports for me. Their number is 616 245 8235.

Larry [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[epic02]

You just need to take the transport out and have it serviced.
After having mine for about 6 years It was rejecting bills so I sent them out one at a time. Now they work like new.

Kenny

[petefritz]

Jeff has the best answer, replace it with MARs but costs around $600 last I checked.. instead of paying taxes and spreading the wealth I might spring for them this year.. I send my validators to suncoast changers and he turns them around the next day. I just got one back doing the same you posted, costs $142 to recondition it. And it is a yearly thing , more or less.. I do have spares.

[Adamski]

Jeff,

I googled Mars validators and found a conversion kit that will convert my Rowe BC12 changers from the Rowe transport to the Mars validator. Cost is just under $1,000 each. Apparently, one removes almost the entire inside guts from the changer and modifies the 2 hoppers and the payout buckets. Then these are reinstalled along with a new power supply/controller and a new Mars 2600 validator/bill stacker. The kit appears to be complete enough and the instructions are clear as well.

I have 2 concerns about this conversion. First, the price is about 40% or the cost of a new changer. Second, the Mars validator/stacker and power supply don't appear to be nearly as sophisticated as the Rowe components in my changer right now. For example, self diagnostics is accomplished with a system of just a few flashing lights on the Mars power supply whereas the Rowe computer uses words and alpha-numeric codes for that purpose. The Mars stacker puts all the bills in one place (I assume) whereas the Rowe stacker has a top bill box for ones and a bottom bill box for the fives, tens and twenties.

Bottom line, it just seems like I'd be stepping back in time if I spent $1,000 to install the Mars conversion on my up-to-date Rowe changers. Your thoughts?

Larry [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Brett]

Splashy, I have used AECO sales and service (a Mars Distributor) for about 10 years. They have kits to upgrade. I owned a large vending company and upgraded 20 or 30 changers to mars over the years.. They really are a good validator. They also sell used Mars Validators. I think the last ones cost me $200.00. Don't remember the cost of the kits, but don't think they were over 300.00. Their tel number is 405-598-2915. I usually talk to Charles. Good luck. Let us know thier price if you call them. Just took a look at capitalvending.com. Kits start at 179.00 without validator.

[Danlaundry]

How does upgrading to a Mars validator affect the stacker on a BC-1400? From Rowe, a 1400 has two places for bills to be stacked and separated. Do you loose this capability; is it a different stacker…?

Also something that no one has mentioned is, sorry to say, the Rowe 1400 is terrible for being strung. Crooks are learning how to string this machine so reconcile your numbers each time you pull your money to make sure you are not being stung. Rowe’s answer to this has been a programming option called pullback but that does not seem to work for the criminal who knows what he is doing. Also Rowe has a devise that can be installed that physically will cut the “string” but do not know how well this works.

[Adamski]

Dan,

I've been operating Rowe BC12/BC1400 changers since the early 1980's. I've never, ever seen a strung bill in one.

The Mars kit that I reviewed the installation instructions for online involved discarding the double bill stacker. The Mars validator has a bill box attached directly to it.

My impression is that these Mars validator/bill boxes are probably great for low volume uses such as on vending machines but, frankly, I'm a little leary about converting one of my Rowe BC1400 changers to the Mars setup. Rowe has such a great internal audit system that is resetable and the Mars system appears to merely have bill counters that are NOT resetable.

Larry [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]