Hamilton or Rowe change machine

[1carwash1]

I know this has been discussed before, but I'm considering replacing our current change machine due to age and reliability issues. Considering either a Rowe 2800 with mars or Hamilton DRS with Mars. I have an opportunity to purchase a refurbished Rowe 2800 with new mars upgrade or spend more money and get a new Hamilton DRS with Mars. Size wise, the DRS would be almost an exact fit while the Rowe would require me to widen the opening. What I dont like about the DRS is that it only comes with a 700 bill capacity bill box. Can anybody verify if indeed the Hamilton DRS with Mars can handle a 1000 bill bill box. Also what would be the most reliable machine. In another thread there were comments that the DRS with mars would sometimes go out of service because of power interruptions. It was also said to use a surge protector to prevent this from happening. Is this still an issue with this machine? On a side note, I had a Rowe 1400 and after I had it upgraded with the Rowe Mars update kit I had very few issues with the machine. This included not having power interruption issues. The reason I took the Rowe 1400 out of service was because of an attempted theft that left the machine with significant damage. One concern I have is that Rowe was acquired by another company and I wonder how well this machine will be supported in the future. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Keith Baker]

I'm watching this, but I don't think I can add anything that you don't already know. I've had two BC1400's for over 20 years. I've upgraded both of them to Mars. If they keep supplying parts I'll keep fixing them.

 

[Rfreeman]

First wash I purchased had a Rowe BC 2800 I believe is the model had so many issues with it purchased DRS with Mars....havent looked back since. Second wash I had the DRS in my warehouse after closing had it installed same day....I wont use another changer. Personally I haven't had any power surge issues but I have seen the issue discussed on this forum. I like reliability of the DRS and having 2 machines in 1 cabinet. I have a high capacity bill stacker magazine but personally I dont like that much cash accumulating in my change machine and the each hopper holds appox $1200 so between the 2 hoppers its $2400 in coin. Can't say enough about the DRS and the realiabilty I have had out of both units....just my 10 cents

 

[Earl Weiss]

This says "1000 Bill Stacker" https://www.carwashsuperstore.com/Product/741/Hamilton-Model-DRS-Changers
I have Hamiltons. Since they Take 1-5--10-20 You reallly don't need more than 700 Bill capacity since the Hopper Holds $1200 max.

 

[Greg Pack]

Hamilton DRS with MEI acceptors is the bulletproof changer.

 

[MEP001]

There are a few things I like about the Rowe units (like the escrow bucket payout) and a lot that I don't (Practically everything else). At least with the Mars upgrade the least reliable part has been removed. The Rowe transports need service about once a year, where the Mars can go maybe five and cost a fraction to service.

Earl is right, the 700 bill acceptor will hold all the bills for one hopper full of coins unless you only accept $1 bills. There is a 1000 note box if you think you need it, which fits with no changes made to anything.

I'd also go with a Hamilton DRS - I fought an older Rowe for years, finally ended up having to thoroughly clean all the quarters just to keep it working. With a Hamilton I can just dump the coins in even if they're a little wet, and I only have to clean the hopper maybe once a year.

 

[soonermajic]

Hamilyon 100%

On a side note, do you guys accept $20? I did, but found sometimes when the laundromat changer went down, Id have multiple $20s, & poof....my change is now at the laundromat!

 

[MEP001]

I accept $20's, but I also have some tokens mixed in with the quarters so no real changer abuse. A few people do come through with a laundry basket in the back seat and get quarters, but I still take a bunch to the bank every week so I don't care.

In my experience, people won't take $20's because they're worried about getting strung. Jim at Etowah Valley even sends the program note in his upgrade kits with $20's turned off because he believes you'll get strung if you accept them. I can tell you for a fact that if you don't take $20's and someone wants to string your changer, they'll use a $10 or a $5.

I was just talking to someone yesterday who is re-opening a car wash, and he said there's a laundromat right across the street from him with no changer at all. He hasn't decided if he's going to mix tokens in or not (He's fully set up to do so), but I'll bet within a week or so of opening he'll do it.

 

[Earl Weiss]

$20 Bill acceptance - Yes.

 

[Randy]

Yes you can use a 1000 note bill on a Mars validator that's installed inaDRS or RNS bill changer. The DRS or the RNS changer with the Mars validator come standard with 700 note bill box, the 1000 note bill is an option. We accept $20's but don't advertise that we do, we use a $1-$5- $10 denomination label on the front of the changer. I'm about ready to change the face panel and I think I might use the $20 denomination label when I do. I think the biggest reason most oprators don't want to take $20's is they don't want to have to refill the hoppers more often.

 

[mjwalsh]

I wonder a bit on how likely the MEIs can be strung on the $20s? We have camera footage of attempted stringing on our two Standard 600EFs but no perp has been successful as of this point! A NYC laundromat operator friend showed on the CLA forum that he never had a problem with stringing even though he accepts $50 bills.

 

[Randy]

I wonder a bit on how likely the MEIs can be strung on the $20s? We have camera footage of attempted stringing on our two Standard 600EFs but no perp has been successful as of this point! A NYC laundromat operator friend showed on the CLA forum that he never had a problem with stringing even though he accepts $50 bills.

If I've said this once I said it a hundred times, there isn't a bill validator made that can't be strung. All it takes is knowledge. Don't get to smug the Standard 600 is pretty easy to string.

 

[Rfreeman]

Yes you can use a 1000 note bill on a Mars validator that's installed inaDRS or RNS bill changer. The DRS or the RNS changer with the Mars validator come standard with 700 note bill box, the 1000 note bill is an option. We accept $20's but don't advertise that we do, we use a $1-$5- $10 denomination label on the front of the changer. I'm about ready to change the face panel and I think I might use the $20 denomination label when I do. I think the biggest reason most oprators don't want to take $20's is they don't want to have to refill the hoppers more often.

Randy based on the picture...did you turn your unit upside down inside the cabinet? If so is there some trick or advantage to doing this?

 

[MEP001]

The advantage is so that they don't have to make separate cabinets for their own validators and Mars. An upstacker model would require the opening and mount to be lower. The only problem this causes (and it's a minor problem) is the Mars has to be set to take bills face down.

 

[mjwalsh]

Not everyone will agree nor is it a good fit for everyone ... but we have found the 4-way insert & the improved 3 sorter bill compartments on our two Standard 600EFs to be helpful. There is a learning curve to the maintenance of those (vs [possibly some other brands) along with the ability to use its serial port to connect remotely for audits, soft resets etc.

 

[Randy]

Randy based on the picture...did you turn your unit upside down inside the cabinet? If so is there some trick or advantage to doing this?

Rfreeman, That's a 1994 vintage DRS changer. When it was first installed it had the HV-7 validators in it. Over the years it's been many different validators installed. A number of years ago I converted it over to Mars validators. With the older Hamilton changers you have to use a down stack validator, a Mars AE2631DX. The hole in the cabinet for the validator is to high for the bezel on a upstack validator. The newer Hamilton changer cabinets have a bolt on plate to swap validators. If you convert a newer Hamilton changer from a XE validator to say a upstack Mars AE2601UX validator you have to replace the face panel and move the bolt on plate up to where the XE validator was. Most people just use the Mars AE2631DX validator so they don't have to replace the face panel. I always set up the Mars validators with 4 way aceptance, I think they accept better than way. The nice thing about the Mars AE series validators is they are interchangable, as long as the voltage is the same, "1" means it' 110 volts and "2" means it's 24 volts. You can take a AE2601, take the bezel off and put on Bezel from a AE2631 and it will work fine. You can't use a vending machine VN validator in place of a AE series validator. The last number of the model number of the validator is the size of the bill box that came on the validator when it left the factory, "3" means it has a 300 note capacity, "5" 500, note, "7" 700 note, "10" 1000 note. All the bill boxes will fix on any of the Mars AE and VN series validators.

 

[OurTown]

The only problem this causes (and it's a minor problem) is the Mars has to be set to take bills face down.

Our Mars conversion is mounted that way and takes bills four ways.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Randy, do you think you would need the 1000 note stacker if you show that you take 20's? Without the 20's being shown how often is this capacity required compared to 700 with a $1200 capacity hopper?

 

[OurTown]

Randy, do you think you would need the 1000 note stacker if you show that you take 20's? Without the 20's being shown how often is this capacity required compared to 700 with a $1200 capacity hopper?

Even if you only took 1s and 5s the hopper would be empty if only 20 percent of the bills were 5s. Add 10s in there and it would be empty way before the stacker is full.

 

[Randy]

Randy, do you think you would need the 1000 note stacker if you show that you take 20's? Without the 20's being shown how often is this capacity required compared to 700 with a $1200 capacity hopper?

Earl, No I don't think you need a 1000 note bill box, I think they are rather cumbersome. We do take $20 bills, but on the front of the changer I only show I accept $1-$5-and $10's, I don't show I accept $20's. We use a 500 note bill box and we pull cash everyday.