Mars Validator Issue HELP!

[Kevin James]

We have a MARS AE2631 validator in our bill changer. We have been super busy the last few weeks so the validator has been getting a hard workout. Friday it wouldn’t take a bill, the red light on the back of the validator was steady On, controller light is steady green. I cleaned it and powered it on and off and it worked fine, ran about $10 into it. Today its back to not working again, powered it down and back on again, no go. I went to install my spare validator, it’s tagged as needing to be repaired, I can vaguely remember changing it out about 3 or 4 years ago. Now what? Does anyone know of someone who can repair these validators fast or of anyone who has a loaner they can send me while mine are being repaired?

 

[slash007]

Randy can fix these with his eyes closed, I suggest you reach out to him.

 

[MEP001]

IMO your quickest option would be to buy a used or refurbished one off eBay. Just check the seller's feedback rating, if he has a number in the thousands and little to no negative, they're probably safe. I've gotten 5 or 6 over the years and always get a good unit for not much more than having mine repaired.

I send mine to AECO Sales in Tecumseh OK. They're fast and affordable, factory certified repair, and the unit always comes back working like new.

 

[BenW@JCCW]

Had a similar issue recently. Changed out only the bill stacker and has been operating fine since. May be worth a try.

 

[bigjws]

Not sure where you’re located...SurvAMech in Houston fixes mine, and they have an ‘quick fix’ option

 

[Kevin James]

I sent Randy a PM late last night and he called me first thing this morning. Randy had me swap out the bill cassette and do a few other tests, still no go. He said he’d send me a loaner next day Express mail, great relief to get this bill changer back up and running. He told me to send the harness box that’s on the side of the validator, he’s sending a harness box with his loaner.

 

[Kevin James]

Tuesday morning I got the loaner Mars validator from Randy, works a heck of a lot better than the other one that died. I sent off the 2 that need to be repaired. Life is good now that I'm making change again.

 

[Waxman]

FWIW, with something this critical to the car wash revenue stream, I'd keep at least one spare on hand at all times.

 

[MEP001]

FWIW, with something this critical to the car wash revenue stream, I'd keep at least one spare on hand at all times.

Agreed, I have two spare validators, a controller, and every replaceable part for the hopper. I should probably get a spare Etowah Valley harness adaptor.

 

[Kevin James]

I couldn’t agree more, spare parts are essential in any industry. We also have spares of everything that can break or go down on a busy weekend. This situation caught us with our pants down. Our spare validator is tagged as being good, it was repaired about 2 years ago and has been on the shelf ever since, I don’t who we sent it to when it was last repaired. The loaner validator Randy sent us has a different harness and relay on it than the one I sent him for repair. On the one I sent to him for repair the plug was silicone into the validator and the plug was short. The loaner has a plug on the harness that takes up the whole plugin slot on the validator and has a relay that plugs into a receptacle, the relay looks to be replaceable. I think I learn a valuable lesson on this deal, when you get something back from being repaired install it and make sure it works, don’t assume it works and put it on the shelf.