Which change machines hold the most bills?

[Mchas]

I recently acquired another car wash and it has two Rowe BC-1400 changers (with the Mars conversion kits). They each have the biggest 1000 note stackers and during the busy times those stackers have to be emptied more often than I would prefer.

I don’t have much more wall space to add another changer so it got me wondering if there are other brands or types of changers that I could replace these with that would hold more than 2x1000 bills at a time?

The coins in the hoppers aren’t the issue but the bills in the stackers are. There is so much empty space in the inside of the changers there must be a way to hold more bills?

 

[OurTown]

Do you accept 20 dollar bills? If not then that might help some.

 

[Randy]

The largest bill box Mars makes is a 1000 note bill box. How much room do you have? A Hamilton DRS changers face plate is 22" wide, a Standard MC520RL-DA is 20" wide. Both of these changers have 2 validators and 2 hoppers. You can put a Mars 1000 note bill box on each validator. Like Ourtown has said do you accept $20 bills? Our maintenance guy pulls cash from the changer every morning and adds coins as needed.

 

[Mchas]

I do accept $20s, yes. Good question on the size of the space available. I will measure when I go there later today. I know two BC-1400s fit side by side with not much room left on the wall. Looks like the BC-1400 is 18” wide and I have two of them so 36” wide total. So if I could spare an extra 8 inches for 44” total then I could fit two of the Hamilton changers side by side which would double my capacity. I’ll measure today.

Having the maintenance guy swap stackers is an option but I would rather not have to trust him with that. I suppose I could check the temp counts with the money each time to make sure nothing is missing but that’s an extra hassle.

 

[Mchas]

Update - I was just at the wash - I misremembered, it’s not two BC-1400s, it is a single BC-2800. So it’s about 30 inches wide. To add two of the Hamiltons at 22 inches wide would be an extra 12 inches. I don’t think my wall is wide enough to handle that.

Am I out of luck? View attachment 6209

(for some reason I can’t rotate the photo…)

 

[Randy]

I would put in a Hamilton DRS with Mars validators. But your going to have the same problem you have now, you can only put a 1000 note bill box on a Mars validator. How often do you pull the currency out of your changer?

 

[Mchas]

I am having to empty it out twice a week during the busy times. I would prefer once a week, in case I can’t make it there for more than a few days.

 

[Kar B Kleen]

That's one problem I wish I had.

 

[Earl Weiss]

IMO changers are the life blood of the wash. Add another single (or Double) changer to increase your availability. I added a third after I got the original 2 working and found that if one went down the other was drained in short order and left me with no changer.

 

[OurTown]

We pull the bills and refill hopper every day and therefore do not have to keep anywhere near full capacity. Why keep $1,600 (assuming quarters) or whatever each one holds if you don't need to? We only have a single RNS for three SS bays and when we bought the wash five years ago wanted to add another or get a DRS. As time went on we added credit card readers and the changer got used less so we never did the upgrade. Mchas do you take credit cards? Also are you dispensing quarters? If so it might be getting used by non customers. We have that issue more than we would like and debating between going to dollars or tokens. (this week leaning towards tokens LOL)

 

[Mchas]

We do accept credit cards, and no we don’t dispense quarters, only dollar coins. Pulling the bills and refilling hoppers every day would mean I need to go there every day or trust someone else with the money which I am hesitant to do.

 

[JBaca]

Rowe makes a 3200A that would be the same size as the 2800 that you currently have, and it has 4 validators in it. They come standard with 500 note stackers, but you can upgrade them to 1000 note stackers.

• Height: 38.62 inches (98.11 cm)
• Width: 12.06 inches (30.64 cm)
• Depth: 18.25 inches (46.35 cm)
• Weight: 160 pounds (72.58 kg)

 

[Mchas]

Rowe makes a 3200A that would be the same size as the 2800 that you currently have, and it has 4 validators in it. They come standard with 500 note stackers, but you can upgrade them to 1000 note stackers.

• Height: 38.62 inches (98.11 cm)
• Width: 12.06 inches (30.64 cm)
• Depth: 18.25 inches (46.35 cm)
• Weight: 160 pounds (72.58 kg)

View attachment 6217

Ah ha! This could be the ticket. Looks like it is slightly wider at 36 inches vs my current 30 inches (I originally thought I had two BC-1400s but then realized I have one BC-2800) but I could probably make that work.

Is Rowe still a viable company though? I have had a heck of a time getting parts for my existing changers so I worry about that aspect.

 

[Randy]

Is Rowe still a viable company though? I have had a heck of a time getting parts for my existing changers so I worry about that aspect.

Are you kidding me, I'd NEVER consider a Rowe changer. Rowe is just about to take it's last breath. They've been going down hill for years.

 

[Dixievixen89]

I do accept $20s, yes. Good question on the size of the space available. I will measure when I go there later today. I know two BC-1400s fit side by side with not much room left on the wall. Looks like the BC-1400 is 18” wide and I have two of them so 36” wide total. So if I could spare an extra 8 inches for 44” total then I could fit two of the Hamilton changers side by side which would double my capacity. I’ll measure today.

Having the maintenance guy swap stackers is an option but I would rather not have to trust him with that. I suppose I could check the temp counts with the money each time to make sure nothing is missing but that’s an extra hassle.

Our standard changer would hold $700 in quarters and the stackers held it no problem. We had it set so it wouldn't accept $20 because in our area there were alot of laundromats and it seemed none had changers so we had real problems with keeping our quarters.
Had us actually having to buy quarters from the bank 4 times a year until we stopped accepting the 20s...

 

[Roz]

I recently acquired another car wash and it has two Rowe BC-1400 changers (with the Mars conversion kits). They each have the biggest 1000 note stackers and during the busy times those stackers have to be emptied more often than I would prefer.

I don’t have much more wall space to add another changer so it got me wondering if there are other brands or types of changers that I could replace these with that would hold more than 2x1000 bills at a time?

The coins in the hoppers aren’t the issue but the bills in the stackers are. There is so much empty space in the inside of the changers there must be a way to hold more bills?

Dispense dollar coins instead of quarters and your issue should be resolved. You probably will raise your revenue too.

 

[MEP001]

Dispense dollar coins instead of quarters and your issue should be resolved. You probably will raise your revenue too.

He already is, which is why he's having this problem.

 

[Dixievixen89]

Dispense dollar coins instead of quarters and your issue should be resolved. You probably will raise your revenue too.

That's really smart I'm impressed...

 

[Dixievixen89]

That's really smart I'm impressed...

How would that work would you have to buy all new mechanisms for the acceptors or have changers that takes dollar coins for quarters?
It's a great idea in concept but when you get into all the required upgrades.... It could get pricey quick

 

[Dixievixen89]

How would that work would you have to buy all new mechanisms for the acceptors or have changers that takes dollar coins for quarters?
It's a great idea in concept but when you get into all the required upgrades.... It could get pricey quick

Double changer with 2 hoppers?