Best bill changer

[RykoPro]

We have a customer with Rowe bill changers. We seem to have a lot of problems with the transports and the coin detectors. Is Rowe a decent changer? Is there anything we can do to make them better? Is he better off just replacing the entire changer?

 

[captain cw]

Get rid of the Rowe and do any other changer and he'll be ahead. I've been very happy with all three of the others....Hamilton, Standard and American Changer. Standard has made me the most happy with customer service, price and innovation.

 

[Randy]

After selling and repairing Bill changers and validators for many years this is what I’ve concluded. #1 Hamilton, #2 Standard, #3 American all with a Mars/MEI validator. I’d never consider nor recommend a Rowe changer. I’ve found that Rowe changers are over engineered and very complicated. If your customer wants to keep his Rowe changer Rowe has a conversion kit available to replace the guts of the BC-1400 with a Mars/MEI validator. This kit replaces the transport with a Mars validator, control board and wiring harness it cost around $850 or so.

 

[mjwalsh]

For us we like the ability to connect a computer to it for spot check auditing & even the ability to do a remote soft reset. Also the tiny memory card update if the Feds change a bill design is nice. Standard came through for us on those issues with their 600EFs ---- I am not familiar with the others. Do the others have options with those considerations that I am kind of spoiled on?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I converted my 2 - BC 1400's to MEI acceptors and they have worked flawlessly for years now. I see no reason to change, just get the proper bill validator and 95% of the problems go away in my opinion.

 

[RykoPro]

Do I need to go straight to MARS for the conversion kit?

 

[RykoPro]

Sorry just reread that you got the kit from Rowe. Thats funny that they sell a MARS conversion!

 

[RykoPro]

Its a BC2800, going to call Rowe now.

 

[Randy]

Replacing the BA-50 Transport with Mars validator would be the least expensive option. I’ve got one Rowe changer left in this area and they refuse to spend any money on upgrades etc. It still hasn’t been upgraded to properly accept the colored $5 bill. When the $5 bill came out they put in a new $5 bill it took it so it’s fine.

 

[Eric H]

I do not have any but, Etowah Valley sells a Mars kit for the Rowe. IIRC, it replaces the transport, computer, and the payout buckets are removes so that it pays out like everyother machine out there.

 

[Earl Weiss]

For us we like the ability to connect a computer to it for spot check auditing & even the ability to do a remote soft reset.

Please explain how this works.

Do you open the changer and plug in a computer?

Does it somehow do a physical count of quarters in the hopper?

Does it somehow do a physical count of Bills?

 

[RykoPro]

Ordered the kit from Rowe, its on backorder...............

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I ordered my BC1400 kit from capital vending...very reasonable and simple in design.

 

[MEP001]

I do not have any but, Etowah Valley sells a Mars kit for the Rowe. IIRC, it replaces the transport, computer, and the payout buckets are removes so that it pays out like everyother machine out there.

Probably the best kit because it replaces all the most problematic components of the Rowe.

Sorry just reread that you got the kit from Rowe. Thats funny that they sell a MARS conversion!

Hamilton also sells a conversion kit for their own changers and offers them new with Mars or CoinCo validators.

 

[mjwalsh]

Please explain how this works.

Do you open the changer and plug in a computer?

Does it somehow do a physical count of quarters in the hopper?

Does it somehow do a physical count of Bills?

Earl,

Probably the most straightforward way would be to check with Standard about their KeepTrac software & kit. I am not sure of all the current details but I know they have a dedicated port that connects to a computer serial or usb to serial via a small serial cable. Someone told me they came down on their price for it & improved it. We set up our connection & software over 8 years ago --- at that time --- I had more access to computer programming than I do now. Now with the Iphones, Droid Xs & remote desktop it makes even more sense. I have to have my local computer on to access mine --- it seems they just need an ethernet device to be on.

Let us know if you check into it & what you think of it --- feature & cost wise. Like I said --- I am not 100% current on its present status. I don't remember if I had Bill P glance at it when he stopped in Bismarck last October --- I might have.

MJ

 

[Randy]

It takes about 20 minutes to put in a Rowe Mars conversion kit. The only part you reuse is the Hopper, everything else is replaced, control board, wiring harness, validator mounting bracket etc. It's a pretty clean/simple installation. The Hamilton changer Mars kit is even easier.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Earl,


Let us know if you check into it & what you think of it --- feature & cost wise. Like I said --- I am not 100% current on its present status. I don't remember if I had Bill P glance at it when he stopped in Bismarck last October --- I might have.

MJ

I am not so interested in the technical details but more like how one machine audits another unless it is simply an issue of knowing from a remote location what has gone out of the hopper in a period of time. (I could check in and see a changer is low and needs to be refilled soon)

For instance, it would seem that if a changer was successfuly cheated it might register a number of bills and the payout but only a physical count tells you if the correct number of bills are there. The remote audit would not seem to be of any help.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I got my kit from Capital Vending as well and I bought the validators from Randy. There are some VERY expensive parts in the Rowe that you will be replacing. If you can find someone who needs them you can recoup much of your costs. I think that Rowe power supply costs several thousand dollars.

 

[vinh]

I replaced my rowe 2800 a few years back with mars any never had trouble. Capital vending has two type of conversion. I using the one that keeps the computer and power supply. I remove the transport and stacker. It is cheap $250 for the kit and I bought a new mars 2600 validator on ebay for $150. So this conversion cost about $400.

I also have a hamilton DRS with mars conversion. I think this is the best changer in the industry. Design is simple and easy to change parts and troubleshoot. There is one on ebay for $2296 with xe validators. I think it is a good deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HAMILTON-DRS-BI...128?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0e7f2968

 

[waright]

I agree with every post here. Randy, the Rowes are worth keeping with a mars conv. kit. I was ready to junk two of them until I put a mars in. Now I'm fighting a Hamilton dual changer, XE validators rejections, hopper jams. I have two of Etohwah's mars kits on the way, and will be buying a new hamilton hopper.

Anyone with recommendations for hamilton hopper service in the midwest? Does excel electronics service them? I have been happy with their XE validator service.