Bill Acceptor Cleaner Cards

[DiamondWash]

Do they work? I heard a while back the alcohol in them dries the belts out and causes problems later is this true? I have our validator serviced professionally every 6-8 months but I would like to see if these are even worth buying. KR has 2 different styles available one that looks like a flat piece of paper and one that has grooves cut out in it. Also the amounts are different.

Flat Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...tripe-bill-acceptor-cleaning-card-50case.aspx

Grooved Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...or-cleaning-cards-w-miracle-magic-15case.aspx

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I have them and I've used them. I honestly don't think they do anything other than "Wet" the rubber belts.

 

[Randy]

Do they work? I heard a while back the alcohol in them dries the belts out and causes problems later is this true? I have our validator serviced professionally every 6-8 months but I would like to see if these are even worth buying. KR has 2 different styles available one that looks like a flat piece of paper and one that has grooves cut out in it. Also the amounts are different.

Flat Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...tripe-bill-acceptor-cleaning-card-50case.aspx

Grooved Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...or-cleaning-cards-w-miracle-magic-15case.aspx

I LOVE!! the cleaning cards. I wish more people would use them because it means more business. They don't really do much more than help deteriorate the belts, they dry out the belts so they crack and break before there time. If your sending your validators in every 6 - 8 month your wasting a lot of money. They should go at least 18 months, unless they are getting water logged all the time. The Mars validators I have in my bill changer have been installed at least 3 years, still going. I wipe them down with a Wet Towel window wipe about every 6 months or so and blow a little air in them to get the dust out of them.

 

[MEP001]

Do they work?

Depends on the validator. If there's no magnetic head like Mars, at best they're a waste of money. Three of the original bill acceptors are still in the bays and working after 12 years, and all I've done to them is wipe the lenses, belts and bill path with a damp cloth towel about once a month.

If you're having them serviced that often I can't imagine how they can get dirty enough to be a problem in between. What kind of acceptor are they?

 

[mjwalsh]

Randy & maybe Earl,

I remember there was something said about Coinco Vantage validators having an internal counter that made it so an operator would be prevented from "merrily happy go lucky" using them for decades in the filthy wet bay environment. Do the MEI (Mars) have something similar internally in them? Maybe someone from Coinco &/or Mars can clarify what is going on with the number of usages internal "for maintenance purposes" counter?

 

[MEP001]

Randy & maybe Earl,

I remember there was something said about Coinco Vantage validators having an internal counter that made it so an operator would be prevented from "merrily happy go lucky" using them for decades in the filthy wet bay environment. Do the MEI (Mars) have something similar internally in them? Maybe someone from Coinco &/or Mars can clarify what is going on with the number of usages internal "for maintenance purposes" counter?

That's ignorance propagated by people who believe certain things are actually designed to fail.

 

[DiamondWash]

Our Mars bill acceptors have worked flawlessly for years it our XE Validator that we have to have checked out 1-2 a year because of problems ranging from rejecting bills all the time to it taking the bill and not stacking it then shutting down, etc, etc converting it to a mars validator has been on my mind as of lately especially after going to the Heartland Show last week.

 

[Randy]

Randy & maybe Earl,

I remember there was something said about Coinco Vantage validators having an internal counter that made it so an operator would be prevented from "merrily happy go lucky" using them for decades in the filthy wet bay environment. Do the MEI (Mars) have something similar internally in them? Maybe someone from Coinco &/or Mars can clarify what is going on with the number of usages internal "for maintenance purposes" counter?

Mike, there are no internal counters "for maintenance purposes" in any validators that I know of. There is a bill insertion counter that counts the number of bill insertions. I’d be very surprised to see a Coinco Vantage validator last decades.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

Our Mars bill acceptors have worked flawlessly for years it our XE Validator that we have to have checked out 1-2 a year because of problems ranging from rejecting bills all the time to it taking the bill and not stacking it then shutting down, etc, etc converting it to a mars validator has been on my mind as of lately especially after going to the Heartland Show last week.

Steve please do yourself a favor buddy and take out the XE validators I did this 12 years ago and Tripled the change machine bills overnight bc there so finicky. Will be the best $600-700 you have ever spent at your wash. Get the MEI/Mars conversation kit like today on order and thank me later. I know you got a first class wash but this is a must have no matter what wash you have. I have thrown away probably 10-12 XE Hamilton validators once I converted all mine years back. Not to mention getting strung on the XE”s. Kleen rite has the kit cheaper than etowah valley in my experience will take 45 mins to convert over. Randy probably sell you a Kit. I have done these conversations for several washes.

 

[DiamondWash]

MEI/Mars Conversion Kit ordered and should be arriving next week.

 

[Kevin James]

MEI/Mars Conversion Kit ordered and should be arriving next week.

Out of curiosity how much did that cost you for the Mars conversion kit and who did you get it from? We are shopping around but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, don’t really know what to get.

 

[DiamondWash]

Etowah Valley Equipment $570 for the entire kit, we have/had a Hamilton RNS with XE validator and C-2000 Controller we removed all of the components this weekend and are looking forward to installing the new MEI/Mars kit on Tuesday. While it's out being I'm also "considering" installing a pinhole cam.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

The C-2000 Controller requires a updated chip which should be included in the kit replace with new one and pay attention

 

[CheetahExpress]

Do they work? I heard a while back the alcohol in them dries the belts out and causes problems later is this true? I have our validator serviced professionally every 6-8 months but I would like to see if these are even worth buying. KR has 2 different styles available one that looks like a flat piece of paper and one that has grooves cut out in it. Also the amounts are different.

Flat Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...tripe-bill-acceptor-cleaning-card-50case.aspx

Grooved Style:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27...or-cleaning-cards-w-miracle-magic-15case.aspx

We use an "alcohol-free" bill accessor cleaning card made by Suzo-Happ Group. Will not harm belts. Easy to find on Amazon. Amazing the amount of dirt that comes back on them when ejected.

 

[Kevin James]

Etowah Valley Equipment $570 for the entire kit, we have/had a Hamilton RNS with XE validator and C-2000 Controller we removed all of the components this weekend and are looking forward to installing the new MEI/Mars kit on Tuesday. While it's out being I'm also "considering" installing a pinhole cam.

All of the Mars conversion kits we’ve seen use a downstacker validator. The RNS changer we want to put a Mars validator in was made in late 2002 and has a plate on the inside front wall of the machine that you can remove and move up to plug the XE hole so you can use an upstack type validator, I would think this would be a better set up. Does anyone know of anyone who has a conversion kit that uses an upstack type validator that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Why did you have to remove the controller?

 

[Randy]

The C-2000 Controller requires a updated chip which should be included in the kit replace with new one and pay attention

It all depends on the version of the controller whether or not you have to change the software chip. If it’s version 2.0 or higher you don’t have to change it most of them now are v2.0 or higher. If you have a older v4.3 or v5.3 controller with the red reset button you don't have to do anything.

 

[Randy]

All of the Mars conversion kits we’ve seen use a downstacker validator. The RNS changer we want to put a Mars validator in was made in late 2002 and has a plate on the inside front wall of the machine that you can remove and move up to plug the XE hole so you can use an upstack type validator, I would think this would be a better set up. Does anyone know of anyone who has a conversion kit that uses an upstack type validator that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Why did you have to remove the controller?

If your bill changer was made in 2002 and you’ve got the cut out for the factory I’d recommend that you replace the face panel and use an Upstack MEI/Mars AE2601U7 validator, shop around for a validator. MEI/Mars validator just went up in price on April 1st. We use an adjustable stainless steel mounting bracket so you can move the validator up or down, not every changer is the same. We also use a stainless steel relay pan with a removable relay, should the relay ever go bad you can replace it. If you replace the face panel with the latest panel it’ll look like the conversion is a factory install.