Bill Breaker - yay or nay?

[Overachiever]

I'm putting in new meterboxes with bill acceptors and was thinking about replacing our old standard changemaker with the System 600-EF validators and replacing it with a bill breaker (maybe one that has a hopper and bills like this - https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-29030-standard-rear-load-bill-to-coin-changer-2-note1-hopper.aspx).

Bill acceptance has been pretty terrible lately and we've sent the acceptors in for service a couple times without much better performance when they get back.

Anyone have any opinions?

Pros:
Less quarters to deal with
Can break 20's down to 5s and 1s
Less things for my attendant to do.

Cons
Cost

Edit - if it makes a difference I'm in an area with relatively high crime, although we haven't had any issues with the bill changer.

 

[mac]

I was skeptical of them until one of my customers asked for one. He loves it. He has a real busy 6 bay. The first year it brohe around $70,000 in bills. He has since bought another machine. I would get it with a shock sensor attached to a siren. They used to sell an anti burglar. system that let out a big cloud of pepper spray when set off.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I have that same changer. I was having occasional dispensing issues when a $20 was inserted and $5 were to be dispensed. Turned out it was 2 faulty/dried out/cracked wheels that feed the $5 bills from the hopper. $80 and $.05 rubber wheels later, and the machine is running flawlessly.

A LOT of my customers use it.

 

[Overachiever]

I have that same changer. I was having occasional dispensing issues when a $20 was inserted and $5 were to be dispensed. Turned out it was 2 faulty/dried out/cracked wheels that feed the $5 bills from the hopper. $80 and $.05 rubber wheels later, and the machine is running flawlessly.

A LOT of my customers use it.

Do you load it with like new bills? The sales rep I talked to made it seem like it can have issues dispensing them unless I fill it with nice crisp bills.

 

[mjwalsh]

Do you load it with like new bills? The sales rep I talked to made it seem like it can have issues dispensing them unless I fill it with nice crisp bills.

Overachiever,

It seems like I saw at one of the big shows the bill cassettes looked very similar to our ATM's bill cassette. On our ATM's cassette we put in one brand new $5 to two used but decent $5 bill which works out well. With just all brand new $5s we found out there can be a sticking together issue. Have you checked into the MEI's bill recycler system ... I believe Standard also sells a bill recycler version also?

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

Do you load it with like new bills? The sales rep I talked to made it seem like it can have issues dispensing them unless I fill it with nice crisp bills.

No. I re-cycle the 5's from the rest of my machines. I usually use the best ones. I also heard that new bills could cause issues sticking together.

 

[slash007]

I would be interested in a bill breaker. It would have to be exterior wall mounted. Any suggestions on brand etc?

 

[MEP001]

I remember a TV show from the 70's where some guys were making counterfeit bills and to make them look used and more real they put them in a clothes dryer with some poker chips. Might be ridiculous but it ought to solve the problem with new bills sticking.

 

[APW]

I've had a Rowe 500 RL-2 for several years that has worked great. My wife and I sort and keep the good $1 and $5s every week and put them back in the machine. We don't ever have to get new money from the bank. Its nice to count out $20s ever week and not take quarters to the bank.

 

[mjwalsh]

I don't understand on the following link about the MEI automatic bill recycler OPTIONAL FEATURE. It seems like it could be a good concept. Does it dispense some bills (when available) but not as capable as a note cassette would? Anybody know if it is perfected enough to trust in a limited way? Randy? http://www.standardchange.com/changers/mc630rlda.html

 

[Randy]

The Mars/MEI bill recycler holds 30 bills, either $1’s or $5’s but not both. It will only work with a machine that uses a MDB protocol. This would be Standard, some Rowe and American. The problem with the recycler is the recycler portion of the validator sticks out the front of the machine, this makes it easy to attack. If you knock the recycler off the front of the machine you’ve got a 3” x 4” hole in the front of the equipment. I wouldn’t recommend any bill breaker or bay bill validators for any location at is in a questionable crime area. As our bill validators in the bays are failing or are vandalized we aren’t repairing or replacing them. The trick here now is to steal the ATM, ACW or the bill changer, in less than 45 seconds it can be gone.

 

[cwguy.com]

The recycler module is able to be added on any acceptor in that series. The bevel is also just an option for any acceptor in that series. The doc says you can use the standard bevel.

The acceptor just rolls up bills in a spool and dispenses them. It keeps the bills it is going to dispense if the acceptor is low and someone deposits that bill in the acceptor. It is just like a normal acceptor when the recycler is empty.

I just saw it at a show years ago (2009).... Then looked at the doc below. To see if I remembered correctly.

http://www.meigroup.com/usa/vending...acceptors/vn2700_bill_validator/datasheet.pdf

http://cwguy.com/?p=4234

 

[mjwalsh]

It looks like the recycler could be a good fit for some operator as long as the operator selected $5s for the specific denomination of bills kept for standby & subsequent output. Maybe Uncle Sam or someone can share what the reliability factor is for the recycler based on actual long term use???

 

[cwguy.com]

It looks like the recycler could be a good fit for some operator as long as the operator selected $5s for the specific denomination of bills kept for standby & subsequent output. Maybe Uncle Sam or someone can share what the reliability factor is for the recycler based on actual long term use???

I am pretty sure all modern vendors are mdb compatible.

Also in theory your customers fill your breaker (I believe it is 30 it holds).... Like the coin dispensers in vendors.