Change Laurel mechaincal drop shelf to to accept tokens instead of quarters?

[Dan-Ark]

Since I have already had one break in at this wash, I have decided on tokens for the changer. (it was empty and not yet in service when they broke in so they just took my camera recorder). Anyway since I wont be selling quarters, it makes little sense to take quarters only in my mechanical drop shelf vender (towels $1.00). I found a token insert that looks like it would reoplace the .25 to 1.00 quarter unit on the machine now but before I spend the money, has anyone done this? does it work? thanks!

 

[Dan-Ark]

Having another problem in that once all the shelves are down, you can put in quarters, it will not vend, but it only returns 2 of the 4 quarters when you hit coin return.... I'm hoping dealing with one token at a time fixes that.... not sure if the empty rod will disable the replaced insert...

 

[MEP001]

There is a Coin Mech insert that will fit in a Laurel vendor that takes both .984" diameter tokens and quarters. That's what I have in mine until I eventually replace the vendors with electronic ones. It works for me because I dispense tokens mixed in with the quarters. The vendor works fine with .984 tokens, but I don't think the rest of the mechanism will work properly with any token bigger or smaller than that. And FYI I get a few Chuck E. Cheese tokens and some from another car wash in the vendors. One time I did put a Sensortron insert into a mechanical vendor.

 

[Rfreeman]

Mep can you send the link or info on this insert? I would like to start running a mix a quarters and tokens at one location because of the changer abuse that we are getting there. Also I think you have hamilton changer? Was anything needed there to make this change? I am running a Hamilton DRS, Coleman bay doors and combo vacs with Ginasan Sensatrons and laurel mechanical vendors.

Also where do you get the tokens from as well?

 

[Randy]

Call Chip at Laurel metals at 888-528-7358 he can help you with your problem. What size token and metal are you using? Who did you buy your tokens from? If your mixing tokens in with your quarters you want to use a .984 token. You don't have to do anything to your changer to dispense .984 tokens. We think mixing tokens in with your quarters isn't a good idea, why not just go all $1 tokens and be done with it. Use a high security token so you don't get everyone else's cheap .25 tokens.

 

[MEP001]

Mep can you send the link or info on this insert? I would like to start running a mix a quarters and tokens at one location because of the changer abuse that we are getting there.

Kleen-Rite Corporation - Mechanisms .984 token/.25 Mech.

Mechanisms .984 token/.25 Mech.

www.kleen-ritecorp.com

Also I think you have hamilton changer? Was anything needed there to make this change?

No, just mixed in the .984" tokens.

Also where do you get the tokens from as well?

The ones I ran out of were some old stock I bought, don't know where they came from but they have a © symbol. It was taking me two months to go through each hundred I put in the changer, the last 150 were gone in a week. I just ordered 10,000 more from Hoffman Mint. Gonna make some money off the abusers now. I may put up signs around the wash warning customers not to trade tokens for cash with anyone.

 

[MEP001]

why not just go all $1 tokens and be done with it.

Because customers don't want leftover tokens, especially around here. They don't even know what dollar coins are.

This guy has the right idea, he says it's been very successful.

 

[Dan-Ark]

My tokens are worth 1.00 and my quarters are still only .25. I don't think the "dual" mech will know the difference? I could dispense quarters in the changer but seems like a bad idea. but having a changer right next to a vending machine that are not compatible also seems bad. I had thought about trying to install this into the laurel in place of the .25 insert thats in there https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2849-token-insert-only-984.aspx

 

[MEP001]

That will do it.

 

[Randy]

My tokens are worth 1.00 and my quarters are still only .25. I don't think the "dual" mech will know the difference? I could dispense quarters in the changer but seems like a bad idea. but having a changer right next to a vending machine that are not compatible also seems bad. I had thought about trying to install this into the laurel in place of the .25 insert thats in there https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2849-token-insert-only-984.aspx

To do this right you’re going to need to change your vending machines from mechanical vendors to electronic vending machines. You can’t take 2 different coins in a mechanical coin acceptor that have 2 different values. Like said in an earlier post, call Chip at Laurel metals.

 

[Randy]

Because customers don't want leftover tokens, especially around here. They don't even know what dollar coins are.

This guy has the right idea, he says it's been very successful.

I'm sure our customers don't want the leftover extra tokens they get, no one has ever complained. We lose around 10,000 $1 tokens every 9 - 10 months. That's a pretty good return on a token that costs us .33.

 

[Dan-Ark]

I'll be happy if I can just take tokens. the towels are a dollar so they can put 1.00 in the changer, get a token and buy a towel. Now if they only have 4 quarters, that will be a problem. I'm just trying to put the old drop shelf that came with the wash to use. I have a 3 colum that has electric coin mechs but it would require a big hole in the wall and I don't have room for that without major reconsrtuction of front wall.

 

[MEP001]

You'll have a lot more trouble any way you try to do it. I'm going to replace my vendors with electronic just because of how stupid people are. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone deposit their money and then push the coin return. People put nickels, dimes, and pennies in it and jam it. Canadian quarters jam it because the gate doesn't open far enough to clear it from the magnet. At least once every two weeks I find one of them jammed for no apparent reason. I know enough about these machines that if I can't fix it, it can't be fixed, and they still give me trouble. The electronic ones are almost completely problem-free.

 

[soonermajic]

I got a lightly used 3 column electric vendor. We used it for Little Trees, & worked great. Then our wash had a MAJOR break in, went to a dbl changer & didn't realize we'd not have room for it. Couldn't put it downtown cause not enough room, or not a good area by vacs