Coinco Validator updates

[Mel(NC)]

I have 4 Mag 62BB Coinco validators in meter boxes and 1 BP4SX Coinco validator in a change machine. I just got off the phone with Coinco and they said I would need to buy 3 different programmers to upgrade my two different validators. Two programmers are needed to upgrade to the new $5 bill and one more programmer is needed to reload the in-bay validators to accept coupons. This just seems crazy to me. The alternative is to remove all my validators and send then into Conco's service center which means I would be without a change machine for a week or two. This is the first time I have had to update validators. Are all brands this difficult/expensive to update? It looks like there are some definite opportunities to improve the design of these. I talked to my distributor but he said they also send them off for updates. How is everyone else dealing with upgrades?

 

[MEP001]

I've ordered two spare validators, one for the changer and one for the bays, so I can send them off one at a time and have nothing down.

 

[Randy]

Mel, this is one of the reasons I particularly don?t care for the Coinco validators. You have to use 2 different programmers and you have to reprogram the coupon when you upgrade the validator. The best validator for your application would have to be the Mars. If you had Mars validators I?d put you on the list to use my programmer and you can do the upgrade yourself. I have 2 Mars programmers out now. Your not the only one who has concerns about upgrading there BP4SX validator, I?m trying to get a recon BP4SX to send out as a loaner. I?ve been having operators send there Coinco validators in and we get them back out within 24 hours by Priority mail. The Mars validators we get in for updating are here only a few hours.

 

[washnvac]

CoinCos are cheap enought to keep spares. You can get refurbs from Amercian Changer cheap, cheap. I just bought 2 mag 52 sa units for $189 each. They were already upgraded for the new 5, so I am just swapping my others out. I have 20 CoinCos, with 8 spares that I have accumulated. (2 spares for each of my four washes). It is easier to send them off for upgrade/cleaning; and even that is cheap compared to others.