I still get a large number of Mars validators in for repair that are heavily water damaged. Seems the customers seem to think that they'll get free time or the validator will jackpot if they spray them with the high pressure water. Mars discontinued the AE2412 $1 & $5 validator that was used in most coin boxes so now you can only get the AE2602 $1 - $20 validator, you can turn off th $20 acceptance pretty easy, the $10 has to be reprogrammed out. Repair parts for the AE2602 are a lot more expensive than the AE2412 repairs. The lower bezel screws are another problem. The screws will rust and seize into the frame. When go to remove the screws to get the bezel off the screws will come out of the plastic frame, ruining the frame. We've been coating the screws with antiseize grease, this seems to help a lot.
Installing larger meter boxes
- Thread starter OurTown
- Start date
Damoni88
Active member
I empty them every 2 days. I also have 22 cameras on property. There is not a place they can go where camerawont see them.
soapy
Senior Member
When I remodeled my SS bays years ago needing larger bay boxes I just went with surface mounts from Etowah Valley. All I had to do was make a V shaped chute that let the quarters run down into the existing safes. I bolted them in real good and have not had them broken into in 12 years. It let me add the bill acceptor and CC readers as well as more functions without having to do any block or concrete work.
JoshsWashes
Member
Yeah my credit card sales are starting to catch up and if not pass up the coin sales... just sayin. I think I’ve heard of a few guys that are pure Cashless now.
Damoni88
Active member
If you know what your doing anything can be opened. The vaults are the safest by far and we had someone get in those. He knew what he was doing and my cameras got the plate. So if these idiots and yes we deal with idiots every day wanna try it let them try. My washes are manned 3 times a day and often patrolled at night.
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Thieves don’t know you empty out every 2 days. When they wear hoodies, sunglasses and cover the license plate with a plastic bag, 22 cameras won’t do you much good. It’s not the money, it’ the damage to the equipment that pisses everyone off here. They’ve cut open in broad daylight 2 combo vac’s since Sunday, they probably did $2500 to $3000 damage to the equipment. They went for one thing the bill validators, they might have gotten $40 max. Left the coins alone. The car wash business SUCKS!!
Damoni88
Active member
Your 100% correct that we as owners get sh!t on by the public and OUR buisness is a sitting duck. Oh and yes it does SUCK!! BUT when i do my end of the month books and have 25k up to 45k per month all that sucks in the buisness turns to pure joy!
soapy
Senior Member
If I had to put up with all the crap that Randy and Jerry have to I would fence my entire lot off and put in a toll gate that only took credit cards. People would have to pay a toll to even get on the property. That might keep the dumpers and scammers off for a while.
All the bull $hit wears on you after you’ve been in the car wash business for over 20 years. I couldn’t tell how many operators I’ve seen come and go over the years, here today gone tomorrow. It doesn’t take them long to find out what crap business the self-serve car wash business is. I had a good friend who was in the car wash business it didn’t take him long to find out how crappy it was. He had 4 car washes under lease. The final straw was Christmas Eve they pulled the power meter off the wall, cut all the phone and internet wires, smashed in the door to the equipment room and cut the back off the changer, they got about $75. He spent his Christmas guarding the car wash because he couldn’t find any place to buy a door. He said this is bull $hit and walked away from all of them and couldn’t have been happier. Sure there is some pretty good money in it but money isn’t everything, there’s more to life than money. I know some operators who can’t ever take a holiday or get away for a few days because they are tired down to the car wash. There whole life revolves around the car wash. If they manage to get away for a few days they worry constantly if something is broken or the equipment room is going to get broken into etc. Then there is the public’s perception of the car wash industry and it’s pretty low. Seems Self-Serve car washes have an imagine problem and most cities don’t want car washes, because of the problems they bring in. It’s wonderful $hit business. I’m just getting started.
Damoni88
Active member
Everything your saying is spot on. You have been doing it along time! I have 3 washes under me and 2 are pretty well off but the other one just needs a whole new makeover. Its really sad we wanna make sh!t nice for customers when all they do is tear it up. Raised prices and got rid of alot of the sh!tters and i feel alot better about cleaning up now. I used to get so pissed off now i kinda just say o well i made money. Your right money isnt everything but its damn sure important in my world being a single dad raising a kid in private school and i wanna spoil her to death. My dad did it 17 years and called it quits in march 19. So maybe its about that time for ya. We have all had our share of malicious bullsh!t happen to us but Mr Randy yours seems like it happens alot more often and i hate that for you or any other carwash owner/operator.
SearcyCarWash
New member
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OurTown
Well-known member
We picked up three used National Pride meter boxes this week for a good price. They are complete with heaters, Mars validators, MA800 coin mechs, and prepped for Cryptopay. These things are stout (I really like the mouth welded around the validator opening) and even have the optional bolt on vaults. That gives us options on whether we are going to replace our boxes where they are using the existing safes in the bump out or install them in the corner and build a new bump out. We would like to use our LED6s but the boxes have the LED7s with the cutout right at 2 1/2" wide which would probably make it hard to see at an angle. They need to go to at least 3" wide. Also we want to upgrade the 10 position switches to 12 position. Should we get the four studs welded on the back of the doors or just drill holes and through bolt them?
https://www.carwashsuperstore.com/Product/1162/Meter-Box
https://www.carwashsuperstore.com/Product/1162/Meter-Box
MEP001
Well-known member
They're expensive, but Kleen-Rite has a 12 position switch that mounts in the same keyed 1/2" hole as the 8- and 10-position switches.
www.kleen-ritecorp.com
I've redone three washes now with standard Weben doors and LED6 timers. At a 45 degree angle to the door you can still see about half the dots of the edge row. IMO there's no real compromise in reading the diplay whether it's scrolling or counting up/down.
12 Position Rotary Switch - Electroswitch
Electronic Rotary Switches at the best prices. 12 Position Electroswitch and more in stock. SHop online or call 800-233-3873
I've redone three washes now with standard Weben doors and LED6 timers. At a 45 degree angle to the door you can still see about half the dots of the edge row. IMO there's no real compromise in reading the diplay whether it's scrolling or counting up/down.
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OurTown
Well-known member
They're expensive, but Kleen-Rite has a 12 position switch that mounts in the same keyed 1/2" hole as the 8- and 10-position switches.
12 Position Rotary Switch - Electroswitch
Electronic Rotary Switches at the best prices. 12 Position Electroswitch and more in stock. SHop online or call 800-233-3873
I've redone three washes now with standard Weben doors and LED6 timers. At a 45 degree angle to the door you can still see about half the dots of the edge row. IMO there's no real compromise in reading the diplay whether it's scrolling or counting up/down.
I have seen those switches at KR before but I think it might pay off in the long run to prep it for the more common, less expensive flanged type. Now is one of those few times I wish I had not sold my tig welder.
Before I commit to opening the timer cutout wider I should see what it looks like with an LED6 powered up in there. The concern was that the door is 3/16", plus the Lexan cover plus the distance from the front of the timer to the actual LEDs really add up.
OurTown
Well-known member
If we were to cut our openings larger in our current bump out then how would we connect the coin chute pipe going from the box down to the safe? It is hard to tell how they are currently connected but I can see threads. Does anyone know how Super Wash connected these? I suppose we could cut out a whole block to connect the pipe and then mortar it back in. I'm just trying to compare this project to building new bump outs in the corners.
MEP001
Well-known member
I've created studs in stainless MB doors by drilling the hole and tapping it only partway with a taper tap, using a dab of red Loctite and with a double-nut on a cut-off piece of threaded rod just threading it in with a nut driver. It takes some experimentation to get the right depth - I generally try to get the stud to poke through a bit, then grind off the excess, and it just vanishes. Since you'll be covering that area with a decal it won't even matter if the stud doesn't come through.
OurTown
Well-known member
When I get a chance I'll install an LED6 to see how bad it is. I will look into having a fab shop weld the studs on and cut the openings larger. Maybe National Pride will do that. BTW your video shows the same functions and what order we will have except an Air Shammee after the spot free. It is perfect in my opinion. I'm amazed at the order of the order of some car washes. For example the car wash these boxes came from had this for order of functions: Soap, Tire Cleaner, Foam Brush, Rinse, Wax, Presoak, Rinse. I have seen worse but this is pretty goofy where the presoak is and no spot free but has tire cleaner?
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Car_Wash_Guy
Well-known member
I’ve owned 4 other types of business and trust me, they all tire you of the petty bullshite eventually
