Jim Coleman Combo Vac Issue -

[slash007]

I have 2 JC combo vacs that are giving me fits. At first the bill acceptor stopped working. I would take the dollar bill, but the timer wasn't turning on. Using coins or the cryptopay cc worked fine. If you reset the breaker, it would work completely fine for a few hours or 1/2 days, then the same issue would arise. This was a few months ago and after troubleshooting it to death, I just gave up and unplugged the bill acceptor.

Last month, I noticed that that using credit cards did the same thing. Once the card was verified, the timer wasn't being turned on. Once again, resetting the breaker would temporarily fix the issue. I wasn't sure what to try, so I just moved the cc to another vac and left it with coin acceptance only. This happened on both vacs that were giving me that issue (both at different locations). So on both I had only coin acceptance.

Now one of the vacs is doing the same thing with the coin acceptor. Put your money in and the timer doesn't register the pulse. A reset fixes it. I really need to find the root cause, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[slash007]

I wanted to update as I have another issue that crept up on two different shampoo vacs. The 1034S timer will get stuck on the word "vac" and then won't do anything unless it's reset. Since it's stuck, any money put in is not credited. I have tried switching the timer with another vacuum and the problem does not follow the timer, so that's not the issue. Something in the vac is causing the timer to freeze. Any ideas would be great. Thanks.

 

[txheat]

My 1st guess would be the timer because here is the theory of operation.
Coins are deposit into coin acceptor --> coin acceptor send out 24v pulse to the timer --> timer reads 24v to turn on price programmed --> once amount is reached, timer turn on the 24v Mercury Relay --> Mercury Relay send power to the vac motor --> motor run which draw air through hose into the machine and through filter bags.

Work your way through that.

 

[txheat]

I forgot about the given, which is before this process. Given there is 110v going into the unit. If there is 110v then check transformer (blue is hot, yellow is neutral). if no voltage going out of transformer replace transformer.....

 

[slash007]

Thanks for your response, but what is occurring pretty much defies logic. The coin acceptor, bill acceptor and cc reader all have the coin signal wires tied together along with the coin signal from the timer. They all work initially, then after a few hours up to a day or two, the bill acceptor and the cc reader accept money, but do not send a signal to the timer. The coin acceptor still does. Replacing the bill and cc readers did not fix the problem. Moved them to another vac and they work fine. How can the coin acceptor still function normally while only the other two quit? Why does everything work again once the vac has the power reset? I spoke to JC for a while and they couldn't really help me. I have replaced the timer with no change. Not sure what else to try.

My second issue are the vacs that are causing the timer to freeze on the work "vac". It's not a problem with the timer on those vacs, so the vac is somehow causing the timer to freeze.

Thanks.

 

[MEP001]

It could be a power issue - put a voltmeter on it and start it on vac and see if the voltage takes a huge dip. If it does, try a vac near it and see if the same problem vac has a voltage spike. A weak common connection can cause all sorts of sporadic problems with power.

 

[slash007]

It could be a power issue - put a voltmeter on it and start it on vac and see if the voltage takes a huge dip. If it does, try a vac near it and see if the same problem vac has a voltage spike. A weak common connection can cause all sorts of sporadic problems with power.

I will try that. Just test the 24 volts coming out of the transformer?

 

[MEP001]

Either that or the incoming voltage.

 

[slash007]

Either that or the incoming voltage.

I measured the voltage as you suggested and didn't see any large fluctuations. Voltage was at 27.2 off, and dropped to 25.8 when on. this was the same across all vacuums. Voltage was steady when other vacs were turned on.

 

[txheat]

Thanks for your response, but what is occurring pretty much defies logic. The coin acceptor, bill acceptor and cc reader all have the coin signal wires tied together along with the coin signal from the timer. They all work initially, then after a few hours up to a day or two, the bill acceptor and the cc reader accept money, but do not send a signal to the timer. The coin acceptor still does. Replacing the bill and cc readers did not fix the problem. Moved them to another vac and they work fine. How can the coin acceptor still function normally while only the other two quit? Why does everything work again once the vac has the power reset? I spoke to JC for a while and they couldn't really help me. I have replaced the timer with no change. Not sure what else to try.

My second issue are the vacs that are causing the timer to freeze on the work "vac". It's not a problem with the timer on those vacs, so the vac is somehow causing the timer to freeze.

Thanks.

Ha..ha.. coleman equipment defies logic. Im having problems with fusionx myself and yes their tech support, only support the illogical issues that they have. By the time you finished they probably tell you to replace every component in the machine. oops i digress.... part and components work sometimes gives you a sign that they will fail. For example, on fusionx they have banner eyes and prox. these components have led to show they have power to them and yet sometimes they failed but the led still are lit. Error pops up saying they didnt work, but after a reset everything works normal again. So the point is replace with new set, meaning bill acceptor, coin acceptor, and cc acceptor and timer to see if that vac have the same problem. Even bad wirings could be the cause for the short and reset would temporarily fix the issue until it short again.
So logically, if you follow the operating chart, vac motor comes on last and most likely not the culprit. Troubleshoot with voltage, transformer, the acceptors, timer , then the relay.

 

[slash007]

I have previously tried replacing both bill acceptor and cc swiper with no luck. Both also work fine in other vacs. The only thing I haven't tried was replacing all of the wiring. I have gone over all of it and it looks fine, but you never know.

 

[trs246810]

What ended up being wrong?

 

[slash007]

Replaced the timer to a Dixmor LED6s and is working so far. That one has a dedicated bill input, so that might have fixed it.