Keypad light?

[Waxman]

Is the Shurvend key pad supposed to be lit at night?

My machine is lit well internally but a non-lit keypad makes buying an item near impossible unless you light the key pad with your cell phone and that is simply asking too much of the customer!

 

[pitzerwm]

Look at adding some LED lighting around/above the keypad, or a floodlight on a sensor, that comes on and reflects on to the keypad.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Not a bad idea!!

Wax,

The answer to your question about the keypad being lighted is no!! The way it is built (a peice glavanized steel with 12 pressure switches glued onto that) there is no way to backlight it. That is really not a bad idea. Whether we can get AMS to do it is quite another matter. Hadn't really thought about it, but maybe it is worth pursuing using LEDs.

Uncle Sam

 

[Waxman]

Well of course it's a good idea! Lighting the keypad seems like something that should definitely be engineered into these machines and I am surprised it's something I have to re-engineer myself!

I'm sorry, but if a Polack like me has to re-design so many aspects of my newer carwash (from IBA parts to garage door operators to vending machines), what does that say for the engineers who design this stuff and the companies that sell it?

Not trying to get too down on Shurvend here, because maybe this is a minor thing and I am lumping it in with others on other equipment, but I'm frustrated at times having to re-design and tweak so many seemingly top-notch and expensive items!!! Pure B.S.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I think i can see the keypad real well, during the day, and mine are in entry ways so easy to see at night. It is probably a feature that probably hasn't been asked of the guys that build em, or it might have a light. I wish it had a voice , as no one reads the display.. It would say- Look again for the towel Dumb ass, and don't kick me!

 

[Uncle Sam]

Wax & all,

Just when I think I am getting a handle on the design of these vendors for the car wash environment, you guys come up with another good idea that no one thought about. Wax, most of the engineers that design and build any equipment are not the end users. It can work great in the lab or shop, but, you get it out in the real world, weak spots show up quickly. The market for these vendors is for indoor use where lighting is not a problem. Now outdoors, that is another matter.

I doubt the manufacturer is interested in redesigning for this "want", but we'll see what we can find out about back-lighting or LED use.

Uncle Sam

 

[Eric H]

Here ya go, Dave!
http://compare.ebay.com/like/250696...fd94461&itemid=250696640872&ff4=263602_309572
Just drill a hole in the SS mask, install light, and a 12V transformer.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Eric H,

Good lead on LEDs. But I think one needs 12 volt DC power and not 12 volt AC which you would get off a transformer. There may be a way to get 12 volt DC off the control board in the vendor. I will check.

Uncle Sam

 

[pitzerwm]

Just get a 12DC wall wart, and wire in a plug.

Dave if it wasn't for the re-engineering, there wouldn't be any fun owning stuff.

 

[Eric H]

According to the AMS website there is 24VAC in the machine.

So you could use this: http://www.directron.com/dvcpc24vc.html?gsear=1

OR
You could wire a cigarette lighter adapter to the plate light and use this: http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/tractodclipl.html
Just plug it directly into the 120V plug in the machine. If it were me however, I would not trust this for continuous duty. This might be a case for adding fire suppression to the unit. I'll work on that next!

 

[Eric H]

Bill, I thought "wall wart"was some kind of typo. I've never heard them called that before.
http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/category/68

 

[Uncle Sam]

Eric H,

You are correct; the control board is supplied with 24 VAC. The converter from 24 VAC to 12 VDC would work great. Then it is just a matter of finding the right LED light combination to do the keypad. You guys are sure smart!!!!! I learn new things every day!

Uncle Sam

 

[Waxman]

I'll put lighting the keypad area on my to-do list and post when I git R dun.

Yeah, Bill, I guess re-engineering is fun, in a way. More like when installing a whale tail on a 300Z or a wood dash kit on a Volvo S60, but I suppose carwash equipment can be looked at similarly.

I'd say add a 'reengineering' section to the ACF, but really the whole site is about this topic in some regard.