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Mars into Hamilton

You get it from Etowah. Mine count coins out. If X amt. of coins is exceeded within a set amt. of time the alarm sounds and the changer shuts down. I think he also makes it where it will count bills in, but that's not as good because it leaves you vulnerable to jackpotting the hopper. It just plugs inline with the hopper and has two terminals for hooking up the siren. The siren wires are the only wires you have to hook up. He has everything you need. If you don't install the siren don't bother buying the monitor. The crooks will just string it until it shuts down and come back later for more...been there, done that.
 
I've seen video of stringing done in the middle of the day. There were two guys, one working as a lookout, leaning against the wall to shield what the other was doing from the wash customers. When someone came up to get quarters, the stringer went back to their car to empty his pockets, and the lookout stayed leaning against the wall and talked to the customer while he got change.

If someone has learned how to get around the validator timeout for multiple bills of the same denomination, won't they be able to figure out the alarm? What happens if an actual customer happens to put in the right combination and sets off the alarm? Can't they just keep stringing in small amounts with an alarm? It may cost more, but I feel in the long run you'll be better off replacing the validator with a Mars, then you can re-enable the $10 and $20 as well.
 
MEP001 said:
If someone has learned how to get around the validator timeout for multiple bills of the same denomination, won't they be able to figure out the alarm?

What happens if an actual customer happens to put in the right combination and sets off the alarm?

Can't they just keep stringing in small amounts with an alarm?

It may cost more, but I feel in the long run you'll be better off replacing the validator with a Mars, then you can re-enable the $10 and $20 as well.
Click to expand...

Yes they could figure out the quantities to set off the alarm, but in my 10 years of having them no one has, or maybe they did but no one ever came back to prove it. The quantities and time can be changed as well. The siren is the key. They don't come back.

If an actual customer sets it off he was using me as a bank and not a CW customer, so I did get too worked up about it if and when it happens. Besides, they only do it once.

Yes, I guess theoretically they could keep stringing for small amounts, but in reality it NEVER happened. Once again, EVERY stringer that set it off NEVER returned.

I'm not against the Mars conversion. I have them in virtually everything I own. They are the best thing going, but they don't protect against harness tampering, payout switch access, and controller manipulation.

By monitoring coins out you have a safety net for all of the above. Who knows when the Mars will get figured out and it becomes the next HVX? What about laundering robbery money? Maybe someday someone will figure out how to counterfeit money that will fool current validators...you never know. A lot of the other methods they use we thought couldn't happen.

Monitors are money well spent. When I had mine made (before Etowah made one) we had $700 worth of hardware in each of the four we made. They have paid for themselves and have even gotten a couple of crooks caught.
 
It's great that it works; I'm probably just looking at it from a worst-case scenario. For example when we were first getting strung, they were hitting with $20's, so I disabled them. Then they started using $10's, which is when we ordered the Mars (and also disabled $10's). By the time they arrived we'd been hit again with $5's.
 
The kit arrived on Thursday. As soon as it warms up a little I will install it. What have I overlooked? I am a little confused about the programming coupons. Am I required to use one or can I just set the dip switches?
 
The instructions that came with the kit say DO NOT change the dip switches. Apparently if I want to change anything from the way it was oeiginally programmed I have to fill out a new coupon. I kinda like the dip switch method myself.

I'm off to the wash to give this thing a test drive before I take the original Hamilton stuff out.
 
It's been pre-programmed with the coupon that's included with the Etowah Valley paperwork, and I believe that includes disabling the $20 bills, and the rest set to high security. If you change any of the DIP switches, it disables the coupon program and settings. I cut out the coupon from the Mars manual and fill it in the way I need it, including $20's. Be sure to leave $2 disabled since it will accept the bills but not give change for it.
 
My test drive had a minor(?) hiccup. I turned off power to the changer, removed the controller and replaced the original V1.9 chip with the one supplied with the kit. I then unplugged the dual stacker and removed it so I could have a little elbow room. I plugged the stacker bypass connector into the connector that I had unplugged from the stacker. Next I unplugged the connector from the Hamilton validator and connected the mars setup in its place. So far so good. Turned on the power and the controller blinks a 6-1 which is "stacker busy timeout". The Mars was blinking red twice quickly which means "disabled from system". It was gettting cold and dark so I put everything back like it was before I started and all is well.

Is there something else I need to do because I was using the Hamilton dual stacker instead of the single stacker?

All suggestions are appreciated. I will call EVE tomorrow.

Thanks in advance,
Wayne
 
MEP001,
Thanks, I was thinking I changed a switch somewhere when I added the dual stacker. I will change #2 tomorrow.
 
I start my project tomorrow. I just got 2 of them in. It looks easy enough, but Im sure there will be some fun surprises waiting for me. Question--my changer does not have a stacker on it, the old owner thought if u take the stacker out you would not be able to get strung, and therefore im not sure which is the stacker plug. I found one plug that has some kind of by-pass on it, its a purple wire going into a fitting. Is that what u guys are talking about when u say u have to by-pass the stacker harness--is mine already by-passed? I dont see any other plugs that came with the evo kits to by-pass. I hope this is the case.
 
Kool wash
Your good to go. Your stacker is allready bypassed. All you should have to do is check the version of the controller and change the software if needed.
 
yep just re-read the whole thread and someone already mentions the purple wiring. thanks. the version of the controller, that is changed out with the chip provided right?
 
That is correct, when you change the chip you change the version of the controller. It’s not always necessary to change the chip. It depends on what version you have now.
 
Randy, MEP 001, anybody,

My second try was a little better but I'm still not there. Changed the dip switch setting from dual stacker to single stacker. Reinstalled the EVE chip, bypassed the stacker and plugged in the Mars. Everything is looking good. Fed a dollar into the validator. 4 quarters were dispensed. Great, lets do this again. Nope. The controller was blinking a 6-1, "stacker busy timeout". Reset the controller and was able to get change for another bill. then 6-1 again. Tried a 5 this time. Worked great except 6-1 again.
Now what? I ran several ones, a couple of fives and a twenty through the Mars and had to reset the controller after every bill. Help, please

Thanks,
Wayne
 
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