Maximum Accumulated Time

[smallpotatoes]

I'm a certified newbie to the car wash business. We've had our wash for almost 7 months now and I've been trying to do my own repairs and maintenance as much as possible so that I learn the details well. I haven't been able to find much information on this particular issue though.

We have US Paraplate T24120 timers and just found out that when the accumulated time exceeds about 10 minutes, 15 coins in our case, the timer is cancelled and everything shuts off until you put in the start up coin amount again. Needless to say this has upset a customer or two. Is this the intended behavior? Is there something wired wrong? Is there a way to correct/stop this shutoff behavior?

I tried emailing US Paraplate, but their contact form on the website is broken and their mailbox is full.

 

[OurTown]

Did you try calling them?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

That is the way it works. It will only accumulate 15 quarters and then it will reset. Unless you change to a modern timer, you'll have to live with it. ParaPlate replaced it with a 24200. I'm not sure how it works, but I would go with a different brand. The 24200 has a different way for the wires to connect, and in my case it was a royal pain to work with in the confines of a vacuum coin box.

 

[MEP001]

The newer Paraplate timers are anything but reliable. I'd recommend either an IDX AT411E or a GinSan GS-402. Both these timers accumulate 255 coins. I'd choose the IDX if you happen to also have them in your vacuums. Or you might take this opportunity to upgrade to a digital display timer like a Dixmor.

 

[smallpotatoes]

Thank you for the answers. Finding out the 15 quarter limit has definitely sped up my timer upgrade timeline. I was looking into the Dixmor led7 timers, but not looking forward to chopping up the meter doors.

 

[OurTown]

I would recommend getting custom doors made.

 

[MEP001]

I've cut the openings for timers. It takes some time to do it neatly but it doesn't cost much if you have the tools already. I did some vacuums by drilling two holes with a step drill and finishing with an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

not looking forward to chopping up the meter doors.

Some of us are good at things like that, and some of us, well, not so much.
I had etowah valley create custom doors for me - cutouts for the dixmor timer, coin acceptor, cam lock, bolting studs welded on.
Their prices are reasonable, and they can do the stickers for the door too if you want.

 

[pgrzes]

Dixmor is a standup company. Great to deal with very helpful and dependable. IDX,??? well not so much. no help, no service and dependability not so much anymore!!

 

[Earl Weiss]

I've cut the openings for timers. It takes some time to do it neatly but it doesn't cost much if you have the tools already. I did some vacuums by drilling two holes with a step drill and finishing with an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel.

Did mine with a roto zip metal cutting wheel. First one I drilled holes at corners and cut slots to the holes. Next 3 I just cut the slots almost to the corners on one side then on the other and finished with a dremel cutting wheel. Drilling mounting holes and cutting was about 30 minutes per door. I mounted mine as low as possible with the credit card swiper above. 4 doors used 2 cutting wheels.

 

[MEP001]

The door I pictured above took me maybe 15 minutes from start to completion, including drilling/tapping the four small holes for the screws so they would act as mounting studs.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The door I pictured above took me maybe 15 minutes from start to completion, including drilling/tapping the four small holes for the screws so they would act as mounting studs.

Was your step drill "Cobalt" . You are fast. At 1 minute to drill and one minute to tap and insert bolts, that is 8 minutes, then the 2 step drill holes and cutting in 7 minutes. (Not to mention layout / marking time.) More than one drill chucked and ready before time starts?

 

[OurTown]

It would take me more than 15 minutes just to gather all my tools.

 

[MEP001]

Was your step drill "Cobalt" . You are fast. At 1 minute to drill and one minute to tap and insert bolts, that is 8 minutes, then the 2 step drill holes and cutting in 7 minutes. (Not to mention layout / marking time.) More than one drill chucked and ready before time starts?

Harbor Freight step drill set, used a Harbor Freight drill press, maybe a minute per hole. The holes were drilled with a good quality 1/8" cobalt bit which is slightly oversized for a #6 screw, but then I can just chuck the tap into my drill, so the four holes took maybe 90 seconds drilled and tapped. The rest was cutting with an angle grinder. I didn't count setup time, so yeah it probably took a half hour all in.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Is your "Step Drill" cobalt or titanium? from Harbor freight? Dang, May need to get one of the drill presses now.

 

[MEP001]

It says titanium coated but I doubt there's enough coating to really do anything. Regardless, they work really well for the price. This set is on sale for $5.99 a few times a year.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-pie...oated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-91616.html

I chose this drill press over a similar Delta that's actually a little cheaper from Home Depot. The HF one has a much slower lowest speed which is better for drilling stainless. It was sloppy and needed some adjustment but it does the job.

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-in-12-speed-bench-drill-press-63471.html

Harbor Freight titanium twist drill bits are absolute trash. I bought a pack of 1/8" and could hardly make a divot in stainless. I use Triumph cobalt and can make hundreds of 1/8" holes in stainless with one bit. The step bits will start a hole in stainless but it'll take at least a minute in 12 gauge where the cobalt get through easily in a few seconds.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Like you I typically use cobalt for twist bits. I was recently pleasantly surprised by how well the HPF step Titanium did in Stainless. I was too cheap to spend money for Cobalt step bits. Plus with the drill doctor i can sharpen the cobalt. HF cobalt twist bits worked well.

 

[MEP001]

My Harbor Freight doesn't carry cobalt bits except in a set, and I only use 1/8".

I've been meaning to try and sharpen a HF step bit, but I end up losing or breaking them before they get dull. My plan is to take a grinder with a cutoff disk to the groove and come in under to remove the chipped shoulder. I've seen it done with an Irwin bit but the guy used a bench grinder so it would no longer drill in stainless.