Phantom Shut Offs

[Bubbles Galore]

This has happened twice in the past few days. A customer pulls up to the ACW and puts in a new style $10 bill into the XE validator. They select the top wash, a $1 coin is dispensed and then the GFI trips and shuts off the ACW leaving the customer stranded...wtf?

The power is fully grounded and on its own 20 amp breaker...I can't even think of what to check as to why this would happen?

Any ideas?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I'm wondering if it could be the relay that sends the signal to the UCC cabinet? Is that a probable cause?

 

[Whale of a Wash]

You could always trade the relays around, and see if it makes a difference. It sounds more like a stacker or dispenser problem. You can bypass the stacker, and then try the same scenario, and then unplug the coin dispenser if stacker is fine. The stacker has a bypass plug to plug back into to run without it. It's been 10yrs since i first unplugged the stacker, and used a bucket. And now a couple years since i got the mars, so the headaches are mostly forgotten memories. I am not sure but think my relays are 20yrs old, so they seem less likely to fail.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

You could always trade the relays around, and see if it makes a difference. It sounds more like a stacker or dispenser problem. You can bypass the stacker, and then try the same scenario, and then unplug the coin dispenser if stacker is fine. The stacker has a bypass plug to plug back into to run without it. It's been 10yrs since i first unplugged the stacker, and used a bucket. And now a couple years since i got the mars, so the headaches are mostly forgotten memories. I am not sure but think my relays are 20yrs old, so they seem less likely to fail.

Seems like a reasonable assumption, but why on only my top wash and with a ten dollar bill? Is that just a fluke?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

How do I bypass the stacker? I just had a customer call me because it did it again...

 

[Whale of a Wash]

After you unplug the stacker the harness should have a spot to plug back into that connector, i think it's on the same harness. I can't remember where it is but looks like the smart acw guys aren't here so you got me. You can call me iif you like.
John

 

[MEP001]

What happens with a $20?

Make sure you don't swap the cycle inhibit relay with any of the other four relays - the coil voltages are different.

 

[Bill Manke]

I had a ACW years ago. It had a problem with the relays where they connect in the back. It is kinda hard to explain but if you take relay assembly out of the cabinet and look at the back side of them they were all bare wire soldered from one connector to the next. they go right past each other. I had two of the wires would move and touch. I guess from heat then they would touch and short it out.

 

[kentadel]

Since this happens after the bill is accepted and change is givin, would it more likely be in the relay or wire connection that sends the signal to your automatic equipment? On my last hamilton acw I had a wire from a selection button loom short out against the cabinet door, would let the customer select, but then do differant things, cancel the wash, car wash busy, etc.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I personally cannot get the failure to repeat after trying multiple times. At the advice of Randy, I replaced the gfi with a regular plug to see if that would solve the issue. If not, I will begin looking at stacker harnesses and such...i can fix most anything, but if I can't nail down the issue, it gets to be a bit frustrating for me and my customers...especially with my cc system being down as well.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

After speaking with a tech over in Grand Rapids, he seems to think that there is a short somewhere in the system that is reaching the amperage limit when the validator or hopper runs. Does that make sense?

Could that be the reason that my modem went nutty?

 

[MEP001]

I considered that too, which is why I asked what happens when someone pays with a $20.

Could that be the reason that my modem went nutty?

I wouldn't think so, unless the short somehow sent a surge into the modem. Usually a grounding of power that trips a GFCI will just kill power and not harm electronics. You might make sure the cabinet is grounded properly and make sure this problem is corrected before you put the modem back in, just in case.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Well I unhooked the stacker and removed it and covered all wire nut connections with friction tape...since there is over an inch of rain forecasted for the next day, I can't get anyone in here to wash their vehicles. I did run 20-25 vends and I couldn't get it to replicate the issue...I guess I'm crossing my fingers again...

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Well I unhooked the stacker and removed it and covered all wire nut connections with friction tape...since there is over an inch of rain forecasted for the next day, I can't get anyone in here to wash their vehicles. I did run 20-25 vends and I couldn't get it to replicate the issue...I guess I'm crossing my fingers again...

So far so good...I'm wondering if I should try and put the GFI back in to see if I can narrow it down to either being the stacker or the GFI plug? Thoughts?

 

[pitzerwm]

GFIs do go bad.