Rowe BC 1400 question

[KleanRide]

Rowe BC1400 bill changers at the 7 bay SS that I've been renovating have been running smoothly since I bought the wash 3 months ago, but recently the hoppers in one unit are feeding coins at an uneven rate, causing it to drop out of service when one hopper empties out. I've emptied the hoppers, cleaned them out, checked for jammed coins, and cleaned the chain/track, but the problem persists.

Forgive my ignorance as I don't have much experience with those machines; anybody got any suggestions on what else I should tinker with?

 

[MEP001]

It's a pretty common issue. You can get the long brush from Kleen-Rite to clean the track, and you want to do it at least once a week. It sounds like it's programmed to pay out half the escrow from each hopper, which means if one doesn't pay out its half it shuts down. Set it to alternate and you'll have less trouble. It will try both hoppers twice, then if it can't fill it shuts down.

 

[KleanRide]

Thank you sir. I have the long brush and used it on Tuesday, also pulled a small piece of paper out of the chain track and thought that might be the problem. Made sure there was no more paper and cleaned it again, but the problem continues. These machines are old, and the previous owner said they were a pain in the arse...

 

[6t7gto]

If you don't have one...here's a link to the service manual.

https://www.vend-resource.com/sites/default/files/rowe-bc1200-bc1400-service-manual.pdf

 

[MEP001]

I used to run one, and I would clean the quarters before I put them in. It helps a lot. I built a sifter out of wood with hardware cloth for the bottom and if they were wet I'd dry them off, then transfer them onto a towel and wipe them down. I ended up replacing the hoppers just to get the capacity (It had the small hoppers and they didn't hold enough to get through a busy Friday or Saturday). With the quarters going in clean I only had to clean the hoppers maybe once a year.

 

[Randy]

These machines are old, and the previous owner said they were a pain in the arse...

Sifters, drying racks, wiping the coin before you put them in the hopper. I’d rip that piece of $hit! Rowe BC-1400 changer out and replace it with a Hamilton DRS changer with Mars validators. We installed a Hamilton DRS changer back in 1994 and it’s been a real work horse. We run our quarters though a Scan coin 303 counter sorter and put them into the changer, we don’t wipe them down, put them in a sifter. About once a year we clean out the Hopper with Windex and every 60 – 90 days we clean the validators with a little bit alcohol. Since we installed Mars validators years ago we very seldom ever have a problem with the Hamilton DRS changer. I know of a distributor in Texas who has a Standard changer retro fit kit for the Rowe BC-1400 changer.

 

[KleanRide]

I know of a distributor in Texas who has a Standard changer retro fit kit for the Rowe BC-1400 changer.

Thanks, Randy - can you shoot me his contact info?

 

[Greg Pack]

These machines are old, and the previous owner said they were a pain in the arse...

That's an understatement. I threw away my last rowe parts over ten years ago. If you can afford it, buy a Hamilton DRS with MEI validators and you will go 5+ years before it needs anything.

 

[KleanRide]

I'll double check but I believe these have already been converted.

 

[hombre]

I'll double check but I believe these have already been converted.

Rowes are junk!

 

[bigjws]

I've got 3 1400's in service, and 2 200's .. all have been in service for 15+ years, all updated to Mars validators years ago. I have to replace parts from time to time, clean tracks from time to time - but they have always been reliable for me. I've got mine set so both hoppers pay out, however if one is jammed or empty, it jumps to the other to finish filling the payout bucket. I have looked at replacing one of the 1400's at my largest wash, but it's for the lack of capacity.

 

[MEP001]

A wash I've been dealing with lately has two BC1400's both with a Mars conversion (Etowah Valley Genesys). Before the conversion they were both programmed to pay out of both hoppers at once because the refill rate is sooooooo slooooooow. Now if someone gets $10 in quarters it takes over a minute to pay out instead of just dumping the escrow bucket, and one keeps shutting down with random codes. The other is finicky because all the hoppers are worn the frick out. I did some measuring and it looks like a standard Hamilton HSH-Q hopper will fit with no problem. I might have to order a hopper, harness , controller and Mars adaptor for one to have at least one reliable changer.

 

[Randy]

A wash I've been dealing with lately has two BC1400's both with a Mars conversion (Etowah Valley Genesys). Before the conversion they were both programmed to pay out of both hoppers at once because the refill rate is sooooooo slooooooow. Now if someone gets $10 in quarters it takes over a minute to pay out instead of just dumping the escrow bucket, and one keeps shutting down with random codes. The other is finicky because all the hoppers are worn the frick out. I did some measuring and it looks like a standard Hamilton HSH-Q hopper will fit with no problem. I might have to order a hopper, harness , controller and Mars adaptor for one to have at least one reliable changer.

The Standard MC Hopper conversion kit was designed to replace the guts of the Rowe BC1400 changer. I don't recall the cost.