Validator making grinding noise...

[Rudy]

My manager calls me, and tells me that the Hamilton XE in the changer is making a "grinding noise". He swaps it with a spare, and all is OK.

He drops the bad one off at my house. After an hour or so, I get a test cord out....and it runs perfectly fine. 20-30 bills go through first and every time.

My question.....Could a heat tape failure cause such a symptom? It's funny the thing runs fine after being inside where it's warm....

I'll check in the morning to see if the heat tape works..but in the meantime.....it makes me curious ?

 

[Randy]

I know exactly what your problem is. The drive train needs to be serviced. The ?grinding noise? is the cogged belt jumping the cogs on the motor. When it gets warm it will free up enough to make it run fine, when gets cold again it will make noise.

 

[Rudy]

We did indeed find the thermostat that runs the Heat Tape defective. I had a spare, so things are now toasty. Randy, does Hamilton sell just the thermostat? The spare I had was saved from an old broken unit. What temperatures does that thing operate? I'm guessing it's a Normally Open unit that closes below 50 Degrees F or so....

 

[Randy]

Hamilton no longer sells just the thermostat. You have to buy the Heater Assembly #48-0006A. It should come On at about 40 deg. or so.

 

[jprb]

Randy,
Is the 'grinding noise' something that can be serviced in the field, or does the validator need to be sent in?

Thanks, JPRB

 

[Randy]

It?s a good idea to send it in for servicing when it starts to ?grind?. It has to be completely torn down, normally it?ll need a new drive belt, axle and or bearing.