5 replies to this topic

[tyguy101a]

Hi Everybody, about a year ago I bought a used Dixie Narco 501e for my board game store. I've kept the old girl going, swapped the thermostat out, set it up for 16oz cans, but have had a hell of a time with water bottles. The most readily available and cost effective vendible water for sale in my area is 20oz poland spring (I tried the 20oz aquafinas but they are too expensive and still have issues). I know my machine wasn't built for the poland springs but I'm hoping there is a way to change that. When I put the bottles in they tend to double vend or not vend at all, then they jam. I've linked some pictures below to show the machine and what it is doing. My hope is it is something as simple as replacing a shim, I just don't know which one to order.

 

Help me Vending Wan Kenobis, you are my only hope!

 

Machine exterior: https://s11.postimg....5pdd/file_1.jpg

Machine interior: https://s11.postimg....zol2r/file1.jpg

Bottles Attempted: https://s11.postimg....m48tv/file4.jpg

In the chute:  https://s11.postimg....iky43/file2.jpg

Closeup of chute: https://s11.postimg....2w4ab/file3.jpg

Motor dial: https://s11.postimg....kazsj/file5.jpg (I put some ink so the text would be easier to read)

Jammed Bottle: https://s11.postimg....ab/file_1_1.jpg

[AZVendor]

Unless you're doing water in every column you should try to keep it in the narrow columns only.  In any event, whatever you choose to vend in the wide column will require shims on each side of the column.  If you do the water in a narrow column and are bent on selling 20 oz bottles then you'll need to use either Dasani or Aquafina bottles that are hard when they are warm.  That will mean that the bottles are injected with nitrogen to stiffen them up for vending.  If any bottle is squishy when it's warm it will jam when cold because the bottles soften up when then get cold.  Since you can get Poland Springs in 20 oz sizes then try to find it in 16.0 oz size as that is a bottle actually designed for vending.  The bottles are ribbed for stiffness and then they fit into a column that using a can setting.  In this case you'll need a can shim in a narrow column with a rod/spring inserted into the rotor.  You then set your motor cam to show only two notches and then test the vends.  

 

If you insist on using 20 oz bottles then in a narrow column you'll need to use a bottle shim and then set the motor cam for two notches.

 

If you want to do any of these package sizes in the wide column then post that and I'll get the setups for you.  

 

You can PM me if you need any of these parts.

[tyguy101a]

Let me see if I can get 16oz vendible poland springs (or anything equivalent) or the dasanis at a reasonable price. I'm looking online at the local grocery/wholesale stores and seeing 16.9oz bottles available but I'm pretty sure they are squishy.

 

Those 20oz poland springs say on the packaging they can vend and are hard when warm. Could they work in a narrow column? If I do switch the water to a narrow column what could I put in the wide column?

[AZVendor]

I've never really liked the 20 oz bottles from Poland Springs, et al, even though they do say they are vendible.  You can try them in a narrow column with a bottle shim as you would with any 20 oz bottle.  In the wide column your photo shows you can put nothing because you have no shims in it.  The shims needed will be totally dependent on what products you want to vend.  They can be 12 oz cans up to 24 oz bottles.

[tyguy101a]

It worked! Well for the moment anyway. I figured out the size of the shims for the cans in the wide column and made a set in my woodshop. Work's fine for the moment. Coated them with something to prevent condensation too. I'm sure they wont hold up for too long and I'll need to get the legit ones. I put the poland springs in a narrow column and they worked too. Waiting for them to cool down and the plastic to get squishy to see if it still works. Not sure why a can shim would work for a bottle, but I ain't complainin!

[AZVendor]

What you make from wood will probably not work well because the correct ones have lips on them to hold the rear products in place.