3 replies to this topic

[For The Kids Vending]

I have a very technical question. Since I'm sure you will be curious I'm thinking about making an arduino based remote monitoring system to plug in to an older vending machine (no Dex/MDB). I don't think a solution for this exists outside of a $300 motherboard upgrade to make it Dex capable plus the price of whichever monitoring solution you choose at that point. Please correct me if I'm wrong. A homemade system (arduino hooked to a prepaid cell phone) would come out well under $100 and my budjet is very limited. So in my limited electrical knowledge and with help of a helpful gent on another forum it seems like the easiest way to detect if an item is being vended on an older machine is to tap into the wires between the motor and the motherboard and detect the power in the wires when the motor is activated.

I have a USI 3015 and a Polyvend machine. I've actually removed the motor out of the USI and seen there are two wires attached. I don't know this for sure (and this is my question) but as far as I can tell the motor does not have power when it is idle. When it is time to vend the motherboard will send power to start the motor and continue to send power until the little switch on the motor activates again stopping the motor after it has gone through a full rotation. When the motherboard detects this it stops supplying power and the motor is idle again.

Is this correct? Do the motors not have power while idle?

At some point I can hook the power leads to a multi-meter and detect it, but both of my machines are on location so this is a little difficult. There is one location (my day job) that is more easy going and they wouldn't mind me experimenting on the machine, but if I'm totally wrong it would be nice to know in advance as well as any other ways to detect this.

Thanks

[djpvending]

i double checked with my service manager and the usi machine in standby has no power to the motors in standby.......you are correct the motor drivers on the board supplies the power at the moment of vend. not knowing the model of your polyvend, we are fairly certain the same is true of it.

[kevin]

I have a very technical question. Since I'm sure you will be curious I'm thinking about making an arduino based remote monitoring system to plug in to an older vending machine (no Dex/MDB). I don't think a solution for this exists outside of a $300 motherboard upgrade to make it Dex capable plus the price of whichever monitoring solution you choose at that point. Please correct me if I'm wrong. A homemade system (arduino hooked to a prepaid cell phone) would come out well under $100 and my budjet is very limited. So in my limited electrical knowledge and with help of a helpful gent on another forum it seems like the easiest way to detect if an item is being vended on an older machine is to tap into the wires between the motor and the motherboard and detect the power in the wires when the motor is activated.

I have a USI 3015 and a Polyvend machine. I've actually removed the motor out of the USI and seen there are two wires attached. I don't know this for sure (and this is my question) but as far as I can tell the motor does not have power when it is idle. When it is time to vend the motherboard will send power to start the motor and continue to send power until the little switch on the motor activates again stopping the motor after it has gone through a full rotation. When the motherboard detects this it stops supplying power and the motor is idle again.

Is this correct? Do the motors not have power while idle?

At some point I can hook the power leads to a multi-meter and detect it, but both of my machines are on location so this is a little difficult. There is one location (my day job) that is more easy going and they wouldn't mind me experimenting on the machine, but if I'm totally wrong it would be nice to know in advance as well as any other ways to detect this.

Thanks

There are already devices that do what you are talking about to give standard dex data. One company that makes them is Inone technologies. I have 6 or seven of them on a few different older dixie narcos.

[For The Kids Vending]

There are already devices that do what you are talking about to give standard dex data. One company that makes them is Inone technologies. I have 6 or seven of them on a few different older dixie narcos.

I wasn't able to find one when I looked before but I only knew of 2 or 3 vendors for remote monitoring and Inone wasn't one of them. Best solution I found before your post would be at least $400 per machine and that is unfortunately too much right now. I'll give them a call.

Thanks