Setting a mars 400-2

I just got a Vendorlator VF125.  Everything seems to work, but I would like to change the coin acceptor from 50 cents to 25 cents, and I cannot tell how this is done on this model.  The outside of the unit says:

Mars Electronic
Mars Money Systems, Folcroft, PA
Model 400-2
S/N 203-0349

Internet searches on this model are less than helpful.

I also have a COINCO S75-9800B coin changer with a "Imonex" coin selector mechanism.  This one does not allow anything to vend at all.


Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Mike Goss

[Creighton]

Hello Mike,
Welcome to the group! A search of past posts by JohnieG in this forum will get you started. If memory serves the Mars units are problematic. The Coinco may just need a good cleaning. Please posts some pics!
Creighton

[BryanH]

Hi Mike - welcome.  I have a MARS 5800 in one of my machines.  It's a 117V, single price, 9-pin Jones plug mechanism.  If yours is similar this might help.  On mine there is a set of DIP switches behind the coin mech.  To get to them you push up on the two clips on the upper corners of the unit and the changer will tilt down and expose the switches (upper right red circle).  Each switch is an amount starting at 5cents...  Add up all the switches in the on position and that's what a drink costs.

There is another set of switches on the back of the coin mech (lower left circle).  These are explained here.

[BryanH]

and here's a closer look at the price switches... you can read the price increment for each switch if you squint just right.  It's set for 15 cents (5 + 10 switches are up)

[johnieG]

I haven't had much experence with that particular model, but here is a link over to MARS homepage...

http://www.meiglobal.com/MEIGlobal/USA/En/

Thanks for the link to the Mars Webpage.  I looked over it and did not find anything there on this mechanism.  It seems to be too old for thier website.  I have looked the unit over and there are no DIP switches to be found anywhere.  The back is one solid piece of steel and there are two coin tubes on the front that can be removed by turning a couple of thumbscrews? or whatever you would call the little plastic thingies (please excuse the highly technical term).  The only adjustments that I can find on this are some trim-pots that are adjustable from holes in the top of the case.  The pictures of the unit that I have seen on the internet:

http://www.stavend.com/images/coinchangers/mars400.jpg

show banks of DIP switches, mine does not have them.  

Would it be possible that this might be a factory set single price unit?

As for the COINCO, it jams on nickels where the Imonex coin director meets the coinco bottom part.  I would need to replace the upper portion just to start working on it, as it will not recognize quarters at all, they just pass through into the change return slot.  '>

I would love to post pictures, however the image button calls for a web address, and I have no way to put the pics on the web.  I have plenty of nice pictures, but I can't figure out how to get them off of this computer and into the Forum.

Thanks for the help, this is a nice forum.

Mike Goss

[Jim]

Mike,

Check out the "Help Section" located by clicking the Help Button at the top of each page. One of our Members just finsihed updating this section and it's very helpful...

File Attachments

Thanks, I found the image grabber.

The Mars unit (in horrible resolution) is attached

And the unit that it is in (I know you like pictures...)

[vend_dr]

I believe the switches you are looking for are under the flight deck. Just lift the bottom edge of the top piece where the coins go in to look under there you will see the switches.

Well...

I tore into it looking for DIP switches

and this is the view from the top

There are 4 trim pots, and four other things that look like trim caps, and one other trim pot that is lower on the pcb.  There are no dip switches anywhere on the pcb or behind any panels anywhere.

The PCB is stamped 1982.

Is this a single price factory set unit?

[vend_dr]

Did you look under the flight deck? Which is the part that has the Mars Electronics printing on it in the top picture. Set the unit in front of you with the part that has the Mars Electronics at the top and also facing you. You do not need any tools to do this you just need to put your finger in between the 2 metal chutes where the coin goes in and gently pull forward on the front chute, the flight deck has a spring clip on the upper right so the flight deck will start to pivot up and to the right giving you access to the coin path. The switches should be under this cover.

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

I opened the flight deck and there was a 6 position Dip switch.  Since 2 and 4 were set and it accepted 50 cents, I changed it to 1 and 3 and it works with 25 cents now.  It is a little picky on the nickles and dimes, rejecting most, but I think that could be adjusted out with those pots and caps that I found earlier.  The problem is which one does what?

Anyway, The machine is working just the way that I want it to work, thanks for all of your help.

Mike Goss

[johnieG]

Quote (Goose @ Aug. 23 2005,10:32)

Thank you, thank you, thank you... I opened the flight deck and there was a 6 position Dip switch.  Since 2 and 4 were set and it accepted 50 cents, I changed it to 1 and 3 and it works with 25 cents now.  It is a little picky on the nickles and dimes, rejecting most, but I think that could be adjusted out with those pots and caps that I found earlier.  The problem is which one does what? Anyway, The machine is working just the way that I want it to work, thanks for all of your help. Mike Goss

Do NOT attempt to adjust those pot's (variable resistors) it will screw up the flight decks' tuning three ways to Sunday   '>

the flightdeck (coin detection coils are inside) uses the metal content & inductance (magnetic properties) of the coins to determine correct size, denomination, & coin validity (ie:slug rejection) , to "tune" this mech, power up the mech/machine, hit the coin reject lever, then simply insert 20 coins of the same denomination (nickels, dimes, quarters) all in a row, the mech.' will tune itself & remember the values for each set of coins.