Cavalier C5 power problem

[hytwr1]

Hi,

I've been playing with this Cavalier C5. It's been working fine for the last couple of weeks.

Today I went to buy a Coke from it and it tripped the GFI outlet when the vend relay engergized. Everything, coin changer, cooling unit. lights, etc works fine until you drop the final coin in.

Since I don't have a service manual for one of these monsters, I'm not sure where to start.

Anybody run across this before?

Thanks
Bill

[johnieG]

first off you should never plug a soda-machine or other motorized appliance into a GFIC circut, when the motor or compressor kicks on the current surge & chassis/ground induced leakage current will trip it every time! this is your first error. ( and a common one too!) so try pluging it into a non protected outlet.

also which model C5 do you have? (C5-144?, etc.) 

[hytwr1]

Well, the machine is sitting out doors. Shouldn't that require a GFCI?

C5-255-150

Thanks
Bill

[johnieG]

NO,     99% of all old electrically cooled soda machines are outdoor rated and do not need a GFI, they do need a grounded outlet, as I said before, you never put any motorized machine on a GFI, that includes washers, dryers, refrigerators, drill presses........etc.     why? because if you do, the electric motors will pop it every time, why? because of the amount of current needed to start the bloody things upon startup will cause a huge surge of input current, which then causes a huge magnetic field to build to start the motor spinning, this magnetic field then creates a counter-current in the metal of the case of the motor & surrounding metal of the chassis, which naturally seeks ground,  so what does the GFI do when it sees this surge of current in the ground wire? it trips just like it's supposed to do.

NO NO NO GFI's on soda machine circuts... (hint hint) 

[SquareTopCollector]

When you drop the final coin in the machine is ready to vend, sending electric current to release the product. That little surge of power could be whats making it trip.

I bought a uss 64 cheap because the seller thought his machine was shot. He was plugging it into a GFCI.

[hytwr1]

I'm sorry I even asked. The machine has been running fine on GFCI for weeks. I'll install another outlet.

Thanks Square top.
Bill

[Witchboard]

Don't be sorry you asked.  I learned something as well.  There's always somebody else who either doesn't know or has the same question.

[MoonDawg]

       I didn't know that either! 

[Pat Pixley]

Hey Bill Don't worry about this It is human nature to learn
we learn from each other and that's what make this site one
of the best site out there.
 So glad your here and hope you stike around for a long time.

   Pat

[SquareTopCollector]

sometimes it sounds like people yell at you here but they are just giving you " tough love"