New here.....hi!

Hi board.

I have come into possession of a Vendo H126A Coke machine. It was in my late Grandfather's office supply store for many years. It has the date "Feb 13, 1961" stamped inside the sign box, so I am assuming that is it's birthdate.

Restoring this baby will be a chore. It needs some refig. work, I'm hoping for just a recharge. It ran well up until the day it was unplugged in 1996. Now it ices up and won't cool. There is some r-12 around here somewhere, so I will see if that works. If not, the unit may be going to Houston.

I also think I have a ballast problem in the lighted sign. I replaced the bulbs and the filament melted, and they blew. My first priority, however, is to get it cool. The coin mech. works fine (still at .30 for a Coke) and seals are good.

I have been lurking this board for a while, and have learned some great things. I am sure you will be seeing pleas for help from me soon.

[globalcompressors]

Welcome aboard!

There is plenty of good folks here with a lot to offer. When you are ready, all you need to do is ask!

Eric:)

[dr galaga]

Welcome! Yes, ask questions, post pictures and keep things off the top of your machine!

[johnieG]

Welcome to the site! as for your lightup sign problem. yep, sounds like you've got a shorted ballast, Home-Depot, Lowes, or any of the other big box stores should have the ballast you need, just bring the old one with you to match the "wattage" rating on the ballast. also grab a two-pack of new "F2" size starters while you are at it, along with a replacement florescent lamp, (expensive aren't they!   )

they're quite easy to replace, & make sure the rest of the signs wiring is in good condition too.(no "peanut-brittle" insulation) you'll know the minute you get into the sign housing. :'>

So, if the coils are indeed frosting up nicely, then you've probably have a bad evaporator fan-motor, it circulates the chilled air around the inside cabinet, without it, the coils will get cold & frosty, but your sodas won't '> ,

Again an easy fix, & the motor can be had at any refrigeration supply house, or Graniger outlet store. should be a "unit-bearing" housing 4-6 watt/120Volts AC., so just bring your old one along for it's "last ride"

[Kilroy]

Welcome to the boards.
It's very cool that you have the history on your machine, and the family ties with it will make the restoration that much more special.

johnieG,

I think the fan is still good. It blows all the 80-degree air you could want through the cabinet. Only a small part ices up, not the whole coil unit. It is the last part before the coils go into the the fins that ices up. The cold side coils are room temp. The hot side coils do get hot, though.

I put a thermometer in the door, so I could read it, and started it up. The thermometer only reads to 80 and it was spiked way above that. Within a couple of minutes after starting, it quickly went down to 80....and stayed there. That is when I opened the cabinet and noticed the ice. Our home AC unit had a similar problem, and it turned out it was undercharged, so I am crossing my fingers that that is what is wrong with the Vendo.

I know all about the bulbs now, after a visit to Home Depot. That was a quick $12 lesson when they blew. Actually, I think only one of them is dead, the other didn't get enough juice to blow it. The blown one had enough for both of them. I will still replace both ballasts, just to be safe.

[MoonDawg]

Quote (Panamag8or @ Oct. 03 2005,6:18)

Only a small part ices up, not the whole coil unit. It is the last part before the coils go into the the fins that ices up.

Moisture in the freon. The water turns into an ice droplet, clogging further freon flow into the coils. Evacuate the system, add new dryer and recharge.

[sodaworks]

Panamag8or,
 Welcome aboard!!

MoonDawg,
Where can I find a dryer?

[Ltransam]

Hello, Panamag8or
                           Welcome to the mad house .Pictures Pictures .Oh yea Pictures  '> .I had a problem like that freezeing up.I just un-pluged it with the door open for a couple of hours then pluged it in again been working fine this hole year .

                                                       Ltransam

[Pat Pixley]

Lee, Welcome to the site with the most help , good ideals and good
friends.

 Pat

[BrianB]

Welcome to SMC G8or! Good to have you around. You can find a drier at any A/C&R / HVAC supply store. If you aren't proficient in the installation of them, I wouldn't try it! The best thing to do by far is contact Eric at Global Compressors and discuss your problem.

If that isn't something that you want to do you can always attempt to find a repair person locally and have them do it. Unfortunately, most A/C&R tech's want nothing to do with the onesy-twosey small soda pop machine refrigeration decks. There's no money in it.

G8or, welcome to the jungle. '>
Glad you're here.
Best group of genuine and helpful folks on the 'net here.

Here is a pic of my machine. It looks worse on a screen than the actual pic, or the machine, for that matter. It isn't washed out towards the top like the pic.



The second one is my compressor. The area between the black lines is what ices up, if that helps anyone further diagnose the problem. I am leaning towards the moisture in the freon idea.

[Bob K]

Nice machine - welcome to the board!

Bob

[MoonDawg]

Cool looking machine!....   At first glance I thought I was looking at a Coke machine in a phone booth. Does the top panel light up?

[sodaworks]

I was wondering about that top panel too!

Quote (sodaworks @ Oct. 06 2005,11:45)

I was wondering about that top panel too!

The "Pause and Refresh" panel? I don't believe that lights up. Now I'll have to go check, you guys got me curious.

[Creighton]

Welcome aboard Lee, great looking Vendo!!
Creighton

Me likey that machine.  '>

[joesquid]

Kito
Down Boy!! Down!!

Does anybody have a towel, Kito has started drooling again.  

Nice machine, glad to have you here.