SMC Discussion Areas

I just got this machine running. I'm having trouble with the cans going down after the bottom one is being dispensed. It does not have a diagram on the side on how to align the gears. If any one can give me some direction on what I need to do I would really appreciate it. I found a guy selling manuals for these machines online I suppose it would be worth while to try to pick one up. This is my first machine I picked it up for $90.00.

are you trying to vend a single depth row of cans or a double-depth row?  ( 1-can deep vs 2-cans deep )

1 row deep

OK, now was this a bottle vendor originally and you are just Trying to make it vend cans,

or was it vending cans originally & you messed with the gears that control the screw/augers that feed the bottles/cans into the vending chute?

if you look at the back of the vending chute(s) usually if it was a bottle vendor, there is nothing between the inside delivery tray & the rear opening of the flapper/chute, but if it was a can vendor, then there was usually an installed metal anti-theft gate on the rear of the chute ( it would be a stamped piece of heavy gauge metal with an upside down "U" shape that would allow a can to slide through , but not allow a hand to reach back up into the machine & pull a can from the racks bottom

I took a pic of the inside of the door. I'm pretty sure that I see the piece of U shaped metal that you are talking about in the last post. I've not messed with the gears to be honest I'm not really sure how to get in there to them. I just changed out the coin mech. and started inserting coins when I noticed this problem.

good, this pretty much confirms that the machine was set to vend cans, with this plate in place, the machine can't vend glass bottles because when you try to remove the bottle (which vends butt-end first) you can't get the bottles neck out of the machine past this plate)

Now do you have the column spacers set towards the rear or forward, in other words, you should have them set as far forward so that only about 1/4 inch of space is between the cans & spacers ( one can length deep) BUT if that column was originally set for single wide/double depth vending then it should be set two can-lengths deep.

one hint that the column was set for double depth vending is if you are vending a single-deep & it vends only every-other can, the column IS setup for double-depth cans...

see Choice vends are FUN  :tounge:

I see what you are saying about the spacers in the back of the machine. Here is a stupid question how do you load it with double cans? I've tried and have not seemed to get a correct stack as of yet. One weird thing that I found was that some of the spacers are pulled in and others are pulled out.

It depends on how WIDE your columns are too ( see I told you ChoiceVends are fun) so lets talk how to identify your columns are set,  they can be as follows ( no pun intended)

SW/SD= single-wide/single depth, a single can wide & one can deep [can(s) laying horizontally.]
SW/DD= single-wide/double depth, a single can wide & two cans deep.
DW/SD= double-wide/single-depth, two cans wide & one can deep.
DW/DD= double-wide/double depth, two cans wide & two cans deep.

to pre-load a SW/SD column, you bring the rear spacer forward to the depth of one can, load a few cans butt-end towards the front delivery area ( so they will drop out of the chute butt-first) so they rest in top of the augers opening, make sure they are level/horizontal, then reach underneath that columns deliver area & pull the pre-load lever/switch until that can is feed into the augers lower area, (watch also make sure that the next can is feeding into the auger level, resting just on the edge of the augers plastic blades) once you've triggered the pre-load switch enough to drop a can into the delivery-chute, that column is pre-loaded,

now be careful... you CAN'T load a SW/DD column like it's a SW/SD just by moving the spacer forward to a SW/SD setting, because it will vend only every-other can every time you select that columns flavor button.  so don't go re-adjusting the spacer depth, you need the gear setting guide.

I'll attach a picture of the underside of a single-wide gear motor assemble so you know what the pre-load switch looks like.  the view is from the top. this is were the augers go into...the wire along the bottom edge sticks out below the vending chute area, you have to reach up underneath & pull it towards you with your finger to trigger the vending motor for that column...

Thanks for your help. I've got it running. It's doing one other thing on one of the selections when it despenses it make a loud squeeking sound the drink drops ok. I appreciate all of your help.

good, for the squeaking you may have to put a dab of white lithium grease on the tops of the augers where they are held in place by the top bar, do not use WD40 it will eat the plastic. you may use a Teflon or silicon base spray-lube that is rated for food-service use.

I am in no way more knowledgeable that johnieG. On my choice-vend the pre-load has to be pushed up to make the augers spin, not pulled forward. Just trying to help.

pushme pullyou, it all depends on your point of view of the gear assembly, he must have figured it out 'cause he's a vendin' now... :drinking: