SMC Discussion Areas

I own a rental condo at Orange Beach in Alabama and have a fully-stocked Vendo 81B machine located *inside* the unit.  Delivers the product with a single dime and the older adults and kids love the novelty of getting a "cold drink" for a dime.  Prior to me getting the machine, it underwent an older restoration but still looks new and cools fine.  The problem is that it will completely fill the drip pan to the top in 3-4 days.  It is very humid down here, but the machine is located *inside* the condo in 71 degree air.

The things I've noticed are:

(1)  The bottle door gasket is as pliable as titanium and I can't see where it is making contact with the glass door in several places.  Note, however, that I can't detect *any* cold air escaping around the door.  Regardless, I would think this is suspect number 1.

(2)  The black plastic door liner(?) is sketchy and has several chips along the side that are dicey.  However, again, I can't detect any cold air escaping from these areas.  Regardless, this could be a problem area.

(3)  The main door gasket looks good and was probably replaced several years ago.  It passes the 'dollar bill' test in all locations and does not appear to need replacement.

(4)  The most noticeable thing is the remnants of some sealing gasket material stuck to the main machine body inboard of the main door gasket sealing surfaces that would line up with a raised portion of the plastic door liner.  This material has almost dissolved and is a mess. This and the bottle door gasket are problems, but I could not determine the item number for this gasket in the Fun-Tronics catalog. 

Comments please.  Since the machine is located indoors, it should not be pulling this much condensation.  Also, There does not appear to be any fan which blows air over the drain pan to accelerate evaporation.  My thoughts were to replace the bottle door gasket, the plastic door liner, and the gasket material that would seal against the plastic door liner.  I can't have the machine drain condensation all over the floor, and everybody loves the unit so I don't want to take it out.

Help.

        Check again, you do have a lower fan motor.

        If the old sponge gasket applied to the breaker strip is brittle and breaking off,
it's a good indication that your machine has only had a paint job and not a complete restoration.

Glen:  I do have a fan that blows air across the evaporator coil, but this air does not directly blow on the drip pan.  Are there two fans??  One for the evaporator coil and another for the drip pan???

Gordon

I have ordered a new plastic door liner, a gasket for the bottle door, the foam adhesive gasket that goes onto the machine body, and all of the little decals that attach to the black plastic liner.  I am going back down to the condo on 7 September so I will install everything at that time.  I will provide an update then.  Any more ideas would be appreciated.

Gordon

if your going to pull off the main door liner, you'll want to replace the gasket at the same time.. and also you'll see what condition the original insulation is , it could stand to be replaced too?
lots of times Mice get in there and make little mazes in the insulation and it wears down as they urinate in it... fun stuff.. but it's what happens to these old machine through the years!

Holy Cats!!  No telling what I am going to find in there!!  Should I get some blown insulation or use the  some of the 14" wide strip stuff reduced to 1 or 2-inch thickness??  I've got to be cognizant of that lever and not impede its ability to move freely.  All of the parts arrived today and the condo is open for 24 hours on 4 September.  I'll blast down then and have at it.

Gordon

       Take a drill with you, as the holes in the new door liner don't usually match the original holes.