SMC Discussion Areas

Hello, I am new to this site & new to soda machines in general,  I just aquired a VMC33 from a family member.  It needs work, I am not sure it runs yet, I am attempting to rewire the unit.  It looks like it was originally red, someone repainted it blue & there are old Pepsi decals on it.  The machine looks complete, the coin mechanism works & it even has it's original coin box!   I am excited about restoring this machine, I just don't know where to start.  I atleast want to see if it runs first, then I'll take it from there.  Does anyone think there is a good chance the compressor/ refrigeration unit would still work?  Would it still have a charge? 
I have found alot of info on line about this unit & the ones that people have restored look great.  I am a pretty handy guy, I just have to decide if it is something I would want to tackle or pay someone to restore it for me.     

Pete

       You want to do it yourself.......you will recieve a lot of self
satisfaction afterward.
       To test the compressor, remove it's cover and run power
to the only 2 terminals it has. Watch to see if the cooling coils
turn a frosty white.

Great!  Thank you.... I did pull the cover off & the terminals are all rusty, they're not bad, I think i can get the nuts off... anyway,  I should clean them up right?  So they will have a good connection?    Come to think of it, everything in that lower area where the compressor is mounted has a layer of surface rust.  It was stored in a garage for a long time, but moisture got the best of it. 

Welcome Aboard Pete.
I have restored at least 50 33's, I really like that model. They are pretty easy to restore and Glen's right about the self satisfaction when done! To do it right I would tear it completely down but take pictures and notes. Media blast all components and replace all the consumable parts, including the motor fans and the wiring harness. If you need help just ask!

Careful with those rusty compressor terminals - last thing you want to do is bust one off! Dremel the rust off and use a solvent on them before trying to remove them!
Welcome aboard!

Thanks for the advice!

Well I wired up the compressor & it fired right up, let it run for a bit & the evaporator got icey cold!    I then started re-wiring the rest of the unit, I was going to leave the wire that runs up to he evap. fan & t-stat b/c it looked ok, but upon further inspection it was all dry rotted.  Any time I moved it, it cracked & split.   So that is my next step. 

You can get new fans/T-stat from one of the sponsors here - Fun-Tronics or Soda jerk Works or you can try your local AC/Refrigeration place.
If you are going through all the trouble - might as well!!

      For some reason VMC used one wire to the evaporator fan and one wire to the thermostat on your machine, but they both shared a common ground.  I usually run a separate pair of wires to each component.

Yeah I noticed that,  I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to wiring, i usually like to follow what's there,  so I'll prob. keep it wired the same.