LaCrosse 90 driving me crazy

[pepsi-perk]

Ok...I got a few minutes to play with the machine today after spending a good portion of my life on jury duty and get to go back for another two weeks...not fun.

Anyway...On top of the bottle stack is a solenoid that when energized puts the lock release so a bottle can be dispensed.  When a bottle is pulled it kicks the spring mechanism that is to reset the lock to prevent further dispensing.  However, mine is staying energized all the time where I can pull as many bottles as I want.  Nice, but I want it to work like it is supposed to.

There is also a switch on the bottle stack by no matter if I jump over the switch or disconnect the circuit it has no effect on the solenoid, but when connected it does pull back the mechanism in the coin acceptor.

Do you think there is something wrong with the acceptor that is causing the solenoid to stay energized?

Thanks.

[johnieG]

The coinmech should only energize the solenoid for about 1-second, just enough time for it to mechanically latch, until you pull a bottle out of the stack, so, unless there is a secondary vending relay, your coinmech may have a sticky vending relay ( on the coinmech's circuit board*)

so I guess what I'm asking are you sure it's energized, or is it just mechanically stuck?

[pepsi-perk]

Oh no...it is certainly energized.  When I plug it in the solenoid makes a loud bang noise and the arm is out thus unlocking the bottle rack.  When I unplug it the solenoid arm becomes un-energized and thus retracts into the body of the solenoid.

[johnieG]

If it snaps "on" when you plug it in, then you may have it mis-wired it with the door light circuit. 

[pepsi-perk]

Rats...I've played around with all the wires on the switch and solenoid moving from terminal to terminal, but with the same results.  The wires for the night light in the bottle rack are just wires that are spliced off the same wires as those for the switch and solenoid.

I have a new coin mech on its way since the old one doesn't take coins correctly.  Maybe the new one will make a difference with this.

Wish there was a machine around here I could just look at to see how its all wired.  I hate it when people tear machines apart to take the lock mechanism off the bottle rack just so it vends freely.  Lot of labor to set up for free vend when you can just jam the lock spring open.

Thanks for the help thus far Johnny G! 

[SIGNGUY]

This is why I only like Mechanical machines... 

[pepsi-perk]

The LaCrosse 90 is vending as it should now.  Swapped out the coin mech. with the V56 square that I bought tonight.  Works like a champ...very happy with the LaCrosse now.

Now I am waiting in anticipation to try out the V56 - had it on its back to bring it home, gotta wait till tomorrow to plug it in.