New here, need a part or two . . .

[greg in canby]

Extreme noob Greg here posting for the first time.  I just acquired a Cav USS-12-96K with lucky S/N 00013!

The machine is a bit beat up but I’m jazzed about the project and being here with all y’all.  Have been reading all I can but have a long way to go education wise.

So here is what I need:
The machine is missing the marquee sign AND the frame that fits into door.  The sign I can have made here in Oregon and the frame I could probably fabricate, but I’d rather have an original.  Anybody with a stock frame please let me know, thanks.

I have been struggling with the age-old question - keep exactly stock or make improvements.  When I got it, I replaced the starters on the marquee sign and they blinked to life A-OK.  The light in the door however - not so much.  It turns out the ballast is bad and will need replacing.  

Having read many opinions about running illumination for 24/7 or manually switching the lights I found myself at a crossroads.  I don’t want to run the lights all the time, but I’m not crazy about a switch either.  What to do???  Ponder I suppose.

After several days of pondering it hits me . . . why not use the switched 110VAC “Have a Coke” light when it’s ready to vend to control the door light?  The only problem is as soon as you turn the knob to vend the product, the “Have a Coke” light goes out immediately.  I wanted the light on a bit longer so one could see the vending area and retrieve their selection.

Several circuits later, I arrive at the simplest solution I can come up with using LEDs and a capacitor.

So here is what I have to offer:

D1 - 1N4004.  This keeps the 12V supply from discharging the CAP.
C1 - 2200 uf - Provides voltage to keep LEDs illuminated for a couple of seconds.
R1 - 470 Ohms - Limits current to the LEDs.
LEDs - Three (3)  ½ watt straw hat LEDs - I’ll post the source later - don't have it at the moment.
Wall Wart - Cheapo 12VDC unit that actually puts about 17VDC into the circuit*

The completed prototype uses two (2) of the above circuits.

The 12VDC wall wart simply plugs into the 110VAC leads used for the “Have a Coke” light and is Velcro'd to the door.

I have two LEDs using the same 12VDC power to illuminate the “Have a Coke” light with no CAP.  My goal was to keep power consumption under the 7 watts required for the bulb.  I need to measure the circuit to verify that.

Info about the build and the “Have a Coke” light LED mod to follow and I'll attempt to post a video as well, have to go to work soon.

Greg

* Designed and initially tested with 12VDC - the 17VDC appears to make the LEDs a tad brighter.  I need to measure the current through the LEDs as they are rated to 1000ma. Dumb cheapo wall wart anyway.

[loman4ec]

Welcome to the site greg. I don't want to sound critical but why go to all of this trouble for a light? I usually run a switch spliced into the hot wire inside the door and mount the switch inside the coin door but under the sign so it is invisible but is simple and you can turn the light off.

If you are wiring this into the have a coke light it will still turn off after the selection is made. the switch on the bottom of the bottle stack is what shuts the light off once the selection is made.

[tkaz]

Hey Greg!  glad to see you made it on here finally.

I think the light is a cool idea, in a nutshell: light comes on when the machine is ready to vend, and rather than just shut off when you make the selection, it fades out afterwards.

Do you have the frame for a sign, but not the actual plexiglass for it?  I have had some luck making my own signs with some white opaque plexi.

[greg in canby]

Thanks tkaz, it's nice to be here!

No frame, no plexi.  We have a great sign shop in town and I'm sure the plexi won't be a problem.  If worse comes to worse, I'll build a frame I suppose.

loman4ec,  thanks for the welcome as well.  Maybe it was the challenge.  It only took an hour or two to implement and I'm pretty happy with the performance.

Greg