The electric bill..

[cokentn]

Hi,
Our electric bill has went up probably 50-75 dollars the past two months over last year's. The only difference is the Coke machine and there was a 14% increase back in April. BUT, we didn't see the increase on the bill in April.....
Could this be due to the Coke machine plugged in and running all the time? I keep it bout 1/2 or more full and don't open it much.
My wife, ahem..., says it is due to the Coke machine cause it's an older and less efficient motor and cooling system than todays. (no..she doesn't work for an electrical company, or a Coke company or any company that has anything to do with cooling system efficiency of the 70's versus 2008)
It pains me to think that this is the machine's fault. I have become very attached to it, it's    clank of the coins goin down and the cans and bottles dropping out to bring joy into the hot sweaty summer days and the way it's bright happy COKE light welcomes me into the garage when I pull in. (sounds like a sickness when you read it)
 

[SIGNGUY]

I would not image it will be the sole culprit... I put a meter on my machines every once in  while and am getting very low ratings/cost readouts on them.. pennies a day.

I'd also consider how much your AC is running and lights on etc... my kids are relentless for leaving every light on in the house/tv, radio,s fans...etc...
Gotta go make a sweep now and turn things off.

Later

[cokentn]

Thats what I thought.
Same house, same kids, same place....same lights.
This last month, we even upped the thermostat bout 8 degrees at nite and turned the ceiling fans on. Even upped it on a timer thermostat during the day.
Wife has been drying some loads of clothes on dryer racks.
And it was higher this month than last!
$358.00 to be exact.

[collecture]

As long as the machine is cycling properly and well sealed, I don't think it would hurt your electric bill much. I've had various machines (V-81, V-110, WB-60 - not all at once) machines running full time and haven't noticed much of a change. They should cycle on once or twice in an hour for 15-20 minutes. Keeping the machine fully loaded with product helps quite a bit as the cold bottles/cans help maintain the cold.
I always rewire and replace the fan motors on mine too.

[mznb1u]

I have to agree with Signguy and collecture.  The SMC Calvalry to the rescue! 

I acquired a Cavalier USS-8-64 in March and have had it running since that time.  I have not noticed much of a difference in the electric bill but when things got hot here in Michigan, I moved the machine from the garage to the basement.  I figured it would run less frequently in a cool basement.  I would suggest that you keep the machine full at all times--even if you just put bottled water in it as that will help it hold the temperature longer between cycles (at least that is what somebody told me!).

Now if I could get my kids to turn off the lights, TV, ceiling fan, computer etc . . . . .
I could single-handedly solve the energy crisis!

Here is another idea--what does your wife like to drink?  If it is wine, you can find a wide variety in 187ML bottles (and some decent brands as well) that will vend in slant shelf machines!  These are the same bottles that they use on airplanes.  You can also get splits of champagne that would work. 

Then you can grab her a nice glass of wine when you grab yourself an ice cold beverage of your choice.  Keep momma happy but don't give up the soda machine! 

[sodaworks]

Did you replace your evap. and cond. fan motors?

[cokentn]

I did replace the fan motor...it was making a screeking noise.