Car Wash Blog / Self Serve Industry Blog and Forum
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My Rowe International changer had a unique problem today, which I never had before. The CCC error was “VALIDATING” and the transporter was just running non-stop and no bills were in the changer or were accepted since my last visit.
Using Rowe International seems so much more official then plain old Rowe changer. I think maybe if I respect the changer maybe it will work for a couple days without any problems?
My Dad has a MC520RL-DA Standard changer and wanted to purchase another one, so we checked out their booth at the ICA show. I was very impressed with how simple the changer is compared to my Rowe changer. This is a comparison of my Rowe changer and a Standard changer.
I believe this is a Standard MC400RL (left picture) which is a little larger then my Rowe BC-200 (which I would swap out in a minute for). The Standard changer is very simple looking, has metal coin hoppers, and uses a Mars or Pyramid bill acceptor. The unit on the right is a MC535RL-CC with is more complicated looking but has a credit card acceptor and a bill acceptor. Very organized looking and plenty of room in the units.
Now here is my Rowe BC-200 tank (actually works). First picture is the changer without the stacker and bill acceptor. The second picture is the stacker and bill acceptor. The third picture is the CCC, while trying to fix any problem with a Rowe changer, the final solution is always replace the CCC.
This coin hopper has to win the most complicated hopper available. Why not make the coin hopper consist of 2 parts? One part (left) consists of a motor (red arrow) and a coin counter (top black thing). Then on the other piece (right, coin hopper) why not have a bike chain with little knobs that snakes up the length of the hopper to spit out the quarter at the top? You also need to clean this once a month or crap will clog up the chain.
Next, add the most complicated bill acceptor (BA-50 transport) that needs to be cleaned every week and sent in to get fixed every year (low volume location). Rowe seems to be in the process of dropping this bill acceptor at this point, which I have to say is the best idea ever. Maybe that’s why every other changer sells their unit with a Coinco, Mars, Pyramid, etc. option?
To be honest I never have any problems out of the ccc and coin hopper, except the coin counter needs to be replaced on one of my units. I do not use the bill stacker and I send my bill acceptor to get fixed every year.
If the Rowe five dollar upgrade board was released and for sale, this is how you would change it out (like a how-to for a product that does not exist). You first take out the CCC board from the Rowe changer. (I lost this guys business card so unfortunately I can not give out his information. I need to try and get this information from my dad.) The first picture shows (red arrow) the board that will be replaced. The second picture shows the board that you will get in the mail. The distributor said that the kit will also come with 2 chips like the one next to his thumb. He also said that the chip on your old board will be labeled and that type needs to be on your new board. He is also pointing at the notch (third picture) that you have to line up with the notch on the ccc board. Looks pretty easy and he said he will be selling them for around $66.
Update: I believe that I found his business card. Jess Vasquez from Baca’s Changer Service & Sales Inc. bcschangers.com
I checked out the “Genesis” Rowe conversion kit $995 (last picture). It replaces the bill acceptor, ccc, and power supply. The Rowe people were saying that the BC-200 conversion kit will cost around $800 and replace all the same parts.
I really liked this switch (middle picture) that they were selling; it seemed very heavy duty (10 position around $110). It reminds me of the iwash switch.
I also post the fliers that Jim Gosnell was handing out. http://cwguy.com/?page_id=2514
The security camera dvr decided it wanted some attention. It wanted some “hdd reconstruction”, sounds like fun. My Rowe changer also quit working with a “REJECT-BILL S” or “REJECT-BILL 5” error? The funny thing about the error is that it is not in the Rowe manual.
I also talked to the Rowe booth distributors and have some more information to post later. Also a demo of how to change out the non-existing $5 bill upgrade board.
At my other wash I pulled up to an abandoned car.
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I picked up a flier from a Florida rest area and realized that I needed to “Slow Down!” to protect black bears. Did you know that 160 bears were killed in 2007?
I was very tired after the party and still did not get over the drive to Orlando. So I took a break at Petro and noticed a common site, an out of order Rowe changer.
While visiting the Rowe booth at the ICA meeting, I noticed that all but one of the Rowe changers had Mars bill acceptor. Which is weird because the Rowe acceptor seems to have problems all the time. Did Rowe even figure this out?
Looks like the bad design of the BA-50 caused me to crimp the wires when I was trying to clean it. Why would a wire harness be next to the mounting rail for the stacker? OR Maybe I should be more careful?
The lady that put this bill in the changer said she was not surprised that it got stuck.
Interesting Sensortron problem. The coin slide got dislodged from the track. I guess someone was trying to break in?
I guess the Rowe changers really do not like crappy bills. Actually, I wonder if the 2 people were surprised that it ate these crappy bills? Both changers were jammed with the error message CK TRANSPORT VF.
Both Rowe changers were jammed with the error message CK TRANSPORT VF. Like MEP1 suggested I would like to replace these Rowe bill acceptors but have not found a reasonable method. I also do not want to purchase all the parts for a new changer for the swap (computer, bill acceptor, and coin dispenser).