How to change prices of Antares snack & soda machines

Have you had fits trying to change the prices of snack and soda selections on your antares refreshment centers? Those little plastic coin mechs are really simple once you understand them.

This video should help...

Antares Bill Changer - filling it properly

The Coffee Inns dollar bill changer that is sold as part of the Antares refreshment centers uses coin tubes to vend quarters, dimes, and nickels.

To make sure that you do not shortchange a customer, there are a couple of things to know...

There are 7 coin tubes, but you only fill the ones you plan to use. 4 of them can hold quarters, 2 can hold dimes, and the last 1 holds nickels. So, if you filled all of them, you'll be giving $1.25 in change for each dollar inserted! Probably not what you had in mind :-)

Normally, you'll want to fill either all 4 quarter tubes, or you'll want to fill 3 of the quarter tubes, both dime tubes, and the nickel tube.

However, the most important point to know is that your rear quarter tube at the end of the slide must have fewer coins than any of the other individual tubes. That's because this last quarter tube engages the trigger letting the brain know when it is running low on change. So, the changer depends on this column to make sure it does not accept bills if it does not have adequate change to return. If another tube has fewer coins than this trigger tube, it will be allowed to vend eventhough the other tubes may be empty! ...your customers will get shortchanged.

As long as you keep this in mind, these change machines really do a great job. These changers have been basically the same for over 10 years. Every now and then, one may need a new board, but that is a cheap and easy repair to do on your own.

The only negatives with them are the cabinet construction and price for a new one. You can buy comparable changers for much about half the price, yet they have a much better cabinet construction to help lessen simple break-ins.

For more common sense in vending,
visit www.USEDvending.com & www.4MEGA-Vending.com

Vending Combo needs freon?

"Elfmuse said...
I have the opposite, I need to recharge the freon I think. I can't find a manual anywhere online or howto's ....So do you know how to do this?"

Elfmuse, if your Antares machine needs freon, that is not something you would do yourself.
Call a local refrigeration repair man to look at it.

Good luck,
Eric

Antares Machine - soda machine freezes up

"Hi Eric,
I saw your message and was wondering if you could help me. I bought a used Antares combo machine manf. 2000, and it keeps freezing up on me. Do you have any sugg. on how to stop it? do I need to turn it down? And how? I can't find a manual anywhere."

Teddie, if it is an Antares machine, this can occur for a few reasons:

- First check the front door seal for damage. The rubber seal between the drink machine door may have a break or may be damaged where it is allowing hot air in and the machine has to keep running. Look for cuts or warped areas.
- Sometimes this occurs because the snack machine mounted on the front pulls on the door causing it to sag and not fit correctly against the seal. When the door is closed, check all the way around it to make sure there are no gaps where air can get around the seal into the drink area.
- Then, the tilt of the machine can sometimes keep the front door from closing completely allowing air inside. If so, use the front leg levelers to raise the front of the machine slightly.

If everything looks fine with the door seal, you can try turning the thermostat down. It is located on the back side in the opening right above the square base.
It could be that it just needs adjusting. If not, it may need to be replaced.

Hope this solves it for you.

Eric Normand
USEDvending.com

Antares combo jamming on bottom cans?

If you've ever had problems with the bottom 3 selections of an Antares drink vending machine where the cans are turning and jamming, here is some insight.

Now this applies to the selections that are slightly wider than the can only columns:
- the bottom 3 selections on 1994 - 2004 models
- the bottom right selection on 2005+ models

These columns are slightly wider in order to handle items such as 10oz juice bottles, some energy drinks, & other beverages that will fit.

One of our employees was loading an Antares the other day and had a problem with the cans on these wider columns turning while rolling down. They would stall in the middle of the column or slide to the very bottom and block the auger from being able to turn. Since these columns are wider, they allow the cans have enough room to rotate and block the lane.

There were 2 issues here.
- the small metal shim was missing
- he was not loading the cans properly

In order to properly direct the cans through the auger at the bottom of the column, a metal shim is needed to go on the right side wall inside the column by the auger.
This keeps the cans in place to the left side and it also blocks the ability of someone being able to twist the can past the right side of the auger since the can has enough room to rotate in the column and come out without turning the auger.

Secondly, he did not realize that in order to keep the cans rolling evenly down the columns, it is best to put the end of the can SQUARELY against the left hand column wall before letting go so that the can may roll as straight as possible being guided by the wall.

So, if you've ever had this problem, get some shims!

We sometimes have them available pre-owned at www.USEDvending.com or they can be ordered directly from the manufacturer.

See how to service an Antares vending machine

If you've never seen a mechanical vending machine or never used one, be sure to visit this video that shows an Antares snack and soda vending machine combo in action!

You'll see how the 3 vending machines (snack, soda, dollar bill changer) act as 1 machine. You'll see them inside and out! See how they are filled with product and change. Learn how to use one to vend an item.

This video shows a 2005 model which is the newest style as of today (August 2007).
The video also explains how this newer style differs from 2004 and older models...
Antares vending machine Demonstration video

Update to changes on 2005 model Antares Machines

On my post a few down, I forgot to list another feature that was incorporated into the 2005+ design of the Antares Refeshment Centers vending machine combos.

The bottom right selection can vend 12 oz cans, but it is slightly wider in order to accept things like Red Bull cans. It can probably also still do the 10 oz juice bottles, but I haven't tried one.

We'll be putting a video on the blog very soon showing the new style Antares snack & soda combos both inside and out. If you're not sure how they work or how they are serviced, be sure to watch this video.