In general, if you're running into any issue with a bill acceptor that's not accepting bills correctly, you'll follow the same troubleshooting steps, as most bill acceptor issues result from 1 of 3 things:
Something obstructing the sensors inside the bill acceptor's lower housing.
An issue with the bill acceptor's wiring harness.
A hardware malfunction with the bill acceptor itself.
It is always recommended to follow the General Troubleshoots Steps when looking into any bill acceptor issue.
General Troubleshooting Steps
Remove the bill box (the main compartment holding your bills) and check for jams, or bills crumpled up inside.
It is also recommended to use compressed air, or a lint free cloth to clean the bill box of any dust/debris buildup.
Check the LaundroPortal for any specific VAC Status error messages related to the bill acceptor:
If an error is present, you'll want to following the troubleshooting steps for that specific VAC Status error:Check for any Diagnostic/Status LED on the back of the physical bill acceptor itself. The bill acceptor may be producing an error code to help determine any hardware issue it's experiencing
Remove the bill acceptor's Lower Housing and check for dirt, debris, or a loose bill stuck inside the lower housing area.
Remove any obstructions, and clean the lower housing area (especially where the sensors are located) using compressed air, or a lint free cloth.
VAC Status error troubleshooting
VAC Status error: No communication with Bill Acceptor
Wiring harness, or hardware issue with bill acceptor
Wiring harness, or hardware issue with bill acceptor
This error means the VAC Control Board is unable to detect the currently installed bill acceptor.
First thing to check is if there are any lights on the bill acceptor itself, either on the front, where customers insert cash, or at the back of the bill acceptor itself:
If no lights are present, it's likely we're looking at a power issue
If lights are present, we're looking at a communication issue
In both cases, the same wiring harness that connects the bill acceptor to the VAC kiosk is responsible for send power and data communication between the VAC and bill acceptor.
Try unseating the connectors on both the bill acceptor side, and the VAC Control Board side, then power cycle the VAC kiosk (the VAC auto-detects installed equipment on bootup).
It's possible 1 of the connectors is loose which is causing this issue. In most cases, the loose connection will be found on the bill acceptor side, but it's recommended to re-seat the connectors on both sides of this wiring harness just incase.
If reseating the connectors does not correct the issue, try unmounting the bill acceptor from the VAC kiosk, and see if it will power ON/work correctly while it's unmounted from the VAC.
In some cases, the bill acceptor may be grounding itself to the mounting posts. If this is the case, you can use plastic/rubber washers, or electrical tape, to isolate the bill acceptor from the mounting posts.
If reseating the connectors, and having the bill acceptor unmounted from the VAC kiosk does not correct the issue; if you have a VAC equipped with a touch screen, check the VAC Control Board's power supply to ensure it's using the correct power supply:
The VAC control board, and VAC touch screen monitor use extremely similar looking power supplies, and they use the same type of plug which will fit in either component.
Check to confirm you haven't accidentally swapped the power supplies between these 2 components, especially if you've recently replaced the monitor or VAC control board, as that will cause both to intermittently exhibit strange behavior:
If reseating connectors, testing the bill acceptor unmounted from the VAC, and confirming the VAC control board is using the correct power supply does not correct the issue, the bill acceptor has likely suffered a hardware malfunction, and will need to be repaired/replaced.
It is extremely rare, but possible, that the VAC control board is causing the issue.
So if you have a 2nd VAC, it is recommend to plug this bill acceptor into the known working VAC to see if that gets it working, as that will be a conclusive test to figure out if you're looking at a hardware issue with the bill acceptor, or hardware issue with the VAC control board.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor bad Motor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
This error means the bill acceptor is detecting it's unable to control it's motor that's used to pull bills into itself.
First step is to remove the bill acceptor's lower housing to make sure there is no dust, dirt, or debris stuck inside causing the bill acceptor to be unable to control it's motor.
If you clean the lower housing and the error remains, then the bill acceptor has suffered a hardware issue and will need to be repaired/replaced.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor bad sensor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
This error means the bill acceptor is detecting it's unable to use it's validation sensors.
First step is to remove the bill acceptor's lower housing to make sure there is no dust, dirt, or debris stuck inside blocking the bill acceptor's sensors:
If you clean the lower housing and the error remains, the bill acceptor has suffered a hardware issue and will need to be repaired/replaced.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor ROM error
Software issue with the bill acceptor
Software issue with the bill acceptor
This error indicates either a temporary software issue with the bill acceptor, or a permanent software issue which requires the bill acceptor to be repaired/replaced.
If you see this error, first try to power cycle the VAC kiosk (unplug from power for 10 seconds, then reconnect it to power). This will force the bill acceptor to reboot itself, which will clear this error if it was just a temporary issue.
If the error remains after a power cycle, then the bill acceptor needs to be repaired/replaced.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor Jam
Physical obstruction inside the bill acceptor
Physical obstruction inside the bill acceptor
This error means the bill acceptor is detecting some sort of jam, usually in the bill acceptor's lower housing, but could also be a jam in the bill acceptor's bill box.
Follow the removing and cleaning the lower housing section to make sure it's clean and clear of any debris.
Also remove the cash box to ensure there are no bill jams there, and clean the area with compressed air/lint free cloth to make sure it's clean as well.
Put the bill acceptor back together and test to see if the error has no been cleared.
If the bill acceptor continues to display the same error, and you've confirmed there are no jams within the bill acceptor's lower housing, or cash box; then the bill acceptor has suffered a hardware issue and will need to be repaired/replaced.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor Cash box out of position
Bill Box has an obstruction, or is misaligned
Bill Box has an obstruction, or is misaligned
This error is usually the result of a bill box being reinstalled incorrectly. It may be that it's not clipped in all the way, or it's misaligned.
Remove the bill box, and check to ensure there is no dirt, or debris inside; then reinstall it making sure it's fully clicks into place and is aligned correctly.
VAC Status error: Bill Acceptor stacker full
Bill Box is full and can't accept any more bills
Bill Box is full and can't accept any more bills
For this error simply empty the bill box, as the bill acceptor is currently detecting it's full and can no longer accept any bills.
If the bill box is empty and this error is being display, it normally indicates a hardware issue with the bill box itself. If you have 2 VACs, try swapping the bill acceptor cash boxes to see if the error follows the cash box, or stays with the same bill acceptor.
VAC Status error: Cant enable bill acceptor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
Hardware issue with the bill acceptor
This error means the VAC has tried but cannot trigger the bill acceptor to enabled itself.
At idle (VAC is on the home screen), the VAC disables the bill acceptor since it's not needed. Once a customer selects the touch here to get new card button, or places a laundry card into the VAC's card holder; the VAC enables the bill acceptor so it's ready to be used if needed.
This error may only appear when a card is in the VAC card holder, or a customer indicates they're trying to purchase a new card, because those are the only times the bill acceptor should be enabled.
For this error, the first step is to remove the bill acceptor's lower housing to make sure there is no dust, dirt, or debris stuck inside causing the bill acceptor to be unable to control it's motor.
If you clean the lower housing and the error remains, you can check the back of the bill acceptor for any error lights that may indicate why it's unable to enable itself, but ultimately the bill acceptor has suffered a hardware issue and will need to be repaired/replaced.
Status LED Errors:
The most common status light error condition we see on both CoinCo/SuzoHapp models and MEI/CPI models is a flashing LED error for clearing the bill path:
a red status light that flashes 2 times on CoinCo/SuzoHapp models
LED flashes 1 time on MEI/CPI models
If your bill acceptor's status light is flashing a clear bill path error, you'll want to remove the lower housing to check for any crumpled up bills, or debris.
If that area is clear, you'll want to clean the lower housing and pay extra attention to the 10 sensor locations that have been circled in the image below:
You want the sensor locations to be as clean as possible.
Once cleaned, put everything back together and test the bill acceptor to see if the problem has been resolved.
For other error codes you may see, the bill acceptor's cash box will have a legend to show what the different errors the status LEDS are trying to indicate:
For almost all these errors, you'll want to remove the lower housing, and bill box to make sure there are no jams causing the issue.
Any errors including the word Service or Failure generally mean the bill acceptor needs to be sent out for service/repair, or be replaced.
Removing and Cleaning the Lower Housing
For most bill acceptor issues, as well as for general maintenance purposes; you'll need to remove the bill acceptor's lower housing in order to check for any dust/dirt buildup; foreign objects/debris; pieces of a bill, or an entire crumped up bill; stuck inside the lower housing itself.
How to remove the lower housing
See the video below for instructions on how to remove the lower housing (sensor module) for your bill acceptor.
In the video below, CoinCo/SuzoHapp models are on the left, and CPI/MEI/Mars models are on the right:
Below are some still photos for removing the lower housing on MEI/Mars bill acceptors:
Cleaning the Lower Housing of your Bill Acceptor
Cleaning the lower housing is something that should be done periodically, but if your running into any issues with the bill acceptor accepting bills, cleaning the lower housing is one of the first things you should do.
Below we've included a link to a video, from a bill acceptor manufacturer, that shows their recommended method for clean the lower housing of these bill acceptors:
Note: When cleaning the lower housing, you'll be cleaning the lower housing sensor module that slides outs of the bill acceptor, but you also want to be sure to clean the sensors on the inside of the slot that the lower housing came out of, as per the above video:
General Bill Acceptor Maintenance
All Bill Acceptors should be wiped clean periodically to ensure proper operation and longevity.
If you're experiencing an issue with your bill acceptor, it may be caused by a crumpled up bill, or some foreign debris, finding it's way into the unit.
It is recommended that you remove the lower housing; inspect and remove any crumpled up bills, or debris, that you find in there; and wipe the area clean using a warm, slightly damp cloth. You will also need to do the same for the cash box of the bill acceptor.
Make sure all parts are fully dry before putting everything back together; then test the unit again to see if the problem has been resolved.
Replacing/Installing a Bill Acceptor
All Bill Acceptors (regardless of model) mount to the VACs using the same 4 Phillips screws.
Below is a picture showing the 4 mounting screws:
Bill Acceptors are a plug and play replacement part, so no programming is required to get the VAC to detect a replacement bill acceptor.
Just be sure the bill acceptor is installed with the VAC powered OFF, as the VAC will auto detect a newly installed bill acceptor, when booting up from being powered OFF.
If installing a bill acceptor into a VAC that did not have one installed initially;
you'll need to ensure the Bill Acceptor setting is set to Enabled within the VAC's configuration settings menu:
Once enabled, power cycle the VAC kiosk to allow it to auto detect the newly installed Bill Acceptor.
Issue: Bill acceptor rejecting or not accepting any bills
If your bill acceptor was working correctly before, but is now rejecting or completely not accepting bills, the first thing to do is to remove and clean the lower housing (sensor module) of the bill acceptor, and check for any crumpled up bills, or debris stuck inside there.
Once the area has been cleaned and is completely dry; put the bill acceptor back together and check to see if the problem has been resolved.
If the bill acceptor is still not accepting ANY bills at all, it's likely it's suffered from a hardware issue, or the bill acceptors internal programming has somehow deactivated the acceptance of all bills.
You can review the rejecting a particular denomination section for instructions on how to check the internal settings of your bill acceptor to ensure all bill denomination validation settings are enabled.
If the bill acceptor is correctly setup to accept all bills, then the bill acceptor has suffered a hardware failure and will need to be repaired/replaced.
Issue: CoinCo Bill Acceptor rejecting a particular denomination
This section discusses the settings on a CoinCo/SuzoHapp model bill acceptor specifically.
For details on how MEI/CPI model bill acceptors are programmed to accept different denominations, review the MEI Bill Acceptor Configuration/Programming Reference section.
If you have a CoinCo/SuzoHapp model of bill acceptor and it is consistently rejecting a particular bill denomination;
you'll want to check the internal settings of the bill acceptor and ensure that acceptance of this particular denomination is Enabled.
The bill acceptor will be programmed via the button on the lower housing of the unit.
review the videos below to see how to access the programming menu.
Below is a legend showing the different Pages you'll navigate through to adjust the various bill acceptor acceptance settings. In general, you'll want:
Page 1 to have all LEDs ON
Page 3 to have all LEDs ON
Follow the videos below to learn how to access these settings pages.
Step 1: Remove lower housing, access the configuration mode, and check Page 1 settings
Note: If you are removing the lower housing just to inspect for crumpled up bills or foreign debris, you do NOT press and hold the service button; you can simply remove the lower housing without pressing the service button.
The holding of the service button step is only needed for accessing the configuration mode.
Ensure that on Page 1, all four LEDs are ON. This means that bills $1-$20 are accepted.
If they are not all ON, you'll need to turn them ON (this is shown in the second video of step 2)
Step 2: Check Page 3 in the access configuration menu
Access Page 3 according to this video:
On Page 3, ensure that all four LEDs on are ON.
This configuration means that the bills are accepted both directions and sides (4-way acceptance) and that 50's and 100's are also accepted (if your specific model of bill acceptor supports validation for 50's and 100's.
Check and change these settings if necessary.
The video below shows an example of enabling acceptance of 50's and 100's on supported models.
MEI Bill Acceptor Configuration/Programming Reference
Generally speaking, MEI/CPI bill acceptors DO NOT need to be programmed to work with our system, as they should already come pre-programmed with the correct settings to work with the VAC kiosk. When you receive a new VAC, with bill acceptors pre-installed, they have already been configured to work with the VACs, and are programmed to accept all bill denominations.
However, if you do need to re-program an MEI bill acceptor for any reason (occasionally if you've purchased a new one from the manufacturer directly), you would use a coupon, that is provided by the bill acceptor manufacturer, in order to change the bill acceptor's internal programming settings.
Below is a picture of the coupon you would use to reprogram these bill acceptors, as well as what settings need to be selected in order for an MEI bill acceptor to work with the VAC kiosk, using the default settings (all available options enabled):
The following settings NEED to be exactly as what is shown in the above picture:
#3 - Pulse Width must equal Gaming Short
#4 - Pulses per Dollar must equal 1
#5 - Interface Mode must equal Harness Enable
#6 - is left blank.
The following settings are adjustable to however you want your bill acceptor to operate,
however when you receive a bill acceptor from us, by default all denominations are enabled, and bills can be accepted when inserted in any of their 4 possible orientations.
Warning:
When making ANY adjustments to the bill acceptors internal settings, you MUST ALWAYS POWER CYCLE THE VAC KIOSK afterwards.
In order for the VAC to detect the new configuration changes to the bill acceptor, the VAC needs to be powered OFF and then back ON.
During a VACs initial boot up, it will autodetect the hardware connected to it, this includes detecting any configuration changes to existing hardware.
If you do NOT power cycle the VAC after making configuration changes to a bill acceptor, the VAC and bill acceptor will be out of sync, which can cause issues with the VAC registering the incorrect amounts based on the actual bill denomination that the bill acceptor is validating.