During our time in the vending machine businesses supply business, we have noticed that many customers have problems with their vending machines because they just don’t look after them correctly. I’m amazed at the amount of calls we get from vending machine owners that report easily preventable problems to us.
For our own customers, we provide training and written instructions on how to regularly look after their vending machine. These easy to do maintenance items are simple 5 to 10 minute operations that will improve the performance of the vending machine businesses and reduce the chance of breakdown. However, even with training and instructions, some people still fail to do the right thing.
A couple of simple things you need to do are
- Never place the back of your vending machine hard up against the wall. Leave a gap of at least 15cm at the back of the vending machine. This allows optimum airflow for the hot air to escape from the machine. If you don’t leave a suitable cap, hot air will build up in the refrigeration of the vending machine and this will gradually cause the equipment to over-heat. This could eventually damage the compressor which is an expensive piece of equipment to replace. Also your vending customer will notice that their cold drinks are not so cold anymore leading to a drop in sales.
- Check and clean the dust and dirt away from the refrigeration condenser every 4 to 8 weeks. Your refrigerated vending machine relies on drawing air in and if this is restricted or blocked it will cause overheating and possibly a malfunction with the compressor; and that’s an expensive fix too. On most vending machines businesses it is very easy to get access to the condenser and generally only takes a few minutes to brush out with a dust pan and brush. Do this every couple of months and you will avoid an expensive breakdown.
More tips to follow
A tip to reduce the amount of airborne particles ending up in your vending machine is to place the machine in a clean environment on a clean and non-carpet floor. Placing a vending machine on a carpeted floor means you’ll probably have to clean the condenser every month as the carpet fibres will be drawn up into the condenser.
By following these simple yet effective procedures will prolong the life of your vending machine and keep the refrigerated items at the correct temperature. And all this will keep your customers buying their cold drinks and snacks day in day out.
