ACW 4 Controller Issue

[Mr. Clean]

It has recently starting scrolling hieroglyphics. Power cycling would reset it for a while - now it just displays what I assume is the software version V1.02 and will not reset via power cycling or any of the four buttons on the unit. It still accepts bills but doesn't display the wash selection or credit.

Anyone have a clue as to what the issue is and how to correct?

Thanks!
MC

 

[Randy]

What kind of display is it, Dixmor, Cryptopay, Hamilton red scrolling display?

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

I had this happen once, a few months ago. I killed the power, and it has been fine ever since. Mine has the crypto display.
Let us know what you find, as it may becoming my way (hopefully not).

 

[Rudy]

When that happened to me years ago, it was a bad display.

 

[Mr. Clean]

What kind of display is it, Dixmor, Cryptopay, Hamilton red scrolling display?

I believe it's a Hamilton - red, scrolling display. The controller was upgraded from the original Hamilton that had two lines a couple of years ago when we converted to Mars acceptor through Etowah Valley.

 

[Randy]

When you bought the new controller did it come with the red display? I think you have a bad display.

 

[Rudy]

Sometimes when you get the "gibberish", it seems like the display has lost it's serial communication with the motherboard. It loses it's "handshake". Anyway, I've had luck cycling the power to get it working again. Sometimes it takes a longer "power down" than others. I'd try turning the ACW off for 15 minutes or more. If the display doesn't start working after that....it's likely a hardware (bad display) issue.

 

[eckert16]

If it is converted to crypto pay (you never did confirm if it was or not)... if so, then your crypto display is failing. Order a new one, swap it out, and send in the old one for repair.

 

[Mr. Clean]

If it is converted to crypto pay (you never did confirm if it was or not)... if so, then your crypto display is failing. Order a new one, swap it out, and send in the old one for repair.

Not using CryptoPay on the ACW. Actually accomplish CC acceptance using Coinless Mobile App that bypasses the ACW.

 

[Rudy]

This just happened to me today.

What was "gibberish", were the welcome prompts. Somehow, the controller lost the welcome prompts, items names and tokenote value. The "custom" item names were gone.

Everything else, including Audit Vault count....was kept.

Hmmmm.

I had recently (a month or so ago) replaced the CMOS memory module with a brand new one from Mouser.

Something in this controller is causing the memory chip to lose data.....

 

[Rudy]

Another "nugget" into the mystery....

A call to Hamilton Tech support reveals that the suspect memory chip can be vulnerable to power spikes.

Over twenty years ago, I had to have a controller repaired, due to a nearby lightning strike. After that expensive encounter, I installed an APS Uninterruptable Power supply in each ACW. Although these devices output Square Wave (and not Sine Wave) power, they have worked perfectly fine. I have not had another controller failure since. I highly recommend this mod if you haven't done so.

The UPS "should" buck any over-voltage. Perhaps the UPS is failing? I don't know. I'll swap the UPS with the ACW next to it, and report back.

 

[MEP001]

FWIW, I got a pure sine wave UPS for $129 a couple years ago. I had similar issues with my changer, but from very brief power outages.

If you have a worry about a UPS getting too hot inside the cashier cabinet, you can always wire it inline on the power inside the equipment room.

 

[Randy]

Another "nugget" into the mystery....

A call to Hamilton Tech support reveals that the suspect memory chip can be vulnerable to power spikes.

Over twenty years ago, I had to have a controller repaired, due to a nearby lightning strike. After that expensive encounter, I installed an APS Uninterruptable Power supply in each ACW. Although these devices output Square Wave (and not Sine Wave) power, they have worked perfectly fine. I have not had another controller failure since. I highly recommend this mod if you haven't done so.

The UPS "should" buck any over-voltage. Perhaps the UPS is failing? I don't know. I'll swap the UPS with the ACW next to it, and report back.

Have you given any thoughts about going back to using a Dallas DS1216C Smart Watch that was the originally in the ACW-4 controller

 

[Rudy]

A quick check shows that Mouser doesn't have any more stock, and labels them as obsolete.

I see a couple on eBay from China.....Hmm I'm not so sure.

I'm going try a different UPS, and see what happens. It's been VERY cold here....so I'm not sure if that's a factor. I know it's too cold to sit on a 5 gallon bucket and type out the custom product names. That'll have to wait for a warmer day.