Wash Select/PDQ 4000 intermittent problem

[GoBuckeyes]

Not sure where to start or how to diagnose this problem. We have been fairly busy this past week, not record setting but pretty busy considering the extremely cold weather we're having. Anyway, over the last two weeks I have had several people call saying that they paid for a wash but the door did not open and therefore couldn't get their wash. It's only one of my bays and it seems to only be our cheapest wash which is $10. I'm not sure if the PDQ input is sketchy and not registering the signal or the Wash Select output is intermittent? I know it's not just a door issue because the customer never gets an enter wash signal and I'm not getting a "55" wash entrance timeout. Any suggestions?

 

[getnbusy]

Print a config report on your ws2 and see if the relay for your cheapest wash is activated. I think its should be relay #1. it might be #4 but I think #1.

In diagnostics on the ws2 you can also test the outputs on the machine, and the buttons also. If you have had the power off/or on some other issue it could have possibly been messed up. I hate to turn the power off on these things. seems like something always happens with the modem or something else.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Print a config report on your ws2 and see if the relay for your cheapest wash is activated. I think its should be relay #1. it might be #4 but I think #1.

In diagnostics on the ws2 you can also test the outputs on the machine, and the buttons also. If you have had the power off/or on some other issue it could have possibly been messed up. I hate to turn the power off on these things. seems like something always happens with the modem or something else.

I happen to have a config report here at home from last year. When you say 'activated' do you mean programmed? This is an intermittent problem. If I sell 100 $10 washes, it might happen to one person. The $10 wash is Wash 1, but relay 4. I just checked the WS manual and the motherboard has 8 relays. I may try changing that wash to another relay and see if that solves the problem. If the problem persists then I'll consider the PDQ input card. The Unitec motherboard is less than 3 years old and I have no clue how old the PDQ relay card is.

 

[whitescout]

Is the wash being triggered? Are you getting an error on the laserwash? If you get an entrance timeout error, then it could be that the ddors are failing to open.

If the wash is not being triggered, then it is either an input problem on the laserwash, or and output from the ws2. I know you said the motherboard is newish, but the relays/connections are on the IO board that is on the door of the unit.

I would remove, clean and reattach all wires for wash selection in the ws2, and laserwash. You could try moving the wire for the offending wash to a different output and reprogram.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Whitescout maybe you can enlighten me about a few things on the WS as I've always been a Hamilton guy and am less savvy on the Wash Select.

So I understand the board on the door is the I/O & Display board. The main CPU board is on the right hand side inside the cabinet. On the CPU board at the bottom left hand corner is a phoenix connector J17 which are the car wash relays. Just above J17 to the right are eight Omron relays which I am assuming are the relays that fire to signal the wash controller a wash has been purchased. How does the I/O board factor into the wash purchase? When the intermittent problem happens, people have purchased wash 1, the WS acknowledges it. When the wash is ready, the WS instructs the customer to enter the wash but for some reason the wash controller isn't getting the signal. If the problem is on the Wash Select side I would think that the problem lies in the omron relay not passing the signal on. I don't know for sure, but I would think if the I/O board was problematic then people wouldn't actually be able to purchase or get acknowledgement that they purchased that wash. Are my assumptions correct or is that not what the I/O board does?

Thanks

 

[GoBuckeyes]

One other thing I can add is that my Slugbuster II started clicking occasionally in this same Wash Select? This Slugbuster is less than a year old. Typically when they 'click', the sample coin is loose but that is not the case. Not sure if its related my occasional wash problem but thought I'd mention it.

 

[getnbusy]

Did you try programming a different relay yet ? just wondering if that helped or too soon to tell. That sounded like a solid test to me.

Do you have to do anything to continue washing ?? or it keeps digging with no interruption ??



Also you might check for bad connection on that wash circuit. corroded wire or something.
You could also compare the wash count on the unitec and laserwash to see where that takes you

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I have not had time to program another relay. I had my head in the machine today looking at it but was too busy elsewhere to commit to it. I was also hoping to have talked to Unitec before re-wiring it but their tech support is a real PITA now. Going to a their website to schedule a tech support call is about as inconvenient for an operator as I can think of.

 

[getnbusy]

Programming another relay takes like 1 minute. No wiring to change, its in the programmable settings. Look on the config report it will tell you exactly which tab to go to.

Unitec should be ashamed and embarrassed at the way they handle tech support for operators. They really want us to call a distributor. I refuse to call a distributor to drive 100 miles to get to my site and call Unitec to ask them whats wrong. For what its worth, I have found that if you are reasonably familiar with the machine and know how to navigate the service mode, the senior techs at unitec will exchange a few email with you. You might reach out to Dave or Luke. Its not talking on the phone but it is way more efficient and effective than calling a distributor or waiting for a scheduled phone call. By the way....they cut you off on the phone call after 30 minutes

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Programming another relay takes like 1 minute. No wiring to change, its in the programmable settings. Look on the config report it will tell you exactly which tab to go to.

Just so you know, you are correct about it taking less than a minute to reprogram a different relay for a wash. However, if you don't rewire the output you're never going to see another one of those washes reach your car wash controller. It only took a couple minutes to move the wire over one terminal. On the J17 harness, pin 1 = relay 1, pin 2 = relay 2....pin 8 = relay 8. Time will tell if this solves my intermittent problem.

 

[J Cooper]

I have the same problem across 7 bays in 3 different carwashes in 3 different states it's not the same wash every time at first I thought it was my cheapest wash so I tapes it off the problem remains. So changing the relay is not going to solve the problem.

 

[J Cooper]

I will be talking to Unitec monday about this . I will post any solutions they might have .

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Just a follow up...I have well over a 1000 washes through that bay and after changing that wash to another relay I have not had another missed wash since. The only change I made was to reprogram my Wash #4 from relay #4 to #5 and to move the wire over to the appropriate terminal. Unitec had suggested to change my wash signal from pulsed to latch also but I have not done that yet as I wanted to try one fix at a time.