Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Automaticket common troubles?

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Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 07-24-2006, 06:36 PM:

Ok, last week in the midst of selling tickets, the automaticket died. Id push a button, and nothing would pop out. We cant seem to figure out what the problem is. I mean its not like it was slowly dying or messing up every so often. As I saw on several other topic threads, there are several people here who referenced the ease of fixing these machines.
Several of the buttons wont even push down, and the ones that do, wont pop up.
I am curious if their is a list of "things to check" in order to narrow down potential problems.
I am showing a photo of said machine as I am unaware if their are different "versions" of it.

Lets see if I can figure out how to post a photo correctly..
nope...will try later

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 07-24-2006, 06:48 PM:

Boy that sounds like it lost power...there is a switch...I know it sounds dumb, but is the power switch on...is the power cord plugged in and is the outlet definately working...I would start with the simple stuff here.

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 07-24-2006, 08:41 PM:

yeah, we did try it in another outlet. I was not aware there was an on off switch. Where exactlly would it be? Of course part of the problem is that the concessions stand was literally built around it. Its hard to see what exactlly the machine is made of.We have already tried to yank it out. Someone else suggested a fuse being blown but the one manager thought it wouldnt be that because if it was a fuse none of the buttons would work.

BTW great W&G Quote.....

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-25-2006, 10:46 PM:

Is there only one motor? (on the right side)

Do some buttons work? Louis

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 07-26-2006, 10:52 AM:

Ok, so I actually grabbed my digicam yesterday and did the old "hold the camera in the direction of what I want a photo of in hopes I can actually get a photo"
and was able to get a few photos of the "undercarriage"

yes it appears there is only one motor, and a transformer perhaps??
Yes, one section of buttons work. The far right ones. They push down but wont push up. The others seem "locked"

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 07-26-2006, 03:25 PM:

On the right side, where the power cord enters, on top of that box there is normally a power switch.

By work, do you mean that the right side buttons will spit out tickets? Just because the buttons push down doesn't mean it works.

A-The round thing you called a transformer is a capacitor and it has failed.
B-The motor has failed. Get a local motor shop to rewind it.
C-The power switch I discribed above is turned off.

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 07-26-2006, 09:21 PM:

I have not found a power button yet.However it is very hard to feel there.
When I said "works" I should have specified that the buttons push down. No the tickets dont come out.
How would the power switch, if there is one, have gotten turned off? I know I didnt turn it off, do the power buttons often get pushed inadvertantly?
How easy is the motor to remove? As I show in my first photo, there is only a three inch or so space and hands dont fit in very well. I can imagine someone might be able to get it off, but I dont know about putting it back on. Whomever built the counter around the ticket thing obviously never thought it would need any fixing. [Roll Eyes]

Are there any diagrams that specify the mechanical and electrical layout of these things?

Posted by Chris Mosel (Member # 1451) on 07-27-2006, 08:22 AM:

Just on an off chance. Try twisting the little knob on the bottom of the motor. It might just spin into action. This has worked for me in the past. Fired right up and worked for weeks.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-27-2006, 09:01 AM:

The motor has a splined shaft that turns each bank. It also has a "tab bar" wich operates a microswitch ,located near the motor.

If you remove the top plate and then the plate just in back of the buttons, you can lift out the 3 individual ticket machines. What you have left in the case is the motor, drive shaft, tab bar, microswitch and start capacitor. If you push the tab bar, the motor should run.If not, then you know what to fix. Don't disassemble the individual units.

If you have trouble with units, I have soaked them in a pan of WD40; run them with old tickets (& a pan underneath). When all of the chaff stops, be sure to soak them in oil and run junk tickets until no more oil or junk. Louis

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 08-02-2006, 05:12 PM:

Well, it appears that the problem is fixed. Apparently there was a multitude of little things.
One thing is apparently there is a little tension in the little widgets that the tickets roll over to go up into the machine, somehow, all but one lost their tension, and the little widgets wouldnt stay up.

Of course now the one side is quirky, doesnt always spit out a ticket...

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 04-04-2007, 06:45 PM:

Has anybody ever made a modern automaticket? I'm looking into replacing cash registers at our Public Markets with something similar if it could only be SIMPLE.