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MEI Bill Acceptor - Care & Usage
Updated

Introduction

The Bill Acceptor for a MicroMarket should be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis to keep your market running smoothly. This article will guide you through how to care for the bill acceptor and interpret the status light codes on the back of the device.

 

MEI Bill Validator:
Gen2, Gen 3, Gen3c, and V5 MicroMarkets

 

Tools:  

  • Phillips-Head Screwdriver
  • Key to XP (Expansion) Unit or Back of Kiosk
  • Condensed Air and/or Soft Cloth

 

Cleaning the Bill Acceptor

The Bill Acceptor has internal mechanisms that need to be occasionally cleaned to maintain optimum performance of a MicroMarket. Dust and dirt from the inserted bills can impact bill travel, and over time obscure the sensor located on the scanning plate, causing the device to reject valid bills or jam. Clean the acceptor by completing the steps below:

  1. Turn off the Bill Acceptor. Power down the device by removing the ribbon cable connected to the left side of the device, or by unplugging the XP (Expansion) Unit. 

  2. Push in the yellow latch located at the top of the device.

  3. Remove the Magazine. Release the cash magazine by holding the yellow latch down towards the top of the device. Lift up, and then back on the magazine.

  4. Unlatch the LED Housing. Unlatch the LED Housing by lifting up on the metal bar below the LED Status light.

  5. Remove the Scanning Plate. Remove the LED Housing by holding the metal bar and pulling back. The scanning plate can then be removed.

  6. Clean the device. Clean the bill path with a can of condensed air and/or soft cloth. You may use mild, non-abrasive, non-petroleum based cleaners if sprayed on the cloth. (Do not spray cleaner directly onto the device). The scanning plate can be cleaned with Windex or rubbing alcohol.

 

Status Lights

If the bill acceptor is getting power, check the status lights on the back of the device. Red LED lights on the rear of the LED cartridge will blink in sequence to diagnose potential issues. If working properly, the status lights should blink twice, showing as Disabled from System. This is perfectly normal, as the Bill Acceptor only engages when the Add Cash option is selected in the Point of Sale software.

 

BillAcceptor-StatusLights1.png

 If the status lights indicate anything other than 2: Disabled from System, use the legend on the cash cassette to diagnose the issue.

LED On = OK, LED Off = Power Off

Number of Flashes Status Solution(s)
1 Bill Path Jammed

Check the bill path. Remove the magazine and LED housing to check for obstructions to the bill path.

  1. Remove the bill magazine. See the sticker for instructions.
  2. Remove the validator unit. See the sticker for instructions.
  3. Check the Bill Tractors for obstructions. Clean the space around the Bill Tractors with compressed air.
  4. Check the Validator Rollers for obstructions. Clean the space around the Validator Rollers with compressed air.
  5. Check the Bill Validator. Clean the clear, plastic surface with compressed air and an eye-glass cleaning cloth.
  6. Re-assemble the unit and test it.

Check the Bill Magazine. If it still fails, be sure the Bill Magazine is free of obstructions. Jams in the Bill Magazine itself are rare, but simple to check for and clear.

  1. Remove the Bill Magazine from the cash acceptor unit. See the sticker for instructions.
  2. Make sure that both yellow doors open, and there are no obstructions to the springs.
  3. Make sure the cash bed moves up and down smoothly,
    • that the grooves that guide it are clear
    • that the springs underneath it are strong
    • there are no obstructions
  4. Replace the Bill Magazine and re-test the unit. If these steps fail, see the following section on Sensor Jams.
2 Disabled from System No action needed. This is the default status for the Bill Acceptor, which remains in a disabled state until it is prompted to accept bills from the Point of Sale software.
3 Needs Cleaning Remove the magazine and LED housing and clean the device using the cleaning instructions noted above.
4 Cross Channel Blocked This indicates something is obstructing the bill path. Remove the magazine and LED housing and check for foreign material. 
5 Magazine Removed This indicates the device is not detecting that the magazine is attached. Reseat the magazine and verify the connections. 
Continuous, slow Unit Failure; replace unit The unit may need to be replaced. Contact 365 Support at (888) 365-6282 for further assistance. 
Continuous, fast Stacker Full This indicates the magazine is full. Remove cash from the magazine.

 

Sensor Jams

Occasionally, the Bill Acceptor will blink a status light for a Bill Jam error, but there is no physical obstruction to the bill path. This can be due to the glass plate over the sensor being dirty. Break down and clean the device using the steps noted above. After cleaning, power the device back on and check if the status light returns to 2 - Disabled from the System. If the error persists after cleaning, contact 365 Support at (888) 365-6282 for further assistance.