We sat down with Linda Parker, of Parker Engineering & Manufacturing, to discuss answers to some of Parker’s most frequently asked questions! Parker Engineering makes many trusted coin acceptors and timers, so Linda is a great source to learn from. Read on to get answers from the expert – you may just find the answers to some of your own questions!
Linda Parker: Like most folks who have been in the car wash industry for any length of time we have seen and answered some pretty interesting questions. After 35 years there are some fairly standard calls that we receive. We love to talk to our customers and pride ourselves on our service. We never tire of the questions because we know to the operator/owner of a car wash it is important that the wash operates without problems. It’s fairly rare if our techs can’t help you track down where the issue is even if it doesn’t pertain to our equipment.
Do you have the solenoid valve that I am looking for?
Parker: Our answer to that one is always the same. You are looking for Parker Hannifin not Parker Engineering and we supply them with the 800 number. All our employees know it by heart because we get that question so frequently. We only hope that Parker Hannifin returns the courtesy when someone calls them looking for a Slugbuster® coin acceptor!
How do I hook up my timer to my coin acceptor?
Parker: Hooking up timers to the coin acceptors can be a tricky job and elicits lots of questions. It’s a very valid reason to reach out to our tech help. The hook up for timers can be very different. When you call (and we love that you do) it is important to know the brand and model of timer. While the wiring is always the same on our Slugbusters® the hookup to the timers can be very different. The yellow wire is almost always 24 volt hot AC. The black is almost always 24v common. Depending on your brand of timer the blue wire is standing 5 to 8v DC that is grounded for a credit pulse. On a few timers the purple wire completes a 24v AC pulse to the yellow wire. It’s confusing when you are trying to get things up and running so please give us a call. We will gladly walk you through it for your particular timer.
What tokens should I use?
Parker: Tokens provide customer loyalty and help to cut down on the amount of coins and theft. There is no simple answer to what token is best for your application. Doing your homework before you purchase tokens is a must! Our acceptors do not read the size nor color of the tokens. It’s all about the metal composition. All tokens are a blend of metals that give them their uniqueness. It’s another opportunity to call our office. We will ask you a few questions about your locations and what you hope to accomplish using tokens. It is crucial that you get a token that is unique to your area so you are not cross accepting the tokens that another wash is using. Or worse yet the Pizza Parlor or gaming arcades down the street. We are happy to make some recommendations on options and then direct you to a token company.
Can you service my unit?
Parker: YES, we still repair everything that we manufacture. We’ve seen lots of units that are coming in for repair that have been in use for decades! We’re proud of the durability of our acceptors while always remaining humble that sometimes our units do malfunction. We cover under warranty everything that we make for 2 years unless high voltage is applied to them. We actually covered under warranty a brand new unit that a customer had on his shelf for 10 years as a spare. When installed it didn’t work correctly so we replaced it! We could tell it was new!
Can my unit be repaired with spare parts?
Parker: Yes, there are some parts that you can purchase from your distributor and install. However, there are some components of the units that are impossible to repair on your own. Specifically the electronic boards and the coils that have to be replaced in our facility. We are happy to provide an assessment of your units when sent to us and let you decide whether it is cost effective to repair.
Kleen-Rite has unbeatable pricing on Parker Engineering coin acceptors, timers, and repair parts. With such a great warranty, personalized service, and repair compatibility, Parker products are reliable workhorses that will benefit your car wash, laundromat, or similar coin-op business. We have a great selection of items availabe online now, or give us a call to discuss your options!
