@672southmain Wow! I had no idea they were so expensive!!! This is my model.
@scottgu3 I don't even want to know what the cost is I am sure. It is outdoors in Arizona and even when over 110, still ice cold.
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That is awesome and you could have one hellofa party. Definitely jealous.
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Thats like $120 bucks worth of Kirkland Light.
Possibly offensive YouTube refrence
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So in looking at the manual last night, it looks like the best route is going to be setting the machine to free vend mode and mimicking the button presses. 20200730_063833|375x500
I saw these in my amazon feed yesterday
SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher - No Wiring, Wireless App or Timer Control, Add SwitchBot Hub compatible with Alexa, Google Home, HomePod, IFTTT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7NXV4R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hcqjFbG00YQMT
Maybe those could actually hit the button
@Hasty1 That would work as I could attack one to each button. I am thinking something a little less conspicuous and would like it integrated with Hubitat,
In looking at the manual, it says the buttons send a logic signal to the board by closing a ground loop. My volt meter shows this as a 5vdc circuit. My guess is the application of voltage is the extent of the "logic".
Just to mess around, I was able to get a single channel ZigBee LED controller to discover with only 5 volts applied. I set it up as a generic ZigBee switch and am able to control on and off with no missed commands surprisingly. However there does not seem to be enough voltage for the unit to report back its status. Which is fine. Voltage is reduced from 5 to 3.75dc on the output. Hopefully that is enough to trigger the "logic". Only one way to find out.
In think a bunch of relays and a Arduino would be the best option
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@Hasty1 I am thinking you are correct that relays are the best option. Was just messing around with what I had on hand. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around how to wire up this method. (which is just one reason why a relay is the superior way to go). But there has to be a way.
What do you have on hand? There might be a simple circuit that could make it all work
@Hasty1 As a cofounder of RGBgenie, of course anything in the catalog. Which is why I was trying an LED controller. What my experimenting showed yesterday is that it appears any amount of voltage across the button switch will trigger the sale cycle.
A possible issue I found with using an LED controller is that it never really turns off to zero voltage. There is about a tenth of a volt even when off. Led strips don't notice but this soda machine seems to.
Now I could be wiring it up wrong too. I am not the brightest candle in the box. I was just using the positive and negative output to bridge where the button is. I found a stronger 5v power supply and was getting a solid 5v out of the controller which is what the button circuit uses. (they are rated for 12-36 volts so do not try this at home) And with this stronger power supply, I also get reporting back. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to see the unit working just fine at 5vdc.
It did not matter if I had the controller on or off, touching the output leads to both sides of the button completed the circuit and the machine started the vend cycle. I thought there could be a continuity issue inside the controller but my meter didn't see it. So thinking it must be the tiny amount of voltage given off. Just a best guess.
So it seems a relay that fully opens and closes it what is needed. Unfortunately I know zero about Arduino.
Also worth mentioning, is the manuals I posted, even though the look like my machine do not seem to be what I have for the electronics. The control board I have is from a newer machine, the Merlin 2000. It reads slightly different.
"The vendors control board constantly sends a low voltage signal to the common position of each select switch. When a selection is made, the selection switch closes, allowing the low voltage signal to travel from the switches common position through the switch and out the normally open position of that switch to the control board."
Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Without knowing exactly what is going on in either controller it sounds like maybe a pull down resister would help...
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Sure seems worth a shot. Good idea.
@potts.mike Initially I didn't consider the ZEN16 because of the 12v lower limit specification as I needed to control a 5vdc circuit. But I am here to say this thing is awesome. Got one today, set each zone to garage door mode and it mimics (passes through) the 5vdc button presses perfectly. Now I have to order another one. That will give me 6 of the 8 selections. For me, lesson learned, I was way overthinking it. This was the best solution.
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Would be fun to leave it at 75 cents and tie one of the relays into the coin switch. (Have no clue what the coin mech looks like in a soda machine though. Used to video games/pinball machines...quarters only.) Trigger three coins, then vend. I may have to try to pick up a soda machine now.
Glad to hear it worked.
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I have a couple Zen16s sitting that I got on sale KNOWING I would have a project for them someday... this one may be the inspiration for one!
Thanks! Now you just need to make a dashboard with custom icons for the drinks you want to vend, and maybe a couple Rules to try to keep track of how many are left?
