Salting Vending Machines
TJ Wood
idea whether this works or not. The only thing I'm sure about is that
you'd have to be nuts to try it. (Some people will do anything for a free
coke).
If you know of anyone doing this "procedure" let me know what hospital they
are in and I'll be happy to send flowers:
> : The simplest thing I read about was Salting Vending
> : Machines. Can this be done? It was said that if you spray a highly
> : concentrated amount of Salt water into a vending machine (either coin or
> : bill slot) you could get free soda and money would come flooding out.
> Keep in mind that salt water conducts electricity and there is a
> substantial possibility that you will electrocute yourself.
First, it's possible to seriously mess yourself up doing this, electric
shock, prison, and possible fines (including but not limitied to replacing
the $1200ish electronics in the machine) are all things to worry about.
Second, the term salting is the correct vending industry term, and is
correct. It involves spraying ANY watery liquid into the bill acceptor
slot of a vending machine. Usually accomplished using a squeeze bottle
like the ones available at the QuickeeMart soda stand.
Third, I've done some work in the vending industry, and I know that the
fear of salting is a big one. They are starting to go to great lengths
to discourage salting. The fear isn't that they lose a machine-full of
product, or the change in the coin mechanism, that's not much money
(about $30-$40 in change+the stuff in the machine, the dollars aren't
going to come out unless you use a hammer). The bigger problem in their
eyes is that salting requires a service call and equipment replacement.
One leading vending machine electronics maker is selling a product that
cuts all power when it detects salting. I saw a trade show exibit that
demonstrated their new product. You walked up to this box, and pressed
a button, and a squirt bottle salted a bill acceptor. Their new thingee
can be wired to an alarm, and cuts power to all of the major cash/vending
systems. It eliminates any benefit to the would-be salter, and acts as
a deterrant by preventing the machine from "jackpotting", and by possibly
sounding an alarm.
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Sinbad
of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, all the residents got charged big bucks to
fix a bill changer that somebody injected a saline solution into. Guess
they needed quarters for laundry late at night.
thanks,
Mike S. Nash ---Hey! This map isn't correct. I live in Illinois and I know
---for a fact that the ground ain't white!---
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rh...@gaia.edrc.cmu.edu
Hola Terry!
I can verify the repeated occurence of 'salting' of ChEGSA's (Chemical
Engineering Graduate Student Association) coke machine. Unfortunately, coke
doesn't value our business enough to repair the machine when this happens,
so we have to pay to get it fixed each time. I think it's been decided
to install a metal cover over the dollar bill slot in the evenings
when this usually occurs. BTW, I don't think anyone has ever accomplished
anything by this vandalism other than wrecking our dollar bill acceptor.
Bob.
Steve Derby
>correct. It involves spraying ANY watery liquid into the bill acceptor
>slot of a vending machine. Usually accomplished using a squeeze bottle
>like the ones available at the QuickeeMart soda stand.
On a tangentially related note, I've heard of similar tactics to make pay
telephones jackpot on very cold nights. Someone once told me that it was
possible to plug up the coin return and fill the coinbox with water through
the coin slot. If it's cold enough outside, the water would supposedly
freeze, expand, and crack open the coin box and pay phone. Seems like a lot
of bother for just a couple of bucks in dimes.
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