QME in Mackay 2014

It is on again in Mackay 22nd, 23rd & the 24th of July 2014 at the Mackay Showgrounds. Crucially timed for your operation with over 600 exhibitors to show you better mining, better productivity, better optimization, better efficiency and bigger ideas. You will have access to the latest products and services from Australian and over seas suppliers. Gain relevant education to move your business forward. You will be able to see the latest technical information. There will also be opportunities to interact with others in your industry. So follow the link below to find out more information and register to attend.

http://www.queenslandminingexpo.com.au/en/for-visitors/

Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition

What to do with a downturn in the mining industry

I will not be attending, not that I have not thought about it. I am sure it would be a great place for a lot of businesses to get their face out there in front of potential customers. I believe there are two ways to look at the present economic environment. With the present downturn in the industry, and figuring there is no potential for growth so you take a quite look, wait and see attitude. The other way to look at it is, to get your face out there and try and squeeze what business is out there your way. At the moment I am taking the wait and see approach. I am not shutting up shop and quitting. For customers looking for laundry equipment to buy or rent, I am still here going strong.

QME has already helped my business

I have had extra service work come my way over the last couple of weeks from a lot of the motels in Mackay. Because the motels know they are going to be fully booked out for the week, they wanted to make sure all their laundry equipment is up to scratch and ready to handle the extra demand. Over the last couple weeks I have been fixing noisy clothes dryers and worn belts and pulleys on washing machines in the guest laundries. Also a couple of dishwasher repairs in self contained units.

For anyone who is Mackay for QME and would like to catch up in person and discuss laundry options. Maybe you are looking at expanding a guest laundry or need extra washing machines and clothes dryer for a wash room you can contact me by,

Phone: 0408 776 405
Email: rod@cqlaundryrentals.com.au

Mackay Coin Operated Laundromats appear to be in the decline in number. I can recall there used to be at least four other laundromats around Mackay that have now disappeared. This maybe a symptom of our economic times. I believe there are three factors that have contributed to this decline.

1. As we can appreciate the average level of the economy, especially in Mackay is quite affluent which contributes to more people being able to afford to buy their own machine rather than rely on such facilities as laundromats.

2. The cost of buying a new washing machine for yourself has actually come down relative to the average weekly wage. Twenty years ago the average large top loading washing machine cost around $700.00 and the average wage was about $200- $300. Now large top loading machine can still cost about the same $700 but the average wage is $800- $1000.

3. With lower numbers of people using laundromats and the ever increasing costs such capital expense, building rental, utility costs, maintenance and government restrictions it is not finacially viable to stay open.

Having less laundromats is good for the surviving laundromats because although their clients may have to travel a little further, the available clients are shared between fewer laundromats which increases their ecomomy of scale. There will always be a particular percentage of the population who for various reasons will need the facilities a laundromat provides so I hope for them and the owners of the laundromats they can survive in this economy.

One Laundromat doing well.

Today I was called out to one of my machines in which the coin slide mechanism had been jammed. The machine was a Speed Queen SWT111NW 3050 Washer. I thought this would be a good opportunity to take a couple photos with my trusty Iphone and put together this little service helper. Most owners of coin operated machines will quickly come across this situation. There are a lot of coins in circulation that are slightly bent or dented. Some damage is hardly noticeable so you can not blame the machine users ALL the time. Most of the manufacturers including Speed Queen, Maytag, GE & Whirlpool in the past 10-15 years have been using these 7 slot vertical Greenwald coin slides mechanisms. Here in Australia they have been designed to accept 20c, $1.00 or $2.00 coins just by changing the insert in which the coin fits and a little piece of metal which fits in the roof of the slide. Some service repairers may not like me showing how this is done but the fact of the matter if you have just a slight bit of mechanical knowledge most owners will attempt to do this repair anyway. If you own machinery it is advantageous to have a little knowledge to do simple repairs or else you will go broke. Although you are not working on the actual wiring there is still 24o volts quite close, so always unplug the machine before removing any covers.

Under Service Door

Once you open up the service door with the service door key you will see a brass coloured bracket protruding from the end of the coin slide. The shape of this can vary quite a bit depending on the brand and model of the washer or dryer. Usually on the end of this bracket (as in this case) there is another bracket. This is the bracket which comes in contact with the time lever or on the newer model a micro switch for the electronic. On the Maytag machines for 10 years at least they have been using a push rod with a electronic sensor on the end. In any case you don’t really need to worry about what the bracket is actually activating. We are only interested in the bracket directly screwed to the slide. The only spanner you need is a 5/16″ socket or in some Maytag machines a 1/4″ socket, remembering that all these machines are American so they are still Imperial sizes. A small extension and handle or ratchet are also helpful. So remove both brackets.

5/16" Sockey with Extension and Spanner

You will see the picture I have taken the spanner is fitted to the end of the bolt. Once you loosen this bolt a turn with the spanner you should be able to turn it with you fingers and remove it the rest of the way.

Where the bolt fits.

You will see how this bolt goes right up to the front the cavity and bolts the slide mechanism onto the front of the cavity. It is fitted  in the middle, close to the roof. You should be able to feel the bolt with your fingers.

Once you have taken the bolt out you should be able to lift the slide up slightly then pull the unit out. It locks into a couple locking slots that you will see once you have removed it. Take note how it slots in so can refit it on reassembly.

Removing Slide Mechanism

Once you have removed the slide mechanism it is usually quite an obvious job to remove the coin which has jammed it. When you are ready for reassembly I usually spray the assembly with a small amount of lubricant spray such as WD40.

There is the Problem

Reassembly is the exact opposite of dismantling. The only trick sometime is getting that long bolt to make contact with the tread at the end of the cavity. It is a matter of holding your tongue in the right position or a couple of choice words. There is a hole in a bracket half way back which helps line up the thread at the end. Once you have done this job a couple times it does become easier.

Once you have reassembled the slide put a set of coins through the slide to ensure it is going to continue working.

Laundry Maintenance

Looking after your guest laundry or laundromat means more than just collecting the coins and giving the machines a quick wipe over although that is a good start. It doesn’t matter weather it is Speed Queen, Maytag, Whirlpool, Heubsch, Uniamc, or GE you eventually buy or inherite, (if it is an old laundry) they all need to be looked after. All your laundromat equipment needs preventative maintenance in order to protect your business, your machines, and your profits. Actually my first maintenance starts on the day they are installed. My first action is to take off the front panel and give the machines a good spray of Fish oil around all the seems and welded joints.Be very careful not to spray near the belts and pulleys or near the damper assembly on the top loaders. Although the new machines are protected against rust doing this will add years to the life of the machines particularly washing machines. Giving the external paint work and particularly the chrome coin box and coin slide a polish with some good quality car polish will keep the machines looking good for years longer.Doing proper laundromat maintenance also ensures your employees and your customers a clean, safe, and efficient store.

I hope to add further information on this website which may include videos of maintenance and basic repairs to help you along so if you do own and run your own laundomat or guest laundry this may prevent to many service call expenses.

Here are the basics of maintaining each system within your laundromat.

Washing Machine Maintenance

Washers are basically a big tub that fills with water and soap, while an agitator moves back and forth in the middle of the tub. Front-load washers do not have the agitator and instead use gravity in a tumbling action to separate dirt from clothes.

Replace and clean the water filter inlet screen regularly. These screens build up with sand and grit from in the water supply. Check the drain pipes and traps for a build of lint and sludge.

Use a washing machine cleaner to remove soap and dirt residue buildup inside the drum. This may also improve the appearance of the machine for customers.

Regularly check hoses, connections, and joints for leaks. A broken hose is the most common cause of flooding in laundromats.

Occasionally belts will wear out and need to be replaced. Belts connect the motor to the washer drum. These can be replaced based upon a preset time or cycle period. Often a bi-annual visual inspection is all that’s needed to ensure a belt isn’t frayed and about to snap.

Dryer Machine Maintenance

Dryers represent the most common cause of fires and property damage within a laundromat because they operate at extremely high temperatures. The most common cause of dryer fires is accumulated lint on the lint screen, in the ducting and within the cabinet of the dryer. When this material collects it constricts the flow of hot air out of the dryer, which in turn increases the chance of a fire. To prevent this situation, implement a daily lint cleaning routine. Other causes of dryer malfunction or dryer fire are: improper installation (typically hoses and ducts), buildup of oils from clothing and rags in the laundry, and insufficient air flow through the dryer. So every six months the front panel of the dryer should be removed, checked inside and cleaned if necessary.

Coin Slides

The biggest area for maintenance in a coin laundry is the Coin Slides with coin jams and attempts of theft. A small amount of WD40 sprayed around the slide part of the mechanism seem to keep the slide running smoothly and also polishes the chrome. I will go into coin slide repairs in a further article.