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Common Issues with the Penny Device and How to Solve Them

Written by Euri

  • add in the dev prefix stuff

  • add in general centsible config stuff, maybe make a table to make this clear? dryer:1, etc.

Ensuring the optimal performance of the Penny device involves addressing several common issues through specific troubleshooting steps. Always prioritize safety by disconnecting laundry machines from AC power and taking necessary precautions during maintenance.
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When a customer contacts us and says they have an issue, we need to triage it to understand as much as possible about the issue. The following information is key:

  1. Store/Business/Location

  2. Machine Manufacturer (e.g. SpeedQueen, Dexter, etc.)

  3. Machine Era (e.g. Midas, ACA, Centurion, C-Series, etc.)

    1. You or the customer might not be familiar with these generations. If so, they should share the full model number. Use the Piggybank to look up a model number for more information.

  4. Machine Name/Number (e.g. W15, D42, etc.)

  5. MAC Address

    1. The device must be identified so that it can be assessed. The MAC address is a fool-proof way of identifying devices. Sometimes devices can be moved from store to store, or a duplicate name might exist in Centsible. Knowing the MAC address is crucial to identifying devices.

      1. Taking a device in IDLE mode, tap repeatedly on the machine number in the upper left hand corner. (e.g. "21" in the image below) to display a page that shows the WiFi status and the MAC address.

      2. If the device is in an error state or otherwise nonfunctional, users can reboot devices in order to show the QR code. The devices will show the QR code upon boot for approximately 15 seconds. The QR code can be scanned and the MAC address will be embedded in that URL.

        1. If you receive a photo of a QR code, you can use scanqr.org or the Aspose QR Code Reader to find out the URL.

  6. Situation/Context

    1. Oftentimes this can be ascertained by looking at Centsible and understanding the situation, looking at the device screen. But otherwise, we always want to know as much as possible about what is going on.

      1. What exactly is the problem?

      2. What does the device show or do wrong?

      3. When did this start? If intermittent, when and for how long?

More often than not, obtaining the information above is sufficient to resolve the situation. If the situation isn't resolved by obtaining this information, you can move forward with more in-depth troubleshooting.

​General Issue 1: Power and Basic Machine Functionality

Problem 1: The Penny device is not powering on. This means that the Penny screen is completely black and dark, showing no change when powered or not powered.

Solutions:

  1. Check Machine Power:

    1. Verify if the laundry machine is powered. Power the laundry machine if it is not already powered.

  2. Power Cycle the Laundry Machine:

    1. Turn off the laundry machine at the circuit breaker.

    2. Alternatively, disconnect the machine control board from power (for trained professionals only).

  3. Inspect the Harness:

    1. For most machines, check the 2-pin connector on the device harness (4-pin for Electrolux devices). Is this plugged in to the mating connector on the machine?

      1. For machines with spliced power, ensure that splices are properly completed according to this guide.

      2. See specific machine-level guides to understand how to tap power and ensure that it is done correctly.

    2. Check for disconnections, cuts, damage, or loose pins in the harness.

    3. Reconnect or replace the harness if any issues are found.

    4. Use a known-working harness from another Penny device (ensure power is off before disconnecting).

  4. Assess the Laundry Machine Control Board:

    1. Contact the machine distributor to assess the laundry machine’s control board.

Problem 2: The Penny device is powered on but not booting. This may mean that it shows a screen with an underscore in the top-left corner, a screen with an icon of a penguin that says "U-Boot", or that an illuminated black screen is shown, or something similar.

Solutions:

  1. Check WiFi: The "localhost login" screen is shown

    1. This is a failure to boot based on a lack of internet connectivity. This happens at install, before a device has been configured/provisioned, and internet is not set up. Ensure that the internet is connected and operational. See details in General Issue 2) below.

  2. If the screen is black but illuminated, showing an underscore, or showing a penguin icon

    1. Reboot the device at least twice.

    2. Power the device off overnight.

    3. If neither reboot strategy works, then the device has a corrupt flash and must be replaced.

Problem 3: The machine is showing an error or otherwise non-normal operation.

Solutions:

  1. Check serial enablement

    1. Certain machines are configured to communicate serially. Of these machines, some need to have serial mode/communications enabled through various means. Consult specific machine-level guides to ensure this has been properly performed.

  2. Check machine-specific errors

    1. Using Google to look up machine-specific errors, try to understand what each error denotes

    2. If confident that this is not a device issues, we can instruct users can instruct users to call the support line for the machine at hand:

      1. Alliance: varies by distributor (start with distributor)

      2. Dexter: varies by distributor (start with distributor)

      3. Electrolux: (844) 772-8555

    3. The Cents Hardware Team is also available to help debug these issues and potentially get in touch with technical teams from any machine manufacturer to address a more difficult to solve and/or higher level question

General Issue 2: WiFi Connection Problems

Problem: The Penny device is not connecting to WiFi. This presents itself as either a screen showing "localhost login" if the devices haven't been provisioned, or as card payments failing for provisioned devices, and/or as devices showing offline in the Business Manager.

Solutions: see the guide here
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General Issue 3: Device Configuration

Problem 1: The Penny device shows an error screen such as "Error Init Machine E1" or "Error E2", or similar.

Solutions:

  1. Check serial enablement

    1. Certain machines are configured to communicate serially. Of these machines, some need to have serial mode/communications enabled through various means. Consult specific machine-level guides to ensure this has been properly performed.

  2. Check the wiring harness

    1. These errors mean that serial communications are not taking place though the device expects them. The harness is the means of communication between device and machine and should be checked according to the steps described in Section 1) number 3) above.

  3. Verify QR Code Functionality:

    1. Check if the QR code leads to the live-link page and starts the correct machine.

    2. Contact Cents support to ensure proper backend provisioning through Centsible and/or the Business Manager.

Problem 2: The Penny device shows a screen that is not proper to the machine type (e.g. dryer screen for a washer or vice versa, or the screen otherwise doesn't look right.)

Solutions:

  1. Check device configuration

    1. First check Centsible to see the device screen and see if the device is configured correctly.

    2. Then check the Business Manager, and see how the device is configured

    3. Contact the Hardware Team for resolution

Problem 3: The Penny device will not accept cards

Solutions:

  1. Check WiFi

    1. The most likely explanation is that the store's WiFi is down. See details in General Issue 2) below.

  2. Contact the Hardware Team

Problem 4: The Penny device will not vend the machine

Solutions:

  1. Check device configuration

    1. First check Centsible to see the device screen and see if the device is configured correctly.

    2. Then check the Business Manager, and see how the device is configured

    3. Contact the Hardware Team for resolution

  2. Check the wiring harness

Problem 5: The Penny device will not accept coins

Solutions:

  1. Check device configuration

    1. First check Centsible to see the device screen and see if the device is configured correctly.

    2. Then check the Business Manager, and see how the device is configured

    3. Contact the Hardware Team for resolution

  2. Check the wiring harness

  3. Contact the Hardware Team

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