As the weather gradually turns cold, Zhigou vending machines also need our careful maintenance in winter. Only in this way can we ensure their stable operation, reduce the probability of malfunctions, extend their service life, and thus guarantee our operating profits. The following are some practical methods and key points for maintaining Zhigou vending machines in winter.

I. Exterior Cleaning and Protection

1. Regularly Clean the Machine Body

Although there is relatively less dust in winter, the surface of vending machines is still prone to accumulate dust, stains, etc. when placed outdoors or in different indoor locations for a long time. You can gently wipe the body of the vending machine with a soft and clean dry cloth every week to remove the dust and keep the appearance clean and tidy. If it snows and there is snow on the machine surface, it should be cleaned up in time to avoid the melted snow water seeping into the machine and damaging electronic components or causing rusting and other problems.

2. Do a Good Job in Windproof and Cold-proof

For vending machines placed outdoors or in windy areas, effective windproof and cold-proof measures should be taken. Some thermal insulation materials, such as thick foam boards and cold-proof covers, can be used to wrap around the sides and top of the machine to reduce heat loss and prevent the internal temperature of the machine from being too low to affect normal operation. Meanwhile, check the sealing condition of the machine to see whether the sealing strips at the doors, vents and other parts are intact. If they are damaged or aged, they should be replaced in time to ensure that the overall sealing of the machine is good and prevent cold wind from blowing in, so that a relatively stable temperature environment can be maintained inside.

II. Inspection and Maintenance of Internal Components

1. Inspection of the Item Channel System

Due to the change of temperature in winter, some components of the item channels may expand or contract with heat and cold, thus affecting the normal delivery of goods. Regularly open the door of the vending machine and carefully check whether the springs, conveyor belts, screw rods and other components of the item channels are deformed, loose or jammed. You can manually push the goods on the item channels to feel the smoothness of the pushing. If you find that there is relatively large resistance or it is not smooth, adjust, lubricate or replace the corresponding components in time to ensure that each item can be smoothly delivered through the item channels and avoid the occurrence of jams, so as to provide customers with a good shopping experience.

2. Maintenance of the Payment System

Cold weather may have a certain impact on the stability of the payment system, especially some electronic induction components, such as barcode scanners and card swiping areas. Regularly check whether the components of the payment system are firmly connected and whether the wires are damaged or aged to avoid poor contact of the wires due to low temperature and affect the payment function. Conduct several simulated payment operations at intervals to test whether the functions of scanning codes and swiping cards are normal. If any problems are found, promptly check whether the cause lies in hardware or software. If necessary, contact the after-sales personnel of the manufacturer for repair or replacement to ensure that customers can complete the payment smoothly.

3. Maintenance of the Refrigeration and Heating Systems (if applicable)

• Refrigeration System: If the vending machine has a refrigeration function, since the outside temperature is relatively low in winter, it is necessary to reasonably adjust the temperature setting of the refrigeration system to avoid excessive refrigeration that wastes energy and causes unnecessary wear and tear on key components such as compressors. Meanwhile, check whether the refrigerant in the refrigeration system is sufficient, whether there are signs of leakage in the pipelines, and whether the compressor is operating normally. If it is found that the refrigerant is insufficient or there is leakage, please ask professional maintenance personnel to replenish or repair it in time to ensure that the refrigeration system can be put into normal use when needed.

• Heating System: For vending machines with a heating function, such as those that can provide hot drinks, focus on checking whether the heating elements, thermostats and other heating-related components are working normally. Ensure that the heating function can operate stably so that hot drinks can reach an appropriate temperature to meet the needs of customers for hot drinks in cold weather. Pay attention to whether there are abnormal smells or sounds during the operation of the heating system. If so, immediately stop using it and troubleshoot the cause of the failure to prevent safety accidents.

4. Inspection of the Circuit System

Carefully check the entire circuit system inside the vending machine, including wires, plugs, sockets and control circuit boards. Check whether the outer skin of the wires is damaged or cracked, whether the plugs are loose or oxidized, and whether the sockets have good contact. Because the wires and other components may become more fragile in a low-temperature environment and are prone to safety hazards. If any problems are found, repair or replace the corresponding components in time. Meanwhile, ensure that the circuit system has a good grounding to ensure the electrical safety of the machine and prevent serious consequences such as fires caused by circuit failures.

III. Precautions for Commodity Management

1. Adjusting the Types of Goods

According to the consumption characteristics in winter, appropriately adjust the types of goods in the vending machine. Increase some goods suitable for eating and drinking in winter, such as hot coffee, hot milk tea, chocolate and other hot drinks, as well as hand warmers, gloves and other warm-keeping items (if the space of the vending machine allows). Reduce those goods that sell well in summer but have a low demand in winter, such as ice creams and cold drinks, so that the product structure can better meet the needs of customers in winter and improve the turnover rate of goods and increase profits.

2. Paying Attention to the State of Goods

Due to the large temperature difference between indoors and outdoors in winter, when replenishing goods into the vending machine, pay attention to the temperature adaptation of the goods to avoid problems such as packaging rupture and deterioration of the goods caused by the temperature difference. For example, some goods containing liquids may leak due to expansion and contraction when taken from a warm indoor environment and placed in a cold vending machine. Therefore, try to let the goods stay in an environment close to the internal temperature of the vending machine for a period of time before replenishment to ensure that the goods are in good condition and can be sold normally.

IV. Establishing a Maintenance Record File

In order to better grasp the maintenance situation of vending machines in winter and the changes in their operating status, it is recommended to establish a detailed maintenance record file. Record the time, content, problems found and treatment results of each cleaning, component inspection, repair, commodity adjustment and other related operations. In this way, it will be convenient for future review, summarizing experience and lessons, and also helpful for predicting some possible seasonal problems in advance and taking preventive measures in advance, so that the vending machine can always maintain a good operating state in winter.

In conclusion, doing a good job in maintaining Zhigou vending machines in winter requires our attention to multiple aspects. From the exterior to internal components, from commodity management to record keeping, every link cannot be ignored. Only by carefully and meticulously implementing these maintenance measures can the vending machine safely survive the winter and continue to contribute to our business.