Payment Technology
Coin changer
Term from the vending glossary
Payment module that validates coins, accepts them, and dispenses change. Typically connected to the machine controller via MDB.
The coin changer validates inserted coins, sorts them into tubes, and dispenses change from those same tubes. It is thus not merely a validator but the cash box of the machine—and the most common cause of a failure unrelated to the product itself.
Two operational failures are typical: empty tubes, because small coins are dispensed but not inserted, and validation errors due to contamination of the acceptance path. Both lead to "no change available" and thus to lost revenue when the machine is fully stocked. Where cashless payment dominates, the problem diminishes—but does not disappear as long as cash is accepted.