Leaderboard

Since introduced in 2012 and as more new steel 10p coins overtake nickel version in circulation, I recommend and remove any nickel 10p programming and found If the mechs parameters are reprogrammed correctly the nickel 10p can be stopped from being accepted as new £1 too. . The programming parameters on both the new £1 and the nickel 10p are close but not identical, Just have to be prepared to spend just a little more time and effort during the reprogram These mechs were first used in machines since 1983 making some of the older MEI mechs age getting on for close to 40 years now and their validators ( the part in the coin gate that reads coin as it passes) are starting to fail making them difficult or unable to reprogram, Just because mechs have a new program is no guarantee they won't still fail. On the subject of Mektek, My Mektek programmer is stuffed away gathering dust and been there from just weeks after buying and using it. Bought mine in the early days when first appeared and long before new £1 introduced. The machine in my opinion no way meets the sales spiel they spouted about it. Not only supplied without leads for the early MEI mechs (had to buy them separate) but looks like programming was designed more for the later mechs as for the older units just an additional after thought. When programming MS/ME mechs they need a new IC add to that the cost of credits for Mektek and makes it expensive. Unless of course you spend a fortune on the top model with free credits if they still supply either version. Found the unit debits a credit whether the mech is programmed correctly or not, won't allow testing before deduction. Using creative Micro Coin Checker units built in 90s are especially ideal to handle MARS MS/ME series mechs. Plus having a coin mech credit test unit separate from the programmer lets me know the mech is sending correct credit signal for every coin including tokens With a collection in nickel 10p coins letting me test that all are rejected and none of them can to be accepted as £1 coins before final program of the mechs new IC

I had no problems programming mars mechs to take everything!!!!! take a look, nickel and steel 10p and old and new £1 coins, it can be done!!!!

Ron has done all mine although I have had them all converted for new pound coins. I have 2 machines that retain nickel only 10p acceptance whereas all the others are steel 10p coins only. None have missed a heartbeat and it is to Ron I highly recommend 👍👍👍

I have heard of mechs done on the mektek that it opens up the tolerances so much that a 1p can credit as £1

I bought a Mektek, pile of poo it was too! It went back and I got a full refund, even the stand did not fit the mechs and they advised using a rubber band! now when the mechs have to be programmed in the upright position with no extra pressure on the front a rubber band clamping it I don't think is a very clever idea! as Ron says it is very quick to deduct a credit (take money from you) before you actually know if it is going to work or not!! I myself use a the one below, with the lead connected you can manipulate the parameters in real time then put a coin through and see if it will accept or not, I found doing the mechs this way allowed you to see all the settings for the pounds, and the 2 types of 10p allowing you to actually see if the coins overlapped and what settings was the problem, diameter width and material, YES it took longer to program each mech but was great to make sure it all worked BEFORE committing to burning to a chip! also apart from the chip cost and extra time making sure everything was ok there was no extra fee to pay!! myself have never seen a 10p go through as a pound before on any I have messed with, the skill is in the person that does the programming, not in the fancy mektek all singing all dancing programmer which is very poor at what it actually does I think!