IMPORTANT: Please read and familiarize yourself with ALL the following instructions BEFORE attempting to clean your dealing machine. The machine is very sturdy, has low maintenance requirements, and is extremely reliable. However some parts can be broken or damaged if the machine is mishandled.
The biggest problem occurs when the rubber rollers (particularly the feed roller) accumulate hand oils, dirt, perfume, and food residue from dirty cards. If allowed to build up, the Dealer4 stops feeding the cards reliably.
The second most common problem is when the camera lens and optical sensors become obscured by dust and can no longer read the card faces consistently. New cards often cause this problem. There is paper dust on the card edges from cutting, and the cards are often given a light coating of talc at the factory to keep them from sticking together. This dust drops off as the cards move through the machine and causes problems with the Dealer4 optics.
Over time, dirt and dust can cause the Dealer4 to malfunction in several different ways. It’s hard to prescribe a cleaning schedule because a lot depends on the condition of the cards being used, and how many boards per week are made. If you notice a change in the machine’s operation or speed, or if the machine begins to behave erratically, or if you start seeing software error messages while dealing, it’s probably time for a cleaning. It may be necessary to clean the feed roller every 50-200 boards, while the other parts will need to be cleaned less frequently. NOTE: It IS possible to clean the machine improperly or too often. This can cause increased roller wear and can scratch the camera lens. Be judicious and careful when cleaning, and avoid dripping or splashing liquid into the machine.
The cleaning consists of three stages:
- The rubber feed roller(s),
- The camera lens, and then
- The parts under the plastic top cover (the optical sensors and eight green rollers).
For more information, you may access and/or download an illustrated Dealer4 maintenance, adjusting and cleaning manual from the dealer4.com Support tab:
http://www.dealer4.com/support_download_manual1.htm
CLEANING OVERVIEW
- It will take approximately 20 minutes to clean the machine your first time. Allow enough time so you’re not rushed. Read ALL the instructions and go slowly and carefully to avoid damaging parts.
- You should stand up or sit with the machine facing you the same as when you make boards.
- CAREFULLY unplug both the power and USB cables from the machine.
- Use the compressed air sparingly – a little goes a long way. When using the compressed air, hold the can upright – otherwise it sprays liquid, not air.
SUGGESTED CLEANING PRODUCTS AND PREPARATION
- Can of compressed air
- Bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol (better than 70%)
- Small paintbrush for gently whisking away dust
- Clean, soft lint-free towel or white cotton glove
- Q-tips
- Lens cleaner towelettes
- Non-ammonia glass cleaner
- Cleaning instructions (this document)
CLEANING THE RUBBER FEED ROLLER(S)
Either put on the cotton glove and moisten a finger or moisten a corner of the terrycloth towel or cloth. The feed roller(s) are the ones that sit in the card feed hopper beneath the stack of cards. Remove the grime, dust and oils from the rubber rollers using the alcohol-moistened glove or cloth. Scrub the rubber rollers back and forth (front to back) and rotate them with your other hand. Wipe the metal axles too. Keep the glove or towel lightly moistened with alcohol at all times, but not dripping. Dry off any liquid that remains on the rollers. Cleaning the rubber feed rollers may be the only cleaning step that you need to do, if you are only seeing slow dealing or Card Feeding errors – the other parts typically require cleaning less frequently.
CLEANING THE CAMERA LENS
The camera lens is clear plastic and can be damaged by harsh chemicals and/or finger oils and hand lotion. You should treat the camera like you would treat quality photography equipment. NEVER touch the lens with your fingers. The camera is black plastic and located underneath the card feed hopper on the right towards the back of the machine, with the lens facing up. Cleaning the lens too often or roughly or with too much liquid can scratch or cloud the lens and cause card recognition errors.
- Use the can of compressed air to blow the dust from the camera lens. Read and follow the directions on the can of compressed air. Aim the stream of air at the lens and the entire camera. It should only take a couple of short bursts to remove the majority of the dust.
- Final lens touchup. Open a lens cleaner packet and use the moist towelette to gently remove any remaining dust. The moist towelette can be used more than once if you reseal the package.
CLEANING THE INSIDE AND CARD DETECTOR LEDs
The inside of the machine collects card dust too. In particular, there are optical devices called “photointerruptors” that “watch” the cards go by so the software “knows” where the cards are in their travels through the machine. These light-emitting diodes (LEDs) must be kept clear and dust-free for error-free operation (or you will get “Card Jam Errors”).
- Remove the gray smoked plastic insert from the top of the machine and clean it. With the machine facing you, place your right palm on the plastic insert and push it slowly and carefully to your left. Once the plastic is a few inches out of the machine, grasp it with your left hand and pull it straight out to the left. Note that there are cutouts on the back edge while the front edge is perfectly straight. Be very careful not to break the plastic cutout on the back. Clean the plastic with the terrycloth towel and alcohol or glass cleaner. Set the plastic piece aside in a safe spot.
- Remove the gray smoked rectangular plastic insert from underneath the card pockets and clean it. If you use the New Generation plastic boards that open up, skip this entire step; otherwise continue. Remove the rectangular gray plastic piece (known as the “dealing platform”) from below the card pockets by grasping it and pulling it toward you. Clean both sides of the plastic insert with the terrycloth towel and alcohol or glass cleaner. Carefully set it aside in a safe spot. If it still has the paper on it, leave it on and do not clean it. It works better with the paper attached.
- Clean the dust from inside the machine. Use the can of compressed air to blow down from the top. Any dust inside the machine will blow out the front.
- Clean the card detection LEDs (Photointerruptors). Notice that to the left of each roller axle on the inside back wall are two small black square plastic posts pointing towards the front of the machine. These house the optical LEDs that detect the cards moving past. There are 5 (not 4) pairs of these LEDs – one pair is tucked between the card feed hopper and the 1st (rightmost) pair of green rollers. The LEDs must be blown clear of dust to operate properly. Aim the air between the two posts at each axle. Gently use the paintbrush to loosen any debris and dust between the posts and blow again. If dust remains, you can lightly moisten a Q-tip with alcohol and carefully clean the LEDs between the two posts, and then dry the LEDs.
CLEANING THE GREEN RUBBER ROLLERS
- Clean the green inside rollers. Either put on the cotton glove and moisten a finger with Isopropyl alcohol or moisten a corner of a lint-free cloth towel. You will clean all 4 pairs of green drive rollers inside the machine, both the top and bottom rollers. Access the rollers from the top, and the lower ones can also be reached from below. Remove the residue build-up using the alcohol-moistened glove or cloth. Scrub the rubber rollers back and forth, (front to back along the axis of the roller) and while rotating the roller with your other hand. Wipe the metal axles too. Keep the glove or towel lightly moistened (but not wet) with alcohol at all times. Dry off any liquid that remains on the rollers. Be very careful not to damage the LED posts or bend the wire gates. The gates lift and fall to direct the cards into the correct pocket and can misdirect the cards if bent. The machine cannot operate properly with a broken LED and will generate errors if the gates are bent.
- Replace the plastic pieces. Carefully slide the thick smoked plastic top cover back into its slot. Remember, the edge with the cutouts goes towards the rear and the straight edge goes in front. The notched corner goes in first. Make sure the plastic top cover is completely inserted or the machine will not operate. Replace the card platform plastic underneath the card pockets. Be sure it is seated all the way in.
- Clean the outside surface of the machine. If desired, wipe down the entire machine with the terrycloth towel moistened with either alcohol or non-ammonia glass cleaner.
WRAP UP
- Wait until the rollers are dry from the alcohol. This should take no more than a few minutes. Rollers still damp with alcohol will damage your cards. You can dry them with a dry section of the towel to speed this up.
- Carefully, plug in the Dealer4’s power and USB cables, making sure to insert them straight into the receptacle, and not at an angle. Note: The square end of the USB cable is keyed and only fits into the machine one way. Make sure it is oriented correctly with the rounded corners facing back. Do not force it.
- Test the machine with a sample deal.
- If the machine still has problems after cleaning, you should contact a Dealer4 Service Center.
- It is best (but not necessary) to launder the lint-free cloth towel and glove after every cleaning.