trying to open cash drawer via PC

[bakhtn]

send command to ports (cashdrawer)

Hi. Im not an electronics so please bear with me. Im a software engineer and need help on the electronics side of things.

I have a cash drawer that has a RJ-11 cable coming out from it, this cable can be attached to a receipt printer RJ-11 port. when the printer prints a receipt, it sends a signal to the cash drawer via the cable which then ejects the cash drawer, which is great.

but I am trying to build a software that can do the same thing but instead of the cash drawer being attached to a printer, it will be attached to the PC via a NIC or modem / ethernet port that accepts RJ-11 connector.

Now I need to open the cash drawer via my PC. here is some more info about the cash draw:

the RJ-11 has 5 small wires, WHITE, BLACK, RED, GREEN, BLUE. these are then connected to a chip called "10A125-25VAC", then there are some wires that go into a small motor which turns to release a hatch to open the drawer.

on the back it says 12V, i think that we need a 12V signal.

Please can anyone tell me how I can eject my cash draw via my PC, or another piece of equipment that I can control via my computer to open the cash drawer.

 

[House_Cat]

java open cash drawer

It certainly should be possible to design a small interface circuit to do what you want to do. Unfortunately, it will require more information about the existing circuit than you have supplied.

It is likely that what you are calling a "chip" is actually a fuse or solid state circuit protector. The 10A125 marking is the same used by BUSSMAN on a 10amp fuse.

To get anywhere, you're going to have to identify exactly where each wire goes, and identify the motor that is activated by the printer. The starting point for your project should be a schematic of what you have in the cash drawer.

 

[bakhtn]

open cash drawer java

hope this image may help. Im sorry if its unclear. this is the electronics inside the cash draw:

 

[House_Cat]

open cash drawer

What you have posted sheds a tiny bit more light on the problem. I believe what you are calling a chip is really a drawer position sensor that tells the printer when the drawer is open or closed. It is most likely just a microswitch.

The "motor" is probably just a solenoid - it could be either rotary or linear.

There's still not enough data to design a circuit. You need the current rating of the solenoid, and the pinout of the connector. And you need to confirm that the position sensor is a microswitch.

Do you have software that is going to signal the drawer to open? To what computer port does the software output - serial, parallel, USB...? You're going to need to know how the software communicates with the port.

 

[bakhtn]

pc cash drawer

Yes your right it is a selenoid, thats what the draw is called a selenoid cash drawer on the back. I read up about this technology called POE Power over ethernet, I know that people have used ethernet interfacing for industry automation, however it is quite uncommon.

I know an alternative is to use somekind of serial or parallel to RJ-11 converter, so i can interface via the serial or printer port.

also another correction Id like to make, on the back 12V was crossed out by pen, and written 24V, I dont know whether that makes a difference.

Is it possible just to hook it up to my modem port, and send some commands to the modem some way such that its opens the draw via my modem, Ive heard of this thing called AT commands.

But also Im hoping to put this system on windows 98, because i have already made the printer driver software for it and it works ok. Just need to know wether I can use TCP/IP to some how send some data or signal to power up the cash drawer.

To be honest with you I think your correct all the way, itt makes sense. But unfortunately the selenoid is covered in this grey fabric like material, so I can say the what type it is, Im sure it works fine, but I just need to know how to power it up.

Just to make sure that it works can I use a a cable tester and send the right amount of volts, which tests the rj-11 cable and hopefully generate some power to the cash drawer for it to operate.

one website suggested to me to send DOS commands to the modem or what ever COM port it hooked up on.

I know its not impossible because I know that can be done in Visual Basic, .NET.

unfortunately im using Java that has very few, or Im unaware of capabilties for communication and interfacing.

Im kinda stuck, where should i begin, I just want a simplen solution, I researched and found out that you can send character codes to the drawer to invoke opening.

I'll try to get in touch with the manufacturer, hopefully they might be able tell me what I need.

 

[Encrypted]

how to open cash drawer

You need to forget about ethernet, tcp/ip, modems, etc.

The only simularity is that your cash drawer uses the same connector!

You are not going to get enough power from any computer port to drive the solenoid directly so an interface board will be needed.

 

[House_Cat]

cash drawer circuit

I'm afraid 'Encrypted' is correct. The modem port on a PC is an RS232 serial port. It won't supply the 24volts that your solenoid needs, and it cannot supply enough current even if the voltage were sufficient.

You're going to need a hardware interface with a power supply between the PC and the cash drawer. The cash drawer was intended to get its operating voltage from a companion printer. You need a hardware converter to do the job that the printer power supply and interface was designed to do.

 

[bakhtn]

computer cash drawer

hey guys thank for the help. And I think Ive got some good news, the manufacturer of the cash draw has a USB INTERFACE MODULE for the cash draw to eject apparently. take a look at it :

**broken link removed**

(at the bottom of the webpage).

tell me what you guys think. Ive sent then an email regarding the the compatibility with my cash draw, it says all cash drawers which they make, so i think it should be fine. Wish me luck.

I'll let you know about the progress of my project guys.

take care

 

[Manthatufear]

cash drawer pinout

Care to share your solution? Thanks

 

[therealwojciech]

I am looking at the similar problem I need to open cash drawer from website, cash drawer is attached via USB port. Any help would be appreciated. Thx

 

[hawk7890]

Re: cash drawer circuit

Good day,

I think I know what you are trying to accomplish and I am looking to do the same thing. I have 2 cash drawers, one is using an epson receipt printer wheras the other is using a serial port. The one with the serial port used to be a receit printer type but has been modified. I am looking to make the same modification. Unfortunately I have a partial template as the person who made the circuit board put half the board under a ton of glue. I will give you all the details of the circuis I can see and hopefully someone can "fill in the blank"


Visible Components:
9 pin serial
12v power adaptor
Solenoid/electro magnet
Large polarized capacitor, Value unknown, assuming 470uf
Diode (I think)

Everything between the dashed lines are connected together
-------------------------------
Serial port pins
4(Data terminal ready)
8(Clear to send)
6(data Set Ready)
White wire, goes to unvisible connection
------------------
Pin 5 (ground)
- side of diode
- side of solenoid
To unvisible location
-------------------------------
VCC -
Capacitor -
Unvisible location
--------------------------------
VCC +
Capacitor +
Diode +
Solenoid +
----------------------------------

Note, when I unpluged the power supply and put my volt meter across the white and the vcc+ I guess it drained the capacitor and the cash drawer kicked.


------------------

Any help would be appreciated in filling in the blank
Thanks
Marc

I'm afraid 'Encrypted' is correct. The modem port on a PC is an RS232 serial port. It won't supply the 24volts that your solenoid needs, and it cannot supply enough current even if the voltage were sufficient.

You're going to need a hardware interface with a power supply between the PC and the cash drawer. The cash drawer was intended to get its operating voltage from a companion printer. You need a hardware converter to do the job that the printer power supply and interface was designed to do.