For companies actively seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint, vend misers are a great element to incorporate into an energy savings strategy. These devices, once affixed to your vending machine(s), can yield significant savings and energy reduction.
What exactly is a vend miser?
Vend misers are energy saving devices for vending machines that regulate the amount of energy the equipment consumes. It does this in three ways:
- Automatically turns off the vending machine when no one is around
- Monitors the room's temperature
- Automatically re-powers cooling system to ensure product stays cold
Vend misers help reduce energy in vending machines to the level of Energy Star qualified equipment.
The Different Types of Vend Misers
Depending on the situation, there are two different types of vend misers: external and internal.
- External Misers include a wall-mounted sensor that monitors foot traffic and room temperature. If a certain amount of time passes without anyone near the vending machine, the miser will automatically power down the equipment. It's turned back on once people go near the machine and at regular intervals to keep the product chilled.
- Internal Misers will power down the compressor based on sales. They are placed inside the vending machine so they are not visible to users. Like their external counterpart, internal misers also monitor the room's temperature to automatically turn the equipment on or off as needed to keep products cold.
External misers are better for vending machines where foot traffic is minimal, since the sensor would constantly detect people in high traffic areas and keep the machine running longer.
How Much Will You Save?
According to Energy Misers, each machine with a miser will save about $150 per year, and reduce energy use by 46% kWh. That's excellent news for both your company's operating expenses and the environment.
Now, think about this in broader terms. If you incorporate vend misers into your national vending program, you could save a lot of money.
Let's say you have 75 store or property locations, each with two vending machines. $150 in savings per machine multiplied by 150 machines is about $20,000 a year!
How Do the Misers Work?
The miser controls all flow of power:
Step 1: The wall-mounted sensor detects pedestrian traffic, activating the miser.
Step 2: The miser signals the vending machine to turn on.
Step 3: When traffic subsides, the miser will turn off power to the vending machine.
(Example of how an external vend miser works) In addition to reducing costs and helping the environment, an effective energy reduction plan for your company can also increase market value of buildings and properties, and improve your brand image in the minds of consumers. Incorporate vend misers into your strategy for improved energy efficiency and to reduce costs.
