Coin Acceptor Setup
WifiCone interfaces with coin acceptors via GPIO. The acceptor sends electrical pulses to a GPIO pin — each pulse represents a unit of currency.
Wiring
A typical coin acceptor has 3 wires:
| Wire Color | Connection |
|---|---|
| Red | 12V power supply (from device power rail or separate 12V adapter) |
| Black | Ground (GND) |
| Yellow / Signal | GPIO signal pin on your board |
Wire colors vary by manufacturer. Check your coin acceptor's datasheet.
Connect the signal wire to a free GPIO pin on your board (e.g., GPIO 17 on Raspberry Pi).
Configuration
Go to Admin Panel → Payment Portals → Coin Acceptor.
| Setting | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enable | On | Toggle on to activate |
| GPIO Pin | e.g., 17 |
The GPIO pin number the signal wire is connected to |
| Pulses per ₱1 | e.g., 1 |
How many pulses the acceptor sends per ₱1 |
| Debounce (ms) | 50 |
Ignore noise within this window after a valid pulse |
Common Coin Acceptor Pulse Configurations
Most Philippine coin acceptors are factory-set to 1 pulse = ₱1:
| Coin | Pulses Sent |
|---|---|
| ₱1 | 1 pulse |
| ₱5 | 5 pulses |
| ₱10 | 10 pulses |
| ₱20 | 20 pulses |
Some acceptors use different values — check your specific model's DIP switch settings.
DIP Switch Settings
Many coin acceptors have a DIP switch block that configures which coin denominations are accepted and the pulse frequency. Refer to your acceptor's manual for the switch layout.
Common configurations:
- Accept ₱1, ₱5, ₱10 only — disable ₱20 acceptance on machines where you only want small coins
- Pulse rate — typically 25ms on / 25ms off per pulse
Testing
After wiring and saving the configuration:
- Insert a coin.
- Check the Dashboard → Payment Events log — you should see a coin event with the correct amount.
- If no event appears:
- Verify the GPIO pin number matches your wiring
- Check that the coin acceptor is powered (red wire has 12V)
- Try adjusting the Debounce value (increase if getting double-counts, decrease if missing pulses)
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Coins not registering | Wrong GPIO pin | Check wiring and update pin in settings |
| Double-counting | Debounce too low | Increase debounce to 100–150ms |
| Missing coins | Debounce too high | Decrease debounce to 30–50ms |
| No power to acceptor | Missing 12V | Check 12V supply connection |
| All coins rejected | DIP switch misconfigured | Check acceptor's DIP switch settings |
Supported Coin Acceptors
WifiCone works with any pulse-type coin acceptor. Common models used in the Philippines:
- ICT A6 series
- Coin Acceptor L300
- Generic Chinese pulse acceptors (HX-616, etc.)
Ensure the acceptor supports the coin denominations in circulation in your area.