LAGUNA UNIVERSITY
SOLAR COIN OPERATED MULTI-PURPOSE WATER
VENDING MACHINE USING ARDUINO
(COINTER)
Capstone Project Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Computing Studies in
Laguna University
In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the
Degree Bachelor of Science in
Information Technology
Submitted by
Adrin Paul Borjal
Bryan Bardaje
Eugene Garcia
Jan Carlo Maranan
BSIT – 4D
October 4, 2022
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Chapter 1
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION
In this coin-operated water vending machine, we are attempting to develop a
machine which will dispense water in two forms: hot and cold, which will be operated using a
microcontroller and a coin. A user will insert the coin into the machine and select the
available options, and accordingly, water will be dispensed to the user.
In existing vending machines, most of the developed countries' vending machines are
located in public places. These machines are enabling the remote areas where electricity is
a problem to get the provision of having this service with them. We are using the Arduino
Uno board for running this automated system with supporting elements like a 12Volts pump,
universal coin slot, rectifier diode etc.
Operation done using a coin-operated machine is the most popular due to its easiness.
Customers can request the water in various quantities using the coins, but in this system,
we are checking its feasibility, so we are working on only one coin. I.e., We got this idea
from existing systems and thought to test it in even lower power if it can dispense the water
and match the required rate. We also use a single tap for releasing hot, cold, which gives us
an advantage of saving the cost of taps and unnecessary use of space.
We are using two water storage tanks in this system the hot tank and cold tank. A hot tank is
used to store hot water and then dispense it when the user requests it. Cold water storage is
used to store the cold water and it also keeps cold water storage and delivers it whenever
needed.
OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE TECHNOLOGY
We are all aware that there is a massive water crisis. Despite having 72% of the
world's water, there are still areas with inadequate or no access to clean water. Water
vending machines are available today and are powered by electricity, but our goal is to build
a water vending machine that is powered by solar panels. By doing so, we enable isolated
places where energy is scarce to receive this service. For this automated machine, we're
using an Arduino Uno board.
Cointer is a coin-operated water vending machine that allows users to obtain water
automatically and without wasting time by inserting a single coin into the machine. The
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objective of this project is to provide drinkable and affordable water to places where access
to clean and affordable water is a major issue.
To test the feasibility of our project, we are utilizing small containers with 1-gallon
capacities for both hot and cold water. In the lack of a water container, we used the timer to
save extra water flow. This project uses a single coin on a coin machine to process water
dispensing for approximately 1 cup. We provide the user with two options: hot or cold water,
user can request as per his/her choice.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The general objective of this study is to design and develop a Solar Coin-Operated Multi-
Purpose Water Vending Machine (Cointer) that will help the owner and the users to save
money and to avoid inconvenient.
The specific objectives of the study are:
1. To provide clean drinkable water
2. To extend drinking water facility for common public.
3. To be able to make an income generating project for the community.
4. To encourage local business owner
5. To determine the acceptability of the study in terms of convenience and efficiency.
6. To select appropriate components for proposed system.
Scope and Limitation
The goal of this study is to develop a new form of water vending machine.
The Solar Coin-Operated Multi-Purpose Water Vending Machine (Cointer) dispenses
drinkable clean water, allows the user to have drinkable water with a single coin, accepts
and rejects coins using coin detection, provides hot and cold water, allows the user to
request as preferred, and can be used even without electricity.
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This project is limited during the rainy season since solar panels cannot collect light
from the sun, can't offer both hot and cold water at the same time, can't allow the user to
insert a coin at the same time, and cannot be used for other beverages and drinks.
This study also provided an opportunity for the researchers to improve their research
skills. This work could also be used as a reference for future researchers interested in
vending machines, Arduino Uno, and solar panels.
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Chapter 2
RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter presents the relevant local and foreign literature and studies that
the researchers considered in strengthening the importance of the present study. It
also presents the synthesis of the arts to fully understand the research for a better
comprehension of the study.
Water Vending Machines
Vending machines are ones that supply free-flowing substances, according to
Karalgikar, R., and Kumar, H. P. (2019). To assist the public, the authorities have
already provided the centers with the coin-primarily based complete water vending
machine, which delivers the drinkable water based on the requirement after inserting
a coin. The system makes use of Arduino tools, and the vending machine is
simplified. This system has applications in public locations, hospitals, military camps,
shopping malls, industries, and so on.
On the other hand, Bhoyar, D. (2021) stated that the vending machine is an
automated machine that provides users snacks, drinks, cigarettes, and lottery tickets
in exchange for cash, a credit card, or a specially designed card. When you insert a
penny into a vending machine, it will sell you food, drinks, sanitary pads, and other
products. Simply said, vending machines require the appropriate amount of money
for a given item. Vending machines are ubiquitous at hotels, train stations, and
restaurants, and they usually sell food. A vending machine's system for accepting
and determining the value of coins is an essential component.
Furthermore, Dedele, A. et al. (2022) describes a water vending machine as
any self-service device that, upon insertion of money or tokens or receipt of payment
by other methods, dispenses unit servings of water in bulk into a container without
the need for reloading the machine between each operation.
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The importance of vending machines is increasingly visible in various areas of
technology. In the study of ("Akshayswachhjal", 2019), they defined the term "water
vending machine" and explored the importance of introducing water vending
machines. Water vending machine or water atm machine are operate on the reverse
osmosis concept and are often coin-operated. These are typically located in public
or private locations such as a shop or a shopping mall. The primary purpose and
significance of water ATM machines is to give clean and healthy drinking water to
the general public at very low cost. It is a new generation technology that is highly
useful in dispensing pure drinking water.
On the other hand, according to Anitha, S. and Chaithanya, D. J. (2020), A
vending machine is a self-service vending machine used to provide sanitary napkins.
They proposed a vending machine with a capacity of around 24 napkins. Most
adolescent girls drop out of school due to a lack of proper facilities, which are not
available to them when they are menstruating. Menstrual protection is a major issue
in the lives of all women in today's world. Typically, more females in rural areas are
afraid or ashamed to obtain them from medical shops because the majority of them
are run by men. As a result, women resort to risky menstruation habits such as
employing unsanitary methods. By installing vending machines in the working area
and in educational institutions, they help them in getting napkins when needed. By
Installing an automatic napkin dispenser in public areas allows you to keep track of
available napkins inform the person concerned.
A vending machine is a machine that sells goods such as food and
beverages. However, today's modern vending machines also sell cigarettes, sanitary
pads, and other hygienic supplies. Macalinao, A. (2021), demonstrated how the
vending machine works. To make it work, the customer must input a coin, cash, or
token equal to the product's value. The machine will release the item to you after you
enter the money needed and select the product.
Moreover, Bhoyar, D., (2021), explained that when a coin is inserted into a
vending machine, it offers food, drinks, sanitary pads, and other products. Simply
said, vending machines require the appropriate amount of money for a given item.
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Vending machines are common at hotels, train stations, and restaurants, and they
usually sell food. A vending machine's system for accepting and determining the
value of coins is an essential component. When money is inserted, a series of tests
identify its dimensions, weight, electric characteristics, and magnetic qualities. A coin
or token that fails any of the tests is rejected. If the coin or token is approved, the
information acquired is utilized to determine its value.
As a vending machine operator, you don't want to lose clients due to minor
problems according to (“tcnvending”, 2020), the common problems are first, the
machine is out of stock. When you run out of products, your devoted clients may
switch to other meal options. Second, the bill validator malfunctions. Customers are
irritated when they meet such a situation. Dollar bill difficulties are one of the most
common reasons why customers will not use a machine again. Lastly, the machine
alternately heats and cools. Ventilation issues plague small vending machines. This
occurs when the machine is not properly ventilated.
Furthermore, Ratnasri et al. (2021) found that vending machine usage is
increasing globally as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The global vending machine
market was estimated to be worth US$134.4 billion in 2020, and it is expected to
grow to US$146.6 billion by 2027. The report examines a 1.3% CAGR from 2020 to
2027. Hacking and vandalism are current problems that vending machine owners
must deal with. Due to changing consumer behavior, the majority of customers
prefer cashless payment systems and unmanned retail models. Lack of innovation
and how a machine is operated both have an impact on its profitability. The
machine's profitability is also impacted by a lack of innovation and how it is run. A
touch-free, IoT-based, voice-recognized, and face-recognized vending machine is a
better solution to avoid these issues because online delivery is disrupting vending
machines and increasing income by 23% in Japan.
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Microcontroller/Arduino
Korcer et al. (2021) defined that Arduino is a platform for interactive project
development that is based on electronic hardware and software. An Atmel AVR
microcontroller, as well as a number of other electronic components, are found on
Arduino boards. Robot programming, smart homes, smart projects, automation, and
3D printers are some examples of applications for Arduino. Due to its extensive
library and ongoing development, the Arduino development board is used for
applications in a variety of industries. Variety has been created with various features
to meet various needs as a result of the development card's ongoing development.
Jadhav et al. (2021) discussed that the first modern working vending
machine, which dispensed postcards, was invented in England in the early 1880s.
There are vending machines in many countries and places, and automatic vending
machines with fewer common products than traditional machine items are being
developed. The vending machine powered by Arduino comes with a variety of
electronic parts. An effort is made to offer a solution for coin-operated vending
machines. The electronic circuit includes the coin acceptor motor driver, relay, power
supply, driven IC, supporting LCD screen, etc. A signal that has been processed by
the circuit will be delivered to the motor for rotation in accordance with the program's
requirements.
Vijayakumar et al. (2021) stated that multiple sensors are connected to the
Arduino UNO controller in the block diagram, including temperature, IR, and water
level sensors. In order to dispense hot or cold water, the controller accesses sensor
values as well as receives commands from a Bluetooth module. The hot and cold
water dispenser is powered by an Arduino Uno, which has been configured to
control a hot and cold water dispenser valve based on sensor signals and user
commands.
Chou et al. (2019) pointed out that water consumption is crucial for good
health because it helps to keep the fluid balance in the body in check. Water makes
up about 60% of the human body. These bodily fluids serve a variety of purposes,
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including digestion, nutrient transportation, circulation, saliva production, absorption,
and body temperature regulation. Safe drinking water is a fundamental human right,
a necessity for good health, and a component of sensible health protection policies.
In addition, the current Union UN-9503AG-1 water dispenser, which is widely used in
Taiwan, uses almost 1.6 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 24 hours, using 1,100 watts to boil
the water and 245 watts to chill it. However, the water dispenser wastes a large
portion of its energy in vain because it repeatedly boils and chills water even when
no one is using it. Furthermore, due to the widespread use of water dispensers in
Taiwanese public buildings and the likelihood that every building has at least one
water dispenser on a floor, this could be viewed as a significant energy waste for the
entire island. Various factors, such as user behavior, the water dispenser's location,
or the weather, may have a significant impact on the total amount of energy used by
the water dispenser. User behavior is a crucial component of the water dispensing
system. Depending on where it is, each dispenser will have a different pattern of
user behavior.
Hommalee et al. (2019) tested the cooling capacity of the cold-hot water
dispenser with TMS at 24°C (with air conditioning). Different cold water consumption
conditions were considered as well as variations in the temperature of the cold and
hot water (500, 1000, and 1500 mL). As water enters the thermoelectric cooling
module's cold side, its temperature tends to drop to 10 °C (the setting temperature).
The thermoelectric cooling module stops functioning after a 10 °C drop in
temperature, and 500 mL of cold water is being used per minute. For a maximum
water consumption rate of 1000 mL over the course of an hour, the temperatures of
the cold and hot water produced by the TMS and the conventional CRS are
comparable, and both systems use roughly the same amount of energy. The cold-
hot water heater's capacity for both cooling and heating dispenser with a TMS is
displayed. Comparative studies are done between the cold-hot water dispenser with
TMS and the traditional cold-hot water dispenser with CRS to determine which one
has a greater cooling and heating capacity. The thermoelectric module's cooling and
heating capacities at the set temperatures (13 °C and 65 °C) were discovered to be
approximately 400 mL over a 5-minute period of time.
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Coin Acceptor
Ramos, A. (2019) discussed that some people see coins as insignificant
because of their value and the weight needed to carry them. This is the reason why
people do not notice or store them in specific locations of their homes, while others
keep them in a piggy bank. However, the value of a coin varies greatly between
countries. These concerns prompted this study to use more inputs and information
from previous coin studies. Some studies claim that coin detection is difficult to
detect due to its complexity, such as noise and cluttered images. Interestingly, much
research has identified three types of coin recognition systems: mechanical,
electromagnetic, and image processing-based systems. Image processing utilizing
computer vision is one of these approaches that is highly useful in coin identification.
Image processing includes a wide range of capabilities for determining size, shape,
color, texture, surface design, and weight. These components serve as the
foundation for classifying the machines on the market. Where banks,
establishments, and businesses have found comfort, they may perform more
efficiently and successfully.
Ho et al. (2021) explained that one of the crucial parts of the vending machine
control system is the coin acceptor mechanism. Receiving coins and determining
their validity are the goals of a coin acceptor. An appropriate signal is then sent
through the output connection by the coin acceptor after it has analyzed the coin it
has just received for mass, size, diameter, thickness, and metal composition. In
addition, the proximity sensor was also utilized by the coin acceptor. Without any
physical contact, this sensor is typically used to find nearby objects. A proximity
sensor, which is a non-contact sensor, detects the presence of an object when it
enters the sensor's field of view. Depending on the type of proximity sensor, the
sensor may identify a target using sound, light, infrared radiation (IR), or
electromagnetic fields. Furthermore, the ability to own and rent vending machines
and launch a business is made possible by the low cost of producing the coin
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acceptor. Additionally, since the coin acceptor has a low setup cost, it enables the
vending machine to start making money sooner and with less overall investment.
Adafruit (2018) stated that coin validators are efficient, widely recognized, and
produce very good coins. This signal can also be used to tell the microcontroller
which coin to accept. The first step is to get the coin validator to accept the coin you
want to use. Multiple sensors are used to identify unique coins, and an onboard
microprocessor is required to determine which coins are genuine. First, you need to
supply 12 volts. Connect the red and black wires from the coin mechanism wiring
harness to the screw terminals on the power connector. Connect the coin
mechanism to the wire harness. Then plug the power cord of the power adapter into
an electrical outlet. I hear a loud noise and see a bright red light overhead. The
parameter setting tells the coin validator how many vibrations to give each coin.
Each coin option indicates that each pulse is associated with machine credits. Select
Impulse as the minimum amount of credit. Once the program is complete, you can
test it by inserting valid coins.
Solar Panel
Si, S (2022) stated that solar panels or photovoltaic cells or PV panels. These
panels work by converting sunlight into power. Sunlight is composed of energy
particles known as photons. As a result, when sunlight hits on the panels, the cells
absorb it, and chemical and physical reactions cause sunlight to turn into electricity.
The electricity is then routed to a battery or the home's electric grid for consumption.
As a result, the more-light the cells or photons absorb, the more electricity is
generated. This is also why, given that the sun is always up to offer light, spacecraft
architecture includes solar panels to supply enough electricity to consume. Aside
from spacecraft and residential electricity, Philippine solar panels can also be used
for distant and commercial electrical systems.
Fonash, et al. (2022) assert that solar cells are devices that convert light
energy into electrical energy via the photovoltaic effect. Unlike batteries and fuel
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cells, solar cells do not use chemical reactions and do not require fuel to produce
electricity. Solar cells power the majority of space equipment, from communications
and weather satellites to space stations. Solar panels are also used to power many
remote areas where conventional energy sources are unavailable or prohibitively
expensive to install. The solar cells used in this type of device can use both artificial
light (such as incandescent and fluorescent lights) and sunlight. Solar cells convert
sunlight into electrical energy for distribution to industrial, commercial, and
residential users. Solar cells in much smaller configurations, commonly called solar
panels, are installed on roofs by homeowners to augment conventional power
supplies. Solar panels are also used to power many remote areas where
conventional energy sources are unavailable or prohibitively expensive to install.
Meier, P. (2022), explained that the direct use of solar energy to generate
electricity on a utility scale is more modern and falls into two major categories,
namely solar photovoltaic (solar PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP). Solar PV
is the production of energy from sunlight using the photovoltaic effect, which is both
a physical and a chemical phenomenon. When a photon particle from the sun
reaches a photovoltaic cell, some of it is absorbed by a semiconductor in the cell,
resulting in electron current and, hence, electricity. These semiconductors are
chemical compounds with a restricted ability to transmit electrical current and are
neither good insulators nor good conductors. CSP, also known as solar thermal,
focuses sunlight using mirrors and then uses this heat to generate steam. Once
created, this steam will power a turbine, which will generate energy. CSP generates
electricity in the same way as conventional technologies such as natural gas, coal,
and nuclear power do.
According to Franklin-Cheung, A. (2021), there are two primary methods for
gathering and utilizing solar energy: solar panels (photovoltaics), which convert light
into electricity, and solar thermal power, which converts the sun's energy into heat. A
solar panel contains a precise arrangement of solar cells, each the size of a coaster
and formed of two thin slices of material (typically silicon) with opposing electrical
charges. When the sun shines on the cell, photons (minor packets of light energy)
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knock electrons off the silicon atoms, causing the photoelectric effect. In each cell,
the ensuing flow of electrons creates a modest electrical current. Another way of
collecting the sun's energy is to transform it into heat. Concentrating solar-thermal
power plants, for example, employ mirrors and lenses to reflect and focus sunlight in
order to heat water or other liquids. The generated heat is used to heat houses and
businesses, or to power a turbine to create electricity.
Si, S. (2019) defined solar energy as the conversion of energy obtained from
the sun into electrical energy. Solar energy is clean, safe, unlimited, sustainable, and
the most widely used renewable energy source available today. A tropical country,
the Philippines has long summers and the most abundant solar resources in the
world. Switching to solar energy reduces your carbon footprint and lowers running
costs (30% to 100%). In addition, roof solar systems are very cheap to maintain. An
example given during the interview was a solar power system installed in a church in
Balanga, Bataan. Although the church was built during Spanish rule, 20 solar panels
are still in place today and have proven to be a useful and effective source of energy
to run the church offices on a daily basis. Today, the church's solar array powers her
two-horsepower air conditioning system in the office during the day.
Ingrams, S. (2022) mentioned that the most common problem that solar panel
owners have is with the inverter. Inverter issues can result in a lack of usable
renewable electricity in some circumstances. It can also be an expensive problem to
fix. However, if you're aware of it, you can consider repair costs into your investment.
They surveyed 1,116 solar panel owners to find out what the most common
technical issues were with solar installations. They also informed us of additional
issues they are experiencing, such as pigeons and squirrels nesting under their solar
panels. Inverter problems were reported by more than one out of every ten solar
panel users. This was possibly the most typical issue. Electrical issues, a damaged
generation meter, panels producing less electricity than before, panels producing no
electricity, faulty electrical connections, cracked or broken glass on panels, and
eventually, problems with the isolator.
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Synthesis
The above-mentioned relevant literature included journals, published articles,
blogs, and patented work and inventions. It was found that the majority of the written
and published studies cover the years 2019-2023. This study explored and
determined the significance of solar coin-operated water vending machine (Cointer)
implementation. According to previous research, the goal of the water vending
machine is to create a coin-operated water vending machine. There is a problem of
affordable and safe drinking water in remote or public areas. As a result, we intend
to provide affordable mineral water to people living in remote areas without access
to electricity.
Existing study designs and implementations involve the vending machine and
microcontroller. However, our system only provides water and allows them to
interact with the machine. It also offers an option to choose whether they need hot or
cold water. A solar coin-operated water vending machine (Cointer) can operate
using solar power as a power source.
The vending machine powered by Arduino comes with a variety of electronic
parts. An effort is made to offer a solution for coin-operated vending machines. The
solar coin-operated water vending machine (Cointer) helps remote or public areas
by offering affordable drinkable water to those residents of remote or public areas.
Similar to the presented studies and literature, the result positively affects the
people who live in remote or public areas. Aside from that, this study also showed
the perceived benefits of residents in remote or public areas in offering automatic
water to those residents who need drinkable water. In addition, it is a way for remote
areas to advance and keep up with modern technological advancements while
giving them access to a system that can supply water whenever they need it. The
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study explores how remote area residents react to having an automatic water supply
system installed. It will be possible to determine whether the system is feasible in
remote areas using the system's revenue. This study helps to build a system that will
give long-term use to remote area residents while also assisting them in keeping up
with modern technological advancements.
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