Archives for July 2012

Proper Care of Point of Sale Equipment

In many respects, point of sale systems are like any other kind of electronic equipment; they require periodic professional maintenance to remain functioning at their full efficiency.  In some situations, a point of sale system will need to be repaired by a qualified technician.

Like other types of hardware, however, point of sale equipment remains reliable for much longer when business owners and managers pay close attention to its proper care from the moment of installation forward.  Such care will also lengthen the total lifespan of a POS system, therefore, increasing the return on investment that a business will enjoy from the original purchase of such equipment.

Placement of the system

One of the most important environmental variables concerns the physical location where the POS equipment is installed.  Point of sale systems frequently contain such components as computer units, terminals and hard drives.  All of these pieces of equipment have ventilation needs.  The heat that is generated by the movement of drive heads and the operation of central processing units will damage the equipment if it is not adequately dissipated.

A common mistake some business owners and managers make is to assume that because some POS components contain cooling fans, ventilation concerns need not be paramount.  It may be convenient from the point of view of the cashier to have elements of the POS system lodged against a wall, but this is a recipe for disaster.  At the very least, it will mean that the need for point of sale system repair will become likely sooner rather than later.

As this is an expense that businesses should avoid when possible, all components of a POS system should be located at least two inches away from all other surfaces.  These surfaces include things such as walls, cabinets, and even companion components of the same system.  This degree of space will provide the POS system with enough room to radiate heat away from the constituent units of the system and should be provided both to units with fans and those without them.

Clogged vents

Overheating can also become a problem when the cooling vents of system components become clogged with contaminants such as dirt or lint.  The air in your facility may seem very clean to you, but over time there can be a definite build-up inside vents and air flow can become obstructed.  In some environments, even grease can build up and clog the vents.

At least twice a year, all cooling vents on POS equipment should be cleared out to facilitate good air flow and adequate cooling.  The easiest way to accomplish this is with a can of compressed air, though you must be careful not to accidentally blow the dirt or lint into the interior of a POS component.  When vents are clogged with grease, a Q-tip can be quite helpful for cleaning them.

Businesses should also be sure to provide their systems with routine professional maintenance from a qualified POS repair firm, which can keep all aspects of the equipment in tip-top shape.

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