Rock Ola 451 turntable constantly and won't play next record

[jukenorman]

Hi Neil,
If the record appears to be moving side to side, the first thing I would suspect is the record! Have these records been dinked and if so, how? Check your jukebox with a factory pressed large hole disc or a record that has a centre that can be pushed out - as opposed to a dinked one. Although very occasionally even the factory pressed ones can be off centre!
Norman.

[Keith Gorham]

Feb 23, 2021 19:13:47 GMT neil451 said:

Norman, you are a legend!

So, I followed your instruction and when turning the knob I spotted a rogue 10 pence piece amongst the mechanics. I managed to remove the 10p and whether it was removing the coin or the turning of the knob that released it I don't know but either way without your advice I would never have fixed it. I am now playing records again. Thanks for the advice and patience!

All the best
Neil

If this would have happened 100+ years ago, we would all be decoining things.

[neil451]

Feb 22, 2021 19:59:42 GMT jukenorman said:

Hi Neil,
Your jukebox is obviously stuck somehow! I can give you some instructions that should help narrow where the problem lies but since you have admitted you are not particularly technical, I don't know where it will get us?

1 To the right of the turntable there is a large disc with pins around the circumferance. Reset all the pins with your finger - that is, push them back to the position 90% are currently in.

2 In front of the turntable to the left hand side, there is a motor (gripper motor). If you feel underneath, there is a knurled knob that allows you to turn the motor manually. Turn this knob until the gripper jaws are fully open (you should begin to feel it jam) - clue, if you turn this knob the other way, you will see the gripper begin to take a record.

So with the gripper fully open, switch it on - what happens?

Norman.

[neil451]

Hi Norman,

Hope all's well.

The issue described above is back. I have followed your instruction above and it does release the issue initially but then the issue returns.

When the turntable is turning and refusing to play the next selected song, if i manually wiggle the gripper arm, it does play the next song.

If you have any other suggestions I'd be most grateful. Thanks in advance.

Neil

[jukenorman]

Hi Neil,

I haven't looked at the manual yet but the these types of problems with the transfer cycle sticking are usually indicative of faulty cam switches.

Edit - I have just realised that it's sticking after returning the record so the sentence that I've now put in brackets doesn't apply at all.

Further edit - putting the sentence in brackets looks like that removes it lol.  Always learning!

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Neil,
Didja READ the Hi Newbies post in our FAQ's section-- ? Didja READ the above (red pinned), stickies ? Where, is "the gripper arm", when you "wiggle it". Have you oiled the gripper, and it's motor ? Can you feel if the motor is powered, but "stuck", prior to "wiggling" ? Ron Rich

[jukenorman]

Hi Neil,
I would strongly suspect that No. 1 cam switch (or micro switch as Rock-Ola calls it) is faulty. It's the last action of the record return to the magazine. It's a changeover switch - the contact that opens stops the transfer motor by de-energising the reversing relay and the contact that makes should start the magazine motor.

By wiggling the gripper arm, you are probably just disturbing the switch enough for the closing contact to properly engage so starting the magazine motor.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

OK--Youz guyz have me totally comfuzzedled ! WHAT is sticking/failing,--when -- here ? Is the gripper arm failing to install the selected record onto the turntable (TT)? Is the gripper failing to remove the record from the TT ? Is the record carriage failing to move onto the next selected record ? BTW, Norman, The reason RockOla used the words "Micro Switch" is that they only used "Micro Switch", brand, mini switches, in those days. Ron Rich

[jukenorman]

Hi Ron,
It's my understanding from reading back the thread and looking at the test that was previously carried out with the gripper motor, that the record is being returned to the rack OK but the carousel motor doesn't then immediately start - hence why I suspect cam switch 1. I suppose Rock-Ola's use of micro switch tends to turn that into a general descriptor, a bit like hoover for vacuum cleaner.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Norman,
I dono-- just seems we are using up a lot of time/space on this problem ? Yep-- Micro Switch attempts really hard to prevent the "Hoover Syndrome"-- I know as they once "got on my case"-- they were nice, about it, and I agreed to help them fight it-- Ron Rich