Rockola 443 write-in problem

[Will]

Hi - I've had my 'box for about 30 years.  It's been serviced several times and generally works well.  

My issue is spasmodic selection.

The selection buttons lock down when pressed ... then the write in carriage goes round and round and round .  Sometimes it will stop and fire a pin down, but more often it doesn't.

If you push a pin down on the write in side (poke with a chop stick recommended!) it'll work.  Read-out side work just fine.

Any ideas? 

I'm in the NW of England - Service Engineers all seem to have died off!

[Ron Rich]

Hi Will,
What, exactly, are you "pushing down" upon ? Ron Rich

[Will]

Hi Ron
That'll be any one of the selector levers (Service Manual terminology) on the write-in side... I'm very much a technical amateur here

[Ron Rich]

Hi Will,
If you will read the above "sticky", titled "Common problems--400's--" your answer has already been posted. Ron Rich

[Will]

Thanks Ron - I've had a read - coincidentally I've got a can of Deoxit on order (£20 in UK). I'll give that a go in a day or so hopefully. Cheers Will

[Ron Rich]

Hi Will,
Great-- should work for you--has worked for me hundreds of times-- OK-- not that many--but many ! Ron Rich

[Will]

Hi Ron
I can report some progress.

I've cleaned the write-in side tracks and wipers with Deoxit. Also sprayed the selector keys underneath and worked them a few times.

The situation now is that selections A to K work fine. BUT only with number keys 1, 2 & 3. Trying #4 to 0 (via #9) the write-in carriage just keeps circling.

Any ideas?

ATB

Will

[jukenorman]

There's an anti-cheat mechanism in the selection buttons in the form of a series link through a normally closed contact of each button. You will very likely have an issue in this series link between #3 and #4 selection buttons. I don't use Deoxit (too set in my ways and too expensive!) but I believe Ron doesn't recommend using it on these switches.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Guyz,
No I do not recommend Deoxit for keyboard type switches ! I will use no cleaner that leaves any type of residue on the surrounding area. My favorite method of cleaning the keyboard is soap and hot water, rinse, followed by ammonia, and hot water plus a rinse in hot water. Of course-solenoids/coils/meters must first be removed, and keyboard be TOTALLY dry, prior to power up -- I do, however, recommend oiling that WI motor-- saturate both felts with 20 wt. motor oil. Ron Rich

[Will]

Update - as I was contemplating taking the selector mech off as per advice above (15 mins in the dishwasher !!) .... the machine gradually came back to life as I worked the keys, such that it is now working fine with no hunting.

Which revealed wobbling sound on some records. Found the advice about motor mount grommets. Checked 'em out - they resembled spongy jelly sweets (Part no 18849), and the motor was sloppy in the mount. Have renewed grommets with the only ones I could find (Thorens black rubber not white). Motor spins fine, couldn't see any lube points so gave the spindle top bearing a drop of 3in1. All is well, Spanish Stroll booming out as I write!

[Ron Rich]

Hi Will,
If you want all to continue "fine", you MUST oil that motor-- and NOT with "3 in One"-- See the sticky above, and the ones in our FAQ's, on oil

[Will]

Update - after numerous write in issues, where the write-in just circles, and cleaning the wipers and tracks to no avail, I bit the bullet and carefully dismantled the buttons and cable from the machine.
There was much crud built up on the blade and tiny U-shaped contacts in each selector switch.

Contacts are too delicate to prod at, so I soaked each bank of switches in Gunk engine cleaner, agitated with gentle compressed air, cleaned off with steam from a small steam machine (for modellers), air blast dry followed by a gentle waft from a hairdryer. Came up like new! Reassembled .... BINGO! All working well, solenoids operate smartly with a satisfying clunk!