Beginning troubleshooting Rockola 425-starting point needed

[tc1961]

Just bought this project machine, decent cosmetic condition. In same non smoking house for 30 years, not played in the last 10 years.

I have the service/parts manual and the 4x8 foot schematic.

Condition: Gripper arm is stuck at turntable just before tonearm is about to go to record(This is how I got it). I can move the Knurled knob under the mech to get the tonearm to move toward the record but then it won't go any further, then I can reverse that till it jams again. 1.6 amp mech fuse was blown when I got it. Put another 1.5 amp slow blow to see what happens and turntable spins for about 3 or 4 seconds then the mech fuse blows. It does this as soon as I power it on.

I'm figuring already to take the gripper arm assembly apart, sure it's gummed up, and that may possibly why it blows the fuse, trying to move to finish and can't, just a guess at this point.

I just need starting point advice.

I'm starting by looking at the mech fuse area on the schematic to see what can blow it.

Hoping someone here can save me a little time if there's a particular direction to focus on for common mech fuse blowing issues.

I will try not to waste anyone's time here.

I troubleshoot RHVAC systems for a living so I have been studying the sequence of operation even before I picked up the machine.

Thanks

Tony

[Ron Rich]

Tony,
"Start", by reading the red pined stickies above this post-- fuses are blown when too much current is drawn from the circuit. Gripper motor is among the things, that can blow that fuse. Ron Rich

[tc1961]

Ok, got me again!

[tc1961]

I fully understand why this thing was blowing the fuse. I wound up taking the gripper arm mechanism apart. Blisters on my thumbs from working it by hand. I took plenty of pics, cleaned everything up, hopefully going to start putting it back together either tomorrow or Monday.