Wurlitzer 3010 - another repair project

[viperz]

Well, this is my 3rd jukebox - it had been waiting in the garage for about a year since I bought it. 

I bought it a year ago with the following 'symptoms' from the previous owner who did a really good job cleaning the insides, replaced front broken glass with regular piece of glass and claimed to recap the amplifier. 

- 2 selections don't play (no idea which ones lol)
- needs new "12 speaker (no idea which of the two)
- top speakers need capacitor to filter low end (yep, one tweeter does not even work at all) 
- Release Button doesn't work (stuck low)
- Needs proper turntable belt (using some random rubber band)


I guess something happened during transport or maybe from sitting for a year? I hooked everything up for a quick check before pulling mech out, and got welcomed to a crazy chattering of what I think is the solenoid behind selector buttons:
photos.app.goo.gl/HXEMvzg4uYmxZ1mQ6

I quickly disconnected the selector buttons for now. Then I tripped four random pins in the selector, mech cycles just fine and starts playing records.

One of the tweeters does not work at all (I think previous owner disconnected x-over capacitor to it), woofers play poorly - I don't know if it is the amp or the speakers themselves yet. 


So at this point I am not sure how much troubleshooting I can do on the buttons / solenoid chattering at this point, or if I should pull the mech and pull the selector buttons assembly out to take a look what is going on? 

Here is a video of it "playing". It is noticeably slow - I am hoping that oiling the motor and record player mech, and installing two proper belts that I already have will fix the speed issue:
photos.app.goo.gl/jsgwc9Joa6djrN7t9

I also noticed that tonearm jumps forward a bit when it lowers, so it starts playing not from the beginning. Will have to figure that one out too.  

Cherry on the cake: it is missing one caster, so rolling it on 3 casters is a challenge... (I will buy new casters obviously)... and they painted sides black, and painted over the side lock - removing that lock looks to be painful - I'll remove it and will soak it in acetone to try to make it move. 
photos.app.goo.gl/giNjnoMQLE9MBjHT6

[viperz]

I think it is set for free play somehow... so the moment I turn it on, the latch solenoid is trying to engage, but the contacts beside the solenoid must be dirty and not making, so solenoid unlatches, then goes into crazy cycle of latching-unlatching.

One other good thing - when I was buying parts to restore my 1900, I think I bought new belts, all rubber mounts and isolators, and new needle for this machine too. Will tear it apart this weekend when I'll get some help to move the mech.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Eugen,
You "thinking" again ? Grtz you in trouble, every time !
READ the above "sticky" on free play for that phono-- push the latch bar coil plunger in by hand, with the power on-- does it stay in , or pop back out ?
Iffin you bought new belts/parts for the 1900 only--no good-- if you bought specific 3000 type items--Yea !?!
Ron Rich

[viperz]

Hi Ron, no, I did buy 3010 specific parts lol.

And I did read the sticky yesterday. That whole idea of removing the spring and jamming the mech to make it 'free play' and getting the solenoid on all the time is definitely not ok with me. I am just trying to to assess and record as much as I can while the jukebox is in one piece. I am sure when the coin register will come out, we will all see the 'free play' change, and I'll change it back to accept coins hopefully. Last thing I want is a solenoid coil or that big resistor stinking up the room.

[Ron Rich]

Well,
Whut ken I sayed-- You did not read it well--on accountacause, you don't "jam" nothing, nor "remove any spring" As for the resistor/"solenoid", smoking-- read the 2nd post ! Ron Rich

[viperz]

Ummm... can you translate "unhook the spring from the wheel and feed it the 'wrong' way" for me then please?
jukeboxaddicts.proboards.com/thread/546/howto-wurlitzer-2000-3300-free

[viperz]

Very strange jukebox... stereo pickup goes into 2-channel amplifier... On one channel we have 16-Ohm woofer and mid driver, and tweeter. 2nd channel has 8-Ohm woofer and a tweeter, but different tweeter than in the first channel... This is stereo?! The amp even has a balance control.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Eugen,
Translate ? No-- just do look at the photo's to determine which way the spring is "pulling" the wheel-- that's what you axked--is it on free play or not ?

[Ron Rich]

Eugen,
Didja read the Service Manual-- do you have the correct speakers in it, in the correct positions ? WurliTzer engineering did do some "un-conventional designs" (IMHO)! Ron Rich

[viperz]

Yep, all part numbers match the manual, so all 5 speakers are original and connected correctly - on original 3-wire harness. Talking about unconventional - I love how Wurlitzer did a 5-speaker 1-channel design on my 1900, but 5-speaker design on a stereo amp with all 5 speakers different is very strange.

[viperz]

And yes, the spring is connected 'under' the wheel rather than over, so it is in 'free play' mode... and I found a broken spring in the credit unit... there are 3 identical springs in the credit unit, the mounting ring on the middle one broke.. another thing to fix.

[viperz]

My selector keyboard is missing the play counter, and 2 light bulbs along with all wiring - Select and LP play

Also I'm pretty sure I know why the amp played like crap - one big electrolytic capacitor broke off, and one side was just floating in the air. Will remove the junction box, then will make a full electrolytic capacitor list to order. Some of the caps in this jukebox, especially the ones used to time-delay the relays, are ginormous - 3000uF, 1500uF etc. 

[viperz]

Finally started replacing capacitors in the amplifier. No idea what previous owner did, electrolytics are all labeled and I can see they were soldered, but they are all original. Anyway, replaced all axial caps under the chassis. Removed two metal can caps, soldered new multicap together to replace the stacked cap, and then checked schematic... lucky me that I did - the original stacked capacitor is Can Common Positive, meaning all + terminals are tied together, and then grounded to chassis. That is first for me, as every single stacked cap I ever replaced so far were can common negative. I guess, makes sense to have those negative voltages, since output transistors are Germanium. 

Had to order a few more caps - always the case , was short 3 caps, as some in the parts list were not marked as electrolytic, but they are on the board. Will start replacing old non-polarized caps for now - there are only 4 I think, since I don't have anything else to do on this amp for now. 

[viperz]

Happy to report that 546B amp is fully recapped, cleaned and working. One interesting observation is that there are two 500uF caps in a stacked cap, marked with square and triangle. They were 'swapped' in my amp when compared to schematic. I just marked up my schematic when I was replacing all caps

Will start with repairing and recapping selector junction box next. Then will move onto the butchered selector keyboard assembly.

[viperz]

So since last update:

- took apart record carousel, cleaned and and put it back together
- rebuilt playrak with new coils instead of completely burned out ones (some genius bypassed the previously failed breaker), installed new fuse/fuse holder instead of failed breaker
- cleaned all contacts in selector keyboard; repaired bad soldering in the selector;
- cleaned and recapped selector junction box
- cleaned/oiled/lubed the mechanism
- rebuilt/cleaned/oiled record player - new motor mounts, new belts, new needle, adjusted needle pressure (was maxed out previously)
- cleaned coin acceptor - looks like someone pulled some parts related to accepting 10-cent coils, as it only accepts quarters, and rejects all dimes. 
- replaced crossover capacitors; bought new tweeter instead of a failed one (open voice coil); repaired mid speaker cone
- bought replacement coin door

Today put everything back together. It is playing nicely.

Next steps:

- switch playrak from free play to coins
- test all 20 coils in the selector junction box
- install all missing parts from selector keyboard - play counter (bought one), selector light (bought light socket and bulb, will build small harness), button cancel switch - still need to find and buy one
- install new tweeter and reinstall repaired mid speaker
- replace record guide plate (mine has a few cracks, need to buy a new one)
- replace front glass if I ever find an affordable one
- still need to reinstall the caster that fell off


A short video of this jukebox finally playing: photos.app.goo.gl/zHD2FbV69DFyYD1m6


and yeah, this 'repair' project quickly became full-blown resto, since previous owner didn't just repair/restore it, but butchered wherever they could. Oh well, I am getting closer to having it finished.