rockola 437 write in arm spinning and wont stop

[LJ]

Hey guys and Ron!  I finally got the rockola 437 to play for the very first time in over 45 yrs with yals help and by trial and error.  I was so excited!  This was by flipping a pin on the carriage and not by selecting and pushing the top push buttons.  It went through the process and played the record selections and replaced them every time and so on and so on each selection I made.   The sound was terrible with crackle and static so I replaced the needle with new and it sounded much better, but not great.  I suspect speakers are brittle and probably needs new caps IN THE amp.  But the main problems remaining now is the write in arm just spins constantly when a selection is made by the top push buttons and numbers.  The only way to stop it from spinning was hit the top reject button and the write in arm would stop, but still not picking a selection.  Reading in this forum I saw a lot of possible problems for this from the cleaning of contacts, to coils on the carriage and so on.  I started out by cleaning the write in relay and stop relay again, but now after I power the jukebox back on the write in arm will just start spinning on its on even with the service switch is in the off position.  I unplug the jukebox and plug it back in and it the write in will start spinning again and now I have to unplug the juke box to stop it where before i could stop the write in arm by hitting the top reject button.  I suspect the stop switch was going bad and now maybe it has gone completely bad.   I can take a screwdriver when the write in arm is turning and push the stop relay contacts down and the write in arm will stop spinning, but when I let it spring back up the write in arm will start spinning again.  Ive checked the forum trying to find another relay, but cant see it anywhere.  Anybody know where I might can get one if this found to be the problem?  rockola stop relay  part # 34739-1    And would it be a good ideal to replace the write in relay at the same time?

[jukenorman]

Hi LJ,
I think you must have a short somewhere. The circuit to the write-in relay (which drives the motor) goes through the reset switch and the letter and number latch switches - maybe a ground fault at the number latch switch? You could start your fault finding there. Unlikely to be a faulty write-in relay in these circumstances, I would think.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Guyz,
This is somewhat muddled in my mind- Is that WI relay a plug-in type ? Is it being HELD energized ( BTW--I STRONGLY suggest. the WI Motor, be properly oiled before, you do ANYTHING else!) ? Is there an internal "hold circuit" being used for that relay ? Replacement relays are not needed too often-- dija clean/check them both as per the stickies in our FAQ's section-? Ron Rich

[LJ]

I dont believe the WI relay is the plug in type and am not sure what that internal hold circuit is. And yes I think I have read just about everything on this site about my model rockola 437 and any other models that might be close and then some that I can and cant comprehend. I had another person tell me he thought it might be in the wobble switch on the carriage assembly so I took this thing off after taking a picture of how it was mounted and wire positions and checked the coil for continuity, and the micro switch, and then cleaned all the contacts and put it back together, but when I went to mount the micro switch back my picture didnt show me how it was adjusted meaning was the micro switch mounted with the contact being pushed in or was out? I looked in my manual and really couldnt find anything on that adjustment. That bottom screw mounts to that carriage assembly where the switch can be rotated slightly I guess to be able to push that contact in or out. Couldnt really find anything on the web yet addressing this. So, I did it both ways and again when I plugged the jukebox in the write in arm took off again. I then started unplugging connections going to the carriage assembly one at a time and again each time the write in arm will spin. I even unplugged the write in motor itself and the arm still spins telling me you guys are right somewhere it is still being energized even with the write in motor being unplugged. The only plug found to kill it is on the MECHANCAL plug ( 6 circuit m-n-l socket hsg.) located on the power distribution and write in unit. And Norman im thinking you might be right with maybe a short somewhere up there in push button letter/number assembly. I know before while having this problem I could stop this rotating write in arms by pushing the reject button. I have never been able to select a record yet by pushing any of the letter/buttons even though I have tried to clean the contacts as best as as I could. Ive only been able to play records by flipping the pins up to this point before this latest thing has started happening. Guess ill start taking the letter/numbers assembly off again and try and clean contacts again and look for that ground and then maybe take off the power distribution and write in unit to check underneath it. Your thoughts again on all this guys?

[jukenorman]

Hi LJ,
Firstly it will not be a wobble switch problem because the wobble switch deals with the read-out side, not write-in. There is no absolute right or wrong way to fault find so removing the button bank is an option. Tracing the ground path to the write-in relay using the schematic is also an option. We know that the fault must be on the ground side of the wrte-in relay because pushing the reset switch has no effect - the reset switch interrupts the ground path to the write-in relay.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

LJ,
Whoa-- Something's FAR "AMISS" here-- The "WI Motor runs when un-plugged" ?? It appears to me that you have apples and oranges mixed up-- READ the service manual- figure out what motor is running, and inform us so we have a chance to help you. Ron Rich

[LJ]

Yes the write in motor was unplugged but the write in arms was still energized and spinning. And yes the motor in question # 33 on the schematic that i unplugged is the one that connects to the gear connected to the spinning readout arms. That for sure thru me off thinking also now how can this motor still be working with it completely being unplugged. That plug from that write in motor goes into the control box assembly. i even disconnect all plugs going into the credit unit assembly that i think has a problem aside all this other because the slide free credit switch no longer clicks and energizes the credit free plays even though the lite on the puh button panel shows credits thinking it might be pulling juice thru there some how. I read last night on a past post from Bopper where he was having pretty much a similar problem, minus the problem with pretty much unplugged wires and the motor still running. Today im gonna try and check ground fault on the push button assemble even though this is really close above my limitations and then im going to pull i guess the power distribution box up and check underneath. thks guys...i still owe u guys a steak when u come to texas!

[Ron Rich]

LJ,
That motor can not run, if un-plugged ! The write in motor/arm can/may move-- you should NOT ever, push it -- but the motor ain't "running" -
I think you're wise in saying this may be above your "limitations", in which case, look at the FAQ's for a list of "repair persons"-- before you do any more damage to it-- ?? Ron Rich