Basket Case Wurlitzer 2900 Assistance

[mligon]

Ron... be gentle..

I picked up a Wurlitzer 2900 yesterday.  I know, I know don't turn it on... but I wanted to make sure the lights would come on before I put a lot of time into it.

It's been a few years since I've worked on a Wurlitzer so I don't remember a lot.  The amp is super clean but the rest of the machine is pretty dirty and the grease is dry.

The machine had a record on the turntable and when turned on the motor runs and it plays the record. At the end of the record nothing happens. If I hit the reset button it starts the process of unloading but if I let go it stops. Continuing to press reset and the record will drop and the loading arm will take it back into the carriage. At this point I think the motor is supposed to reverse?? and drop the arms and start moving the carriage until it hits the next pin.  Instead the arm raises and loads the record again.  Same thing happens if I hit the tone arm trip switch but I didn't hold it for a full cycle.

Holding down reset will repeat this cycle over and over again..

A couple of things I noticed... 1. The behavior is the same if all selection pins are down and 2. If you manually push the reverse switch it "buzzes" 

I'm guessing a broke or shorted switch? but  the question is... where to start?  Thank you and nice to be here.

Edit... on studying the manual look like the transfer switch is missing the bridge piece.  So I guess that's where I should start... 

[Ron Rich]

"Be gentle" -- WHY-- I ainna gotz no time for that !
Whatz a "reset button" -- do you mean the "ReJECT/cancel, button" ??
I think that "dry grease", is where I wood start-- then fix/replace that switch (I THINK-- I still have some--contact me, should you wish to purchase one). Ron Rich

[mligon]

I was able to repair the transfer switch and replaced the spring that tensions the mute/play. It had a broken switch where the yellow wire is attached in addition to the bridge piece broken.  The spring was still there so I was able to replace the broken switch and made a new bridge price. 

The record lift arm on the left side viewing from the back does not retract all the way to clear the carousel. I can't recall if there is an adjustment or if it's not retracting because the carousel won't run clock wise? Record in the stuck slot will load and play (sometimes). Reject/cancel button will unload the record partially and then load and play again. The record changer motor never attempts to run clockwise.

How do I get the arms to retract all the way? Thank you and have a great summer.

[Ron Rich]

Number 1. Oil --- ?? 2. RTFM. Ron Rich

[Ron Rich]

Number 1. Oil --- ?? 2. RTFM. What do you mean "the basket won't turn clockwise--is it stuck on a raised pin ? Will it turn c-clockwise (I hope NOT !) Ron Rich

[mligon]

Ron I mean the changer motor does not reverse to drive the basket. I will adjust arms to proper at rest position below the basket. All the pins are down currently. And the service switch should be in play position (to the right?)

[Ron Rich]

The motor is powered to move the basket by the over-ride switches --if no pins are released, that motor won't move-- and I think-- that you have the service switch in the "service" position-- l@k at the crank arms--"up" is the service position--"down" is the operate position-- Ron Rich

[mligon]

Service switch is good.  Cleaned the override switch(s).

I am beginning to suspect the transfer switch that I re-assembled.  It appears to be "slow" to close or perhaps is being pushed too far?

The leaf switch I replaced (yellow wire) had contacts on each side but one was smaller in diameter than the other. Since the switch I was replacing was broken I'm not sure it was and exact match?

Mar

[Ron Rich]

Hi Mar,
Did you read the FAQ's posts on contacts, and the one on "over center switches" ? Ron Rich

[mligon]

All to do with the transfer switch I repaired. Had switched positions for one of the insulators so a grounding issue. Re-assembled the right way and had to line up the thing that actuates the transfer switch so it was square. Cleaning and small tweaks to the leaf switches and it works. So on to the next problem. Thanks as always. The advice here is always very helpful.