435 Princess deluxe issues

[prime]

Hi Guys I just inherited a 435 Rock-ola, this is a tube unit and although similar to newer models it is very different. I have ordered the manual from Victory Glass and hope to have it within a month. In the mean time i will be cleaning all contacts and connectors, it looks like it hasnt been opened for many years by the amount of dust that has accumulated. I started the unit and found the gripper arm over the turntable, the turntable was spinning but the tone arm is still in its resting position, i tried to cancel with the button on the rear but i think it has been disconnected, I also tried to move the operator leaver from play to scan and back but no luck, when i move to scan i can see something move on the write in side of the wheel, right side facing from the front, i can hear something engaging but nothing spins including carriage. I returned the gripper arm back to resting position by manually turning the motor, when i get it back it returns and the motor will not continue, unfortunately when i restart the unit the arm returns to the spinning turntable. Any idea on where i should start with this issue. When i get schematics i will have to find out why i cant reject.   thanks pete

[Ron Rich]

1Hi Pete,
As with ALL---first BEFORE "power up", check fuses for correct size & type !
2nd-- PROPERLY, oil it !
And in this case, since you are waiting for the manual- check the mini switches for proper action
Next-- clean as best as you can--and--
WAIT for the manual !
Ron Rich

[prime]

Hi Ron i have oiled and cleaned all contacts, i have also been able to to get the arm moving and rejecting the record. I feel i will need to remove gripper assembly and clean, moves very slowly. Ive been trying to get the unit back to resting but it selects every record, any way i can cancel this so it will return to resting before i clean gripper assembly. pete

[Ron Rich]

Hi Pete,
Should be simple-- just use a finger on either one of your hands, to "push" all of the selection levers to the non-selected state ??
As for the gripper--didja READ, the above "gripper sticky" ?? Ron Rich

[prime]

I had already tried to move all of the fingers i could see I didnt realize how any where bellow the mechanism. I have read your stickie on grippers a few times, I have cleaned and oiled all moving parts but although i have it working it still takes about 30 seconds from the time it drops the record on the turntable and releases the tonearm, im not sure oiling and working it will solve that . I will keep trying. An issue maybe you can help me with is in the selecting records, if i use the selector buttons to start the unit, the write in mechanism spins to select but stops and just hums at the selection, if i manually move a pin it works perfect. pete

[jukenorman]

Hi Pete,
You're really going to need the manual to fault find that write-in problem, I reckon! I have an incomplete pdf that might tide you over until your Victory Glass manual arrives - check your PM.

Norman.

[prime]

Hi Norman i really appreciate the download. Hopefully i will find it. I know i should just wait but its not in my nature. pete

[Ron Rich]

Hi Pete,
Apparently neither WAITing, nor READing, is "in your nature"--LOL-- answer may be in the stickies ! Ron Rich

[Ron Rich]

Hi Pete,
Is this happening on both sides of a record ? If so, I would suspect the WI relay contacts---or the "ballast lamp"--Ron Rich

[prime]

Just to update the issue besides the write in and read out solenoids humming when selecting a record and not engaging carriage, I also see an issue that may contribute to my problem. If i select A6 with the buttons, the write in stops at C6 and the hammer pushes it down, when i manually select A6 on the read out side the basket and arm tries to pick up J5. seems they are not in sync. I will read all of the stickies again Ron maybe i missed this issue. But you are correct i need more patience. pete

[prime]

Ok i was able to readjust write in carriage adjustment to hit A7 when selecting A7, also after alot of adjusting i have A7 with the selector buttons pushing A7,the hammer stops at A7 and is centered so it completely engages the pin. I still have the humming and no movement but im starting to think it may be a selecting button or contact issue in that area. Im working on that tomorrow. pete

[jukenorman]

I doubt that it's a problem with the selection pushbuttons because the write-in indexing has been completed (Sequence 9). You now need to be looking at Sequence 10, the operation of the selection pin.

Norman.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Pete,

Norman's correct-- once the WI motor stops, at the correct location, the push buttons are no longer in play--- Ron Rich

P.S.--If you have not done so--oil the WI motor --saturate both felt pads several times within a weeks time, before it "freezes up" !

[prime]

I have obviously not explained what has been happening properly, When facing the unit i feel the read out is on the left side of the wheel and the write in is on the right side. When i select A7 the read out lever spins, it stops at A7 ,the hammer fires and pushes the pin down, then nothing just humming from read out and write in. If i turn of the unit and restart, the write in and carriage starts and , then the write in stops at A7 ,the carriage stops and the record is transferred to the turntable, the turntable is spinning and the tone arm is slowly released, then i move the tone arm to reject and all goes back as it should.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Pete,
You are mixing up your apples and oranges here-- "Write-in (WI)" on RockOla's is accomplished by the inner set of rings/contacts-- powered by the open frame motor ( which MUST have 20 wt. oil in it's reservoirs, to stop correctly !). Once the motor stops, and the WI carriage "hammers" a pin to the selected state, WI is finished. Next -- the phono needs to start the magazine--this is done by the small coil, and mini switch, located atop of the memory ("pin") bank, which moves the "wobble plate". The same "pulse" that "hammers" the pin to the selected state, pulses this coil. Next is "Read-out (RO)" The RO carriage is powered by the magazine motor. It appears to me, the coil, and/or, switch on top of the pinbank is not working ?? -- There is a "helper (U shaped copper) spring" up there, that tends to get broken). Push that coil's plunger into it, and see what happens ? Ron Rich