Phonoland

My Rowe R-82 was working great up to a couple of days ago. Today I switched it on and it just scans continuously. The manual suggests that this symptom means there is a fault with the memory unit, or the encoder. I decided that the memory unit was probably the most likely, given the way that it just stopped working. I removed the memory unit and opened it up, and sure enough, I found that the battery was totally shot.
My questions are:
1) Would the battery cause my fault, or is there likely to be another fault?
2) Is the battery required to make the jukebox operate?
3) What is the best replacement battery (the one I took out has no visible markings)?

Cheers

Hi Keith,
Going from my great, but not too long memory--That's a 2.4 volt nicad battery ( It is either a "Data Save", or "Data Sentry" brand), and yes-it can be the cause of your problems--Other things such as "green battery gunk", and old "foam" (attached to the rear of PC Boards) can also raise "heck".
I would, remove the battery, wash the board totally in 99% rubbing al-key-haul, dry totally, install a new batt, press the "memorac reset", check all/re-solder all, solder joints at the plug, at least, and hope for the "best". Ron Rich

Thanks Ron

Does it have to be a 2.4v, or will it take almost any nicad battery from Radio Shack, like the Rock-Ola's?

Keith,
As far as I know--a 3 volt is just fine--I always mount all batts "outboard" now in a "clip", so that 1. They do not "gunk-up" the board, and 2. The customer can change it "hizzelf"--- Ron Rich

Ron is on it as usual. I might add that 2 1.2 volt 'rechargeables' would work. They are used to retain selections if the power goes off. Most people using their juke at home want the battery disconnected so if they switch it off, it would forget any selections.... and if you haven't resoldered and cleaned all the pin connections, this would be a good time to do it.

So do I understand correctly, that the battery is not required and the juke should work without it?

Keith,
According to Hoyle, yes, it SHOULD operate without the batt. But, I have found, this is also subject to "Murphy's Law".
I have also found that once it begins to "boot" wrong, this progresses to the point where it will never "boot cleanly". If you have a Mostec brand, MPU chip in it, look carefully at the pins, at the point they enter the plastic case. This brand had a problem of the pins splitting there. Do not remove it from the socket to check this, as you will find the chip out of the socket, with one or more pins still in the socket. If you are "REALLY GOOD", with a low wattage (grounded) soldering iron, you MAY be able to repair any that are broken. Ron Rich

Hi Guys,

The memory unit on the R-80S to R-83 has 3 x 1.2 volt rechargable cells.
So you need a the same or a 3.6 volt rechargable cell (you could use a suitable phone handset battery).

The memory unit will work without the battery, for some reason a low battery voltage tends to give issues. The reason for the battery is to retain selections if the jukebox is switched off, as already stated.

You will need to check the memory unit, mechanism control and selector logic for dry joints (cold joints USA) on the connection pins.
We tend to test all three boards as a set of boards, any adjustment you make to the memory unit or selector logic effects the other board, hence the reason to test together.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

I cleaned all the board and re-flowed all the solder points.

I have no battery connected, but still get the same fault (continues scanning). I think it's time for a new Memory Unit (301-07855). Anyone with a working one for sale please PM me.

Hello Keith,

On the memory unit is the clock and data leds flashing? also is the display counting through the numbers (these always count in the 200 range until a selection is selected)?

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

Hi Alan

No and No.

LEDs don't flash and display doesn't count.

Keith,
Send that darn thing back to school !!
As I know very little about that system, it would be my guess that the "optical system", rather than the "computer" was not functioning. Unless that's diffrent then the later systems, the computer must first "see" home, and "location pulses", prior to "boot-up" ? ( if batt is good, it should "have that info stored" --I think ??) Ron Rich

It's weird, it was working perfectly. The jukebox hadn't been moved or fiddled with, I just switched it on and it started to scan continuously and the scan LED stays lit. According to the troubleshooting section of the manual, this means that either the Memory Unit or the Encoder is at fault.

It would be nice to verify exactly where the fault lays before I start buying new parts.

Keith,
All machines, of any kind, unless somone has "messed with it", run fine till something fails
The LED lit indicates either that the scan motor is being "told" to run, or, that it is powered up--I suspect the later--which would be part of the boot-up routine. Is there an "index", and/or, "home" Led on that model ?
Ron Rich

Hello Keith,

Have you checked all the connection pins for dry joints (USA cold joints) on the Selector Logic board, this board controls the display.

After checking out the above and if all is good, then check all of the connection in the plastic mouldings on the plugs that go to the selector locic and the memory unit. These connections are fixed into the connector moulding with a small pawl, this can be pessed in and the connection withdrawn, the connection is a folded over construction so it can be slightly opened out to put extra pressure on the connecton, clean the contact area using one of those fibre glass cleaning pencils. Do not forget to reset the pawl so it locks the connection in place.

Another issue could be the C705 variable capacitor that alters the clock & data pulse rate.

If you do not have any joy in sorting out the problem and can find nowhere in the USA to test/repair your memory unit you ca like a number of your fellow countrymen send it me in the UK for my assessment.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK