Phonoland

I recently had my LPC-1 serviced and everything seemed to be going well. When I started it today the motor seemed to be running slow. I've seen in other posts this can be normal to "warm up" and to let it run with an empty slot so that the motor will keep rotating. However, after a few minutes I returned and nothing was rotating or moving. I pushed the tone arm in to trip it and make it move, however the mechanism will not scan or select. After turning it off and on it still has the same problem. The motor is hot so I can tell it is still working...could there be so much gunk on the gears that they just stopped? Would that also make it no longer scan? When I move the tone arm again, after turning it back on it no longer "trips" or makes the noise indicating the record has been rejected. Any help would be appreciated...

Instead of posting another topic I'd like to say I have the same issue with my LPC 480.

Hi Guys,
My GUESS is, that both of these phonographs are suffering from a loose, or broken motor coupling.
Check the motor--is it spinning, on the top of the motor, but not on the top of the coupling? If this is NOT the case, I would suspect either the motor run cap has failed, or the Autospeed ( this is less likely, if lifting the detent lever will not start the turntable spinning). Ron Rich

Well that was a nice quick fix, thank you Ron! Unfortunately now it won't trip at the end of a record. It mutes at the end, but the reject button won't release it either.

Hi James,
What, was a quick fix ?
Not rejecting, but muting, indicates either the small green plug on the amp is not making good contact, or the mute relay contact, is "dirty". Ron Rich

The screw on the bottom of the coupler managed to come loose, that was the easy part. The relay in the amp is where the issue is, I'll get to that while it's warmer tomorrow and report back. Thanks again Ron!

Hi James,
There "shouldouttabe" TWO screws on both sections of that coupler--- Ron Rich

Hi James,
There is the "remote possibility", that your problem is mechanism related. To quickly check this, remove the mute plug from the amp, and "short" all of the contacts within that plug. Do this carefully, as there is a small shock hazard, from the 25vac. If the coil fires when the contacts are shorted, the mech is NOT the problem. The problem is either at that plug/socket, or the relay itself. As for the relay, unless you have a very early, "Code A", TSA-1 amp, the relay should be housed inside a "round can", screwed to the inside of the amp. The top of the can was taped, to keep it on. I "clean" them as follows: Unscrew the whole can, remove the tape/cover, and shoot a non residue, plastic safe solvent onto the contacts. USUALLY, this is enough, but if the lower center,contact, is NOT making dis-assembly is required, and a very "careful" cleaning of the contacts is needed--caution, these are "crossbar" type contacts, and MUST be adjusted to "wipe", upon contact. In some cases ( in which I suspect it has had "some help"), I need to replace that relay with an "ice cube" type. Ron Rich

Sorry about that, I meant both screws were loose, was typing in a hurry. I shorted the pins in the plug and it was working as it should, and I can confirm that it's making a connection with the socket. I guess I'm the lucky one who has a code A TSA1 amp, but I do see where the relay is at. I'll have to hunt down the solvent or take a trip to the store. Thanks again Ron.

Hi James,
If you have a code A amp, they screwed the relay to either the side of the chassis, or to an "open spot" on the flat portion of the chassis--all TSA's have it "inside" the chassis. You should not have a code A TSA-1, as they were "supposed to be" re-called and re-worked, to a Code B unit. Part of this "update" involved adding the "enclosure" to that relay, as it was found that they "attracted dirt--real fast"! Ron Rich