1964 Rowe Tropicana repair

New guy to jukeboxes, but I always wanted to restore one. I just purchased a 1964 Rowe AMI JBM-200 "Tropicana". I cleaned it up and am able to get it to play a single record, if I turn the cam clockwise by hand.

When I enter a music selection, the search unit engages and then turns off without playing a selection. Also, the magazine doesn't turn.

I assume that there are several things that I will need to fix, but I am looking for guidance on what I should start to troubleshoot first. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi New guy,
Best advice I can give you ( or any new guy) is buy the Service Manual and read it before you do anything, including plugging it in !
After you have done so, see what you can accomplish yourself--then present any questions, here, in terms that we can all understand ( in other words--factory used words). That way we have a chance to help-- Manuals are available in many places, including on the net--however those sold "up there" tend to be on the poor side--suggest you purchase from a legit dealer in AMR re-prints, such as www.victoryglass.com or www.alwaysjukin.com Ron Rich

Thanks Ron. I actually did buy the service manual, parts manual and troubleshooting guide. I did some minor service work from the manual to get it functioning to this point. In the troubleshooting guide, it does'nt exactly describe my problem. The pushbuttons latch in but they release after the search unit runs through its cycle. Then the latch solenoid on the pushbutton bank disengage the selection.

Hi Guy,
Well, I was hoping the AMi Man (Alan) would have jumped in by now, as I don't know those models very well--First off, what's a "Tropicana"--I never paid attention to the marketing names--gotta go by the model number on the ID tag on the cabinet rear for me--
If it's in the area I think it is--the search unit spins till it lines up, which forces the sprague relay to energize--at which point the "pin pusher" (aka "hammer") is energized, along with the scan start, and the total play meter. The first thing I would do is, clean adjust as needed the contacts on that relay--then--if that did not fix it, cut the meter loose, as they were "famous" for shorting out. Ron Rich

Hello,

Sorry I have been feeling sorry for myself for the last few days, down with this cold/flu thats currently going around the UK.

Ron the 1964 Rowe Ami Tropicana is the Model M. It was the second jukebox that Rowe made after the Continental with the new 1100 mechanism.

Being has the buttons latch and the search unit begins spinning the fault will be down to cleaning the two open relays on the search unit, these are S1 & S2, I usually clean these open relays with a taper of writing paper (or copier paper) pulling it between the contacts. You can also clean the contacts on the open relays located under a plastic cover on the button bank (keyboard).

The search unit wipers should find the hot spot and S1 & S2 operate to push out the selected pin and engage a circuit to scan the mechanism.

Do the cleaning and let us know how you get on.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

Thanks Alan,

I greatly appreciate the advice and hope that you are feeling better. I cleaned S1 and S2, and they were dirty. I already have cleaned the latch relay and starting relay on the pushbutton bank. Also, I adjusted the pusher arm and number wiper arm according to the service manual (page SM-112 and SM-113). It now seems to get hung up on the number sprag wheel, and won't engage the latch relay. I advance it slightly, and then it will accept putting in a selection again on the push button bank. Also, it does push the pins out when I make a selection, so the plunger appears to be working. Not quite sure where to go from here...any advice? Thanks.

Hello,

Have you checked out the stop plate adjustments and cleaned the slip rings on the back of the stop plate? if not clean them with a pencil rubber.
I have known of issues with the wiring of the annunciator that have effected the search unit . so check out the wiring as per the manual.

Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man

Thanks Alan,

I did clean the slip ring and adjusted the stop plate...great advice using an eraser, worked perfectly. I also disconnected the play meter (read that from another posting). I went through the manual and am not sure where the annunciator is to check the wiring. Still getting the same issues. The juke accepts the song selection, and the pins actually are pushed out by the hammer. But then nothing else happens.

Did you clip BOTH wires to the meter ?
"annunciator" is the "doo-hickey" that shows "selection now playing"
Ron Rich

There were actually three wires to the meter. I cut all three, but two were on the same alligator clip so I taped them to each other. I plan on putting the meter back on, but need to test and clean it first.

Oh,Oh,--I have never seen a meter with three wires going to it--which brand was used ?
Ron Rich

It says that it is was manufactured by Electro Counter & Motor Company, Chicago Illinois. The part number is hard to read, but it looks like F-8854.

OK----with three wires??? --got me--should have two "larger" black wires going to it--If it's a money counter, it may have white wires--Ron Rich

Hello,

Ron is correct the annuciator just shows what record is playing but it is wired from the top plate slip ring contacts and it is wired into the solenoid that pulls in to start the scan.

Did you say you have a Tropicana (Model M) manual? If you do check out pages SM-46 and SM-47, it shows you the sequence of operation and the above pages show you what relays and contacts provide the circuits to energize the Magazine Motor.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

I think we are having a communications failure here--I did not mean to cut the wires to the "annunciator", but to the "total play" meter.
Ron Rich