ROWE MM5 SELECTION PROBLEMS

hi, when i make a selection on my recently purchased rowe mm5, selection arms turn and stop at the desired pin but don't push out the pin. it does not matter if it is an A side or B side. i have a manual on the way. does anyone know if i manually push out a pin, should the carousel start turning and play it? on the rockolas from this ers they do. but i cant get the rowe to do it. if i start the carousel it will then stop and play the record at the point where i pushed out a pin. it will then play the record, cancel the pin and return the record to magazine. any help is appreciated-thanks

Hello buyapin,

Sorry I do not know your name or location.

You say that the search unit arm stops at the the correct location? Do the two relays S1 and S2 operate (these are located at each side of the search unit assenbly). These relays have open contacts, I suggest that you clean them with a taper of paper pulled through the open or closed contacts. You will also have to check that the circuit board is not cracked or broken.
The pin pusher coils are feed via the uppermost wiper assembly but the feeds to these are on two very thin tracks on both sides of the printed circuit board. Over time if the wipers are set too much they can wear through these tracks and the coil will not work even though they have continuity. If this is the case then you would need a new board.

Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

You have a couple of unrelated questions here;
1) No, the basket will not automatically start turning simply by manually pushing out a pin. That action is controlled by the -scan assembly- which is above and at the right-hand side of the mech. It has a coil and white gear. To manually start a scan, lift the white gear slightly then release it as the basket begins turning.

2) There are several things that can cause the search unit to fail in punching a pin:
A) Poor connection in the edge connector on the search unit. Also, check for worn out chase wipers on the search unit.

--Please! Do NOT make any adjustments in the search unit until you have a manual -and have read and understood it.--

B) Broken feed-through connection(s) in the keyboard connections.

C) Failed time-constant capacitor in the keyboard. this is an electrolytic cap (I forget the value) but it is located in the keyboard assembly near the relays and it determines the length of the punch. When it dries out the punch becomes too short for the magnets to fully extend the pin. Those same relays in the keyboard may also have pitted or poor adjustment on their contacts.

There are other causes of what you are experiencing such as a weak power supply, but what I outlined are the most common.

Rob/NYC

Hi Rob,

You are correct in everything that you say.
I am testing two search units whilst we speak both are suffering dirty pitted contacts on the search unit S1 and S2 relays, so the fault is that the search unit motor will not run without help.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK