Rock-ola CD-8 CD player plug

Guys,
WOW--What do I win ?? I finally "assumed" something right !!
--and as to my other inferred "assumption"--("--key" is shorter--") (above)--Comon IS shorter then common ! --
Just as I thunked--Antique Exasperations was/is always "short with words" Ron Rich

OK! Now we're getting somewhere-or so I thought....
I wired up the plug as you said, plugged in the plugs, flipped the power switch and ***POP***! I instantly blew 2 of the 3 one amp slow blow fuses in the power box, and the three amp one as well.
I dug around and found a couple of 1 amp replacements, removed the harness and rechecked the wires with an ohm meter. Everything checked out (yes! I had put the right wires on the right terminals!) and then I replugged in the CD player, then the computer, then went to plug in the power box and discovered there is no locat-errr, "KEY' to correctly align the plug. You can actually plug it in right side up, or flipped upside down.
Guess which way I plugged it in the first time?

Damn. Now I have to wait until morning to hit "The Shack" for a 3 amp 250V fuse before proceeding.
Hopefully, thats all I burned out.............

Oh,No ! after all that discussion about the "key" -- "locator guide pin" ?? What a shame----
If the shack does not have the correct fuse, be sure to use one that's smaller--NOT larger !!
Ron Rich

David,
In your pin read-out for the J1 plug, did you flip #10 & 11?

My schematic lists them as"TP6" for #10 pin and "TP5" for #11. When I do a trace back to the computer plug, pin 2 at the computer end, which leads to pin 11 at the CD player plug end is a "Logic" terminal, and 10 on the computer plug end, which also leads to the 10 pin on the CD player end is a "Power" common wire.
Hopefully you inadvertently switched them around, or else I'll be EVEN MORE confused than I already am!
Dale

Dale,

You are correct. Logic Common can be found at the Central Control Computer on P2 Pins 2, 27, & 29. It will terminate on the Mech Control PCB at J1 Pin 11.

Power Common on the Central Control Computer is at P2 Pins 8, 10, 21, & 22. That ground terminates on the Mech Ctrl PCB at J1 Pin 10.

The reason for the confusion is that the CCC schematic shows the broken downward arrowhead symbol for ground as being the Logic Common at the P2 Connector. Without looking at the rest of the Mech Control PCB schematic, I just looked at the incoming signals at J1 and I guess whoever drew the new solid state Mech Ctrl PCB schema switched the signal designation to the downward "pitchfork" type.

I really do apologize for the confusion. I guess I need to slow down and take a breather every once in a while. However, in my defense, I always believed the pitchfork to be chassis ground for power. Conversely, the broken arrowhead was used most commonly for logic ground. Nonetheless, I'll own this mistake. If you need anything, contact me @ david "dot" rebber "at" att "dot" net, I will do whatever is necessary to help you out.

You are also correct that most of the schematics given with nostalgia models are somewhat vague. I have seen the service info packages included with these units. I would assume that AA or Rock-Ola felt it would be best if a home user did not attempt repairs. At any rate, hopefully we will get you back up and running.

Respectfully,

David

David,
Whew! I was hoping that was the answer, or I was afaraid I'd entered a whole new realm of electrical problems/corundums!
No need to apologize,even that minor hiccup was a learning process for me and I am TRULY indebted to you guys for getting me this far-so far.
I can't work on it today (except maybe score some fuses while I'm out and about) but perhaps tomorrow evening I can give you an update- hopefully with background music........
Thank you again and until then,
Dale

ARRGGHHH!
Bad news-- I have apparently smoked the 57000-A control computer!
I suspect when I reversed the plug from the power unit leading to this computer and turned it on I did some serious electronic mayhem inside.
Now all I get is blown fuses when I try to power it up, but if I leave the computer unhooked from the power unit it doesnt blow the fuses.
The lights still work, the colour cylinders still turn and the bubblers still bubble so at least its still pretty to look at, but damn, I was THIS CLOSE >< to getting it going...........

Anyone know a shop where I can send this computer to be tested/repaired, or where a humbled repairman-wannabe can buy a good used or even a new one?
Dale

Dale,

Send it to me. It will be on the house.

Send private email and I will get you my mailing address.

But let me MAKE SURE that the connector you are leaving unconnected is ? The power output from the Power Distribution Assembly or the power input to the Central Control Computer?

David

david,
I will certainly email you!
As to the plug- as long as I dont plug the end into the computer, I dont blow any fuses. It doesnt matter whether the plug going into the power supply is plugged in or not, I have no problems until I connect it up to the computer and then -- POP, POP,POP! it will blow 1 amp fuses "F-1" & "F-2", along with 3 amp fuse "F-5".

What were you saying earlier about Rockola possibly purposely making their schematics somewhat vague to discourage shade- mechanics from trying to "repair" these things?
Maybe they were on to something!

I will email you tonight and THANK YOU (again)
Dale

Dale,

What I actually said about Rock-Ola was 2 different things:

1. When they developed the S-5A system with the new solid state Mech Control PCB, whoever drew that board schematic used the "downside pitchfork" symbol for logic ground, while the original schema for the Control Computer still had the "downward broken line arrow" indicating the same line. And I can't really fault RO for this, as their electronic systems design and assembly were "farmed out" to a third-party firm. They did actually label the grounds, but I just looked at the symbols and got you on the wrong track.

2. The information packages for the Antique Apparatus line were not as complete as the commercial line of Rock-Ola jukes. This is what I believe to be the extension of the "No User Serviceable Parts Inside" ideology. i.e. If you don't give a guy enough info to make a complete diagnosis, he'll likely call in a factory authorized distributors repairman. OR, it may just have been a cost cutting measure based on the idea that a "home user" most likely will not attempt repairs. I know the end result, but can't definitively say what criteria they used to make that decision.

As a last thought, I will say that this is the first time I ever encountered a cabling problem like you have (or had). That particular connector on the Mech Control PCB might become dislodged during transport, but I never saw the wiring ripped from the terminals like that. You weren't doing a "Dukes of Hazzard" remake were you?!? LOL No matter, let's just get you back up and running.

David

David,
This poor box led a pretty rough life in a biker bar for a few years, then transported, CD player unsecured, in the back of a pickup-layin on its back.
Then it was left unused in a basement until I got it a few weeks ago.
It is funny you should mention the Duke boys as it was brought here on a trailer and the guys in the car following the truck that was towing it said it and the trailer it was strapped to bounced two feet in the air when they flew over some rail-road tracks! That is EXACTLY the image I pictured when I heard that- the General Lee launching over the RR crossing with that Rockola tied to the roof- YEE-HAAA!
I found the wires pulled out of the plug which I think happened when the wooden filler panels that are bolted up on either side of the CD player broke loose and came down on the plug guillotine style and pulled them out.

Hopefully, I'll never have to have it moved again!
Dale