Rock-ola 464 plays randomly, but doesn't process selections

I knew the box was set for free play by someone previously, but I thought I'd be able to make selections as well. It wasn't loaded with records when I bought it and I assumed the reason it was trying to grab records all the time was because it was searching for one in the carriage. Once I loaded it with records it grabs and plays records fine--just not the ones I punch in on the selector. I guess this is the result of how free play was set on the juke, but I honestly don't know. Anyway, I'd like to be able to make selections and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi
It may be that the selection pins on the wobble plate are not being cancelled and as such any selections made previously are being repeated, this may be because the wobble plate slip rings need to be cleaned, a faulty micro switch (located behind the tone arm) or a faulty solenoid on the read out arm and clean the contacts of the read out arm, also check the plug connections in the machine
Clones

Congrats on your "new" 464. Nice machine. It's unlikely free play has anything to do with your issue here. I can't tell by your posting what you might or might not know about these selectors, but here's the most likely scenario if you have not already done this. If merely setting the scan switch to Operate sets things off, or if "extra" selections play, you might have the selection levers tripped. Look at the selector on the right (readout) side.. Two rows of little levers all around except down at the bottom in the Home position. Any selections made and not played in the past will leave a lever still tripped, as will accidentally bumping into one or more while reaching in to clean or whatever. Manually flip off any that are tripped. It should not go into action when you set the scan switch to operate until you make the first selection. If it skips selections made because of dirty contacts with these readout levers or on the contacts in the center that the wipers glide over, those selections can pop up mysteriously later. I have a 474 that did this that had me scratching my head until I watched it do this. Also, search this forum for "Rockola selector" and you'll find a goldmine of information if it's something more involved.
Patrick

I want to thank you both for your suggestions. I'll try to find the time this evening to check them out. I do have a service manual, but it says it's for the 470's series. Anyway, wish me luck.

ignignokt wrote: I do have a service manual, but it says it's for the 470's series. Anyway, wish me luck.

Same selector, possibly different credit unit. Goog luck
Patrick

Once again I want to thank you all for your help. It turns out that it's not cancelling selections like Clones said. I reset all the selection levers and after having to reset the breaker several times it finally stopped scanning and I entered a selection. When it played it again I realized that it wasn't canceling. So next I'll clean the slip rings and the contacts on the readout arm. I bought this jukebox for my mother and I was told it had no problems whatsoever. I contacted the person I bought it from, but they have yet to reply. I know it was doing this before I got it because when he was demonstrating it to me it was constantly scanning and trying to grab records (no records were in the box). He said it was due to accidentally hitting some selections before opening it. I honestly didn't think he would be dishonest about the box since he knew it was for my mother who has Alzheimer's. Anyway, hopefully it just needs cleaning, but it doesn't look too dirty and I can see lots of lithium grease on most of the moving parts. If it is a faulty micro switch or solenoid where is the best place to get parts in the US? I'm sure I can find them online but I'd appreciate any recommendations.

I would clean the slip rings with a "Plastic safe-safety solvent", to remove all of the grease ( that should never have been put there), then clean them again with DeoxiT #5. That should fix your problem, if the rings are causing it. As for parts--see listings above--Victory Glass has some NOS RockOla parts in stock by the NUMBER only--Micro Switches are pretty common, at any good electronics store-- Ron Rich

I couldn't find any Deoxit in my area so I ordered some. I had some spare time to watch the jukebox in action and I noticed something I hadn't before. After playing a selection (only 1 selection entered) the read-out carriage makes a complete 360 and attempts to reset the levers of the selection it played before going on to look for another. I can hear the solenoid click, but the hammer doesn't seem to move. I've never seen a "working" jukebox in action, but I believe that's what's supposed to happen after a selection has played. The read-out carriage uses it's hammers to knock the levers back into position so the selection won't repeat and then looks for other selections.

Also, I was looking through the manual for any references to slip rings, but they must be calling them something else. I know a slip ring usually allows for rotation of an object while the wires inside remain stationary (wind generators sometimes use them). I"m guessing they're located on the center of the write-in and read-out (now you know how inexperienced I am). I guess I need confirmation of where they are located and how to clean them for when my Deoxit comes in. Thanks in advance.

Hi
Is the problem the same for a and b sides, its either the slip rings need cleaning, contacts of the read out arm blades need cleaning or may not be making full contact with the wobble plate or a faulty microswitch 2A. This can be obtained from suppliers listed on the website.
Clones

RockOla's "hammer" the pins back from selected, to non-selective state, just prior to the point of needle set-down at the start of the record.
The "slip rings" being referred to are around the pin-bank unit. When making a selection the "inner rings"are used ( wiper runs around them)--when SEARCHING, or scanning for the selection made, the "outer" rings/wipers are used. Ron Rich

Great! Hopefully my Deoxit will be here by Tuesday and my next post will be about how the 464's woes are gone.

Hi: The slip rings are the copper tracks you see near the center of the pin bank, on the read out arm you will see "fingers" sticking out from the side of it "wiping" across these contacts. They need to be clean enough to carry enough current to fire the cancel hammer.
You noted that the carriage goes 360 around and doesn't seem to do anything. The Rock Ola mechanism turns a full 360 for A sides then tunes another 360 for B sides. So it can turn almost twice around for some selections.
After a full cleaning be careful not to remove all the lubrication, both the read in and write out arms need a little where they ride on the pin bank plate. you will see the "tracks" made on either side of the pins themselves. Mark

Thanks again for everyone's help, sorry it took so long to get the Deoxit 5. I cleaned it and waited about 5 minutes before firing it up and it appears to be cancelling the selections fine. I say that because now I have a new problem which is either related to the cleaning or the cold weather. It made the first selection I entered and I noticed it was a little sluggish. It then tripped the mechanism breaker and I reset it. Still a little sluggish. I then made another selection and it tripped the breaker again as it was grabbing a record. I probably hit the breaker 5 to 7 times to get it to the turntable. The turntable arm was sluggish as well. Once it completed the grabber arm missed picking up the record from the turntable and then slowly began making it's way to the magazine and froze. I was hoping it would eventually make it's way back by resetting the breaker, but it just keeps tripping and the grabber arm is still hung in the middle. It's very cold in the room where the jukebox is in because I'm remodeling my house. I had on old parlor stove burning and I believe the room temp was in the 50's, but it could have been lower. I know it's not good to operate this kind of equipment in cold temps, but it won't be until next week before it's in the 40's again. Anyway, I hope I haven't done any serious damage. Thanks.

You WILL do damage by resetting the CB, over and over --
I suggest a hair dryer be used to warm up that gripper assembly, and that you infuse it with ONLY 20 wt. ND oil as it warms up- Be sure to get the oil "between" the two gears on the end, that "slip by" each other, an on the lower bearings. Also, remove a record and stop the gripper with the bow straight up. Pull on the BOTTOM of the arm and you will see it moves up--oil in there, then push down" on the portion that holds the record into the bow, oil that too- Ron Rich

Thanks. So it sounds like you feel it's temperature or lubrication related. If that's the case, I'll just wait until next week to work on it. Mainly because I know I can get the room to about 70 to 80 degrees then. Everything else was operating at normal speed. It was just the gripper and turntable arm. The slowness with the turntable arm is probably tied to the gripper since it's the next stage in operation. I have seen the gripper miss grabbing the record from the turntable before so a lack of lubrication is probably correct. I hate that winter has come so early. It's really messing me up.

So what are the recommended operating temperatures for a record based jukebox from before 1990? I searched the web, but my refinements didn't help and I can't find anything in the manual.