First Jukebox - Seeburg DS160

Hello all. Just a couple hours ago I picked up my first Jukebox project. To give you a little background, I've been collecting and restoring coin-op video games for a little over 4 years now. About 2 years ago I got in to restoring pinball machines and a couple months back I decided I wanted to try something new and even though I already have an MP3 jukebox in the gameroom with hundreds of albums on it... there is NOTHING quite like the feeling you get when you hear the needle makes contact with the vinyl... the crackle of a well used favorite... plus I really want my 18 month old boy to grow up knowing what a record is... so I decided to pick up a jukebox. Of course I couldn't find one in my area (Boise, ID) that was working... nor would I really want to find a "working" juke. What fun is that? Nope. I found me a beater.

Well.. maybe not. You be the judge. Being this is my very first jukebox, I have no idea what a "beater" is exactly. I have no idea if I was robbed... if I got a good deal... or if it was an average deal. I could sure use some feedback in that area. Being what i paid for it ($150) isn't much of an investment... be honest please.

This is what the (craigslist) seller claims: He claims to have owned it for 18 years. Says it worked when he had it in his house 18 years ago. Says that wife made him stick it in the garage about 17 years ago. Says that over a couple years the kids jacked it up and it's not been plugged in for over 15 years.

Here is what I think having met the man and being I am a pretty decent judge of character. I think the guy picked it up within the last couple years as a project and has failed in his attempts at fixing it. Who knows for sure though... right?

What I do know is this: The back door is broken. One of the connectors from the coin control box to the back door has been cut off at the connector... there MAY be enough wire there to solder each back on but it would be a chore...i've marked the connector and the wire cluster with a red circle in the close up shot of the back door below. I also marked a black wire that was hanging loose. I've since figured out that wire is a speaker wire that came loose. The left speaker has a broken plastic on the back (bummer).

SO... I am at square one and I'm a newb. This is gunna be fun. Now, why would some jackass cut off that wire cluster from the plug? Can I pick one of those plugs up or can it be re-crimped or should I attempt to solder all the wires back on? I will be ordering a service manual... any other suggestions on what to order? I assume it's not a good idea to plug her in to see what works and what doesn't at this point?

As for physical restoration... is the "side art" logo on this unit available anywhere in vinyl form or even stencil form? Is it more desirable to attempt to keep the original paint or would re-painting be OK?

Anyway... on to the pix:

Hi, and welcome---
Yes--you have bitten off a whole lot to chew, for a "newbie"--However, I would have purchased that phono for that amount, being an experienced Seeburg Tech. for over 45 years--
A couple of quick answers--
To the best of my knowledge, there is no artwork available--use to know a guy who did "pin striping" on autos--he did a wonderful job on those sides---
I have no idea what the "hairbrain" was thinking when he cut that cable--but since it was the shortest cable in the phono, I would add about 4 inches to it when re-joining it to the plug-- The other cut cable, I can not ID--might be for "remote" speakers ?? You have more then enough wires connected to the speaker output taps--there should be only three wires--the black in the center, connected to the "G" terminal, and the red and blue connected to the two taps, as marked, further-est from the "G".
You are very wise in not powering it up--I would suggest that once you obtain, and read the Service, and I and O manuals, you set a 60 watt lamp in series with the power cord before heating it up--Lamp should glow dimly, if there are no "shorts". ( I would also suggest that my "Seeburg Mechanism Guide" should be of great help to you--if you wish to purchase it directly from me, contact me at ronnnrich@yahoo.com).
Good Luck !-- keep us posted--
Ron Rich

Welp... I just built and used my dim-bulb tester.

Unfortunately a 15w bulb lit up like a Xmas tree (I read I should start with a 15w then go to a 25w then a 60w, etc... is that right?)



I'm still waiting on the manual though Ron's guide is here as of today.

How much more difficult did this project get knowing there is a short somewhere?

Start with a 60- 100 watt--the 15 will always light brightly---
Ron Rich

Unfortunately the 60w was just as bright... and the 100w as well...



EDIT: Wait... was I not waiting long enough? I was flicking the switch on and then immediately off... the bulb was bright... but if I turn the switch on...after about a half second or so the bulb starts to dim...

I left it on for about 3-4 seconds and the bulb dimmed down pretty good.

Is this a good thing?

EDIT: Clarification.... a 60w bulb stays bright... a 100w bulb dims quite a bit.

You were too quick with the switch--not knowing exactly how brilliant the 60 watt stays--I'm guessing that the units are OK--but that's just a guess !
Run it with the 100 in circuit for awhile and watch the lamp--Do you have an amp meter ? They draw about 2amps --start up must be under 5 amps.--- Or, you can stick a 2 amp fuse in the TSU in place of the five amp fuse. Remove the plug for the lamps, and run the phono--a 2 amp sloblo should hold, with the motor running--
Better yet--did you re-cap it yet?--do that prior to anything else--- Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:You were too quick with the switch--not knowing exactly how brilliant the 60 watt stays--I'm guessing that the units are OK--but that's just a guess !
Run it with the 100 in circuit for awhile and watch the lamp--Do you have an amp meter ? They draw about 2amps --start up must be under 5 amps.--- Or, you can stick a 2 amp fuse in the TSU in place of the five amp fuse. Remove the plug for the lamps, and run the phono--a 2 amp sloblo should hold, with the motor running--
Better yet--did you re-cap it yet?--do that prior to anything else--- Ron Rich

Well Ron,

I failed to notice the top connector was not connected during my test. Once I connected the top round connector, upon fire up I could hear a buzz from the top of the machine and the 100w bulb remained bright.

As for recapping... are there cap kits available (if so, where?) or am I going to have to put one together myself?

Thanks.

Vern Tisdale is the man for jukebox capkits:

http://www.verntisdale.com/Seeburgpage.htm

Ken, Frizzled--
No he's not !!!
He is THEEEE MAN !! ( a great guy !But, do not tell him that !!) Ron Rich

Would it behoove me to order anything else from Vern while I am at it? $70.00 for a cap kit... damn... jukes are much more expensive than vids...

Might check your detent coil--Vern has them newly made-- Ron Rich

How would one go about checking the detent coil (if it's in the manual, I apologize, it'll be here tomorrow I hope).

Also, at this point, I am guessing it's not wise to plug her in still? I'm just curious as to what works and what doesn't...

Yes--it's in the manual--read it to ground, (MUST be "open") and across the windings (about 250 ohms)--
Yes--very "un-wise"---
Ron Rich