Rowe "Monte Carlo" help needed

I am trying to help my boss with his jukebox. It has the model 1100 changer in it. Somone has removed the "most popular played" unit from the front of the changer. There is a plug in the right rear corner that has no plug to go to it. This juke is not working and I have checked several things over. Does this unit need to be installed for it to work properly? It seems to have an open circuit somewhere, and I was wondering before I go any farther if this unit is mandatory for corect function.

Not needed-- Ron Rich

Thanks, Ron
My main thing is pinballs. Not jukes. I have a Rowe r89 here at home aht I keep running good but that is it. I follow the manual and it says to check for an open circuit. The selector motor does not turn. The buttons push in and remain, but that is it. Do you have an idea of where the best place is to start to track down the problem? I have checked the relays in the top where the buttons are.

It would help me to know what the model # of the phono is-- I don't know the "sales names"--
Do you have "enough credit" on it to make a selection ?
Ron Rich

Hi Ron,

The Monte Carlo is one of models of the 1973 Rowe Ami TI-1, a 1100 mechanism machine and IMHO one of the best sounding jukeboxes rowe ami made.

Kentmoor,

You will find that this jukebox will keep you guessing loads of adjusments that need to made in order to get the jukebox playing correctly so if you do not have a manual then you need to get one.

There are plenty of plugs and sockets for additional items that can be used on Rowe Ami jukeboxes of this era.
You say that you have checked the two relays on the button bank, have you cleaned the open contacts? if not use some paper and pull it between the contacts.

Put credit on the credit unit (credit clock) by manually turning the wipers clockwise. check that the long molex plug on the search unit is fully aligned with the tracks both top and bottom (there can be slight play in this plug).
Clean the open relay contacts on the search unit (marked S1 &S2) again with a paper taper.

Please let us know how you get on.

Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

Yes it is a TI-1. Sorry. Had credits on the machine. I do have both manualls for the machine. I started going through the troubleshooting guide and ran it down to the "open circuit", but figured I better find out about the missing "popular selections" being gone first. I have cleaned several ares and will go back to his house and do some more and see what happens. Stay tuned for more info on how it goes.

Oh I already checked the molex on the search unit.

OK it's been a year and I got back to this box 3 weeks ago. I brought it home with me to save time. Here's what I have done. I read the manual and got familiar (I think) with everything. I have several different problems going on at the same time I believe. I cleaned all the contacts with paper. Took the search unit off and adjusted everything according to the manual. TWICE!! I seem to have different issues going on. Depending on which selection I choose everything works properly. Correct song, everything. Make a different selection for other side of record works fine. Some selections will lock in but do nothing past that. Some selections lock in and the search unit starts running and thats all it does, continues to run and run never stopping until I reset the machine. If this was my machine I probably would have set it on fire by now. I love a good challenge, but wow these things are difficult..........Need some new thoughts on whats going on....

Kent, when the search unit starts running and never stops it is because it is not finding the "active" segments on the phenolic board that the chase wiper run around on.

The first things to check are those wipers. Manually turn the search motor and check that the wipers are staying in contact with the printed board. There should be a slight bend indicating pressure in the wiper blades. Be careful to only turn the motor in the correct direction.

Once you are sure that the wipers are OK the next thing to check is the alignment of them with the segments on the board.

--Don not adjust anything unless there is some noticeable discrepancy with the manual's description and you fully understand the procedure.-- If the machine is correctly selecting on at least some of the records, I'd leave this alone for now and proceed to do continuity checks from the keyboard contacts through to the segments on the search unit.

The search/memory unit is essentially independent from the changer so you can remove it and just leave it connected to the keyboard while placing it on a table for testing.

Believe it, or not, this is a very simple problem and it just involves tracing the wiring and contacts. The TI was the first machine i operated and the mech was highly refined from the earlier models. Fewer microswitches and overall simpler wiring.

Rob/NYC

Kent,
I am not too familiar with that model--but in general, phono problems can be trouble shot by dividing the system down into two major functions, then sub-functions. On that phono, you have what is generally referred to as a "Search Unit" (aka: "Pinbank"). This consists of a number of pins, corresponding to the number of selections offered. In normal operation, credit is established, and the customer presses two buttons down, which causes the search for the selected pin, then the pinbank arm to "hammer,"push", "pull', or otherwise move the correct pin from the non-selected state, to the selected state. This is usually referred to as the "Write-in" function.
In the case of this phono, the pulse going to the pin "hammer", also goes to a start coil, which mechanically switches the basket motor on. The next phase, is called the "read-out". At this point (in this case, an "arm") something is slud ( love that word) around the pinbank "looking" for selected pin(s). When it detects a selected pin, it closes a (Micro- in this case)Switch which stops the basket, and starts the record transfer motor--
Observe the operation and you will see where the sequence fails--
Ron Rich

Rob and Rich,
I fully agree that this is probably a simple problem........YEA RIGHT!! LOL...I have checked all the wipers for proper tension and alignment. I will do the continuity check from the push buttons to the search unit. Stay tuned.....

Checked continuity.everything seems ok. I did notice that the S1 sprag drops in most always. then the S2 does nothing. that's when the search just keeps running.

Got it working!! As I was checking the continuity I noticed that all of the switches on the "price switches" were in the down position. After setting these it works as it should. I would like this machine to be on freeplay. How do I accomplish this? One other problem that I have is a HUMMM thru the speakers. Any ideas?

Kent--,
Glad you "got it" ! If I remember correctly, the pricing unit has dual coils for the subtract (credit) function. If so, snip the common wire between the coils, and it's on "free play", once you add credits. (if not, sip the "cancel coil" wire).
As for the Hummmmm-- play any selection, and lift up the tone arm--still humming ? If so, amp caps are bad. If not, it's mechanical--probably motor support grommets, and/or lack of motor lubrication --I recommend SAE 20 wt, ND oil be used to saturate the felts on both ends of the motor shaft (probably should oil it no matter if noisy or not !). Ron Rich

Ron, I had read back thru previous posts checking on the "humm" problem. I read the post about the motor mounts. This "humm" is constant from the time you turn on the unit. I have another amp here and will try it first. THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP ON MY MANY PROJECTS!!