Phonoland

Hi I'm new to this website and could use some help with a Rockola model 404 Capri 100 I recently purchased. Everything lights up and It works by manually pushing the switches on the selector carriage. It has a very nice stereo sound when operated.

However, the Push Button Switch Assembly is not working. It will not engage when the letter and number is pushed down. Could this be a faulty solenoid? The solenoid does not close when selecting letter/number. The locking bar does not catch the pins. There is no clicking sound when the buttons are depressed, they just pop back up.

Any suggestions as to where to go with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi
Has the machine credits on it, a coin switch at the slug rejecter(coin mechanism) allows the accumualtor credit switch to complete a circuit to the lockbar solenoid which will keep the buttons locked in during the selection process. Maybe the coin switch blades are dirty or stuck, and fuse on credit unit has blown. Check plug connections from keyboard and slug rejecter.
The solenoids are fairly durable but can fail, check resistance of the coil, also check the rocker bar, a steel pin may be missing which will stop buttons from locking in. Amy movement from the solenoid when you switch it on?
regards
Clones

Hi Clones: Thanks very much for the response to my enquiry. I've been looking through the Dr. Know-It-All's (Harold Hagen) Rockola Reference Book and some of the articles along with your response indicates that the letter/number buttons will not work without a coin switch and/or slug rejector. This mechanism is missing completely from the machine altogether. In the 404 manual, it shows a coin switch and 5 lug terminal switch as part of the slug rejector mechanism.
Is there a way to bypass this mechanism so that credits will register without it? In Hagen's book on page 47 he refers to a Rockola 1422 Free Play Plug. He states "To run the 1422 without the coin accumulator unit, wire a 6 male plug with a jumper from pins 1 to 4". Is this also a possibility in the model 404? If it is, would you know the specifics of the wiring. Is a potentiometer used and if so, what would the rating be for it? Is there another electrical unit that would work?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Again, thanks for getting back to me. Mike

FatDog,
Look at the"control center"on the bottom floor, left side of the phonograph. In the center of that item, you should see a white "post", about as large as your little finger, sticking up ( this MAY have been changed to black). This is a "free credit button". Push it quickly and let go, to establish credits, and if your pricing unit is working, you should hear it advance, and be able to select. You should also check the value of the fuse installed in the pricing circuit !
Ron Rich

To set it you on free play you will need to establish credits first and remove the spring from the pawl of the accumulator reset coil, that will stop credits being subtracted , if you do this the solenoid will be energised the whole time and may get hot and cause a fire if it was on for lets say 24 hours. May best to extend the free play button to somewhere at the outside of the machine
clones