Rock-Ola 443

My guess would be that it should function OK in the 230 position---did you ever measure your mains voltage ? Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:My guess would be that it should function OK in the 230 position---did you ever measure your mains voltage ? Ron Rich

Sorry Ron, I had another look this morning it's 220 or 240 volts, I put it down to having driven 300 miles back an forth to Newcastle across the Pennines, to get it yesterday.
I guess the previous owner wasn't too up on electricals, I'm sure it's supposed to be on 240.

Another problem is that the fluorescent tube that illumanates the numbers bank was missing. I used the one at the top of the box to check it out and swapped the starter but it still wouldn't work, is there likely to be a fuse or should I be looking for a faulty choke?

Un likely to be a "choke"--unless that's what we (who do NOT speak the "Kings English"--and are proud of it !) call a "ballast" (aka "transformer").
Check sockets for the lamp and starter, and be sure power is getting to the ballast---Ron Rich

That's a 28 inch length (Lamps are measured to include the pins)--still available here, at least in the T-8 size.
The units that I have in stock here are marked "F-18T8 CW K28". Other manuf's. may mark them slightly differently.
Don't know if the ballasts used there are 117 or 240 volts --but it should not matter, as the ballast should supply the correct voltage.
Ron Rich

Riley,
IF---you have the parts manual on that phono, look up the part numbers and try http://www.victoryglass.com . They purchased the factory parts for all 45rpm phono's when they closed. Otherwise, there was a guy some 15 or so years ago in England who "made" and sold re-pro parts. I think he called himself "the jukebbox guy"--or maybe "amp guy"?--not sure anymore--.
Also you might try Stamann in Germany ( http://www.jukebox-world.de --I think)--nice people who make and sell great re-pro parts--
Ron Rich

Hello Riley,
from what I know the fluorescent lamp used in 443 is a T12 lamp - 25 Watt 28". This is not a standard type anymore so often thinner 18 Watt lamps can be found instead often.
You should check if the choke, starter and lamp match each other. If you have a choke and starter for 25 Watt a 18 Watt lamp will probably not work.
Also from our experience often T8 lamps do not work as well - even if they have the correct value and length. So we usually recommend to get t12 lamps with 25 Watt 28".

Hello Ron,
thanks for your nice feedback on us! I hope you had a great start into 2010.

Hildegard

Going form what I have found--a whole lot depends on the brand of the starter. Some companies seem to make a 14-25 watt starter and call it out as a "FS-2". Others make a 14-22 watt starter, and also call it a "FS-2". Some make a starter marked FS-25, and claim it's for the 25 watt lamp--while others make a FS-25 watt starter, but state it can be used for "18 to 22 watt lamps"--I have seen all combinations used successfully and un-successfully--even pulling new starters from the same box will sometimes work, and other times not---One thing of importance is that if used in ANY equipment having a "computer"--the starter MUST have the word "Condenser" on it (also it must be inside---) Then you have the "Universal" starters----- Ron Rich

Riley,
I am willing to bet that either the "choke" ("ballast" in non-Queens English) is bad or, one (or more) of the socket contacts for the lamp, or starter is bent/broken, or just weak--this is quite common --- Ron Rich