Rockola 488

Forum,

Just took ownership of a Rockola 488 Jukebox that was in my wife's family for the past 25 years. The unit itself has not been turned on for at least 10 years I have the service manual and parts guide for the unit. The unit DID work before it went into storage now when I plug it in all it does is light up and nothing else. Last night I started tinkering with it and using the guide to figure where the problems might be. I inspected the main power (21 Vdc, 25 Vac and 9.6 vdc) LEDs and connections all appear to be visually ok. I checked all fuses in and out of the power supply and they look intact. I tested with a multimeter the 9.6v from the Power Supply (pink wire) and that is fine was reading expected out. Next I tried the test procedure for the the logic board but cant make the mechanism carriage turn 360 degrees or select different disc from the mech when in test mode none of that is working. I can make the mechanism move by using the manual knobs on the bottom of the 2 motors and I can make the mech move by clicking the Home Switch on the OPTO Board. (Clicking the switch causes LED #5 to flash). Using the "Scan Control" box switching from open -> close -> scan Scan does nothing which it should cause the mechanism to move based on the guides. I also tried the hair dryer trick because it was sitting for awhile thinking it was all gummed but it didnt do anything. At this point not sure what the next best thing to do is?? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
-Jason

Jayson,
Start pretty much as you did--with the "books"--then the fuses--hint: "eyeballs" will only tell you if a fuse is "for sure bad". They will never tell you that a fuse is good--you must use a meter for that ! You also need to check that each fuse is the correct type and size.
RockOla, as well as all brands of phonos, tended to "evolve" their operating systems from mostly mechanical to mostly electronic. Not knowing RO's well, I am not sure exactly where the model 488 fits in--and I do not have the books--
I would look at the gripper arm--is it totally in position over the record basket ? If so, there are 3 or 4"Micro Switches" located on the cam, that need be checked (once again--use a meter--I suggest a GOOD "analog type" for this).
If all above is good, try turning the basket motor by hand( there is a "knurled post" on the motor's end for this). --"something" could be "binding" it ( should blow a fuse or CB !). If not bound up, check the service switch position--you should be able to "scan" it using that switch--look at power supply for the motor--plugs for the motor ?
Ron Rich

Thanks for the suggestions Ron!

So far I have done the following

- Tested all fuses with multimeter - All good
- Verified each fuse is correct per Schematics (via Service Manual)
-Inspected "Gripper Arm" verified position over basket/Used meter to test 4 micro switches on the cam - All good
-Manually moved "knurled post" so that gripper arm was positioned over turn table
-Moved lever on open/off/scan switch to the scan position - basket does not scan
-Motors for both basket and gripper arm work I "clicked-in" the home micro-switch on the opto board and was able to manually play a record (holding home switch in for duration). Gripper puts the record back in the basket and shuts off when song is over (Kind of exciting even though it was manual )

Happy 4th
-Jason

Jay,
Check to see if the basket motor is getting "juice"--there is, in most R/O manuals, a "sequence of operation" chart, that should help pinpoint where the "juice" is supposed to come from--
Ron Rich

Thanks Ron,

So I was able to use Sequence #11 in the Seq guide for the magazine motor operation. According to the schematic the motor uses +32V that comes from the power supply to the mechanism board on the lower bottom of the juke. I tested for voltage at the mech board on the pink-blu wire connector based on the schematic attached below. When I ran the basket motor (home micro switch on the opto board) I got an output from the meter of 28V. The power supply also has a led to show that the 32 v power source is ok based on the service material information.

-Jason