09-03-2015, 05:22 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-03-2015, 05:25 PM by Nowhere-Man.)
The other Pye Cassette player arrived today. I was a bit short of time but popped it open. It would seem the little DC motor is dead. There is also the main supply socket missing which means a fair bit of circuit tracing. I've never yet encountered a dead motor and found little information online but my guess is I'll have to either find another motor or try and fix the existing one if possible. Otherwise the player seems to be in great condition internally so it probably just needs a new motor.
Now I have a few comments to make:
I just learned about tyres on idler pulleys. You see I tested my first Pye player again with the belt fitted the new way and eventually I got it to play. It also fast forwarded. I then noticed a patch of half-moon rubber. On closer inspection I found a fault with the pulley that's the other side of the cassette spool. It has a tyre round the rim and this had split. To the touch it was sticky. With a stroke of genius, I decided to remove both halves of the tyre and use superglue to stick them together and back onto the pulley. This meant removing the spool via three tiny screws. Later I concluded my stroke of genius was maybe just a bad idea. It seems the tyre is worn and definitely dragging the motor as it doesn't spin freely when it should. So, now I'm thinking maybe my best bet is to do a better job and maybe even consider replacing with an O ring as a new tyre. However, I'm, not sure how important that tyre is except it is catching due to the joint part of the circumference.
Next the transistor. I suspect it's faulty. Part of the engage mechanism isn't working and so I suspect the transistor. I tested it with a DMM and the results are something to ponder. One of the PN junctions seems to be reading a resistance both ways. The other junction is only reading one way as it should. However, I'm not exactly sure which is emitter or collector or base as space is very limited to pinpoint. Still the readings suggest it may be worth fitting a new transistor.
I feel like I have a job on my hands here. I don't think I can stop till it starts to sound as it should but it's one pretty neglected cassette player.
Any thoughts welcome.
Now I have a few comments to make:
I just learned about tyres on idler pulleys. You see I tested my first Pye player again with the belt fitted the new way and eventually I got it to play. It also fast forwarded. I then noticed a patch of half-moon rubber. On closer inspection I found a fault with the pulley that's the other side of the cassette spool. It has a tyre round the rim and this had split. To the touch it was sticky. With a stroke of genius, I decided to remove both halves of the tyre and use superglue to stick them together and back onto the pulley. This meant removing the spool via three tiny screws. Later I concluded my stroke of genius was maybe just a bad idea. It seems the tyre is worn and definitely dragging the motor as it doesn't spin freely when it should. So, now I'm thinking maybe my best bet is to do a better job and maybe even consider replacing with an O ring as a new tyre. However, I'm, not sure how important that tyre is except it is catching due to the joint part of the circumference.
Next the transistor. I suspect it's faulty. Part of the engage mechanism isn't working and so I suspect the transistor. I tested it with a DMM and the results are something to ponder. One of the PN junctions seems to be reading a resistance both ways. The other junction is only reading one way as it should. However, I'm not exactly sure which is emitter or collector or base as space is very limited to pinpoint. Still the readings suggest it may be worth fitting a new transistor.
I feel like I have a job on my hands here. I don't think I can stop till it starts to sound as it should but it's one pretty neglected cassette player.
Any thoughts welcome.
