saba: FR18 ; Freiburg Vollautomatic Stereo

I am about to try to repair two problems with my FR18. They are similar.

i) The Speech/Music button no longer operates; and 

ii) The On/off button not longer operates.

 

I think that each button is connected to a relay and that I need to look at both relays first.

Before I start working on this, I would be very grateful for any advice!

(I will transate this into German using Google, but the results may not be very good!!)

 

Very many thanks,

 

Bryan

 

Ich bin zu versuchen, zwei Probleme mit meinem FR18 reparieren. Sie sind ähnlich.

i) Die Sprache / Musik-Taste nicht mehr funktioniert, und

ii) Der Ein / Aus-Taste nicht mehr funktioniert.

Ich denke, dass jede Taste ist mit einem Relais verbunden und dass ich an beiden Relais zuerst schauen müssen.

Bevor ich auf diese zu starten, wäre ich sehr dankbar für jeden Hinweis!

(Ich werde das ins Deutsche mit Google transate, aber die Ergebnisse sind möglicherweise nicht sehr gut!)

Sehr vielen Dank,

Bryan

 

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Check with RMorg member, Paul Pinyot, for prior threads on this subject.

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Many thanks - I have gone through all Paul Pinyot's postings and can't find any reference to this problem; I will try to conatct him via the forum, but perhaps I have missed the relevant posting?

 

Bryan

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Bryon,

 

Looking at the schematic there are several basic electro-mechanical trouble shooting steps that are needed.  I specifically did not have the problems you have.  But have had similar solenoid stepped switch problems with other gear. 

You have to determine if the controlling circuit to the solenoid coil is good or bad.  Does the push button complete the electrical circuit to the coil so current flows and a magnetic field pulls the mechanical lever to toggle the switch?  If not then the button, a wire or the coil is bad.

If the coil generates a magnetic field and nothing happens could the mechanical part of the switch be bad?  Has the oil and grease turned into a solid mass that impedes the mechanism?  Has the mechanism been bent and fails to engage the rotating cams? 

If the whole radio is dead then perhaps the contacts that are toggled are dirty or burnt.  Clean, burnish and or replacement may be needed. 

It is hard to speculate with out looking at your radio or any detailed descriptions of what repair attempts you performed. 

A tooth brush non residue contact cleaner or denatured alcohol can go a long way to cleaning up the mechanical part of the power stepper and the tone control.  A drop of ligh machine oil on rotating parts will help a lot (only after the old grease and dirt has been removed).

There is a capacitor that has to charge before the tone control solenoid coil will “pick” .  If you push the tone button too rapidly this capacitor does not have enough time to re-charge.  It takes about 5 to 10 seconds.  If not the cap and/or associate circuits may be bad R615, R614 & C616.  There is no such capacitor on the power solenoid. 

Essentially start with basic solenoid and stepper switch preventative maintenance and advance to trouble shooting from there. 

Good Luck,

Paul.

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Thank you Paul - and thank you for the helpful link to the Saba forum.

 

The problem was indeed the relay which sits next to the mains transformer - it was sticking, so I removed it and cleaned it and lubricated it. All is well now!

 

Now - on to the speech/music switch  problem, which I am advised can be due to the failrue of one of two resistors (although it may also be a faiult with the relay itself).  All I have to do now is locate it!!  I'm off to print out the schematic.

 

I'll keep you advised about my progress!!

 

Thanks again,

 

Bryan

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