Ferguson 3V31 ejects constantly

[GadgetM]

Hi everyone.

I have an old 3v31 VCR which I believe uses a JVC chassis and Mechanism. It's always been very reliable until I left it unused for a year or so, now it immediately ejects a tape once it's loaded. Occasionally it will start to play (or do whatever other function you ask it to) but after a couple of seconds it'll unload and eject again.

I noticed the sensor lamp was out so I replaced that, also I've cleaned the switch that engages once the mechanism is in the lowered position. I've changed all belts that seemed a bit too loose or not gripping, still the unit ejects tapes straight away. Am I missing something here?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Andrew2]

I can't remember the 3V31 very well (although I must have repaired lots of them), but are there two 'down' switches - one that detects when the FL mech is down, and another that closes when the cassette itself settles into place? Gosh, my memory is fading fast!
The only other thing that springs to mind is a lack of rotation of *something important* like take-up?

[John123]

Yes, double check those up/down detector switches, power supply fuses, and circuit protectors. The latter look like two-legged transistors and will be marked on the PCBs as CP1, CP2 and so on. And yes, if the supply spool doesn't rotate then most likely one of those protectors has gone open.

[GadgetM]

Hi guys, thanks for the info. I'm guessing the fuses are all good as it does play occasionally, also rewinds and fast-forwards, before it randomly ejects again.
I can only find one loading detector switch, at the bottom right of the loading mech. Thoroughly cleaned it and tested its continuity with a multimeter, so its not that. I'm baffled.

[John123]

You're not running it with the cover off? The deck may be light sensitive!

Hmm not sure what else to suggest. As Andy mentioned, I think there's definitely a second switch in there, somewhere. Have another look through the service manual if you have one to hand.

[GadgetM]

Thanks John, but no it's not light-related. I'm starting to think it may be capacitors going bad somewhere, as it gets more reliable the longer it's left on. Had it playing ok late last night, this morning it's back to rejecting every tape instantly. I'm starting to thing this seemingly easy restoration is turning in to an impossible task of bringing something back from the dead. Can't find a service manual anywhere so I think it's time to admit defeat.

[nigelr2000]

Long shot but something in the back recesses of my mind tells me the take up reel gives a little spin when a tape is inserted and if no pulses detected it ejects. Take the reel off and check the silver black lines are clean and the sensor as it's a light sensitive thing and smoking atmospheres used to dull the silver lines causing intermittent failures. Might be a different model I am thinking of but might be worth a look.

[Graham G3ZVT]

If the take-up spool was not rotating after the tape loaded the machine would indeed unload after a couple of seconds to prevent tape spillage. Probably caused by the idler.

However GadgetM says it is unloading the tape, and ejecting the cassette, and I can't remember them doing that.

[GadgetM]

The takeup spool turns fine, the idler tyres are clean, have grip and when the machine decides to work, all the functions are fine. However right now it's just ejecting by itself before you get a chance to press anything. However if I leave it on for a few hours it's likely to actually keep the tape in and behave itself at least 1 time in 5.

[Grubhead]

Do these have a mode switch of some type? It's a long time since I worked on one, but that's is what a mode switch does play up oddly.

[toshiba tony]

Sorry to be so brief. On my way to work, motorway doing my head in. As it's lacing hit pause, this will isolate reel pick up pulses being the cause. From memory, though I know it's a front loader, doesn't it use two belts for the lacing procedure to happen. Belts

[plaka78]

Check the loading belt

[GadgetM]

Hi guys, not had a chance to do any more work on it lately, although I can confirm its had a full set of belts including loading and lacing, nothings slipping. I have noticed though no matter what button I press, the eject light keeps flickering as if its fighting to eject no matter what I ask it to do.
Thanks for all your tips, I hope to have another look at it on the weekend.

[nigelr2000]

What about a sticky eject button or leaky switch ?

[teetoon]

Hi. I may be on the wrong track here but. You mention the eject light flickering. I had a 3V23 and if you mis-aimed the remote, you could get the eject light to flicker and then spit the tape out. Occasionaly sunlight would cause this and another time, my brother's machine had the tape ejecting because the machine was on a shelf behind a tv and seemed to be seeing some infra red from the back of the tv. When it was moved the problem stopped.
On some of these machines you could eject the tape from the remote by pressing CLOCK and AUDIO DUB together.

I think what I'm saying is maybe it is picking up some infra red from somewhere. You could try disconecting the remote receiver to check this. Putting something over the front won't stop it as the light creeps along the perspex strip.

These earlier machines certainly had sensitive remote sensers. Later machines seemed to have a narrower receiving area, if that makes sense.

David.

[SteveCG]

GadgetM,

Following on from teetoon line of thinking - do you have any of these efficiency lights on in the room where the VCR is?

Many years ago when they (the lights) first became available I can remember having issues with with the IR remote control of either a TV or a VCR. I discovered the problems went away when the efficiency light was turned off.

[Mad Mal]

We used to get that with our Ferguson VCR's and our Phillips G11 TV set. The early "Flourescent" bulbs caused all sorts of IR interference problems, the modern ones don't usually. I can vaguely remember a similar fault on one of our early Ferguson VCR's... That was down to a dirty sensor fed from that ruddy bulb, a very fine film of dust had collected on the surface of the sensor. That bulb could be a nuisance too, ours looked fine, but was actually flickering ever so slightly (I eventually found a replacement from a set of Christmas lights that worked better). Later chassis used infra red sensors and LED's... Far more stable.

[GadgetM]

Hi everyone, thanks for the advice regarding the remote sensor, sadly no it does it with the ligts off and in daylight too. I shall investigate the eject switch though, as I've discovered if I disconnect the board with all the transport switches, the tape stays in place.

[TonyDuell]

This isn't one of those VCRs where the control switches are connected to a chain of resistors that sends a different voltage to an analogue input on the microcontroller depending on which button is pressed, is it? With those, a leaky switch (not necessarily the one associated with the funtion it seems to be stuck doing), or a leaky decoupling capacitor on that input, or leakage across the PCB can cause such problems.

[GadgetM]

OK guys, thanks to everyone who replied, I've tried just about everything now and decided that its not worth any more of my time. It was more for nostalgia, and to go with my Ferguson tx tv, but I've spent too long on it now. Nostalgia.... it's not what it used to be ;-)