Rockola Jukebox - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

byb1066 · 10th May 2016, 1:04 pm

Hello. I am new to this forum and own various valve radios and two 1950's jukeboxes. I am hoping someone may be familiar with jukeboxes on this site. My problem is with my 1454 Rockola. Working fine until power lost to the magazine and gripper arm mechanism after selecting a disc from the magazine and (almost) setting it down on the turntable platter. I have checked all the fuses and they are all ok so am baffled as to what has happened.

vidjoman · 10th May 2016, 1:39 pm

There are many possible causes - motors, switches, power supply, broken/damaged cables. They are all about 50/60 years old and it's often difficult to diagnose without considerable checking and testing. You haven't said whether you have diagnostic skills or test equipment to use.

byb1066 · 11th May 2016, 10:06 am

Thanks for your response. I do not have diagnostic skills but do have a megameter if that will assist me.

Brigham · 11th May 2016, 1:30 pm

'Diagnostic skills' as far as these pre-microprocessor types are concerned means little more than logical thinking.
I make sure I'm in a quiet place, and not pushed for time, and I sit and watch the mechanism from different angles until I see what everything does.
Something happens on your machine exactly at the point when the mechanism stops. With careful study and endless patience, you WILL be able to find it.

Herald1360 · 12th May 2016, 12:11 pm

Problem is more likely to be that something doesn't happen. Difficult to spot that if you haven't another to compare against unless you're already familiar with the detailed operation of the beast.....

Chiltern · 13th May 2016, 2:14 pm

A service manual invaluable.

Your model IIRC has 3 large black 'micro' switches actuated by the gripper shaft. I would check these first, especially as your machine had almost finished the select cycle, again I cannot remember if your model has a slowing down function just before the arm settles on the record, many, possibly later Rock-Olas do.

Model 1454, dates from 1956 so these can be seriously old switches.

Alan

mickyfinn · 14th May 2016, 7:07 am

Agree about the 3 microswitches, at that stage of the cycle number 3 switch is the main suspect. You need a manual to explain how they are set. The mech can seize from lack of lubrication, there is a knurled shaft at the bottom of the gripper motor to turn it manually. If you can't turn it it's all seized up. Hot air blower or hair dryer on the trunnion area will melt the gummed up mech.

Mick

10th May 2016, 1:04 pm	#1
byb1066 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Battle, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 2	Rockola Jukebox Hello. I am new to this forum and own various valve radios and two 1950's jukeboxes. I am hoping someone may be familiar with jukeboxes on this site. My problem is with my 1454 Rockola. Working fine until power lost to the magazine and gripper arm mechanism after selecting a disc from the magazine and (almost) setting it down on the turntable platter. I have checked all the fuses and they are all ok so am baffled as to what has happened.

10th May 2016, 1:39 pm	#2
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,323	Re: Rockola Jukebox There are many possible causes - motors, switches, power supply, broken/damaged cables. They are all about 50/60 years old and it's often difficult to diagnose without considerable checking and testing. You haven't said whether you have diagnostic skills or test equipment to use.

11th May 2016, 10:06 am	#3
byb1066 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Battle, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 2	Re: Rockola Jukebox Thanks for your response. I do not have diagnostic skills but do have a megameter if that will assist me.

11th May 2016, 1:30 pm	#4
Brigham Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Co. Durham, UK. Posts: 1,115	Re: Rockola Jukebox 'Diagnostic skills' as far as these pre-microprocessor types are concerned means little more than logical thinking. I make sure I'm in a quiet place, and not pushed for time, and I sit and watch the mechanism from different angles until I see what everything does. Something happens on your machine exactly at the point when the mechanism stops. With careful study and endless patience, you WILL be able to find it.

12th May 2016, 12:11 pm	#5
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: Rockola Jukebox Problem is more likely to be that something doesn't happen. Difficult to spot that if you haven't another to compare against unless you're already familiar with the detailed operation of the beast..... __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

13th May 2016, 2:14 pm	#6
Chiltern Heptode Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 555	Re: Rockola Jukebox A service manual invaluable. Your model IIRC has 3 large black 'micro' switches actuated by the gripper shaft. I would check these first, especially as your machine had almost finished the select cycle, again I cannot remember if your model has a slowing down function just before the arm settles on the record, many, possibly later Rock-Olas do. Model 1454, dates from 1956 so these can be seriously old switches. Alan

14th May 2016, 7:07 am	#7
mickyfinn Hexode Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 473	Re: Rockola Jukebox Agree about the 3 microswitches, at that stage of the cycle number 3 switch is the main suspect. You need a manual to explain how they are set. The mech can seize from lack of lubrication, there is a knurled shaft at the bottom of the gripper motor to turn it manually. If you can't turn it it's all seized up. Hot air blower or hair dryer on the trunnion area will melt the gummed up mech. Mick