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HELP Automation Isn't Working On My Technics SL1600MKII

Stanton681EEES

Stanton681EEES

Addicted Member
PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY
Thanks.
I've been using the 1600MKII but some of the automation isn't working and I can't figure out what the problem is, the cuing works fine but for some reason when I push the start button the arm doesn't moves over the record and lower, I have to move it by hand then when I hit the start while it's over the beginning of the record, it will lower then it runs for about 2 seconds then the arm lifts, and returns to the arm rest, plus the arm doesn't raise at end of the record, unless I hit the Start/Stop button.
I removed the gray cap at the arm base and adjusted the screw under the arm base and it didn't change a thing.
Now when I cue it manually it works fine but at end of record I have to hit the start/stop button and it cues and returns to the arm rest.
I thought that when I first tried it the arm did raise automatically at end of record but I can't be certain that it did, because when I first got it it didn't power on and I had to get new fuses for it that I put in to see if this thing would power up, so I could inform PayPal as to my claim against the seller.
I then striped it down to cleaned it and put it back together.
Hopefully when I cleaned the gears under the arm I didn't mess something up. I had to remove the sensor that attaches to the motor board as I dropped a screw down under it and the only way I could get it was to remove it.
Everything else functions fine or at the present moment it does.
So what should I check? Or could be wrong?
Thanks.
 
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i have the same table and when i rec'd off ebay it had the same issues yours has. i was going to file against the guy but decided to check it out first. I popped the platter off and there was a small belt that had worn and stretched. I popped on a rubber band of suitable size (3 yrs ago) all was fine after that:music:
 
Axcel said:
i have the same table and when i rec'd off ebay it had the same issues yours has. i was going to file against the guy but decided to check it out first. I popped the platter off and there was a small belt that had worn and stretched. I popped on a rubber band of suitable size (3 yrs ago) all was fine after that:music:
Click to expand...

Axcel/Stanton,
From reading your posts, and from reading some of Howard's (hakaplan's) past posts about fixes for tables like this, you may have indeed hit the nail on the head with the specific problem.

I'd kindly PM Howard, and ask Howard to read this thread, and he will more than likely know exactly what to do. If I recall, I kind of remember Howard suggesting that a Rubber O-Ring of the proper size will serve the same purpose, and get you back up, and running.

He knows exactly how to proceed, and perform the fix as well. The Screw you adjusted may then have to be re-adjusted again once you fix the Belt? Hope this helps, best of luck, and let us know how all works-turns out. Mark
 
Please guys go back and reread what I wrote it's not the cuing belt it's the AUTO functions. I did send Hakaplan an e-mail and didn't get a reply.
 
Stanton681EEES said:
Yes I've looked at the service manual and it describes how to adjust set down points or something like that and that's suppose to be under the gray plug, which I've done.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I looked, too. Damn. I was hoping the manual would have an easy fix. That is one complex turntable!
 
Sounds like a problem with the record size sensor and possibly the auto-return sensor. If it perceives that there is no record, the arm will not move over the platter. If you've already pressed START, after you move the arm there it will try to return it to the rest because it doesn't want to play on what it thinks is an empty platter.

I assume you mean when playing manually (just moving the arm over without pressing START) it also doesn't auto-return?
 
Yes I believe it is the sensor as I said I had to remove it to get a screw that went under it.

So I know it's not the cuing.
I've adjusted the sensor several times and by eye it sure looks like it's lined up.
Only other things I can think of checking is
I'll try and adjust the entire motor board and see what happens.
Oh for my 1800MKII.
If I'd describe it again I'd say this 1600MKII works more like a 1700MKII with one exception I have to hit START/STOP for it to cue and return to rest.
 
Hi,

Your sensor on this machine is a difficult one to adjust when they go wrong. This machine is superbly reliable, but a PITA to repair when it goes wrong as it does things different. Also, visit The Turntable Factory's Techncs pages about this series. Joel Thorner (I miss him) went into some explanation about some of these issues on this family of machines.
 
This series of Technics tables while very nice tables are known to be probmatic. I've been looking for a SL1800 mkII (the manual model) I owned one new back in the day.
Regards,
Jim
 
Do replace the control belt, but also check the tonearm control motor for sludgy bearings AND for an internal low-resistance condition caused by brush residue and commutator flakes getting caught in the "slots" in the commutator. An ohmmeter helps in this test.

This is a reversible motor, i.e. it can run both CW and CCW, depending on whether you're setting down on the lead-in groove, or picking up and returning to the arm rest. As far back as 1978, it became clear that reversible motors had a much higher failure rate than unidirectional motors.

Although original motors may not be available . . . you can sometimes clear a low-level short in a motor of this kind by zapping it for, say, a minute with a much higher voltage (e.g. 15vdc) than it was intended to run on. This will cause "clearing" of the commutator slots from centrifical force.

Hope this helps. When I was a Technics ASF, I replaced scores of tonearm control motors.

Fred
 
Thanks Guys. I went and look at the e-mails I sent Hakaplan back when I got this table as It didn't power up do to bad fuses plus I wasn't sure how the functions worked on this, anyway in one of my e-mails to him I told him that after the fuses were replaced that the arm did move when I hit the Stat/Stop button over the platter and lowered SOOOOOOOO I guess I did mess something up when I moved that senor on the motor board.
So back to trial and error.:scratch2:
 
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