Sansui 9090db selector lights very dim.

[Aiden T]

working on a 9090db all other lights on the tuner display are working besides the selector lights aux,phone,fm,am. I know these are light depending on the position of the selector switch, the lights are dim and if i move the switch around some i can get them to light up a little better. I have cleaned it with deoxit but that doesn't help. I have read that the waffers on the switch do wear out. Do i have to get a new switch can i disassemble it or is there another fix that maybe someone else has tried. Thanks

 

[Sansuiman]

If the switch is clean, it could be the fixed contacts are gapped too wide to make solidly with the moving contact (that rotates with the switch shaft). If theres a groove worn in the moving contact that could also exhibit as poor transfer of voltage through the switch causing the lights to be dim. That you can get the normal brightness to come back briefly by jiggling the switch reinforces the idea of poor voltage transfer at that point.

I've replaced a few fixed contacts on this style rotary switch by drillling the rivets and installing donor contacts from a junked switch, but that is a nasty bit of work and requires just the right hardware to reattach the contacts to the wafer and have them stay put. I'd advise against doing that if at all possible. I only tried it to salvage a switch that would've been a write off otherwise.

 

[Aiden T]

Thanks for the reply any other solutions you can think of? I’m working on the unit for a buddy he didn’t want to drop too much money into. I’ve never seen this issue with any other 9090db units that’s why it seemed odd. Maybe I’ll break out the magnifying glass and take a closer look at the contacts. Thanks

 

[Sansuiman]

If the fixed contacts are gapped too wide, a small implement can be used to try and push them inward to close the gap to the moving contact. This is almost impossible to do without disassembling the switch which also means removing it from the board.

To prove out the theory you could try using a non-conducrive probe (plastic piece of some sort, I have some from an old game of pick up sticks I use, small diameter wood skewers as used for corn on the cob work also) to press lightly against the contacts with the unit on to see if the brightness comes back fully. If so, then the contacts aren't tight enough. Reforming them without damage is the tough part and takes a delicate touch and lots of patience.

If he doesn't want to put money in, probably best to leave it be as it is. The lack of brightness on the mode indicators is not an issue that makes the unit unusable. Then again, it is a 9090DB so is worth the investment in repairs.

 

[Aiden T]

I was able to fix the issue last night one contact had been bent away some so i was able to push it back. Really just had to get in there and clean these ones well light all working again. Thanks for the help!

 

[mkressgold]

Hello, I am a new member to this forum & just returning to the Sansui 9090DB receiver. I had purchased one, new in the early 70's from Crazy Eddies in New York when I was young, sadly I let it go many years ago. I purchased an eBay replacement that I unwrapped and powered up today. It seems to present to an immediate issue that makes me also have a 9090DB light question. If this is the wrong place for this I am sorry - I searched for 9090DB light issues and this conversation presented a conversation about lights. It’s not a weak light or no light issue, but that of too many lights on at once. No matter the position of the selector switch, Phono I / II lights remain illuminated in addition to the light that applies any other selected option. Oh my, I sure do miss the one I gave up but hopefully you all can help steer me towards a relationship with the new unit by providing ideas from experience and sharing on this platform that will get me working. Matt

 

[Sansuiman]

Probably best to start a new thread unqiue to your issue. I will say about the only way I can see that happening is if the selector switch is either damaged/misaligned, or someone made a modification to the lighting circut via jumpers and did it incorrectly.

Some people like to modify receivers that turn off the dial lamps when not in AM or FM mode to keep them on at all times. This usually is accomplished by adding a jumper wire to bypass the contact on the mode selector switch that turns the dial lamps off when in phono or aux. Perhaps someone tried doing that on this one and installed it to the wrong points.

 

[mkressgold]

Thank you for the correct forum info, new issue - make a new thread. I am so new to having not a new out of the box receiver I do not think I am ready to look inside yet but I am working up to it. New thread started today for "To many lights"