This is topic SPECO Platter Problem in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Jon Hudson (Member # 439) on 04-22-2000, 11:26 AM:
I read in a different post about a problem with overfeeding on an LP-270. I am having the same problem, however, the top TWO decks are "infected". This has been going on since the platter was uncrated a year and a half ago. When the platter was first plugged in, all of the fuses on the thing blew. Of course, no one bothered to figure out why, just get it running. When either of the decks were set to pay out, and would then to start to overfeed, a light rap with your knuckles anywhere on the platter would stop the over feeding. What I found the other night was the post above the switch box was VERY warm. I took the cover off the switch box and touched the transformer that powers the lights and burned my damn finger. A little more digging and I found a little piece of solder coated wire sitting right behind the top row of switches touching the transformer wire where it is soldered to the switch and the switch itself, "hello" short. NOW to get to the questions as to why it is still over feeding, did this short cause the top two rows of switches to quit working properly OR did this short cook the top two circuit boards that hold the reed switches ?Sorry about the long post, I wanted to explain this as correctly as I could.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-22-2000, 01:37 PM:
Here is an adjustment you can make.The feed control arm on the brain is connected to a magnet that is underneath it. You need to access the panel under the individual platter itself. Switch to green and move the control arm clockwise until it begins to move the platter. Stop. Mark that point. Now turn the power to the platter off or you will get a shock. With the power off, take hold of the magnet underneath and the control arm at the same time (note: you may need long arms for this, I can barely do this myself), hold the control arm at the mark and hold the magnet. Now, while keeping the magnet in place, move the control arm clockwise until just before the rubber stopper. Now power up and test.
I have had this same problem, because what happens is that although it is pulling the control arm all the way counter-clockwise, it isnt going far enough to shut down the motor. So the adjustment should solve that problem.
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"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Jon Hudson (Member # 439) on 04-22-2000, 02:03 PM:
Sorry, I guess that I should have gone a little farther with my explaination. Adjusting the magnets in, out, left, right make no difference in fixing the problem that I am having. In fact, I have the magnet on the center deck set off more than it should be to try to get the reed switch to disengage (magnet away from reed switch, platter stops spinning) even with the magnet this far away from the reed switch, the platter continues to spin. Circuit board problem? or push button switches?Perhaps a little background also, two years ago, my company purchased enough removable center pieces for me to (lucky me) convert nine three deck platters and one four deck platter from the stationary center pieces. I have been all over these magnet assemblies. (NOTE: to keep the magnet from spinning out of alignment after tighting the screw that goes up thru the center, I took it apart and filed down the hollow spacer that is sandwiched between the magnet and the mounting bracket, I always hated to have to re-tighten that screw while a show was running, end of problem there) That was at a ten plex that I was managing, I am now at a 14 plex and this particular platter was put in place about a year and a half ago during an addition.
and i am rambling again.
Posted by Bryan Redemske (Member # 354) on 04-22-2000, 11:35 PM:
hey Jon, how's it up there in Fargo, hoser? i'm doing the accent right now, by the way.it sounds like it's just holding the switches on to me. i'm no expert and i've only torn one of those apart, but i don't see why that wouldn't be it. it seems to me that if the short was going to take the buttons out entirely, it wouldn't pay out at all. that's just me, though.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-23-2000, 03:37 AM:
So hitting the platter deck stops the wrap??? Is this a mechanical thing where the arm can not freely move back to zero?
Posted by Jon Hudson (Member # 439) on 04-23-2000, 10:45 AM:
No the pay out control arm moves as it should, and none of the push buttons are sticking. Last night when it was over feeding, I was wiggling the payout button for that deck and it still kept over feeding. I went all over the switches last night (late, I hate grinding) with a meter, and everything seems ok. Now I'm thinking that the piece of slag that I pulled out of the switches caused the PC boards to get cooked. Haven't had time to put a meter on those yet.Hey Redemske, your too far north, we don't talk like that. 
Posted by Rick Long Jr (Member # 541) on 08-13-2000, 10:45 PM:
We have tons of these platters up here(Toronto). The reed switches in the payout card have definitely been known to stick. And as you have found out giving the thing a smack will usually open them up.The older models were also bad for going up in smoke whenever someone who didn't know any better tries to change the lamps over the centers. the sockets were flimsy and would be nd and short, taking out the lamp transformer and ultimately the mainfuse. The new ones have a fuse on the secondary of the transformerand a fancy new lens over the lamp. I've also noticed that some reed switches are soldered onto the board withthe edges of the reeds facing the magnets as opposed to the flat, as I would assume they are supposed to be. Maybe they fail faster this way? You should be able to get replacement switches at any large electronics supply store.
Posted by Mark Huff (Member # 480) on 08-13-2000, 11:32 PM:
I had a similar problem with Speco. I called George Higgenbotham the owner of Speco and he said it was a diode problem. I changed out the diode and it worked correctly from that point on.
Posted by Rick Long Jr (Member # 541) on 08-20-2000, 08:54 PM:
Which diode?
Posted by Mark Huff (Member # 480) on 08-20-2000, 09:07 PM:
Take off the control cover and looking at the wires and other junk. On the left side there is a small black diode soldiered in you have to unsoldier it and put in a new one. Its very small and can be overlooked.