[QuadList] Letting the smoke out stories (was: Re: Rebuilding RCA TR-600s - Success)

[Steve Greene]

My favorite electrician story is when they were wiring a new equipment
room for us and left the circuit we plugged our Recortec tape cleaner
into at 240VAC.  When I plugged it in and powered it up it gave up a
loud POP and let ALL the smoke out.  (and we all know electronics don't
work too good when you let the smoke out).  Scared the crap out of me
and the electrician's insurance company had a $12K claim.
 
Re the TR-600, be careful with the headwheel power amps (three
identical boards).  Each one used two big Motorola power transistors
that are almost impossible to find.  They would commonly blow on a power
surge.  I think RCA had a late technical bulletin on how to retrofit
those boards for commonly available transistors, but I never found that
particular bulletin again.
 
Steve
 
 
 
 
Steve Greene
Audiovisual Archivist
Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
(301) 837-1772

>>> ted at quadvideotapegroup.com 9/10/2009 3:36:38 PM >>>

Congratulations, John,

Maybe you should bring one of the working machines to AMIA in St.
Louis, in Nov?
You have portable air.




On Sep 10, 2009, at 12:21 PM, Steve Greene wrote:
Congratulations, great news.
 
Re #2, make sure the linkages behind the headwheel panel are clean and
lubed.  Otherwise the auto track will be sluggish.  Be careful with that
120VAC if they are working on electrical around you.





I'd be a little concerned that the electricians might cut power to the
air in the middle of a transfer and leave you with precious little time
to push "Stop" and get the head spun down before your compressor's
reservoir ran out of breath.


Or, that of they dumped power to the machine's supply, you'd have a
"no-fun" situation with a tape in motion.


Perhaps someone's had some experience with this type of thing... power
outage in the days before a lot of stations had gennys to jump in?


Ted



Ted Langdell
Secretary
Skype:  TedLangdell
e-mail: ted at quadvideotapegroup.com







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