Pioneer RT-1011L

[Siegfried Meier]

Hey guys,

I have one of these older 1/4" decks here and I can't seem to get the capstan motor spinning.  Has anyone ever worked on these, or can suggest what might be the issue?  I'm hoping the motor isn't burnt out...

Thanks!
Sig

 

[PRR]

Can you turn the spindle by hand?

Is there power AT the motor?

 

[gyraf]

Check tape sensor / check if capstan motor can be turned off (edit mode)?

Jakob E.

 

[Siegfried Meier]

The motor does spin when I turn it by hand!

I'll check that Jakob, thanks!

 

[Siegfried Meier]

It's a pretty old deck, and I don't see any sort of edit mode.  The only "sensors" I can figure out is there's a control arm on the right, and I hear internal clicking when I lift it up, as it would when it's loaded with tape.  There's another guide of sorts on the far left, but it doesn't appear to make any internal sounds, although it can be locked into place if pushed back far enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wB0FvjGaJs

 

[Gene Pink]

there's a control arm on the right, and I hear internal clicking when I lift it up, as it would when it's loaded with tape. 

That clicking is a switch to shut off the take-up reel motor when the tape runs out or breaks, so the end of the tape doesn't go ffp-ffp-ffp-ffp-ffp-ffp-ffp-ffp....

Perhaps on your deck it also turns off the capstan motor, have you tried it while holding the tensioner arm in a tape loaded position?

Some decks used a spring-loaded wire to do this. It can't hurt to look for something similar to the attached jpeg.

Gene

 

[Siegfried Meier]

Ya, I've tried everything I can think of - I just can't make the capstan motor spin.  There's also a fan on the back I can see through the grill, and this doesn't turn either - although, this might only work when the capstan motor is active.  In most decks I've seen, if the tension arm isn't set in the correct position (while tape is loaded), the capstan motor shuts down.  I wonder if something internally is causing this to happen though...

The deck is in great shape otherwise, only ever had 1 owner since the 70's.  It's gotta be something pretty simple that's wrong...?

 

[PRR]

Is there power AT the motor?

 

[Siegfried Meier]

Any simple way to check this without ripping the whole unit apart?

Thanks,
Sig

 

[PRR]

> without ripping the whole unit apart?

Well, what you gonna do? A capstan-less tape deck is little value, basically electronic waste.

I never met this model. However the image sure look like the early TEACs. These (I know too well), the top/back cover comes off with 6 or 8 screws. Great access with little fiddling. Capstan motor butt will be right there. Wires may be visible. With luck you may be able to probe the power switch and what looks like a tape-break switch.

The partial manual I found shows two versions, single wall voltage and jumperable wall voltage. Since you think the rest of it is OK, I would assume the jumper is not the problem. Here's part of the schematic with the capstan path highlighted. S1 must work, FT is probably OK. S15-1 must be tape-break. S14 sets 50/60Hz; I would expect it to run but poorly if this is wrong. S8 is speed-switching (the motor is 4/8 pole). The rectangles on the switches are just arc-reducers.

Please do not get killed in here!!

From black wall-cord lead you should have 120VAC to tape-break switch. With tape-not-broke you should have 120 on the other side of tape-break switch; also to the white wires on the reel motors. Also at the tape-speed switches.

The large caps on the 50/60Hz could fail. 250V rating is a little slim to my eye. These are MOTOR Caps, not audio caps. Shop for "Motor Run" caps (start caps are different).