I have a Beogram whose arm drops on power and does not lift when pressing the cue button or at the record end grooves.

The arm is able to slide and returns back up after power down.

Any ideas where I should look for fault?

Thanks

When you "power up and down", is that the mains plug you refer to ?
At the end of a record, does the carriage move to the right, dragging the tonearm across the record or is it
merely sitting forever at the leadout groove ?

Martin

Yes I am referring to the main plug turning the unit off.

At the end of a record, the carriage moves right, dragging the tonearm and cartridge across the record; not good for record or expensive cartridge.

Thanks for your response

Tom

Tom

Can you provide the Type number for your BG4002, I am interested whether it is the earlier or later version.  If it is the later version, I might be able to help you.

Regards

Geoff

geearr:

Tom

Can you provide the Type number for your BG4002, I am interested whether it is the earlier or later version.  If it is the later version, I might be able to help you.

Regards

Geoff

I believe that the carriage module of the 400x series remained unalted through all 8 years of production :)

Søren Hammer:

I believe that the carriage module of the 400x series remained unalted through all 8 years of production :)

You may well be right and the mechanical parts are probably similar.  However, my particular version is Type 550x and the circuit diagrams show several differences when compared to Type 551x.  I have never worked with the latter series.

Thanks for your input

Regards

Geoff

Wow, I am having same problem with my early 4002, the one with the smaller capstan, type 5523.  The cartridge arm is drooping and when the turntable is activated it moves across the entire record as if no record is present and then returns all the way back to the off position.  The lamp on the control arm is on but maybe it isn't bright enough any more?  Obviously I pulled the cartridge out so it won't be destroyed, and I have lubricated the solenoid but am not sure what to do next.  Have removed the panels but not sure how to take the dust cover off.

Not trying to hi-jack this thread but it sounds so similar maybe we have the same problem.

Thanks

Steve in Culver City.

Not sure I can help with the actual problem, but the dust cover is easy - feel under the rear corners of the deck and you'll find two holes, and in the bottom of them a screw (largish flat blade). Loosen them a bit and the lugs keeping the lid (and the entire top rear cover of the deck) will loosen as well, then the lid just slides off to the back.

OPEN THE LID FIRST as the springs will otherwise flip the hinge open with horrible force sooner or later (don't ask how I know )

Tom,

Take a look on Page 3 at Section 3 - Zero balancing the tone arm.

http://www.condoraudio.com/wp-content/uploads/Projects/BeoGram-4002-6000-Turntable-Restoration-Repair.pdf

It shows how to balance the arm - that's what I would do for starters on this problem.

Menahem

Mine is type 4002 5523 if that helps.

I found out how to remove the platter, but how do I remove the rest of the metallic top?

If you have the platter off but the rest is still there, you have climbed the tree bass ackwards

See here for the correct disassembly procedure.

yachadm:

Tom,

Take a look on Page 3 at Section 3 - Zero balancing the tone arm.

http://www.condoraudio.com/wp-content/uploads/Projects/BeoGram-4002-6000-Turntable-Restoration-Repair.pdf

It shows how to balance the arm - that's what I would do for starters on this problem.

Menahem

Hi all - I know this thread is from last year, so if I should start my own thread, please let me know.  I have the arm lowering problem, so I followed Menahem's procedure on lubricating the solenoid, the levers and the damper shaft, so the arm lowers appropriately now at 1 second's time.  My problem is that when it reaches the end of the record or STOP/LIFT is pressed, the solenoid shaft returns slowly, thus the damper releases slowly, and the arm raises slowly - about 5 seconds.  That's too long as the arm and needle is dragged across the record.  Is the solenoid supposed to snap back into position as fast as how it snaps outward?  If so, what am I missing?  Thanks everyone...

Yes, the solenoid is supposed to snap back rapidly.
The mechanics around it should do the same. The raising of the tonearm should
be an almost instant smack, much faster than the lowering.
Are you sure that all the springs are on correctly ?
Did you lubricate the point inside the carriage head ?

Martin

Just thought I would throw in my pennys worth in!

I had this problem with a 4002. It was almost as if there was a residual current holding the solenoid in and if you slightly helped the arm release everything would snap back in place like it should! Measurements revealed no voltage at sol terminals, all the lubrication in the world didn't help with this one and I was puzzled. Sometimes it would be 5 minutes before the arm snapped back up. However it would generally do this quickly when it happened.

I found the problem when looking through the setup proceedures in the manual. Making sure the lower solenoid arm was parallel to the lower PCB when energised actually solved this problem and the deck has been fine since!

Step1:

Just thought I would throw in my pennys worth in!

I had this problem with a 4002. It was almost as if there was a residual current holding the solenoid in and if you slightly helped the arm release everything would snap back in place like it should! Measurements revealed no voltage at sol terminals, all the lubrication in the world didn't help with this one and I was puzzled. Sometimes it would be 5 minutes before the arm snapped back up. However it would generally do this quickly when it happened.

I found the problem when looking through the setup proceedures in the manual. Making sure the lower solenoid arm was parallel to the lower PCB when energised actually solved this problem and the deck has been fine since!

Very interesting. Hence the importance of scrupulously following the manual!

However both my 4002 and 4000 behaved like Tom's and it was a lubrication problem.

Menahem forgot to mention the L-shaped arm which actually transmits the solenoid movement to the arm lift.

Unfortunately this has to be dimantled and cleaned too prior to lubricating. See this.

But Olly's lead is very interesting indeed, and perhaps you should check this first!

The springs are on correctly just like the photo in the write up.  However, I have not lubricated the point inside the carriage head nor the take out the lever at the pivot point with the c-clip by the damper to have a thorough cleaning, so those two items will be next.  The behavior I am seeing is that the solenoid shaft shoots out when energized, but when STOP is pressed, it DOES NOT snap back in, but rather acted like a damper, and just slowly goes back in.  Perhaps no voltage was applied to the solenoid at that point?  I'll need to re-read the service manual and Menahem's write up.  Thanks.

slowpat:

 The behavior I am seeing is that the solenoid shaft shoots out when energized, but when STOP is pressed, it DOES NOT snap back in, but rather acted like a damper, and just slowly goes back in.  

Exactly! 

It is not quite stuck (hardened old grease) and the spring isn't powerful enough to call it back as it should! So it will come back but slowly, as if damped.

You need to remove  the front lever and clean its bearing first (I use white spirit) in and out, then apply fresh Singer oil. Don't think that just a drop of oil on top will do! You really have to take the thing off... The old grease is caked and actually acts as a very good sealing agent!  See my post. 

Then if that's not enough, same operation on the L-shaped lever.

I insist on the fact that you MUST use a special tool for the circlips though!

Yes, these two points (plus the one in the carriage) are most prone to seizing up:

Note that this Beogram differs from the one shown in the linked page, it does not have
the left side switch etc. but the tonearm mechs are basically the same.

And I agree on using a proper circlip tool. It WILL fly across the room.

Martin

chartz:

It is not quite stuck (hardened old grease) and the spring isn't powerful enough to call it back as it should! So it will come back but slowly, as if damped.

...

 

Then if that's not enough, same operation on the L-shaped lever.

I insist on the fact that you MUST use a special tool for the circlips though!

Will do...and you're so correct because I put Singer oil on the L-shaped lever and thought all was well, but eventually, had to take it out, and it was caked up and took some effort to come up.  After cleaning the hole and the pin, oiled, and reassembled, it was swinging like night and day. 

And yes...I have a c-clip tool, and I'll put a net around the work place to catch that c-clip...  Thanks...

Dillen:

Yes, these two points (plus the one in the carriage) are most prone to seizing up:

Note that this Beogram differs from the one shown in the linked page, it does not have
the left side switch etc. but the tonearm mechs are basically the same.

And I agree on using a proper circlip tool. It WILL fly across the room.

Martin

Thanks Martin - can't take shortcuts when degreasing those pivot points, eh? 

Mine looks like this (made in Germany):

You guys are doing such a great job, I'll just watch from the sidelines!

Dillen:

 

And I agree on using a proper circlip tool. It WILL fly across the room.

Martin

These circlips are called, Jesus Christ, because thats what you say when they get wings

WELL...I am a BELIEVER!!!!     I used my c-clip tool to remove the clip and took out the lever, and sure enough, the old grease was caked up in there.  The Singer oil drop I applied a few days ago was just floating on top of the pin, and never traveled down.  Cleaned up the pin and the hole in the lever, applied Singer oil and put everything back, and the tone arm snaps right back up everytime now...

Thanks to everyone for your advices and Menahem for publishing that great guide!!!