Hi -
I recently put out a query on CQ-CONTEST reflector re: my TT2 not
rotating, and how to diagnose it. Thanks for all the positive
responses. I eventually hauled it down and opened it. All the gears
looked fine; hoever, the grease had thickened, which caused the motor to
slow/bind. I re-lubed the moving surfaces with some soft lithium grease
& a touch of WD-40, and it seems to rotate like a champ now (at least on
the bench).
While it was disassembled, I happened to notice that the brake solenoid
frequently stuck in the retracted (i.e. brake off) position. It would
usually release by itself after a minute or two. At first, I thought it
also needed some lube. But the more I played with it, the more it
seemed the solenoid "hammer" (moving piece) was magnetically sticking to
the solenoid body (static piece). If I put a piece of paper in between
the two, nothing would stick. I eventually took a Dremel tool and
scarred-up the mating surfaces of the solenoid hammer and body. Voila -
no sticking (over 100+ trials).
Anybody know if this is a common problem? I wonder how long this remedy
will last. Sure don't want to bring this down from the tower again...
73, Kevin N6ER (es-NC6U)
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