[TenTec] Omni Optical Encoder

[John Dvoracek]

>From my own experience and these archives, the optical encoder in the Omni
for at least the past few years has more drag than a number of ops like,
even with the knob adjusted so the pressure skirt does not contact the front
panel and add friction.  TT once told me the manufacturer had moved
production to Mexico, and they then started received somewhat stiffer
encoders.  I have been trying to find a used 301 just to get my hands on an
older encoder hoping it would turn more freely.  Not having had any success,
I started wondering if Oak-Grigsby made any other encoders.  On their
website, their is a ball-bearing version of the Omni's sleeve bearing
encoder:

http://www.oakgrigsby.com/products/900index.html

The Omni part number I have is 90Q125-01-00245, and the same encoder is made
with ball-bearings as a 94 series.  The outer sleeve is larger, so it would
not fit into the Omni, but if I were homebrewing a 301, I could drill
whatever size hole I needed.  Newark stocks the 94Q128-00-00, part number
16F7476 for 51.63 which is not much more than TT sells their 90 series for -
and that is unit pricing.  Electrically the units appear the same.  The one
stocked by Newark puts out 128 rather than 125 pulses per revolution, but so
what?  The pin-out suffix difference (-00- versus -01-) is a little
concerning, but may not be a problem since the signals seem the same.

So, has anyone thought about or already tried doing something like this?
Logically the ball-bearing model would turn with less friction than the
sleeve model, but I sure would like to know before I purchased one just on
logic.  Any comments?

73, de ke5c, op john






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