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Hoping someone can help me. Over in the US and can not find anyone that repairs machines that date pre 1977. I had a Rotolite machine shipped to me and the Seller hired a Professional Company to package it up and ship it. The Seller did **everything possible** to ensure a safe delivery. Well, it must have fell out of the delivery truck at some point on its way to me and the insides were a scrambled mess. Again, no fault of the person I purchased this from!! He did all he could! (A truly amazing person!)

So, spent a weekend trying to make sense of it all and “I think” I have it back together. Pieces are just “loosely” placed as the screws completely ripped out of the back. I’ll have to use screws and bolts to secure it all. Issue I have now is that there are 3 wires that are loose (pulled off from their original contacts) and trying to figure out where they belong. The machine worked when shipped and I need to get it working again. Attaching some pictures.






The picture with all the red arrows is what I saw when I opened the machine. I “think” I have it all back into it’s proper place. The white cover that covered the main power supply is broke. I’ll make another out of a 1/8 HIPS PLASTIC SHEET. The bracket that had the main power on ..broke ...looks like it was just super glued in place.

On the wires:

Picture #1 shows the 3 wires that are loose. 2 black and 1 green. The one black wire is coming from the bell. The other black wire is coming from the right Selector.



Picture #2 shows the Right Selector where the black wire is coming from.




Picture #3 is my “guess” on where these wires go on the Left Selector...just a guess. There are two contacts on the left selector that have solder, but no wires attached. I think the green wire goes on the right contact and the 2 black on the left contact. Could be wrong.




Not sure if anyone has one they can look at to see if this is correct? I have the electric schematics, but I have no clue how to read them. Really
Stinks! Sorry about this!

Also, this might be shocking to some, but I have never “soldered” a wire before. Lol. I have a “hobby” soldering tool I purchased years ago, but never ended up using it.

1. Is there a preferred tool for soldering?
2. Preferred solder to use?
3. how do I clean the old solder off to remake the connections. Or, can I just solder the wires to the old solder?
4. Also, I don’t think the wires will reach the connection point. They “ripped off”. Who ever restored this did an amazing job. But there is no slack on the wires. I am thinking I need to make “an extension” on each wire to reach the contact points ...can I just solder an “extension” to the existing wires?

Also, does anyone know what this specific small wire is called...will need to buy some.

Sorry for all the questions. Really hope someone can help.

Again, I wouldn’t normally even try to fix a machine like this, but unfortunately, I have no other options over here in the US.

Thanks everyone!

Sincerely,
Kevin

Oh dear, after all that the couriers contrived to ruin it!!!!
There is a set of papers relating to the Rotolite in our Resources Section.
Use this link: -
https://www.pennymachines.co.uk/Forum/v ... ram#p59533

And best of luck, keep in touch.

BP

Hi Badpenny! Good to hear from you. Hope all is well!

Thanks for the reply. Yes, read these over multiple times, and then some more...haha....but I can’t make sense of it. Really is a shame. It’s an absolutely Beautiful Machine! Inside (once I remount everything..) and out ...just need to reattach these 3 wires.

Thanks again Badpenny!

Sincerely
Kevin

1. Is there a preferred tool for soldering?
Get a temperature controlled soldering iron with a selection of bits - large to small - should cover most requirements.
2. Preferred solder to use?
60/40 with built in flux is a good general solder to use with a fairly low melting point. (Not too much heat needed to cause damage to wire insulation.)
3. how do I clean the old solder off to remake the connections. Or, can I just solder the wires to the old solder?
Best to clean off most of old solder with a solder sucker or solder wick.
4. Also, I don’t think the wires will reach the connection point. They “ripped off”. Who ever restored this did an amazing job. But there is no slack on the wires. I am thinking I need to make “an extension” on each wire to reach the contact points ...can I just solder an “extension” to the existing wires?
Yes you can. Twist wires together, solder and fit heat shrink tube over connection. You might have to be more careful if the wires are carrying mains voltages - make sure there aren't any spikes of solder that might penetrate the insulating sleeve.

Finally soldering is easy - it just takes practice to learn to apply enough heat to get a good joint but not too much to melt insulation (or destroy electronic parts).

The loose wires look like they come from the thermostatic timer, which I can't see on your machine.
It should look like one of the 2 small units, under the main realays, with 3 wires attatched.

Tallstory, THANK YOU! This helps a lot. I will look into these items. Thanks again for all the detail!

“Special When Lit” - thanks for looking at your machine. The only place these wires could have fit to once I put the machine back together was 2 contact points on the piece (don’t know the proper name of it..) that sits right under the Left UniSelector. It’s the only 2 contact point in the machine that have solder on them and no wires attached.

I see 2 black and 1 green going into the same area where these appear to go on my machine. Attaching some pics. Thanks for the help...

Better pick of the 2 contact right under the left uniselector that have solder on them, with no wires attached. Only contacts on the machine I can find that have solder but no wire...

Ah, I was looking at it wrong. That's the coil that operates the Uniselector, so should have power to it.
Look at the coil on the other selector & connect the wires accordingly.

Hi, I think that is the machine that was in the May 2010 issue of The Mechanical Memories Magazine, and was rewired by a very cleaver chap called Richard Brewerton. He would be able to help here, but not sure if he is still active in the hobby?

I think you are correct with your guess, 2 black wires will be common neutral, and the green wire will be the signal. Doesn't matter which terminals you solder them to, as long as the blacks go to one and the green go to the other.

This Forum is awesome. Can’t thank you guys enough for the help.

Slotalot/Special when lit - thanks for your responses. The Right side UniSelector coil is wired this way...2 black on the one contact and 1 green to the other contact. I’ll solder it back this way, remount everything securely... and fire her up to see what happens...praying for no “unseen” damage...

Thanks for everyone’s help!

On a side note Slotalot, I would be interested In reading that issue of Mechanical Memories Magazine. Do they sell paper copies of this. Couldn’t find much on the internet on it.

Once again, THANK YOU for everyone’s help!!!

Sincerely
Kevin

dbrace wrote: ↑Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:00 pm
On a side note Slotalot, I would be interested In reading that issue of Mechanical Memories Magazine. Do they sell paper copies of this. Couldn’t find much on the internet on it.

I have a copy, I will find it out and scan and post it on here for you.

Here we are as promised.
Hope you can read this OK, it's the best scan I could get...
Click on image to enlarge it.

Slotalot, WOW! Thank you! Really appreciate you scanning this!

I think this IS the machine! Internals look the same! Very cool! Nice to see it in Print ! That was a good read too! Would love to have the skills that Richard has! (...And,I am sure, all on this forum!)

Thanks again Slotalot. Really appreciate you sharing this. ..and thanks to everyone else that posted responses.

As soon as I get it up and running again, I’ll post an update. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Kevin

Sure thing Kevin, no problem, good luck.
Oh, and don't forget our next naked weekend is around at yours.

BP

badpenny wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:00 am Sure thing Kevin, no problem, good luck.
Oh, and don't forget our next naked weekend is around at yours.

BP

Lol! No “Celebration” until this Machine “lights up” ....and pays me out some Pennies!!!

....naked...sounds good, at least I don’t have to buy a nice outfit to host you all at my house!

...so wish I could have you all over for the “big reveal”. I’ll mention you all and post some pics!