Need help with Vibrograf B200
Goal: $300, Received: $300.00 (100%)
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Need help with Vibrograf B200
I picked up a Vibrograf B200 (Portescap) and found the tape drive inoperable. Everything else seems to be working fine. Pulled off the front cover and measured 36vdc going to the motor when the red &on& button is pushed.
Does anyone know if this is the proper voltage for the drive motor. I have not taken the motor out of circuit to measure the coil resistance yet but thought someone here might know these units well enough to fix them in their sleep and could help me out...or maybe throw me an information bone on what typically goes wrong with the tape drive. I will call Vibrograf tomorrow and see what they advise or if electrical schematics are available. Thank you.
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Originally Posted by JimJ
I picked up a Vibrograf B200 (Portescap) and found the tape drive inoperable. Everything else seems to be working fine. Pulled off the front cover and measured 36vdc going to the motor when the red &on& button is pushed.
Does anyone know if this is the proper voltage for the drive motor. I have not taken the motor out of circuit to measure the coil resistance yet but thought someone here might know these units well enough to fix them in their sleep and could help me out...or maybe throw me an information bone on what typically goes wrong with the tape drive. I will call Vibrograf tomorrow and see what they advise or if electrical schematics are available. Thank you.
Good Day Jim,
There are several things to look at before looking at the motor, which I believe should be OK.
First thing to check is whether You have a unit with auto tape drive. If it is a unit with manual tape drive then check if the switch located inside the B200 on the left hand side of it (located on the bottom left, visible plainly when You swing the cover up and look at it from above and the front of the unit) is in the right position to operate it.
Without the auto tape start slider should be pushed towards the middle of the unit looking from the outside, from the left side of B200 towards inside.
If that is the case your B200 would appear to work except driving the paper tape.
If it is an auto tape start version, perhaps there is a fault with the circuit board that controls the motor.
In either case the motor should start driving paper tape when switch slider is pushed to the right.
You should have a user manual to read about it. I do have one but unfortunately it shall probably be of no use to You as it is a German language version. I am also looking for a copy or a scan of the
user manual in English language, although I do understand fair bit of German.
I do not believe that the electric circuit manual of B200 was ever made available to public.
Last edited by Dushan G 10-20-2008 at .
Reason: typing error
&& Experience is the name everyone gives
to their mistakes. && - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
AWI used to supply a block diagram of the B200. I have one somewhere... it's high level. ...and in German.
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Deleted post.
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Hi, there must be an alternating current to the input of the motor if not then your problem might be at the converter or oscillator circuit boards.
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Thanks to all responders.
I did speak to a John at Vibrograf and he spoke of a manual switch also.
I looked again, but found no such switch on my unit.
Maybe someone can post a picture of it.
The only thing I see is a round plastic button with an arrow on it, but it seems to be securely soldered into the board. John indicated in automode the motor would start up after detecting an input from a watch.
I can hear the ticking from a running watch attached to the pick-up and the solenoid drives the striker bar, but the motor does not start up.
He suggested sending in the motor controller and power supply boards so he could check them.
These are the 2 full size boards on the right rear section of the unit.
The oscilator board is the 1/2 size board on the far rhs, but he did not think it was that board.
I will likely send that in also for him to check.
If a problem is found, he will repair or exchange it with a good used board for around $100.
I asked about the dc voltage to the motor, but he really did not indicate if that was an issue.
He said motor failure was extremely rare.
I'm not sure what the function of the other 3 pcb's on the left side of the unit do.
He did confirm no electrical schematics are available...he indicated this is a common question.
I do need the user manual and made a request to the library...no response yet.
Thanks again for the comments...I really want to get this tool running.
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Good Day Jim,
To help locate the switch and PC boards correctly I am attaching two scans, one is the layout of B200 showing the position of the auto-mode switch and the other showing the the PC boards layout within the B200.
The slider switch is shown and marked with number 9 on the image of B200 layout.
Attached Thumbnails
&& Experience is the name everyone gives
to their mistakes. && - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Wonderful scans! These are very helpful and confirm my unit does not have the slider switch, but instead has the round plastic plug with the arrow on it as shown in the attachment. I'll follow-up with more information after the board check at Vibrograf.
Thanks again for your help.
Attached Thumbnails
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Good Day Jim,
That plug just might be a two part affair that has a top which can either be unplugged and turned to point inwards or just turn to point inwards, with the same function as a slider switch.
In past I have met similar arrangements on various equipment, used instead of switches, especially used by German makers, these plugs are much less prone to failure.
I think that there is a line separating bottom from the upper part, although I cannot say for sure from the image.
Have a good look at it and try to turn it, if it will not then try to lift up the top of it. Do not force it much, just apply reasonable force.
&& Experience is the name everyone gives
to their mistakes. && - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
I messed with that plug several days ago without luck, but returned to it after reading your last note. I attempted to pry up at the parting line seen in the plastic plug...no luck. Moved to the other side and applied some counter pressure with my finger and...IT LIFTED OFF! It took moderate force to get it off.
The cap separates near the PCB and cannot be removed as there is some type of retaining clasp. However, in the up position, the plug can be rotated every 90 degrees and pushed down into a new position.
Unfortuneatly, no change in function at any plug position, but you have solved one mystery for me. It looks like I'll be sending the boards out for testing.
Thanks again.
Attached Thumbnails
Registered User
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Final Update:
Vibrograf tested the power and motor control boards and found the motor control board to be defective. This is the middle CCA on the right hand side of the unit. After replacement of the boards, the barrel spins and the tape drive works just fine. Best of all, the unit generated the proper response charts for several watches. Total cost was $100 shipped.
Thanks again for everyone's help.
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
I did not see your last post before writing my answer but since I already wrote it I leave it as is.
Although I have not worked on the B200 I have repaired a number of other timing machines. The basic principle for all I have seen is that an oscillator provides a relatively high frequency for example 23,760 Hz which, depending on the desired beat range, is divided down to around 40 Hz (In Tickoprint 36,40,44). The low frequency feeds an AC motor through some kind of power amplifier. The speed of the motor varies according to the AC frequency. For example for the tickoprint 18,000 equals 2,400 rev.per minute and 19,800 equals 2,640 rev/min.
So if you have got a DC voltage at the motor this, as some previous poster wrote, is incorrect. However this may be a measuring error since a DC voltage would make the motor windings very hot. Check the voltage between the two terminals of the motor with the meter on AC. You would probably have around 30-40 V AC in a transistorised unit like B200 if everything is ok.
If the inked ribbon feed is taken from the same motor you should check that it has not become stuck since this may prevent the motor from starting. There is not much power available at the motor shaft.
Hope that this may be helpful
Last edited by A 11-15-2008 at .
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
I have a Vibrograf B200 and I think it needs a microphone cable. I have two cables and I think one has all the parts. Is this something I can pick-up at the Guitar store? Not sure if we have a watch timing machine store here in Atlanta.
Thanks in advance,
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Originally Posted by Bulldawg
I have a Vibrograf B200 and I think it needs a microphone cable. I have two cables and I think one has all the parts. Is this something I can pick-up at the Guitar store? Not sure if we have a watch timing machine store here in Atlanta.
Good Day Bulldawg,
Yes, You should be able to buy good quality microphone cable. Guitar shop or Radio Shack or any such shop should have it.
Try choosing a soft and elastic coaxial cable, which has a good braid, do not buy cheap one that does not have a proper braid, after all You only need cable couple of feet in length.
If You are going to disassemble microphone be very very careful not to break sensor, it breaks easy.
In any case, DO NOT disassemble mic unless You REALLY have to.
Take care with Lemo connector, they can be tricky.
&& Experience is the name everyone gives
to their mistakes. && - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Registered user.
Re: Need help with Vibrograf B200
Hi Dushan,
This does not look at all like a normal microphone connector that I have ever seen. What is the &Lomo Connector&?
Last edited by B 06-12-2009 at .
Reason: signature change
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