Akai X-150D running slow, lubed no new belt...help?
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Depending on where you are in the world it has to be set for your power supply voltage and frequency. If you're in the US make sure it's set for 120 volts and 60HZ (the belt pulley selector in front of the machine must be set for the correct HZ as well as the capacitor switch in back). If the motor itself is running slow it could just be a bad motor capacitor, but first open it up and visually inspect to see if the belt is loose and slipping on the flywheel. You could try holding the flywheel back and turning the motor by hand to determine if the belt is slipping too.
Jones is right about power settings, but if that is correct, you should make sure motor bearing wick is oiled. I know you mentioned you lubed, but did you get in there? Is it making noise? It's been awhile since I've owned an Akai, but I had a GX-215D once and remember there was a video on Youtube on how to lube the motor spindle and service the belt pulley. You have to partially disassemble the motor housing to get in there. That said, you should also get a new belt. They can stretch with time and they are readily available and inexpensive. The capstan motor in this unit is fairly robust, so I doubt it is toast.
Weird though, I had the front off, lubed it some more, then I turned it on and it seemed to be spinning really fast. I played a 7.5 reel and it was perfect. Put the cover on and it was slow again... Maybe the belt stretching as it warms up? Not sure... Do you have to disassemble the motor to change the belt? I still hope it is not the motor, I am now a master at pulling the front and case off now that I have done a bunch of times... Lol. Looks like I will be diving in again... Where to order new belts? Any suggestions?
Don't leave it set for 110 if it has a 120 volt setting, set it for 120 volts. 110 will make the transformer output voltage too high as we are around 120 to 125 volts here in the US (100 to 110 volts is typical for Japan). It can stress out the power supply and the motors using it at the wrong voltage, though I doubt that's got anything to do with your problem.
Make sure you didn't get any oil or grease on the belt or pulleys. If you did clean everything thoroughly with rubbing alcohol.
Make sure you didn't get any oil or grease on the belt or pulleys. If you did clean everything thoroughly with rubbing alcohol.
I let it cool down and put on a reel it went from 7.5 to slow mo in about 40 seconds. I don't think the belt is slipping but it might be stretching, either that or the engine is pushing up daiseys. I have another one also from Japan, it is also set at 110, I will change them both. I read somewhere that 110/60 was normal for the US. I did clean the rubber pulleys and belt afterwards. It says in the manual to oil the flywheel and engine but I can't figure out how to break it down. I hope it is not too hard to change the belt. I will check out the you tube video, it is not easy to disassemble some of these things. I will try the bearings since I have to take it apart anyway. Supposedly there are 4 screws, 2 on each end of the motor. The shaft of the flywheel needs some too. I am frightened of pulling the whole thing apart but I guess that is next.
I'd suspect the motor capacitor is bad if the motor is slowing down after running for a while. It is two capacitors in one housing but you only need one section of it for 60HZ operation (the other section is for 50HZ operation and is connected by the 50/60HZ switch in back).
Meh, it's fixable but if you're not emotionally attached to it I'd prolly just return it. You can do much better if you're looking for a good reliable open reel deck, that one is pretty old and wasn't all that great to begin with.
It says mp capacitor
A-20 uf
B-0.8 uf
COM.
300 WV .AC
1968
3 wires into it
3-4 inches long, aluminum with a plastic cap on top
Any idea where to find one and are they hard to replace?
Dangerous working with these things?
I oiled the motor and again it slowed down (from 7.5 to about 3 3/4) after about 15 minutes or so.
I really wanted to fix it because I love these reel to reel units.
Anyway I got everything else running on it.
Any help would be appreciated.
A-20 uf
B-0.8 uf
COM.
300 WV .AC
1968
3 wires into it
3-4 inches long, aluminum with a plastic cap on top
Any idea where to find one and are they hard to replace?
Dangerous working with these things?
I oiled the motor and again it slowed down (from 7.5 to about 3 3/4) after about 15 minutes or so.
I really wanted to fix it because I love these reel to reel units.
Anyway I got everything else running on it.
Any help would be appreciated.
The capacitor values are actually 2.0uf and .8uf with a common input lead. It uses 2.0uf for 60 cycle operation and adds the .8uf when you switch it to 50 cycles to give it 2.8uf. You can replace the 2uf section of the motor cap with a commonly available cap used for things like ceiling fan motors (Google it, you can probably get one from Amazon or someplace).
It must be of the same uf rating and the same or higher voltage rating as the cap in there now. I think the little square Mylar fan motor caps are rated for 500 volts, so get a 2uf one and wire it to the existing common lead on the old cap, then cut the wire connected to the 2uf lead on the old cap and connect it to the new cap.
Dress the connections properly and hot glue or wire tie the new cap in a convenient place away from any moving parts. We're talking high voltage here so do a neat and thorough job and make sure connections are insulated and not touching the chassis anywhere.
By leaving the old motor cap in place with the common and .8uf leads still connected to it to the machine can still be used at 50 cycles in the future if necessary.
It must be of the same uf rating and the same or higher voltage rating as the cap in there now. I think the little square Mylar fan motor caps are rated for 500 volts, so get a 2uf one and wire it to the existing common lead on the old cap, then cut the wire connected to the 2uf lead on the old cap and connect it to the new cap.
Dress the connections properly and hot glue or wire tie the new cap in a convenient place away from any moving parts. We're talking high voltage here so do a neat and thorough job and make sure connections are insulated and not touching the chassis anywhere.
By leaving the old motor cap in place with the common and .8uf leads still connected to it to the machine can still be used at 50 cycles in the future if necessary.
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Thank you for the detailed information.
Just to clarify, from the new cap I would connect a new common lead to the old common wire, splice/cut in the middle and twist all three wires into a wire cap wrapped with electrical tape?
Or if not where or how should I connect it?
Of course like you said the 2uf wire snipped and connected to the new cap.
special thickness of wire for leads?
obviously insulated well.
should I be using oil filled capacitors?
All connections soldered?
I have never dealt with high voltage or capacitors before, precautions?
Here are a couple pics of the player...
Just to clarify, from the new cap I would connect a new common lead to the old common wire, splice/cut in the middle and twist all three wires into a wire cap wrapped with electrical tape?
Or if not where or how should I connect it?
Of course like you said the 2uf wire snipped and connected to the new cap.
special thickness of wire for leads?
obviously insulated well.
should I be using oil filled capacitors?
All connections soldered?
I have never dealt with high voltage or capacitors before, precautions?
Here are a couple pics of the player...
Attachments
You can just wire-nut the three common leads together, then snip the 2uf lead from the old cap and wire-nut it to the lead coming from the new 2uf cap. If all of the leads are going to that terminal block in the picture then you can make your connections there if it works for you, but simply wire-nutting them seems easier.
Use a modern poly or Mylar ceiling fan capacitor with the same or higher voltage rating - it looks like a little square plastic box with two wires sticking out of it. They are better than the old oil filled cans for this application.
Use a modern poly or Mylar ceiling fan capacitor with the same or higher voltage rating - it looks like a little square plastic box with two wires sticking out of it. They are better than the old oil filled cans for this application.
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