A couple of days ago, I thought that I'd post other messages about my Helix HX-4633N that had seemed to go "dead" October 27. I was worried that I'd have to open up another boombox (after failing with the Aiwa SMH). I was going to upload a couple photos', including of the AC receptacle when I noticed the right-side tine of the AC jack seemed quite long -- almost as if an extra bit of steel was fastened to it. It's not clear in this image, but the right tine's bigger, right? Turns out the extra bit of steel is from the boombox end of the power cord. Yes, I told myself to not get overexcited, that this isn't necessarily the solution to the problem. But I got a pair of Crescent micro cutters (yeah, I looked it up now) and, after firing up a computer to go online, I started pulling on that sliver ... Success! Well, that seemed to be the case less than two hours later. Yes, I was able to pry away that bit of "contact sheath" or whatever, bits of wire and all. In this image the now-remedied Helix is playing the Maxell UR-90 I'd been hoping to play before this all began. (First track: "The Time Is RIght" by the late Barry White from his 1994 album The Icon Is Love; we have or had it on CD.) Behind it is the Sharp GF-800H(S) that I unboxed to borrow its power cord (couldn't find suitable cords elsewhere). The twin aerials I half-raised for effect (ta-da!). A pity that the kind of fancy-looking (non-original) power cord that came with the Sharp can't fit well into the Helix's AC jack; the darn connection kept cutting out, spoiling the playback. Ah, well, got to get another power cord (eBay, eh?) and let the hefty '800 keep that fancy, taped-up cord ...
Nice job! A lot of this stuff can be cured by simple fixes, but it might take hours to figure out what's wrong. Some reel to reels won't work unless there's tension in the tape path, people don't know this and throw them out thinking the motors dead. I've got several that had this issue and now work great. I've got a million cords so that's never an issue but the last RTR I worked on needed a larger one that I got at Menards labeled as a heater cord. I had to trim some tabs off but it works fine. You might also want to try an appliance store or repair shop, they usually have cords for pancake/waffle grills that are very similar.
Send me some of your good fortune. I seem to always never get anything remotely simple. My stuff (when it stops working) always requires an engineer to figure it out..lol. Always nice to see things come together. Glad you got it going
Thanks for the kind words, gentlemen. I have felt divine intervention inspiring me to solve this problem. Even when that intervention was apparently hidden in (sigh) pruning constraints by someone in authority.
The only thing hidden was the meaning of the post previously, the "pruning" made that topic readable and would of possibly elicited some help rather than outright ignoring. It seems your own restraint on this topic has seen some more replies than usual. Doesn't that feel good? Your welcome.
That's the 'pruned' post?!...so it was even longer before?! Wow Is easthelp getting paid by the word? Glad you had a really easy fix though, they are the best type
Good job... and good luck combined indeed!!! I can relate to the excitement of being THE Master of Resurrection.!! This is exactly how I got hooked up onto electronics @Easthelp I can almost feel your next urge to get Electronics for Dummies books off Amazon,... don't fight it!!! and do Not get upset by editing, u r lucky that our Moderator noticed you!!! My first submitted paper for publication by The Academy got cruelly shortened, all references to the Aristotle deleted (yes, my ego was much grander 30 years ago!) but who cares as long as it gets thru and gets published?!! Your excitement is evident... Welcome to the club!!
