L102 Drawbar troubles

[Paul T]

This is my first post to this forum. I've had my mostly trusty L102 since 1974 or so, but since my last cleaning of the drawbars with deoxit, they've been acting like on/off tabs instead of drawbars with varying volumes as you pull them out. All the drawbars including the bass pedals are either fully on or fully off: as soon as any drawbar is pulled out at all you get full volume with only changes when the drawbar is fully closed again, when the volume goes from full for that harmonic back to zero. I'm familar with dirty and noisy drawbars but have never seen this before. It briefly went back to normal the other day as I tapped and jiggled various drawbars. It almost seems like a short rather than contamination, you get a slight buzzing soundif you touch the bare shafts ofeachdrawbar. Before I tear the room apart and take the organ apart anyone have any sugestions?</P>


I have successfully swapped out my motor in the past and more or less kept this thing going for 35 years and I'd like to get my drawbars back to normal.</P>


I also own a Yamaha FS500;a Yamaha 415i; a Wurlitzer 4057 and a couple of Sidemans;and a Lowrey Citation GAK H1 which has to share a Leslie 147 with the L102 </P>
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[Bobmann]

Re: L102 Drawbar troubles



My opinion is that the drawbars need cleaning. While spraying deoxit may have fixed things for a while, the most reliable cleaning is to take them apart and clean alloxidation offthoroughly. While the spray is good, this is like pouring stop-leak in a leaking auto radiator...it could last a week, month, or year, but you will eventually have to fix it right. I have seen this exact drawbar problem disappear onorgans that I have worked on.
The L is really simple to get to the drawbars. The cleaning should include removing the contact spring, polishing the contact, cleaning the grease and crud from the buss bars, and burnishing them to remove oxidation (I use a Pink Pearl eraser...just be sure to remove residue). I relube with deoxit <U>green</U>, andgrease with a touch of contact lube. It will take a couple hours, but you will not have to do it again in your lifetime.</P>


Again... this is my opinion, and there could be other problems...but the symptoms you describe can be caused by dirty contacts.</P>


Bob</P>

[geoelectro]

Re: L102 Drawbar troubles



The L-100 series drawbars uses a resistor divider chain rather than the tapped matching transformer setup found on most other models. If a resistor opens or a connection breaks, then you will have your symptom. If it goes loud on the first click, then I would suspect the very first resistor from ground. I believe these resistors are mounted right on the end of the drawbar assembly. I would suggest you carefully inspect these resistors and their connections.</p>

Geoelectro
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[Paul T]

Re: L102 Drawbar troubles



Thanks for the detailed replies. All drawbars go to full volume on the first click with no variation untill they are fully closed again and volume drops to zero. I need to oil the generator too, so it's time to move enough of the surrounding synths so I can get at it. I'm hopefull that since I briefly had them functioning normally, that I didn't damage something last time I cleaned the drawbars.</P>


Thanks</P>

[Paul T]

Re: L102 Drawbar troubles



I've resolved my troubles, which I must've caused myself last time I was cleaning the drawbars. Not onlywere there 2 (!)broken off metal brush heads inside the drawbar assembly, but there was a break on the circuit board, basically the corner of the board was broken off, which of course broke a connection. A salvaged replacement set of drawbars with shipping came to $26 or so. The shame and horror that I was capable of such pathetic workmanship was very valuable: I approached this repair with much more care, caution and organization. The scary part is that I've doubtless subjected other much more valuable gear to my ham fisted and half witted repairs.</P>
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"The L-100 series drawbars uses a resistor divider chain rather than the tapped matching transformer setup found on most other models. If a resistor opens or a connection breaks, then you will have your symptom"</P>


I</P>