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Dash pots on a Victrola Credenza? Vibration problem solved!

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:55 am
by marcapra
I have a new Credenza and would like to know how to fix the dash pots. I've read that you just put some Neatsfoot oil on the cylinder and the leather will expand and make it work again. My question is what is the best way to get access to the dash pots? Should I take the back panel off, or unscrew the lid screws and pull up the dash pot?

My Credenza has the induction disc type electric motor. Is it normal for the motor board as well as the sides of the cabinet to have a noticeable vibration when you touch them? Thanks, Marc.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 am
by Springmotor70
Marc,
It's quite easy to take the back off to oil the dash pots. It was the method Victor suggested for adjustments as well.
As for the vibration. I've heard many of my motors on Electrolas but I don't recall feeling a heavy vibration. Has it been lubricated? You can also watch it run with the back off without pulling the motor board.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 8:50 am
by De Soto Frank
Is the "vibration" like a 60-cycle hum, or is it more of a mechanical rumble ?

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:34 am
by 52089
marcapra wrote:I have a new Credenza and would like to know how to fix the dash pots. I've read that you just put some Neatsfoot oil on the cylinder and the leather will expand and make it work again. My question is what is the best way to get access to the dash pots? Should I take the back panel off, or unscrew the lid screws and pull up the dash pot?

My Credenza has the induction disc type electric motor. Is it normal for the motor board as well as the sides of the cabinet to have a noticeable vibration when you touch them? Thanks, Marc.
Not my video, but you may find it useful:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKHdzIL0mLU[/youtube]

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:46 am
by edisonplayer
Very interesting.I got my Credenza from Jerry Donnell in 2002.He never worked on the dashpots for mine.I thought I'd like to have mine worked on.edisonplayer

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:18 pm
by marcapra
The vibration is not just a "hum". It shakes the wood of the cabinet! But I haven't yet screwed on the motor board screws. Maybe that makes a difference? Marc.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:54 pm
by De Soto Frank
Trying to suggest possible causes...

I believe the Victor induction motor has a reputation for sometimes being "noisy", coming from the field coils and laminated field-armature. This would induce vibration in the neighborhood of a 60 cycle tone. The cabinet is acting as a resonator.

The only other cause of "motor noise" that I would anticipate, would be bearing related, and this would occur at a lower frequency (pitch-level), if on the platter spindle, or perhaps from the governor ( but this should still be at a lower frequency than any 60-cycle noise from the field coils ? )


Tightening the motorboard screws is certainly an easy check... ;)


I have two machines with the induction motor, a VE 8-12X that I have not power-up yet, and a Radiola 47 that I have powered-up, and while the induction motor for the platter has a distinctive hum from the field-coils, it is not of "cabinet-rattling" magnitude... I doubt it would be audible over record play-back.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:09 pm
by JerryVan
I've had several Credenzas and they've all had faulty dashpots. The only thing I've ever had to do to fix them was to squirt some light oil into the small holes at the top of the dashpot cylinder. Work the lid up and down a few times, wait for the oil to soak in, and they'll be good for years.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:25 pm
by estott
JerryVan wrote:I've had several Credenzas and they've all had faulty dashpots. The only thing I've ever had to do to fix them was to squirt some light oil into the small holes at the top of the dashpot cylinder. Work the lid up and down a few times, wait for the oil to soak in, and they'll be good for years.
Seconded- if you can't get to the holes then let some oil run down the rods and it will find its way into the cylinder. It only takes a little.

Re: How do you fix the dash pots on a Victrola Credenza?

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 1:40 am
by marcapra
Thanks guys for the help on the dash pots! But none of you guessed the possible cause of my cabinet vibration. Some of you thought I was complaining about motor noise. My motor doesn't have any noise and only the very faintest hum. What it has is shaking! My tech told me over the phone to check the governor weights to see if there was a wrong size weight on one of them. What I found was only two governor weights. Would that cause a vibration? My tech told me the third weight had probably gotten loose and fallen off. Tonight, I took the back panels off to access the dash pots, and the weight and spring were laying there at the foot of the horn neck. The tiny spring screws are missing, so I'll have to take the motor to my tech to have the spring put back on. Marc.