Hello.
I hope this is the right forum for repair questions.
I have an Executive Ediphone with a damaged "play switch" on the speaking tube.
I have removed the screw holding the switch together but I cannot remove it from the body of the tube. I believe the wires are too tight with not enough slack to pull them through. I was thinking about cutting the wires where they separate from the tube to provide some slack but I wanted to check with the experts here if there was a better way.
Additionally, If anyone has a wiring diagram or electrical schematic for this machine, It would be a great help to see it.
I'm not sure many folks here are experienced with Ediphones. I am not. I'm not sure what is wrong with the switch, but in general, damaging other things, such as the wires, in order to fix the switch, is a step backwards. Can the wires be detatched from the switch?
No
There is not enough clearance to access the wires from the switch.
Also, while it's possible to remove the hose from the horn, it's so tight I'm scared it may not go back in once removed.
I am not familiar with the function of an Ediphone, but assume the switch turns on either the "microphone/speaking tube" or the motor of the machine.
From the pics I'm not getting any idea of how the switch is supposed to work mechanically. Is it a toggle switch? It appears to be more complex than necessary with armored cable and no "obvious" method of disassembly. Since someone assembled it, it must be able to be disassembled...
"Also, while it's possible to remove the hose from the horn, it's so tight I'm scared it may not go back in once removed."
My theory is if it can be removed, it should be, to obtain more insight. Worry about putting it back together after you discover what's inside.
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value." Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things." My Wife
What is actually wrong with the switch? Is something broken, or does it just not make contact? There appears to be some contact points near the hinge point of the switch paddle. Contact points like this are notorious for getting dirty or slightly corroded, preventing electrical contact. What I'm seeing in one of your photos kind of supports this theory. Is it possible that this is the case? If so, can the points be cleaned while it's all assembled?
Jerry is right about being cautious, but as he inquired - What is wrong with the switch? Understanding how it works and its purpose are important to fixing it. Does it work by pressing down on it or rocking it? Cutting the wires, when there is not enough slack to rejoin them, is not a good idea if you want it to work again.
If you do take it apart and the bakelite breaks, it can be repaired. Are you planning to get this operating to make recordings or just to display it? If the latter, just a cosmetic restoration is necessary. Personally, I have never known anyone who wants or needs to use one...
Also, what is the last picture of and how does it relate to the switch problem?
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value." Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things." My Wife
Here is what I'd do- Put switch back together and identify the 2 wires that come out of the other end of the armor. There will be 2 wires- Get a flashlight bulb and a 1.5 volt battery- or a Volt ohm meter with 2 leads.
Put one of the ohmmeter leads on each conductor from the switch. When you actuate the switch by pushing it down, the meter, when put on the low ohm scale, will indicate a low ohms reading if the switch is good. The flashlight bulb and battery should be in series with the lead from one battery and the other from the bulb going to the 2 leads from the switch. The bulb will light if the switch is working.
That switch is used to actuate a relay or a solenoid that causes a clutch to engage or disengage from the mandrel drive. I know this sounds complicated, but believe me - it isn't! And there is no shock danger from either of the test methods as describe.
As inexpensive as they are today, anyone dong any kind of electrical work ought to have an inexpensive VOM (or Volt Ohm Meter) in their tool kit. There are lots of them on Amazon !
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