DC motors and outboard power supplies...

Hi Lewm,

I just got home from listening to a 17 piece jazz band playing charts from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and the like. Great fun! I'm going to spin a few albums now and try and take some measurements as you suggested and see what happens.

I appreciate your words of caution as well.

No Regrets

Hi Santanaali,

Thank you for responding. Just so that I understand, if you go a few days between listening sessions, are there times when you first check the speed, that it is different from what it was at the last listening session?

Thank you again for sharing your experiences with me.

Thank you to all who shared their experiences with me regarding this. I greatly appreciate it.

Hello Raul,

Yes, I am having issues with speed control in my rig. So, as I am trying to sort out these issues I am contemplating getting a new table but can't help but wonder if I might not have simalar problems with the new table. Therefore I ask questions of the fabulous members of this forum because I respect their opinions.

The problem that I am experiencing is that there are times that I can listen for hours without a problem, and then out of the blue my speed will slow way down. Other times I can't even make it through a single record.

I've changed the bearing oil, the belt, the battery in the power supply. I don't know if it is an issue with the motor or the supply. About a couple weeks ago, I cleaned the din plug that connects the power supply to the table and I had put on about 50 hours of listening without a problem. But now, here it is again. I'm getting stumped. Maybe I need to replace the capacitors and regulator chips in the supply. I don't know what the answer is but it is getting frustrating. I never know when it is going to happen except that it will probably happen for sure when I'd like to invite friends over for listening!

So do you have any ideas? Your thoughts would be greatly welcomed.

Hi Lewm,

Thank you for your response. My table is a Linn LP12 that was modified by Pink Triangle with a Pink Link DC Battery Power Supply. I take excellent care of the bearing assembly and really do not feel it is the cause of the problem. The inner platter and pulleys have been cleaned, the belt has been replaced with a brand new one so I don't think that is it either. What is confusing to me is that there are times when I can listen for up to eight hours strait with no problems. Other times it occurs within the first hour or two. I think that your suggestion about measuring the output of the supply is a great idea and should tell me if the problem is the supply or the motor. I will try to do that tomorrow. Thank you for that suggestion.

Hello Raul,

Believe me, I have done much research and have participated on many of the forums that Linn and Pink Triangle owners frequent. I have had many good suggestions but to no avail. I know I will most likely have to buy a new motor and power supply but I sure would love to try and fix what I have first because when it is running correctly, I do love the way it plays records.

Syntax, thank you for sharing your experiences with me.

Raul, the people at Linn are of no help to me because the motor and powersupply are not from Linn. I have talked with the people of Pink Triangle who is now known as the Funk Firm. They no longer have schematics for this supply nor parts or replacement motors. I have even reached out to the designer of the supply who frequents a different forum, but to no avail as of yet. My supply does have variable pots to fine tune the speeds for 33 and 45. I can get the table to spin correctly, but then for no reason at all it justs slows way down. You never know when its going to happen. That's why I think it may be a regulator chip or capacitor going bad. I am going to try measuring the output of the supply today and see if I can in fact isolate the problem to the supply as lewm had suggested.

Thank you,
No Regrets

Hi Raul,

Thank you so much for your suggestion about the variable pots. To be honest, I never thought about them going out of spec. That's a great idea. I'm not sure if I have the problem in 45 speed as I don't often listen to 45's as I do the 33's. My next listening session I will dedicate to 45 issues and will see if the problem presents itself. Thank you Raul and to all for trying to help me with this. It means a lot to me.

No Regrets

Hi Dan ed,

"No_regrets, how do you get the controller to work properly again after one of these slow down episodes?"

I shut the supply down, pour myself a drink to calm my frustrations, and after a period of time, sometimes a couple of hours later or the next day I go back turn and turn it on. Many times it works just fine, but sometimes not. That's the thing about it. I don't do anything to it.

One of my thoughts was that something may be drawing too much current and causing one of the many regulator chips to go into thermal overload. But then why is it that I can literally listen for up to 8 strait hours without a problem one day and the next day not even make it 1 hour?

Raul brought up the trimmer pots may be going out of spec. I don't know a lot about electronics but that could be an option. I can't seem to find the exact model number anymore, but I would think as long as I replace with like values it should be fine. I found some for as little as 79 cents. Worth a try at least.

Thanks for your question. I'm sorry I don't have a more technical answer for you though.