Record player motor voltages

[rematzz]

Hi all, I'm retro fitting a radiogram but am keeping the original record player.

The record player is a BSR monarch, the motor needs 200/250V, I feel that is a bit too high lol.

I'm hoping to run the motor on around 12V, I'm also hoping that someone can help me understand this and help me get the voltage down.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[(*steve*)]

if the motor is rated at 220V, then that is what you will need.

By too high do you mean dangerous? I'll agree with you. It could easily kill you.

Don't do the wiring yourself unless you are experienced. If not, find someone qualified.

 

[Colin Mitchell]

It's the frequency that is important

 

[Minder]

Agreed, they use synchronous motors, so if 200/250v I would guess you are in an area that uses 50Hz?
If you ran it here in N.A. (60Hz) your records would sound like the chipmunks!
M.

 

[rematzz]

Thanks for your replies, I am in a 50hz area, I don't minding running it on 200/250V, just as long as it will be safe. I am removing the radio from the radiogram and adding a more modern amp, but just wanted to know how to power the record player more safely

 

[Minder]

If it is wired as per original then there should be no problem.
M.

 

[rematzz]

It is wired as original but it's drawing its power from the radio that I will be removing, so how should I power it. Should I remove the power supply from the radio and use that to power the record player.

 

[Minder]

By power supply, do you mean the 240v AC in? Or?
I would assume it was connected to the same AC input point as the radio, there must be some kind of switch in the R.P. power circuit.
M.

 

[rematzz]

It is connected onto the main power transformer for all of the system

 

[Minder]

Secondary or Primary? Either way, just duplicate the original method.
M.

 

[rematzz]

I'm not sure which one, there is only one power supply that everything is connected to.

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean by the same method.

My friend told me to desoldier the wires for the record player and put a mains plug onto it and just plug it straight into the mains, but to me that doesn't sound right.

 

[duke37]

As advised, run it direct from a mains plug. The voltage is high and will bite so be careful to insulate everything properly.

The original wiring probably put its supply through a switch which controlled both the amplifier and the motor. You may want to do this when you fit your new amplifier.

 

[AnalogKid]

The motor *might* have been connected to a transformer secondary so that primary taps could be connected for 120 V or 240 V countries and the motor would see a relatively constant 240 V. Old-time version of "universal input". Or, the motor was connected to the output of the power switch along with the transformer primary at a convenient point.

Either way, if the motor is 220 V/50 Hz and your house current is 220 V/ 50 Hz, you're good to go with a direct connection to the mains.

ak

 

[rematzz]

I'm in the UK and it's 240V 50Hz for the mains, so I should be fine, as the motor needs 200/250V, I'm i right ?

 

[GPG]

Yes

 

[hevans1944]

The record player is a BSR monarch, the motor needs 200/250V, I feel that is a bit too high lol.

Oh, you laugh out loud and think the original designers got it wrong? BSR once made 250,000 turntables per week for a world-wide market. See this Wikipedia article. They also made a large number of turntables that operated on different voltages, including DC. There is a list at this site. The site does require free registration if you want to download manuals, but I found that to be quick and simple.

You might want to do some diligent research to try to discover which turntable you actually have before connecting it to the mains. It would help if you could tell us which Radiograf console you are trying to restore... things like the manufacturer and model number could help identify which BSR turntable was used. You might even get the BSR model number from the turntable itself. Many Radiografs had dual-line voltage transformers but required some effort to change the line voltage selection.

Or, you could do as your friend suggested and fit a plug for the mains directly to the wires coming from the turntable, plug it in and "test for maximum smoke" as this procedure is often called.

Hop

 

[rematzz]

The radiogram that I have is a regentone ARG 80, from 1956. I was going to repair the radio inside but couldn't get it repaired, so I decided to remove the radio and fit a modern amp, but keep the old record player.

There isn't any codes or anything on the record player, but I do have the papers that came with it when it was new.

I have been having a bit of trouble connecting it to an amp, I get a terrible loud hum through the new amp, I've checked that everything is soldier properly so I don't know why it's doing that aswell.

 

[Bluejets]

Wiring from the pickup head terminals under the turntable to your amplifier need to be shielded cable.

 

[rematzz]

If I wrap some of the soldier joints that I had to make from the pickup to the amp with electrical tape, would that work

 

[BobK]

No, that is not what is meant by shielded cable. Shielded cable has and outer mesh of metal for the ground connection and an inner connecter (shielded by the metal mesh ground) for the signal.

Bob