Panasonic VCR PV-4551 - ejects during recording

[Rich]

Hi,

The VCR will eject during record, at random it seems. Never completes
a 1 hr show. Just noticed that it will even eject, while not
recording, but programmed for record. About 10 min after programming
and turning the power off, the tape got ejected.

Have not seen it eject during play. Still plays and records well,
when it does.

Model PV-4551. Made in 1995. Extremely light use, one show per month
at most.

Any hints? TIA

Rich

 

[Patch]

Hi,

The VCR will eject during record, at random it seems. Never completes
a 1 hr show. Just noticed that it will even eject, while not
recording, but programmed for record. About 10 min after programming
and turning the power off, the tape got ejected.

Have not seen it eject during play. Still plays and records well,
when it does.

Model PV-4551. Made in 1995. Extremely light use, one show per month
at most.

Any hints? TIA

Rich

I would guess the safety record switch is dirty\bad. This is the switch
that prevents accidental recording of a commercial tape. You need to pull
the chassis to get to the switch. You might want to call your local repair
shop & ask for an estimate.

 

[Thias Russell]

Hello Rich.

The VCR will eject during record, at random it seems. Never completes
a 1 hr show. Just noticed that it will even eject, while not
recording, but programmed for record. About 10 min after programming
and turning the power off, the tape got ejected.

Have not seen it eject during play. Still plays and records well,
when it does.

Model PV-4551. Made in 1995. Extremely light use, one show per month
at most.

Any hints? TIA

try clean the "tape in" sensor that are in the middle of the tape perhaps it
dirty. It could be that but maybe not.

Best regards Thias Russell

 

[Rich]

Thanks Patch and Thias,

try clean the "tape in" sensor that are in the middle of the tape perhaps it
dirty. It could be that but maybe not.

This seemed to do the trick. The switch has two sets of contacts.
The stationary blade in both was oxidized quite a bit (black where it
should be been brass). Cleaned it, and it's working so far. Seems
like a pretty bad choice of material for the switch.

I'm not a repairman and would have never guessed it, since the
ejection took place even when the tape was not moving. Perhaps, when
you first insert the tape, the contact force penetrates the oxide just
a bit, but with any vibration even of the house, it relaxes enough to
break the circuit.

Regards,

Rich

 

[Rich]

Thanks Patch,

I would guess the safety record switch is dirty\bad. This is the switch
that prevents accidental recording of a commercial tape.

This is the switch that I was referring to in my other post. That's
the one that was oxidized. Works now.

Rich