# DIY fix of a Pioneer RT-909 reel to reel



## Wardsweb (Apr 2, 2010)

I was over at a friends house talking audio, as we most often do and he mentioned he has a Pioneer RT-909 that doesn't work. With nothing to loose, I tell him I'll take a look at it. I get it home, put it on the bench and the capstan and reel motors have no power.


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## Wardsweb (Apr 2, 2010)

With no schematic and having never worked on this model before, I decided to ask over on the Tapeheads.net forums. I told them the issue and Sam Palermo, Chief Engineer, at Skywave Tape Deck Repair out of Chicago jumped right in. He said the two micro switches on the tensioning arms are notorious for going bad and how to trouble shoot without a schematic. 

In short order, I did verify 24VDC coming off the power supply board pin 43 (green wire) that goes to the left micro switch. The voltage looked good going to the right micro switch (white wire), but as soon as the right switch closes, it dropped the voltage to 2 volts, that goes back to the power supply board pin 29 (yellow wire).

Yes, the micro switches are bad. They couldn't pass the voltage once any current was needed. I verified this by just jumping from pin 43 to 29 with a clip lead.


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## Wardsweb (Apr 2, 2010)

With the factory switches not readily available, Sam again came through with a drop in replacement from Digi-Key # SW765-ND. I placed my order and within a few days they were in my mail box. Once I swapped them out, the deck plays beautifully.

Now to do some cleaning and button it all back up. My wife and I are having dinner with my friend and his girlfriend next weekend. I'll surprise him with a working deck.


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## jcmusic (Oct 26, 2012)

Luther,
Great story everyone needs a friend like you!!! Wish you were my friend not that I need anything fixed just the idea...

Jay


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Congratulations on the fix.


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## victhanhdo (Dec 25, 2021)

Wardsweb said:


> With no schematic and having never worked on this model before, I decided to ask over on the Tapeheads.net forums. I told them the issue and Sam Palermo, Chief Engineer, at Skywave Tape Deck Repair out of Chicago jumped right in. He said the two micro switches on the tensioning arms are notorious for going bad and how to trouble shoot without a schematic.
> 
> In short order, I did verify 24VDC coming off the power supply board pin 43 (green wire) that goes to the left micro switch. The voltage looked good going to the right micro switch (white wire), but as soon as the right switch closes, it dropped the voltage to 2 volts, that goes back to the power supply board pin 29 (yellow wire).
> 
> Yes, the micro switches are bad. They couldn't pass the voltage once any current was needed. I verified this by just jumping from pin 43 to 29 with a clip lead.


I just got a rt 909 , and I had no power to capstan motor, how did you checked to see if the micro switches are bad or the motor is bad?
Please help me


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