1 of 1- Lüttingerknabe
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Offline - From: Berlin, Germany
- Registered: 06-5-2015
- Posts: 3
Keys don't work on Olympia SGE D2
I have an electric Olympia SGE D2 typewriter. I got it from a company that got ride of their typewriters when they switched to computers, and the typewriter hasen't been used since. Apparently it worked when it was given to. However, when I turn the typewriter on, you can hear that the power is on (it buzzes) and the type hammers go into position, but whenever I press on a key, nothing happens. After a while, the fuse blows. If you reset the fuse, the whole process starts over. Is the problem maybe some sort of transportation safeguard that is locking the keys?
Thanks in advance for any help!
- Uwe
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- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Keys don't work on Olympia SGE D2
Hallo!
That's a tough problem to diagnose through the forum. The "buzzing" (or humming as I would describe it) probably means that the motor is running, and in theory is okay. Does the fuse blow on its own, if you don't touch anything, if you just leave the machine on? Which fuse is blowing, a circuit breaker in your house or an individual fuse inside the machine?
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Lüttingerknabe
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- From: Berlin, Germany
- Registered: 06-5-2015
- Posts: 3
Re: Keys don't work on Olympia SGE D2
The fuse is in the machine, and it blows on its own, after about 10-15 seconds: There's a red button on the back that pops out when the fuse blows, and after pressing it back in the machine can be turned on again. I can move the type hammers manually, so they don't appear to be locked, they just don't work when I press the keys.
Thanks for your help - I can also post pictures, if that would help.
- •
Thread Starter- JoeV
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- Registered: 11-4-2015
- Posts: 152
Re: Keys don't work on Olympia SGE D2
Motors and/or solenoids that get stalled under full load will draw excess current (due to counter-EMF). The red button is a resettable circuit breaker, as protection.
If you can, try removing the drive belt from the motor, then turn it on and see if it doesn't trip the breaker just sitting. If it does, then the motor needs its bearings/bushings degreased and relubed, or it's bad.
If it trips the breaker only with the belt installed, then something that the belt drives is seized up, putting excess load on the motor.
Good luck, keep us posted.
~Joe
Last edited by JoeV (08-5-2015 10:57:22)
- Lüttingerknabe
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- From: Berlin, Germany
- Registered: 06-5-2015
- Posts: 3
Re: Keys don't work on Olympia SGE D2
Thank you for your answer.
I remove the drive belt, the motor got moving and the circuit breaker didn't trip. So it had to be something mechanical that blocked the keys.
I found that the keys blocked each other, because they were all pressed. As soon as the motor started, they were relased and blocked each other. I reseted them manually and then it worked.
Now I have two more problems. The First is, that if I press enter the top part goes down and back, but not enough so that the keys get stalled again and I always have to push it manually to get it in position and the keys working again.
Second some keys don't hit the paper and let the upper bar move. I have to press 10x or more till it triggers the mechanism like it's supposed to do.
Thank you in advance!
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Thread Starter