Tivoli One Variable Capacitor Repair Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          4 hours

Sections

Repair Variable capacitor
25 steps

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Introduction

Supplement, three months later: With this device, this complex repair has unfortunately not brought lasting success, the condition is again as before. So it can also go wrong.

What you need

Step 1

              Unscrew the Rear Panel

Turn off the Tivoli One and disconnect the power cord.
Unscrew the six #2 Phillips screws on the back panel.
Carefully pull out the rear panel a few centimeters, but do not remove it. It is still connected by the cables.

Turn off the Tivoli One and disconnect the power cord.

Unscrew the six #2 Phillips screws on the back panel.

Carefully pull out the rear panel a few centimeters, but do not remove it. It is still connected by the cables.

1024

Step 2

              Dismantle Front and Rear panel

Mark the connectors on the tuner board with colored felt-tip pen so that you can plug them back in correctly later. Then pull them off
In this picture the parts have already been removed.
Pull out the front and the back completely.

Mark the connectors on the tuner board with colored felt-tip pen so that you can plug them back in correctly later. Then pull them off

In this picture the parts have already been removed.

Pull out the front and the back completely.

Step 3

              Remove the Tuner

Remove tuner
Unscrew the three Phillips screws #1 and carefully lift the tuner board upwards.
Mark the position of the coupling with a felt pen to make it easier to insert it later.

Remove tuner

Unscrew the three Phillips screws #1 and carefully lift the tuner board upwards.

Mark the position of the coupling with a felt pen to make it easier to insert it later.

Step 4

              Remove AM antenna

Detach the medium wave antenna -the black wire frame- from the back, it is no longer needed.
The blue VHF antenna remains. However, it is recommended to operate the device with an external antenna - a simple wire of 80 cm length is often sufficient.

Detach the medium wave antenna -the black wire frame- from the back, it is no longer needed.

The blue VHF antenna remains. However, it is recommended to operate the device with an external antenna - a simple wire of 80 cm length is often sufficient.

Step 5

              Unsoldering the shields

This step is a bit tricky and tedious. Work very carefully and slowly. Mark the setting of the coupling with a felt pen.
Very carefully desolder the shields above the variable capacitor. Start with the flatter part on the back. There are ten solder joints on the front and back. Use a desoldering suction pump or desoldering braid. Remove the shields on the front and back.

This step is a bit tricky and tedious. Work very carefully and slowly. Mark the setting of the coupling with a felt pen.

Very carefully desolder the shields above the variable capacitor. Start with the flatter part on the back. There are ten solder joints on the front and back. Use a desoldering suction pump or desoldering braid. Remove the shields on the front and back.

Step 6

              Remove the coupling

Inside the black coupling piece there is a Phillips screw. Unscrew it. Remove the circlip, it is loose.
Carefully pull off the black coupling piece.

Inside the black coupling piece there is a Phillips screw. Unscrew it. Remove the circlip, it is loose.

Carefully pull off the black coupling piece.

Step 7

              Cap removal

Pull the cap off the variable capacitor.

Pull the cap off the variable capacitor.

Step 8

              Cutting through the bars

Cut through the two bars connecting the upper and lower parts of the capacitor using side cutters.

Cut through the two bars connecting the upper and lower parts of the capacitor using side cutters.

Step 9

              Unscrew the upper part

Unscrew the four very small nuts that hold the capacitor together.

Unscrew the four very small nuts that hold the capacitor together.

Step 10

              Lifting off the upper part

Lift the upper part very carefully upwards.

Lift the upper part very carefully upwards.

Step 11

              Unscrew the shaft

On the bottom of the top cover directly on the shaft is a small brass washer. Do not lose it!
Attention: Left-hand thread! Unscrew the nut on the axle clockwise.

On the bottom of the top cover directly on the shaft is a small brass washer. Do not lose it!

Attention: Left-hand thread! Unscrew the nut on the axle clockwise.

Step 12

              Disassemble the Variable Capacitor

Here you can see the cause of the malfunction: the white separating agent between the plates of the capacitor has dried out. It must be removed. The lower plates are for FM, the upper ones for medium wave. The upper ones will not be needed later.
Slowly and patiently remove all the innards of the variable capacitor. A toothpick is good for this.
On the shaft are rotating rotors, fixed stators and washers. Other very small washers are on the upright posts
You don’t need to sort the parts, that will come. But be careful not to lose or damage any of the very small parts.

Here you can see the cause of the malfunction: the white separating agent between the plates of the capacitor has dried out. It must be removed. The lower plates are for FM, the upper ones for medium wave. The upper ones will not be needed later.

Slowly and patiently remove all the innards of the variable capacitor. A toothpick is good for this.

On the shaft are rotating rotors, fixed stators and washers. Other very small washers are on the upright posts

You don’t need to sort the parts, that will come. But be careful not to lose or damage any of the very small parts.

Step 13

              Necessary stators

There are four different types of stators. The two shown here are still needed. They can be recognized by the long indentation at the “back” (marked red):
2 pieces type 1
2 pieces type 2

There are four different types of stators. The two shown here are still needed. They can be recognized by the long indentation at the “back” (marked red):

2 pieces type 1

2 pieces type 2

Step 14

              Unnecessary stators

The two shown here are for AM and will be omitted in the future:
2 pieces type 3 with T-shaped eyelet on the right side
4 pieces type 4 with short indentation at the back

The two shown here are for AM and will be omitted in the future:

2 pieces type 3 with T-shaped eyelet on the right side

4 pieces type 4 with short indentation at the back

Step 15

              Washers

Here are the various washers:
10 pieces of brass
One thicker brass washer
various silver ones
some very small silver ones from the posts
the oval washer is not needed anymore

Here are the various washers:

10 pieces of brass

One thicker brass washer

various silver ones

some very small silver ones from the posts

the oval washer is not needed anymore

Step 16

              Necessary rotors

And here are the rotors. Only the type of which there are six is needed, the others are omitted.

And here are the rotors. Only the type of which there are six is needed, the others are omitted.

Step 17

              Cleaning

Now comes the cleaning work:
Push out the shaft. Clean the shaft and its contact ring (marked red) on the lower part of the condenser well with isopropyl alcohol, scrape off any corrosion.
Reinsert the shaft. The stop must be on the far right.
Clean the four required stators (type 1 and type 2), the six rotors and all disks well with isopropyl alcohol. Use a lint-free cotton swab for this purpose.

Now comes the cleaning work:

Push out the shaft. Clean the shaft and its contact ring (marked red) on the lower part of the condenser well with isopropyl alcohol, scrape off any corrosion.

Reinsert the shaft. The stop must be on the far right.

Clean the four required stators (type 1 and type 2), the six rotors and all disks well with isopropyl alcohol. Use a lint-free cotton swab for this purpose.

Step 18

              Assembly block 1

The assembly follows, work very carefully with toothpick and tweezers, do not damage the parts!
Place the capacitor as shown in picture 1. Start with a rotor.
… then a brass washer
Next is a stator of type 2
…a rotor
…and a brass washer
one of the tiny washers is put on the post.

The assembly follows, work very carefully with toothpick and tweezers, do not damage the parts!

Place the capacitor as shown in picture 1. Start with a rotor.

… then a brass washer

Next is a stator of type 2

…a rotor

…and a brass washer

one of the tiny washers is put on the post.

Step 19

              Assembly block 2

And again:
Rotor
Brass washer
Stator type 2
Rotor
Silver disc
Then turn the capacitor 180°.

And again:

Rotor

Brass washer

Stator type 2

Silver disc

Then turn the capacitor 180°.

Step 20

              Assembly block 3 and 4

Next is the next rotor, this one and the two remaining are twisted 180° against the first three rotors.
then a stator type 1, the stators are also twisted by 180°, then the brass disc
tiny disc on post
rotor, brass disk
stator type 1
rotor
thick brass disc to finish

Next is the next rotor, this one and the two remaining are twisted 180° against the first three rotors.

then a stator type 1, the stators are also twisted by 180°, then the brass disc

tiny disc on post

rotor, brass disk

stator type 1

rotor

thick brass disc to finish

Step 21

              Install spacers

Press the shaft down again.
The washers for the AM tuning are no longer installed and are replaced by three washers and two snap rings of size M3. Then tighten the axle nut again. Reminder: Left-hand thread so counterclockwise. Do not tighten the nut too much, light tension is enough.
Fill the remaining washers on the two marked items

Press the shaft down again.

The washers for the AM tuning are no longer installed and are replaced by three washers and two snap rings of size M3. Then tighten the axle nut again. Reminder: Left-hand thread so counterclockwise. Do not tighten the nut too much, light tension is enough.

Fill the remaining washers on the two marked items

Step 22

              Install the upper part

Put the small washer that was between the top of the condenser and the axle (see step 5) back on the axle. Oil it very lightly.
Carefully replace the top of the condenser. Check if the axle can be turned. Then screw the four small nuts back on, but not too tight. Always check if the axle with the rotors turns freely, maybe you have to put more spacers on the posts.
Put a small solder dot on the wire between the upper and lower part.
Replace the protective cap.

Put the small washer that was between the top of the condenser and the axle (see step 5) back on the axle. Oil it very lightly.

Carefully replace the top of the condenser. Check if the axle can be turned. Then screw the four small nuts back on, but not too tight. Always check if the axle with the rotors turns freely, maybe you have to put more spacers on the posts.

Put a small solder dot on the wire between the upper and lower part.

Replace the protective cap.

Step 23

              Function test

Now you have to test and adjust. Caution: the mains cable is well insulated, but always remember!
Make all connections between front and rear panel correctly.
Switch the unit to FM - you should hear at least a slight hiss. Remember the switch for the antenna on the back, an external one works better in case of doubt.
Adjust the variable capacitor until - hopefully - the first station can be heard - and be happy! The most important part is done.
Disconnect the connections again.

Now you have to test and adjust. Caution: the mains cable is well insulated, but always remember!

Make all connections between front and rear panel correctly.

Switch the unit to FM - you should hear at least a slight hiss. Remember the switch for the antenna on the back, an external one works better in case of doubt.

Adjust the variable capacitor until - hopefully - the first station can be heard - and be happy! The most important part is done.

Disconnect the connections again.

Step 24

              Soldering the shields

Solder the two shields again, a few solder points are sufficient.
Put the tuner board on and fix it with the three screws. Play a bit with the adjustment knob until the coupling fits.
…and connect the parts again, this time for the adjustment work.

Solder the two shields again, a few solder points are sufficient.

Put the tuner board on and fix it with the three screws. Play a bit with the adjustment knob until the coupling fits.

…and connect the parts again, this time for the adjustment work.

Step 25

              Settings and assembly

The dial marked F controls the frequency. Set the dial to the frequency of a known station at about 100 MHz, use a second radio and adjust until the desired station can be heard clearly on both radios.
Set a weaker station at about 100 MHz and adjust with A to best volume.
This potentiometer allows you to adjust the LED transmitter setting to the optimum level. Set a strong transmitter and adjust the yellow LED to highest brightness.
Disconnect the connections between front and back part for the last time.
First push the front part completely into the housing, then the back part not completely.
Re-establish the connections and tighten the unit with the six housing screws.

The dial marked F controls the frequency. Set the dial to the frequency of a known station at about 100 MHz, use a second radio and adjust until the desired station can be heard clearly on both radios.

Set a weaker station at about 100 MHz and adjust with A to best volume.

This potentiometer allows you to adjust the LED transmitter setting to the optimum level. Set a strong transmitter and adjust the yellow LED to highest brightness.

Disconnect the connections between front and back part for the last time.

First push the front part completely into the housing, then the back part not completely.

Re-establish the connections and tighten the unit with the six housing screws.

Follow the steps in reverse order to reassemble your device

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Introduction#

What you need#

Member-Contributed Guide

Introduction

What you need