Lenco L85 - The Diva 2. Generation

[wega]

Dear All,

I found a Lenco L85 (2nd Generation) in a local Newspaper for 25 Euros (~USD 35) and want to share my experience with you.



The deck came as “semi defective” with the speed- adjustment and auto-stop not working, the lid missing and a bit dirty -
but still equipped with the original ADC X10E Mk IV stylus.



I bought it from the son of the previous owner who bought it new for Christmas 1973 (bottom plate stamped “5. Juli 1973”).
It was then sitting in the “party room” in the cellar of their house (-and came with a free Suzi Quatro “Quatro” [1974] vinyl).

 
Description
The L85 is a belt-drive deck with a 1-phase, low voltage synchronous motor.
The Plinth is made from chipboard with veneer surface. The chassis is resting on adjustable springs. The bottom is made from
thin pressboard and screwed to the plinth trough the rubber feet.



The arm is straight, with a headshell similar as on L75/78, but different thread (smaler diameter) and different geometry.
In short:HEADSHELLS ARE NOT INTERCHANGABLE!  ***(This was edited 30.MAR 2014)***
The Anti-skating is similar with “weigt on nylon string” but again, all parts are different. In general (beside the tonearm lift handle)
there are no interchangeable parts with L75/78.



The platter rests on a plastic sub-platter, which is the driven pulley. Its spindle is one piece, with a ball in the end for the main
 platter bearing. The platter itself is a “compound” with a steel base, soft foam filling and plastic top (with the see-trough
stroboscope-ring on it) and finally the rubber mat (with alloy inlays) on top. The weight of the platter is 1500 grams. On my deck,
it spins for more that 3 minutes with a single push (- and the belt removed).
The L85 is much more “electronic” that the “mechanic” L78.
Speed selection between 33 and 45 is done mechanically, shifting the belt on the 2-diameter motor pulley. I assume that the
difference for European and US versions are different diameter pulleys? Maybe a US- owner can take the measures of the pulley?  
The speed is either “fixed”, with the motor powered with ~4.5 Volts AC from the transformer, or “fine adjustable” from a Low
Frequency (LF)-generator trough a Power Amplifier.
Auto-Stop behaves similar as on the L78, at the end of the record the motor is switched off and the arm lifted.
This is controlled by a coil moved over a core, installed IN the base of the tonearm (!).
The overall design does not offer much space for modification, compared to the L75 / L78.


 

Electronics
This is, after roughly 40 years, the main problem of this deck. The electrolytic capacitors are dried out / blown up /
leaking / whatever. They have to be replaced. ALL OF THEM.



This is the only chance to get away without new adjustment, which can be quite tricky.
All the electronics are on one board. There were at least two different versions boards (PCB), the older one with discrete
components, the newer one with ICs ( Integrated Circuit). As I tried first just to replace the “bad” capacitors,
I miss-aligned the potentiometers on the board and had to do a complete new adjustment after I replaces ALL capacitors.



On vinylengine there are service manuals in German (and English instructions in an extra manual). It covers both PCB versions,
but it is a bit muddled up, so make sure you look on the right instructions for your deck. There is a protractor / jig for needle-
and auto-stop adjustment in the manual- I had to print it at “custom size- 36%” for the right size.
For a new adjustment of the speed-control and the auto-stop you need some electronic skills and equipment, at least a
high impedance (< 1M Ohm) pointer-type multimeter. Reason: for setting up the auto-stop, you need to look for a
“voltage jump”, which you can’t see on a digital meter.



Next difficulty, you have to find the test-points yourself, they are not marked on the board, only in the schematic.


 
Finaly all went fine and now I enjoy Suzi (and others...).
The L85 is a really nice deck (and I can compare against two L75  and one modified L78).
The electronics are a bit bitchy after all the years, but once re-capped and readjusted its a wonderfull, relaxed deck.






Cheers,
Stefan
near Hamburg,Germany

 

[ropie]

Hi Stefan,

That is a great photo-log and the results look fantastic.  I'm glad it's sounding so pleasing too

[rfgumby]

That might be one of the nicer 80's we've ever seen here.  Lovely.   

[wer]

Excellent job Stefan 

May i ask you for a close-up picture of the antiskating "system"? I am piddling around with an L8x arm, which i converted to take L75 headshells and to be a drop in for the L75. All that is missing now is the AS.

[wega]

Hi Werner,

I will take some photos and mesurements, but it might take one or two days.

Thanks & best regards,
Stefan

[awty]

Very nice deck.
You did well replacing the caps, lots of people wouldnt bother or not know how and junk it.

Wonder why Lenco didnt make a suspended belt drive like the Thorens, AR's etc.

[hatehifi]

Right on, Stephan! Nice resoration   .

Cheers!

[wega]

Hello Werner,

I found some time to take the pictures.
***EDIT: on request I added some pictures and messurements regarding the anti-skating wires. 30.MAR 2014***

Here we go:












The wires are magnetic, the weight is not.
The diameter of the string seems to be 0.2 mm

I think for a reproduction the 0.3mm slot is not neccessary. The wire is vertically fixated by the gap in the tonarme base.

Hope this helps,
Best regards,
Stefan

PS: If something is missing- please don't hesitate to ask.

[rfgumby]

That documentation is awesome.   We might have to add it to the Lencopedia section.

[autobayer]

Seconded, Stefan - really one of the very best documentations we have 

[wer]

Thank you very much Stefan, that helps a lot.

[WHSOUND]

Hi Stefan:

thanks for sharing your experience with a Lenco L85. I myself have a Lenco L85IC in use since approximately 1975 without any problems except the hardening of the lifting system silicone. I bought the L85IC together with two L78 from UHER-USA at that time. The two L78 were/are used in a DYNACORD modular disco sound system, imported directly from Dynacord, Straubing, Germany. A similar modular system was used during the Olympics in Munich in the athletic village to my knowledge. Wish you lots of fun with your new toy. Viele Gruesse aus den USA - Fritz - Seattle, WA.

[wega]

Thanks to everyone for the friendly words. I feel so flattered that I have to continue now

So this should illustrate how to repair the electronics board, to find the measure-points and understand the Lenco L85 adjusting gauge (and maybe substitute it with any protractor you already have).
I hope that this might save some L85s from the bin.

To remove the PCB from the Lenco, pull the big plug (see arrow), then remove both screws (circles).



Replace all electrolytic capacitors on the board. The yellow sqare one here is a unusual form-factor, but it was all I had...
The big blue ones (2200 µF) are a bit to big in size, but again, that's what was available.
Be carefull with the polarity, some of the original ones had the (+)side marked with a big bar, which is quite uncommon.



Before power on and starting to check the adjustment, make sure there is no short circuit between the big electrolytic and the contacts of the plug.



The following should help to find the right test points and potentiometers:
EDIT 11.JAN 2015: The testpoint "D" is marked wrongly. The real testpoint "D" is one pin further left, visible beteween the reddish sleeves of the diodes in this picture.



The Service manual names three points B (40mm), C (48mm) and D (70) for adjustment.
Here they are on the original Lenco "Stylus-adjusting gauge":



I think you simply can use any other protractor you might have, I checked with a "Schoen-Schablone" here.



That's it for now. Maybe one day I'm gonna find a L85 IC, then I will extend this thread.
Not sure if this is now qualified for the "Lencopedia" Hall of Fame .

Keep on spining,
cheers,
Stefan


NOTE:
This has been written to my best knowledge and is for information only. It still might be full of faults and wrong assumptions.
If you use this information you do it at your own risk.
If you decide to damage your deck, harm or kill yourself, I am not liable for your doing.

[wega]

Oh, and one more post.
As I found another thread with a question regarding the L85 Platter, here are some pictures:

Bottom view. Steel plate (magnetic) with "heat rivetted" strobo plastic ring on it.



Here's a closeup.



At the top , there is a soft foarm underliner and the rubber mat on top.



The overall weight of the platter is 1500 gramms.

Cheers, Stefan

[sahko]

Hi, wega!
I see you have a lot of renovating turntables.  I have a I65.
A Prompt how to remove the driving plate. I want to lubricate the bearing, because have free play in the drive shaft.
Thank you in advance! Dmitriy.