Lower Bearing Ring after cleaning:

 

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Rotator Main Gear before cleaning:

 

 

• Rotator Bearing Retainer after cleaning every gap one by one.

some rust stains can't be removed.

 

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Rotator Main Cover/Cap before Cleaning.

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Lower Gear Plate before Rust remove.

 

• It was very hard job to clean the Steel Plate but it's good enough.

Lower Gear Plate after Rust remove.

• First step was to "paint" almost all steel parts with "Rust Converter"
• The Rust Converter gave the parts a "not so nice" dark black/blue color.

Meanwhile until "Rust converter" is drying out I took a timeout to deal with the CDE CD-44 Rotator Controller.

• Originally the controller was made for the US so it is 110V 60Hz.
• I didn't like the idea of using an external step-down transformer so I replaced the power transformer with a standard 220V 24V (25V) 100VA.
• The new transformer is a bit larger than the original (75VA 10% duty cycle ?) so I had to cut some metal out of the chassis and drill new holes for the screws.
• I also had to place the pilot lamp holder at the "wrong" other screw, otherwise the lamp was touching the front panel.
• the original "Meter Transformer" is 110V 18V (approx) so I replaced it with a standard same size 2x12V using it as a 24V transformer.
• Because of the original transformer is only 18V and the new transformer is 24V or actually 27V, I have to replace the 180R 2W resistor to about 300R 2W (same as HAM-IV), otherwise it will generate too much heat and will return it's sole to God.
• After a general check with AVO meter the controller is working OK.

Back to the Rotator.

• Grease was applied on the main gear and main gear track.
• Main gear was placed in it's track at about midway position.
• After oiling the two small gear shaft I placed all small gears & spacers to their place.
• Replacing the motor plate.
• Replacing the end Switches and solderable ground tag (Incl. star lock washer).
• Tightening all 3 screws, while checking the gear assembly for free rotation.

• Next step was to place and tight the motor to it's place (motor plate)
• while adjusting gear clearance.
• To adjust gear clearance I used the elliptic hole exists at only one side of the motor mounting, the other hole is round.

Paying special attention to gear clearance is very important, too much or no clearance

at all will end up with dead nylon gear.

The correct adjustment is to maintain a small backlash that you can feel but hardly can see.

 

One more thing to be mentioned, the CD-44 do not have active brake, the only brake (instant stop) is applied if the motor is powerless, than the shaft & rotor is falling down out of the magnetic field center, when this happens the rotor is touching a fiber washer placed on the motor body so we get almost instant stop.

 

Back to backlash and brake issue, If no backlash is applied the motor rotor can't move up or down freely.

• Now to the clean part, installing the potentiometer while paying attention to the potentiometer center connection to motor body.
• Another clean part is to rewire the rotator.

• Next step on the line is check the rotator with ohm meter looking for all my connection mistakes... happily NO mistakes found.
• Next step is to connect the rotator to the controller placing the potentiometer in center position, connecting the controller to mains and...
• POWER ON !!!
• Next step it to look for clouds of smoke.
• NO SMOKE.
• The meter jumped to the 'N' position, moving the potentiometer by hand from side to side moves the meter from side to side accordingly, no jumps or unwanted movements.
• Now I can say that the "Meter part" is working OK.
• next is the rotation part, pressing the rotate levers, the rotator starts to rotate letting it to get to the end switch.
• Same goes for the other direction.
• It is working OK, so far so good, the electric part and the mechanical parts are OK.

• Greasing rotator cap ball rail.
• Inserting new balls to the retainer.
• Placing retainer with balls to the correct position (not upside down) on it's race inside the rotator cap.
• Adjusting potentiometer position to mach the cap and rotator position.
• Inserting the rotator bottom plate (motor) to it's correct place paying attention not to touch the balls.
• Testing the rotator South to South, meter positioning and end switches all OK).
• Inserting new balls to the next retainer.
• Greasing the ball rail with a large amount of grease.
• Placing retainer with balls to the correct position on it's race (rotating part).
• Replacing the bottom ring on it's place and tightening the four screws.
• Check if rotator backlash exists by holding the rotator with two hands one holding the cap and the other holding the bottom plate.
• Reconnecting the rotator to the controller, test, ALL PASS OK !!!