Target (Pop Up) LED Installation
Welcome to the installation page for your new Target (Pop Up) LED on your Technics 1200. The following instructions apply to all 1200 / 1210 models.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that while we are offering these instructions to guide you we always suggest having a professional install your items and thus take no responsibilities to any damage to the unit or yourself while installing. Please do so at your own risk.
Please follow the 10 Steps for installation of your new Pop Up (Target) LED. Please set aside at least 2 hours for this installation depending on your experience / skill set. If you are pressed for time do not install now. Leave it for a day where you have extra time and are not pressured.
Things you will need.
- Regular Phillips Screw Driver
- Phillips Precision Screw Driver
- Soldering Iron
- Small Wire Cutters
- Needle nose pliers (if available)
- Small amount of solder
- Screw Organizer (little bags or a tray)
- Heat Gun (if available)
Step # 1 - Preparing the Turntable
This may not sound important but it is. We need to prepare the turntable to be turned upside down SAFELY. To do this you will need to remove any accessories. For example the 45 Adapter. Next you will want to make sure your tone arm is on the arm rest and LOCKED. If you notice that your arm rest is worn we suggest using a twist tie and securing it do that when we flip the turntable upside down it stays in place though the entire procedure.
Remove the platter. Simply place each middle finger in each hole on the platter and pull gently upward. The platter should slide off. If it does not, do not worry it has just been a while. Removing a stuck platter is remarkably easy however we have seen some people go at it like it was a vault they were trying to break into. DO NOT use force. there is no reason. Here is what you do. If you are right handed. Take your left hand middle finger and place into one of the holes on the platter. Take your right hand and grab a screw driver by the shaft. Once in your hand and ready while pulling up on the platter with your left hand give the spindle in the middle of the platter and knock with the handle end of the screw driver. You will be surprised how gentle of a tap it takes and how easy it comes off.
Step # 2 - Preparing the Turntable
So now you are ready to turn your Technics 1200 over. Remember when doing this we advise using a older style lid of a road case. If you do not have that then the dust cover is also good but remember it can scratch so place a towel under the dust cover to prevent scratches. Also if using a dust cover try and apply a little tape to the side so it does not slide too much. We leave this to you depending on how you feel. The key here is to not let anything touch the tone arm while upside down. NO WEIGHT, Zero, nada. If you do and you tone arm contact something and weight of the turntable is applied your tone arm will bend and damage needing replacement. (Refer back to our "IMPORTANT NOTICE" above). So if your ready turn it over and rest it down on the lid. We have also seen some that do not have a road case lid or a dust cover used a bucket. Although unorthodox and unsteady it may work however once again be aware of the tone arm.
Step # 3 - Removing the Motor Grill & Unplugging the Pop Up Light
Under the platter you will find a motor grill held in place by 5 screws. Remove the screws and set them aside (marked "grill screws") then remove the grill and set it aside also.
Take a look at your Pop Up light. You will see (normally) Orange & Brown wires coming from it and running either beside the main board or under it. If beside simply unplug it from the main board and pull the wires so they are free to assist us when removing the light once we turn the turntable over. If this is the case do it and move on to Step 4.
If you wires run under the main board please continue reading.
If your wires run under the main board. If your wires run under the main board you will need to remove 2 of the three screws on the right holding the main board down. This is so you can slide the pop up light wires under the main board while lifting the right side of the main board slightly without the wires getting caught and damaging the wires or clip. Once you have the wires out from under the board and they are free put the 2 main board screws back in as we will be running the wires along the side of the main board once done.
Step # 4 - Removing bottom cover
You will now see the under belly of the turntable. You will see 4 Feet. We need to remove those by spinning them counter clockwise until they come off. Set them aside. You will now notice screws under those feet. Remove all 4 screws from each corner. Set them aside in a bowel or bag marked "base corners". You will then find 6 screws along the outer edge. Remove those and set them aside in something marked "base outer edge". You will then find 11 screws in the center of the turntable in a circular fashion. Remove those and mark them as "base center". Now that all the base screws are removed and organized its time to remove the bottom cover. When doing so we find it is always best to grab an edge and start there using the exposed bottom aluminum to your advantage. Once one corner is up then the rest seem to follow. Keep in mind when removing the rubber base that the RCA cables and power cable run through it and will need to be guided out when the cover is loose. If your turntable is North American or European then you will be able to completely remove the rubber base and set it aside. If your turntable has the British AC plug then it will be too big to slide through and you will need to set it aside the rubber bottom with the cord still through it and continue on.
Step # 5 - Removing The Pop Up Light
There are two screws which hold in your Pop Up light. Remove those two screws. If your Pop Up light assembly has been removed before it will come out easy. If it has not the wires will be taped down to the cabinet. Simply give the wires a light pull and the tape will rip with little pressure. Not to worry we will not be using that tape again. Now that the Pop Up light is coming out simply pull the wires out of the hole slowly as to not get the wires or clip snagged onto anything.
Step # 5 - Setting up the Pop Up assembly for the new LED.
As you will notice the resister is already installed on the LED for installation ease. This brings the voltage from 21v which is what the main board outputs to the correct voltage for your LED.
Now we need to cut a few things so grab your wire cutters.
Place your Pop Up light assembly on a desk or table away from your turntable if you wish as we will be concentrating on the assembly for a little bit.
You will see a resistor going from one post on the assembly to another. Cut this resister off and discard it as you will not be needing it. Next you will need to use your soldering iron to heat up the bottom contact post to remove the black wire coming from the present bulb. Heat it up and pull it. It should come out of the hole in the post covered with solder. Next pull it out of the rubber guild it runs through. It should now be free and leading into the main chamber of the Pop Up light assembly.
Next we will deal with the Orange wire. Look for the heat shrink connecting the orange wire and the wire harness. You will notice a budge in the middle of the heat shrink. This is where it is soldered. Cut right in the middle using your cutters and pull off the heat shrink to see the bare end of the wires. If there is some of the other side still attached heat it up slightly with your soldering iron and tap it on the table. The dead wire and solder will drop off once heated and tapped. This will give you a clean wire to solder together later.
Step # 6 - Removing the Pop Up Light housing cover.
This is an important step and typically the one that can ruin the project so take it slow and concentrate on the instructions. We will be removing the housing cover. To do this we will need your Phillips precision screw driver. We need to make sure we do not strip the screw. This is vital. If the screw is stripped the project is over and you will not be able to remove the housing without destroying it as again take this slow and follow instructions.
To do this properly we need to make sure you screw driver fits perfectly. Lay your Pop Up Light assembly down with the housing popped up (extended) and facing upward. You will then hold the housing in place with one hand while unscrewing with the other. You can use the hand you are holding the assembly with to guild the screw driver and make it a more controlled action. You want to apply more pressure down then normal when unscrewing this screw. This will give your screw driver "teeth" to grip the screw and help to not strip the screw. With downward pressure turn the screw counterclockwise until it is free and comes out. Careful with this screw as it is tiny. Put it in a zip lock bag or somewhere you will not loose it. Trust me if it falls on the floor you will need to hunt for it.
So the screw is out. Now slide the housing cover off and set it aside. You will see your old bulb now. Notice where the wires are coming out just below. Pull the bulb from the white plastic holder and slide the wires out of the chamber. If you bulb was working then maybe set it aside in the event you want to go back to the bulb. If not discard it.
Step # 7 - Installing the new LED.
We will now be sliding the new LED wires into the chamber hole at the top. Before doing this we need to look at a few things.
First push the cylinder into the down position. It will lock and you will need to be careful when handling the assembly from this point on as it will snap back up if triggered by your movement.
Notice the bottom hole where the wires will came out before you remove them. You will notice a spring. Use your Phillips precision screw driver to push the spring downward on an angle. It will get caught and stay down. Doing this will permit the wires to come out of that hole easier. If you happen to activate the pop up during the next step you will need to set this spring again before proceeding.
Next take your new LED we have provided. Take the end of the wires and give them a slight bend. Doing this will make them com our out of the hole easier once the ends reach the that point when sliding them down.
Note: Try and position the LED so it is facing the cir-clip when bending the wires to the correct side. You will understand why once installed.
Now that the wires are bend start to lead the two wires down the chamber hole. You will need to slightly straighten the bent wires to get it in but the bend will com back once the end of the wires reach the hole.
Once the end of the wires are visible you can use your needle nose pliers to guide the ends out. Pull the wires while applying pressure downward from the top.
Once the wires are through position the LED face toward the cir-clip as this where the hole in the housing will be so that you get perfect light.
If you are ready it is now time to position the housing back on top. Do this and notice if the LED is aligned with the hole for the light to shine through. At the same time make sure the screw hole is also aligned. If it is not then remove housing it and twist the LED and wires until it is.
Now that it is positioned correctly and the housing is back on top make sure the screw hole is lined up. Grab your tiny screw and place it on the end of the Phillips precision screw driver and guild it into the hole. Note that you will need to put some slight downward pressure on the housing to make sure not to strip the screw as it is a tight fit.
So your housing is now in place and you are starting to look finished. On to the wiring we go....
Step # 8 - Wiring.
For this next step we will be doing the wiring. We are going to take the black wire and put it through the rubber guild and to the bottom post the old black wire was connected to. Simply heat the solder that is on the post and poke the new wire through. Once through remove the iron and let it cool.
New we will work on the red wire. First put a small heat shrink on the orange wire from the harness. Slide it down to get it out of the way. Now we will connect the red and orange wires using some solder. Once they are connected slide the heat shrink over the soldered portion and heat the shrink up with a heat gun or hair dryer. If these are not available you can also use your soldering iron to run it quickly over the shrink. Leave it on for a little too long and you burn the shrink. We are not trying to burn it we are simply trying to heat it up to shrink smaller so as little heat as possible if using the iron.
Step # 9 - Remount the Pop Up Assembly.
You have completed the assembly portion of the installation. Now it is time to put it all together.
First slide the wire harness through the hole of the cabinet. Next mount your assembly and use the two screws to secure it. Turn the turntable over and run the wires to the right side of the main board, under the pitch control harness and plug to the connector at the top of the main board and plug it in. Use caution when doing this as the clip has two small tips on either end that are fragile. They are simply guides and clips to lock the plug in place however if you do break one or both it will still work.
If you are comfortable and have experience you can at this point plug your unit in without the bottom cover and test your Pop Up light.
Caution: Although hard to do please understand that when you have an open unit plugged in you can shock yourself so please use caution.
Caution: Be sure not to hut your Start / Stop button while the platter is not on.
Step # 10 - Reassemble. If all is working you are done and can start to from Step # 4 and go in reverse to put your unit back together.
If you have any issues or need assistance please feel free to contact us. Although we do not offer technical support we will try and help you as much as we can.
Enjoy!~