Pm2 Buttons Not Responding

[old] dgotard · Post by **[old] dgotard** » October 7th, 2004, 9:25 am

Recently purchased a pre-owned 2001 model C from a private owner for $350. According to the previous owner it was lightly used by another family member who bequeath it to him, and has since sat idle for 1-2 years. Cosmetically the machine appears to be in good condition but there are a few issues. 1. The PM2 monitor powers up and starts recording data when the flywheel starts to move. Some buttons (METERS, REST, left arrow, up arrow, READY), however, either do not respond when pressed or work only intermittently. It has fresh batteries and there is no visible sign of damage or battery corrosion. Any recommendations on how to proceed? Should I attempt to open the monitor and see what's going on inside? Is this problem covered by the warranty? 2. The flywheel makes a slight chirping sound when spinning at low speed (the chirping sound is probably obscured by wind noise at higher speeds). It sounds like it's coming from the flywheel axle or bearing. Perhaps because the machine has sat idle for some time it needs lubrication. Any recommendations? 3. The seat makes bumpy/crunchy sounds when rolled on the monorail. Does this generally indicate a need for cleaning or should the seat rollers (both top and bottom?) be replaced? Again, perhaps it needs lubrication as it machine has not been used in some time. Thank you in advance for all your help. -David

[old] PaulS · Post by **[old] PaulS** » October 7th, 2004, 10:59 am

Hey, are you in the Seattle area? (sounds like one that was sold here recently) Make sure that any of hte other buttons are not stuck in the down position, I've seen this happen and when it does, the other buttons don't work. It probably is beyond warrantly, but C2 had a reasonable "exchange for refurb" (+nominal fee) in the past. Clean the seat rollers as good as you can and if the crunching continues it's likely the bearings and can be easily replaced, make sure the rail is clean also, it's worth it for a smooth ride. Erg on, Paul Smith

[old] c2jonw · Post by **[old] c2jonw** » October 7th, 2004, 11:37 am

Hi David- Great price on the used erg! Sounds like it's got a lot of life left in it. 1) Buttons not responding on the PM2- This is probably just some moisture/corrosion that's built up betweent the carbon pills on the keypad and the circuit board. Go to the PDF index on our home page and select the "PM2 LCD Replacement". This will tell you how to open up the monitor and clean the LCD contact strips. In addition to this , use the isopropyl for cleaning the black contact pills on the back of the keypads and the circuit board where they touch down. 2) The low speed chirp is a long standing issue that has been very difficult to eliminate. It has to do with the surface finishes on the axle and the clutch components, and the fits between them. On a given machine it may go away for a while and then come back. It only happens at low speeds when the flywheel is winding down, and we have never heard of it progressing to anything worse. It is not considered a problem, but if it bothers you there is a way to lubricate it, which might eliminate the chirp altogether or for a period of time. 3) Seat Rollers- Get a medium or fine grit scotch brite pad and use it to clean the running surfaces of the top seat rollers. This can be done without removing the seat from the monorail, but you might get better results if you take it off (PDF list again, Replacing Seat Rollers). Also clean the monorail with some liquid household cleanser, then buff it out with some mineral oil on a rag. If the rollers are still not smooth, call C2 for a couple of new ones. I'd also recommend giving the chain a thorough wiping and lubrication with some 20 weight oil (household 3 in 1 oil is good). Good luck with it.....JonW

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 7th, 2004, 1:48 pm

In regards to the seat rollers, I would take them off and clean them thoroughly. A paper towel and mineral oil is sufficient to clean them. If there is dirt and hard salt build up on the outside surface of the rollers, scraping sideways with a clothespin will help to get it off. By the way I've found that perspiration is much better at getting off salt deposits from the railing, once the salt has hardened, than oil is. For long term maintenance, I grease the seat roller axles, and routinely put a few drops of mineral oil on each side of the railing, then move the seat back and forth a few times. If this immediately picks up a lot of dirt, then wipe it off and do it again. I do this regularly, in particular before and after faster sessions where the railing and everything else gets totally soaked.

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 7th, 2004, 1:51 pm

Jon, A friend of mine uses a gym model C in Canada. The upper left "time" function is 1/2 way up in the box and difficult to read. In other words, only the lower half of the numbers are visible, but in the top 1/2 of the box. Would cleaning the contacts help to remedy that situation? Thanks.

[old] c2jonw · Post by **[old] c2jonw** » October 7th, 2004, 3:03 pm

Hi John, Yes it's very possible that taking the PM2 monitor apart and cleaning the LCD strip contacts with isopropyl would fix that. If not, then I would try a new LCD.......JonW

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 7th, 2004, 5:37 pm

Jon, Thanks. pdf files <a href='http://concept2.com/resources/pdfindex.asp' target='_blank'>http://concept2.com/resources/pdfindex. ... br> pm2 monitor lcd replacement instructions <a href='http://concept2.com/pdf/PM2_LCDreplaceinstrux.pdf' target='_blank'>http://concept2.com/pdf/PM2_LCDreplaceinstrux.pdf</a>

[old] dgotard · Post by **[old] dgotard** » October 13th, 2004, 8:57 am

Jon, Thank you for the advise. Much to my surprise, cleaning the monorail and rollers has corrected the bumpy/crunchy seat problem. I guess these are built to very low tolerances and don't require very much dirt to cause problems. I've also thoroughly cleaned the circuit board and keyboard. Although not perfect the buttons are now responding and are certainly serviceable. In addition, I will leave the chirping flywheel sound as is unless I have good reason to take apart the mechanism and have an opportunity to lubricate it. Looks like we're good to go. Thanks again! -David

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 13th, 2004, 1:17 pm

Hi David, I'm glad that worked well for you. Might I ask how long it took to clean the contacts and put the monitor back together. Thanks.

[old] dgotard · Post by **[old] dgotard** » October 13th, 2004, 1:52 pm

Disassembly and cleaning does not take long, perhaps 15-20 mins. It did, however, require several passes at cleaning to get the buttons to respond. -David

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » October 13th, 2004, 3:33 pm

Thanks. I just did a search for cleaning "electronic contacts" and found a few more methods besides using rubbing alcohol. Here are the top three in order of preference: 1) electronic contact cleaner/lubricant contains mostly alcohol, the lubricant protects from further oxidation 2) vodka (rub and wipe off with cloth or nylon sock) 3) pencil eraser If oxidation continues, a *very* thin layer of lubricant (mineral oil etc) could be touched on and wiped off for protection.

[old] dgotard · Post by **[old] dgotard** » October 14th, 2004, 3:56 pm

The circuit board contacts below the buttons are a gray/black color, whereas the adjoining circuitry is silver. Does anyone know if this indicates dirt or corrosion which should be cleaned, or perhaps a special coating which I might inadvertently remove if I continue cleaning the area? -David

[old] c2jonw · Post by **[old] c2jonw** » October 15th, 2004, 8:07 am

Hi David- What you are describing is consistent with the PM2 unit I have at my desk. The dark areas are a coating that probably increases conductivity. Removing this during the cleaning process should not be a concern, as long as you are not using something highly abrasive. Isopropyl on a tissue or q-tip should do the trick. JonW

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Pm2 Buttons Not Responding

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